26Q-093 General Planning Consultants for the Ocala-Marion County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO)

The Ocala-Marion County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) is requesting qualifications for a General Planning Consultant to provide professional support on a task order basis for transportation planning functions identified in the TPO Unified Planning Work Program, with qualifications due July 14, 2026.

Proposers must be prequalified by the Florida Department of Transportation under Section 287.055 and Section 337.105, F.S., with FDOT applications due by the RFQ response deadline. DBE participation documentation is required with the submission. The scope encompasses bicycle/pedestrian and trail planning, congestion management, database development, feasibility studies, GIS analysis, long-range transportation plan development, project prioritization, public participation and outreach, safety planning, transit planning, and travel demand model analysis. Contractors must designate an overall Project Manager, maintain an approved staffing list with resumes, submit monthly progress reports with detailed hourly breakdowns by task, and be available for meetings with minimal notice. All subcontractors must be FDOT-qualified, with additional specialized subcontractors requiring TPO approval prior to work assignment.

The contract will run for three years with two optional one-year renewal periods, commencing after issuance of a Notice to Proceed. Compensation shall be negotiated hourly rates by classification prior to execution, with rates negotiated specifically for each task order. Incumbents are Alfred Benesch & Company, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., and Kittelson & Associates, Inc.

Proposals are evaluated on a 0-5 rating scale across five criteria: Company/Firm and Professional Personnel Qualifications/Capabilities (45 points), Project Understanding and Approach (30 points), Project Management Plan (30 points), Completeness and Quality of Proposal and Project Samples (25 points), and Firm References (25 points). A two-phase process may include written proposals followed by oral presentations within two weeks of initial evaluation. If oral presentations occur, Phase 1 rankings are disregarded and firms are re-evaluated using new criteria, except location points carry forward. The highest-scoring proposer will be recommended for award. TPO Governing Board approval is scheduled for September 22, 2026, with final contract approval on October 27, 2026. Responses must include four prior TPO/MPO project examples and three client reference letters. Submissions must be in PDF format with numbered pages on 8" x 11" paper, with graded criteria sections not exceeding 20 pages including cover.