Grand canal phase IV - 47TH avenue to 23RD avenue planning study

The City of Phoenix is requesting qualifications for planning and preliminary design services on the Grand Canal Phase IV multi-use path project extending from 47th Avenue to 23rd Avenue, with qualifications due October 30, 2026 at 12:00 pm via the City's Procurement Portal. The project is funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program and is subject to 49 CFR Part 26 federal compliance requirements.

The scope includes comprehensive planning study and preliminary design services for a 3.5-mile active transportation corridor, with deliverables encompassing environmental documentation, public involvement, preliminary engineering, and 15% design plans. Key work products include alternatives analysis for grade-separated crossings at Interstate 17 and US-60/BNSF Railway barriers, a 12-foot-wide multi-use path with pedestrian bridges and neighborhood connections, stakeholder coordination with ADOT, SRP, and BNSF, NEPA environmental review, and community engagement through up to four public meetings and three community walks. References are preferred, with no more than one reference permitted from the City of Phoenix.

Qualifications are evaluated on five criteria totaling 1,021 possible points: design experience of the prime firm (200 points, 19.6% weight), design experience of key personnel and subconsultants (200 points, 19.6% weight), project understanding and approach (400 points, 39.2% weight), staffing information and key personnel availability (200 points, 19.6% weight), and reference checks (21 points, 2.1% weight). References are scored on a four-point scale across seven categories — business relationship, team consistency, problem-solving, on-time and on-budget performance, work quality, innovation, and willingness to rehire — generating a maximum of 7 points per reference and 21 total points from three submitted references. Submissions are limited to 14 pages in PDF format with 10-point minimum font size.

A pre-submittal meeting is scheduled for 1:00 pm on October 20, 2026, at the Gecko Conference Room and via Microsoft Teams. Selection notification is anticipated in late November 2026, with a scope meeting scheduled for early December 2026. The City reserves the right to select up to three teams for the final list and to reject any or all qualifications.