RFQ 26-35-003 Center Road Corridor Study

Bartow County and the City of Cartersville, Georgia, are jointly issuing Request for Qualifications (RFQ) #26-35-003 to procure comprehensive corridor study services for Center Road. The procurement seeks qualified engineering and design consultants to evaluate existing conditions, traffic operations, and safety concerns along the Center Road corridor extending from U.S. Highway 41/State Route 3 to Spur 20, including associated intersections and roadway segments. The primary objectives include developing planning-level recommendations to address traffic congestion, capacity enhancements, access management, and multimodal considerations to support safe and efficient corridor operations amid projected residential development. Deliverables include the completed Center Road Corridor Study, due by February 22, 2027, with possible extensions for plan revisions. Required qualifications mandate that the prime consultant be prequalified by the Georgia Department of Transportation in specified area classes including State-Wide System Planning, Urban Area and Regional Transportation, Traffic Projections, Traffic Operation Studies, and Roadway Design. The two-phase evaluation process allocates 60 points maximum for Phase I (qualifications review) and 40 points maximum for Phase II (presentation and interview for shortlisted finalists). Key deadlines include an optional offerors conference on May 22, 2026, at 2:00 PM; written questions due June 5, 2026, at 5:00 PM; sealed Statements of Qualifications due June 12, 2026, at 3:30 PM at the Bartow County Commissioner's Office, Suite 251, 135 West Cherokee Avenue, Cartersville, Georgia 30120; and anticipated contract award on July 8, 2026, at 10:00 AM. Submissions require one original plus five identical copies for Phase I and one original plus three identical copies for Phase II, with electronic versions on thumb drives.

This federally funded project includes an 8 percent Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) participation goal, with DBE participation history and good faith efforts considered in the award evaluation. The resulting contract will be a project-specific agreement with one selected firm using a firm fixed price methodology, remaining in effect until successful adoption of the Center Road Corridor Study. Required insurance coverage includes Commercial General Liability of at least $1,000,000, Professional Liability of at least $1,000,000, and Workers' Compensation as required by Georgia. Consultants must comply with E-Verify federal work authorization requirements, maintain compliant accounting systems meeting 48 CFR Part 31 standards, and demonstrate no significant outstanding audit findings. The contract award value will be determined through negotiations with the highest-scoring consultant; if satisfactory agreement cannot be reached, negotiations will proceed with the next-ranked finalist. No specific budget range is provided in the procurement documents; however, the contract amount will be established through the negotiation process with the selected consultant.