South Dakota State Freight Plan Update

The South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT) is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to engage a consultant for the comprehensive update of the State Freight Plan in compliance with 49 U.S.C. 70202. The procurement seeks a consultant to produce a data-driven, multimodal freight plan that inventories freight assets, analyzes freight flows and needs, prioritizes investments, sets performance targets, and defines implementation steps aligned with state economic priorities. Key deliverables include the final freight plan, executive summary, GIS data, and web-ready materials, which will become the property of the State. The consultant must conduct a minimum of seven Study Advisory Team (SAT) meetings with 15-20 state personnel throughout the 12-month project period. Required qualifications include submission of information on at least three previous similar contracts with client references, dates, and work descriptions. The proposal submission deadline is April 22, 2026, with an anticipated award decision by May 5, 2026, and a hard federal approval deadline of June 26, 2027. Offeror inquiries must be submitted by April 7, 2026, with State responses provided by April 10, 2026. Proposals must be submitted in original and one identical copy with sealed separate envelopes for technical and cost proposals, addressed to the SDDOT Project Development Office.

The RFP does not specify a total contract amount and indicates that pricing will be negotiated based on scope and resources. No set-aside designations or enterprise restrictions are identified in the available documentation. The cost proposal must itemize all costs by state fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) with separate identification of out-of-state travel, and indirect costs must be substantiated with documentation prior to first payment in accordance with AASHTO Uniform Audit & Accounting Guide standards. The selected consultant must maintain multiple insurance coverage types including commercial general liability, professional liability, business automobile liability, and workers' compensation, each with minimum limits of $1,000,000. The contract is subject to South Dakota law and may be terminated by either party with 30 days' written notice or immediately for default. The State reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and will negotiate contract terms with the highest-ranked offeror; if negotiations fail, the State may proceed with the next-ranked offeror.