OC Streetcar Safety Awareness and Public Education Program

Orange County Transportation Authority is requesting proposals for a safety awareness and public education program consultant for the OC Streetcar project, with proposals due September 22, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. and interviews scheduled for October 7, 2026. No set-aside or preference program applies; DBE participation is not required.

The consultant will develop and implement a multi-phased, multilingual safety education campaign targeting school-age children, motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, residents, visitors, first responders, and disadvantaged communities across the pre-revenue testing period and ongoing revenue operations of the 4.15-mile streetcar system connecting Santa Ana and Garden Grove. Deliverables include a comprehensive Safety Awareness and Public Education Plan with phased implementation schedule, audience-specific print and digital materials, school and youth education programs, community and business engagement programs, social media content and advertising, video and animation assets, paid and organic media planning, multilingual translation services in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Farsi, outreach event planning, market research and evaluation mechanisms, and monthly progress reports. The consultant must demonstrate proven experience leading safety awareness campaigns for modern streetcar or light rail systems, comprehensive understanding of Orange County's transportation environment, proficiency in social marketing to motivate behavioral change, ability to communicate rail-related safety information in compliance with California Public Utilities Commission guidelines, and expertise in reaching diverse and hard-to-reach communities. Staffing must include a Project Manager, Creative Director, Account Coordinator, and Community Outreach Liaison, all subject to OCTA approval; replacement of key personnel requires seven calendar days' notice and prior written approval.

The contract is a time-and-expense agreement with fully burdened hourly rates for the four key positions. The initial term budget is $200,000, funded entirely through Federal Transit Administration resources, commencing November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027, with two optional two-year renewal periods extending through October 31, 2031. Pricing proposals must use the Price Summary Sheet form provided. The consultant must maintain general liability insurance at $1 million per occurrence and automobile liability at $1 million combined single limit. The evaluation committee will weight firm qualifications and experience (25%), staffing and project organization (30%), work plan quality and understanding of requirements (20%), and cost and pricing (25%). A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for September 9, 2026 at 3:00 p.m., in-person at OCTA's Administrative Office in Orange or via Microsoft Teams. Questions are due September 10, 2026. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Authority's OpenGov Procurement portal.