Via-Smart Project

The City of Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government is conducting a sealed competitive bid procurement (IFB260165) for the Via-Smart Project, a federal SMART grant-funded demonstration initiative to address safety and reliability concerns at four viaduct locations in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The project involves designing, procuring, and installing advanced detection devices and intelligent transportation system (ITS) equipment at four identified intersections (3rd Street & Eastern Parkway, 3rd Street & Winkler Avenue, 4th Street & Industry Drive, and 15th Street & Oak Street) to monitor and communicate real-time information regarding roadway flooding, approaching over-height vehicles, and confirmed over-height strike incidents to both the traveling public and government agencies. Deliverables include traffic control infrastructure, specialized signage, electrical systems, cameras, controllers, conduit, cable, and detection equipment across multiple project sheets. Contractors must be prequalified with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet at bid opening, with subcontractors requiring prequalification upon acceptance of work, and all contractors must perform no less than 30% of the total contract value. The bid was released on March 25, 2026, with a pre-bid meeting scheduled for April 2, 2026 at 3:00 p.m., a question submission deadline of April 9, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EDT, and a proposal submission deadline of April 16, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EDT via the Bonfire portal. Work must commence within three days of the Notice to Proceed, with contract execution required within ten days of proposal acceptance.

Louisville Metro Government applies multiple purchasing preferences in the evaluation process, including a 5% price reduction for local vendors established in the Louisville Metropolitan Statistical Area for twelve consecutive months and a 5% reduction for businesses paying a minimum wage of $10.10 per hour or higher. The procurement encourages participation from minority-owned, women-owned, disabled-owned, and LGBT-owned businesses, with contractors required to comply with Louisville Metro Ordinances regarding affirmative action in employment and subcontracting with minority, female, and handicapped-owned businesses. All contractors must comply with federal Buy America and Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage requirements, Title VI Civil Rights Act compliance, and debarment/suspension verification. Contractors are required to provide performance and payment bonds equal to 100% of the contract price and maintain commercial general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence, with pricing to remain firm for six months after the bid closing date and through the first year of contract performance. The bid guaranty is set at 5% of the total bid amount, and the contractor must provide a one-year warranty on all work. While no specific budget or award value is disclosed in the solicitation materials, the project scope encompasses substantial infrastructure and equipment installation across four viaduct sites with comprehensive utility coordination requirements with Louisville MSD, LGE, Louisville Water Company, Charter Communications, AT&T, and the Paducah & Louisville Railway.