26-02: Five-Year Strategic Plan Development Northern Virginia Transportation Commission

The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission is requesting proposals for development of a comprehensive Five-Year Strategic Plan (FY 2029–2034) under RFP 26-02, with proposals due October 9, 2026 at 5 p.m. EST and interviews scheduled for November 3–5, 2026.

NVTC encourages participation of small, women-owned, minority-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses where practicable, though no mandatory set-aside or participation goal is stated. Qualified consulting teams must demonstrate expertise in local and regional government entities and working knowledge of public transit in Northern Virginia, including WMATA oversight and Virginia Railway Express governance.

The work scope comprises six tasks: project initiation and management (10% effort), organizational assessment and environmental scan (10%), stakeholder engagement and focus groups (40%), strategic framework and organizational design (20%), strategic plan development (10%), and final plan and adoption support (10%). Project completion is anticipated for Spring 2028, representing an estimated 18-month duration. The contract is structured as fixed-price, with final pricing determined following proposal review and negotiations. Monthly progress payments will be made based on milestones and deliverables, with NVTC retaining 5% of payments until project completion.

Proposals are evaluated on a 1,000-point scale: project approach and management plan (200 points), demonstrated experience with stakeholder engagement in strategic planning (300 points), knowledge of Virginia transit systems and governance structures (300 points), and qualifications of proposed project manager and team (200 points). Funding is provided in part by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation under a Master Agreement for Use of Commonwealth Transportation Funds, with NVTC providing local match from its general and administrative budget. Written questions are due September 11, 2026, and an optional information session is scheduled for September 8, 2026. The Notice of Intent to Award is anticipated December 4, 2026, with Notice of Award on December 14, 2026.