Design of Quiet Zone Improvements at Churchill Avenue, Meadow Drive, and Charleston Road crossings

The City of Palo Alto is soliciting design and engineering professional services through Request for Proposals (RFP #RFP196802) to develop Plans, Specifications, and Engineer's Estimates (PS&E) for Quiet Zone improvements at three at-grade railroad crossings along the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (PCJPB/Caltrain): Churchill Avenue, Meadow Drive, and Charleston Road. The scope of work encompasses preparation of 50%, 90%, and 100% design packages in PDF and CAD formats, technical specifications, engineer's cost estimates, permitting and approvals coordination with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), PCJPB/Caltrain, and Union Pacific Railroad, civil engineering design for roadway and pedestrian improvements, survey and potholing analysis, utility relocations, signage and striping, and community outreach services including attendance at public meetings and coordination with City boards and committees. The consultant must demonstrate expertise in rail corridor and at-grade crossing design, railroad signal timing and preemption systems including Positive Train Control (PTC) and wireless crossing systems, design of railroad improvements such as four-quadrant gate arms and signal equipment, civil engineering related to roadway and pedestrian improvements, and community stakeholder coordination. The RFP was released on April 28, 2026, with a deadline for question submissions of May 13, 2026, and a proposal submission deadline of May 27, 2026, at 3:00 pm. Evaluation criteria include proposal quality (20 percent), proposed solution quality (15 percent), consultant experience (10 percent), cost (10 percent), financial stability (5 percent), timely performance ability (10 percent), prior government performance record (5 percent), ability to provide ongoing services (5 percent), compliance with applicable laws (10 percent), and experience obtaining permits from Caltrain and federal agencies (10 percent).

The procurement does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational types, though selected proposers must comply with California prevailing wage requirements, register with the California Department of Industrial Relations for public works projects, and provide proof of non-suspension or debarment status. Proposers must demonstrate financial stability through audited financial statements, reviewed statements, letters of good standing from financial institutions, or Dun & Bradstreet reports, and must obtain and maintain specified insurance coverage including general liability, professional liability, automobile liability, and workers' compensation with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 aggregate. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the documentation. The contract will be structured on a Not-To-Exceed Budget Per Task basis with payment as progress payments based on percentage of project completion; proposers must submit their own not-to-exceed fee amounts in their cost proposals, with no fixed budget range specified. The City reserves the right to reject all proposals, negotiate with any or all proposers, and conduct oral interviews with selected firms. Preliminary cost estimates from the Quiet Zone Implementation Study indicate four-quadrant gate systems with vehicle presence detection would cost approximately $1.2 million to $1.67 million per crossing, with alternative wayside horn systems at approximately $500,000 per crossing, though the RFP does not establish a maximum allowable design fee amount.