Evaluating Induced Travel on HOV/HOT Lanes

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), specifically the Director's Office of Equity, Sustainability & Tribal Affairs (ESTA), is seeking a contractor to conduct comprehensive research on induced travel effects in managed lane projects. The Request for Proposal (RFP) Number 65A1292, titled "Evaluating Induced Travel on HOV/HOT Lanes", requires the selected contractor to lead a research team investigating induced travel impacts from various managed lane types, including High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV), High-Occupancy Toll (HOT), and fully tolled lanes. Key deliverables include reviewing relevant literature and data, developing recommendations, providing research methods, and creating tools for Caltrans to assess induced travel impacts during environmental reviews. Proposers must demonstrate expertise in transportation policy research and demand analysis, with a team combining academic and practitioner perspectives. The contract is scheduled to run from July 15, 2025, to January 15, 2027, with work performed remotely or at the contractor's office. The evaluation process will assess technical proposals across four main areas: project management, personnel qualifications, work plan, and overall proposal quality, totaling 200 possible points, with an additional 86 points for cost proposal evaluation. The proposal submission deadline is May 15, 2025.

Caltrans has established a strong commitment to small business participation, with a 25% Small Business participation goal for this procurement. The RFP encourages participation from small businesses, disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs), and disabled veteran businesses. Proposals exceeding $225,000 will be deemed non-responsive, indicating a targeted budget range for this research project. Interested contractors must have a multidisciplinary team capable of conducting sophisticated transportation research, with demonstrated experience in developing demand analysis tools and understanding complex transportation policy dynamics. For contractors requiring additional information or seeking accessible versions of the solicitation documents, Caltrans provides contact information at ADAdocs@dot.ca.gov or via phone at (833) 713-2922. While no incumbent vendors are specified in the provided documentation, the procurement appears designed to attract specialized research teams with proven capabilities in transportation policy analysis and environmental review methodologies.