4th Street Transformation Project

Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government is seeking qualified planning and engineering design firms through a Request for Proposal (RFP #260236) to provide comprehensive design services for the 4th Street Transformation Project, which encompasses South 4th Street from W. Liberty Street to River Road in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. The project builds upon the Reimagining 4th Street Conceptual Plan developed by the Louisville Downtown Partnership and aims to transform the corridor into a pedestrian boulevard connecting the city to the Ohio River. The scope of work includes seven primary deliverables: developing a work plan document, conducting an existing conditions analysis, identifying needs and assessment criteria, establishing a preferred alternative design, creating preliminary design documents, completing environmental review, and producing final 100% pre-construction design documents with cost estimates. The anticipated project timeline includes contract selection in June 2026, project kickoff in July 2026, plan development from July through December 2026, and final plan delivery in January 2027, with the contract term extending through completion of deliverables. Proposals will be evaluated on three criteria: Firm/Key Staff Expertise Experience (30 points), Relevant Previous Work/Projects (30 points), and Project Approach (40 points), for a total of 100 points. A mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 26, 2026 at 3:00 PM, written questions are due by June 9, 2026, and sealed proposals are due by 3:00 PM EST on June 16, 2026. Professional liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per wrongful act and $2,000,000 aggregate is required, along with commercial general liability coverage of $1,000,000 combined single limit and $2,000,000 aggregate.

Contractors must comply with Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission affirmative action requirements and establish minimum utilization goals of 15% for certified minority-owned businesses (MBE), 5% for certified female-owned businesses (FBE), and 0.5% for certified historically underutilized businesses (HBE). Bidders must complete and submit Good Faith Efforts forms (GFE-1 and GFE-2) documenting their outreach to minority, female, and handicapped-owned business enterprises. Local vendor preference is available to businesses established in the Louisville Metropolitan Statistical Area for at least 12 consecutive months, providing a 5% price reduction or 5 points, and minimum wage preference is available for businesses paying at least $10.10 per hour to all full-time employees, also providing a 5% price reduction. Applicable Kentucky statutory preferences for correctional industries products and qualified nonprofit agencies also apply. No incumbent vendors have been identified for this procurement. The project is funded through the Build America Bureau's Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grant Program, with an anticipated contract budget of $600,000 on a not-to-exceed basis, and procurement requirements follow 2 CFR 200 standards. Vendors must also comply with the City's "Ban the Box" ordinance, certifying compliance with hiring practice requirements that prohibit inquiring about applicants' prior criminal history on initial employment applications, and must complete vendor registration requirements including W-9 tax identification verification and vendor information forms within Louisville Metro Government's Workday system.