I-405 Corridor Plan

The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is requesting proposals for preparation of an Interstate 405 Corridor Plan, a comprehensive policy-driven and performance-based planning document, with proposals due September 28, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. and a pre-proposal conference on September 2, 2026. This is RFP 250426, issued in cooperation with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and local Orange County jurisdictions.

The scope spans seven major tasks: project management and coordination (including facilitation of up to 12 Technical Advisory Committee meetings); public outreach and engagement (including participation in up to 2 webinars and 3 stakeholder roundtables); corridor understanding and baseline conditions analysis; development of corridor goals, objectives, and performance framework; multimodal needs and investment strategy development; project evaluation and prioritization framework development; and preparation of draft and final corridor plans. The Plan must identify transportation needs, develop candidate transportation improvements, establish project eligibility requirements, and create a transparent evaluation and prioritization framework for future transportation investments within the 405 Corridor Investment Zone. The consultant will develop a candidate project inventory database, establish performance measures across freeway improvements, transit investments, and local streets and roads improvements, and create a defensible prioritization methodology applicable to future Excess Toll Revenue Expenditure Plans. The study area encompasses the adopted 405 Corridor Investment Zone—Interstate 405 and the 405 Express Lanes with a three-mile buffer on both sides within Orange County, extending south to Interstate 5—with a 15-year planning horizon (2025–2040). The consultant must maximize use of existing transportation planning resources and data rather than develop new models or conduct original traffic counts, coordinate closely with OCTA using Microsoft Teams, and deliver all materials in electronic format compatible with OCTA's current software systems. The Plan must support implementation of the Policy and Framework for the Use of 405 Express Lanes Excess Toll Revenue, approved by the OCTA Board in November 2025, and comply with Title VI requirements and statewide corridor planning guidance.

The contract is firm-fixed-price for an eighteen-month term with a total budget of $850,000. Award is anticipated December 14, 2026. Interviews are scheduled for October 26, 2026. Proposals must be submitted electronically through OCTA's OpenGov Procurement portal. Questions were due September 9, 2026. Offer validity must extend a minimum 120 days from proposal submission. Key personnel identified in proposals cannot be removed or replaced without prior written concurrence from OCTA. Offerors must disclose any organizational conflicts of interest, lobbying or advocacy services, past or present contract litigation, and campaign contributions from proposal submittal through Board selection. Award is contingent on receipt of adequate state and local funds. All proposals become property of OCTA and a matter of public record under the California Public Records Act. OCTA reserves the right to accept or reject any proposals, withdraw or cancel the RFP, issue a new RFP, and negotiate with multiple offerors simultaneously. Offerors are encouraged to subcontract with small businesses to the maximum extent possible and must comply with all applicable equal opportunity laws and regulations.