Passenger Rail Serv Development Plan-Atl. to Sav.

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) issued a Request for Qualifications for a Passenger Rail Service Development Plan spanning Atlanta to Savannah, with SOQ submissions due February 6, 2023 under RFQ 484-020623. A two-phase selection process applies: Phase I evaluates qualifications, and GDOT will select three to five finalists to submit technical approaches in Phase II on dates to be determined. This procurement is closed — WSP USA Inc. was awarded the contract.

The scope encompasses corridor-level planning and preliminary engineering for a 250- to 270-mile passenger rail corridor across an 11,300 square-mile study area in Georgia, with deliverables designed to align with Federal Railroad Administration capital project lifecycle stages and prepare the corridor for FRA Corridor Identification and Development Program eligibility. The selected consultant must hold statewide prequalifications in systems planning and urban-area/regional transportation planning; the overall team must additionally be prequalified in mass transit, NEPA documentation, environmental studies, and location studies. Key team positions include a passenger and freight rail finance specialist requiring documented freight rail finance experience.

The contract value reached $2 million maximum, with a term extending through successful project completion and potential extension for construction revisions. Payment structures include options for lump sum, cost plus fixed fee, cost per unit of work, or specific rate of compensation, to be negotiated with GDOT. A 15% overall annual Disadvantaged Business Enterprise participation goal applies to this federally funded project, achievable through prime contracting, subcontracting, joint ventures, or mentor/protege relationships. All submittals must comply with 48 CFR Part 31 audit and accounting system requirements. Addendum No. 1, issued January 26, 2023, clarified team-lead qualifications, contract terms, and submittal formats; proposers were required to acknowledge the addendum in Phase I submittals.