Northern Branch Extension (HBLR) – Transit Oriented Development Comprehensive Corridor Plan

NJ TRANSIT is requesting proposals from qualified consulting firms to develop a Transit Oriented Development Comprehensive Corridor Plan for the Northern Branch Extension (HBLR), with proposals due August 19, 2026. The project is funded with federal resources and subject to FTA oversight.

The scope is a workplan designed to engage local communities, local government, and regional and state agencies to craft a collective vision for the extended corridor and develop actionable strategies. All proposers must comply with federal and state requirements including business registration certification, Equal Employment Opportunity compliance, Diane B. Allen Equal Pay Act reporting, and DBE program compliance; no DBE goal is assigned to this procurement per the Interim Final Rule effective October 3, 2025.

Proposals will be evaluated based on technical criteria enumerated in Attachment A, with the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) scoring technical and cost proposals separately. Combined scores determine the competitive range and award recommendation. Scoring weights for technical and cost proposals are detailed in Attachment D. The successful proposer will be selected based on best value, with price and other factors considered. Oral presentations may be requested, with a maximum duration of one hour per proposer—thirty minutes for presentation and thirty minutes for TEC questions and discussion. Reference checks will be performed for proposers in the competitive range.

NJ TRANSIT reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to cancel the award before execution if deemed in its best interest. The contract duration is specified in Attachment C. The successful proposer must execute the contract within ten business days of receiving the Notice of Award and provide specified insurance certificates. A pre-proposal conference will be held via Microsoft Teams; the date and time are specified in Attachment D. All proposers must comply with applicable Federal Transit Administration regulations and circular requirements.