Notice of Consulting Services

Notice is hereby given by the West Virginia Department of Transportation/Division of Highways that consulting services will be utilized for the preparation of an integrated, fiscally-constrained, multi-modal Statewide Transportation Plan (Plan) for the State of West Virginia. The work will consist of preparation of a transportation plan that will identify and recommend policies, strategies and projects to address multi-modal transportation needs in West Virginia through a twenty-five (25) year planning horizon.

The Plan will be developed in accordance with any applicable provisions of the West Virginia State Code, and under the statutory provisions of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The Plan will be consistent with the coordination, public involvement, consultation, content, and other provisions of the Statewide Transportation Planning Proposed Rule published in the June 9, 2006 Federal Register, or as it may be revised during the contract period.

The Plan will be developed in coordination with each of the modal agencies within the West Virginia Department of Transportation. The Plan will identify and analyze opportunities for intermodal connections among the various modes and will prioritize and recommend those which are determined to be feasible.

The Plan will also be developed in coordination with the Departments of Transportation in adjoining states; Metropolitan Planning Organizations; Regional Planning and Development Councils; county Economic Development Authorities; Homeland Security Districts; legislatively-created Highway Authorities; the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety; and other public and private groups and organizations within West Virginia that will be identified as stakeholders in the Plan during the initial phase of the study.

A financial plan will be prepared to indicate the financial resources that can reasonably be expected to be available to carry out the adopted Plan. The financial plan will also identify, analyze, and recommend additional financial sources and strategies that may be required to support needed transportation projects and programs under the Plan.

Recommendations will be made to guide the West Virginia Department of Transportation in meeting the need to monitor, update, and revise the Plan on a continuing basis, and to use processes and techniques developed in the preparation of the Plan to identify and/or evaluate future proposed transportation projects and programs following the adoption of the Plan.

A single firm may be selected for this project, which will be conducted in two phases. In Phase I, the consultant will refine the Scope of Services for the study in cooperation with stakeholders and study participants; Phase II will consist of the study itself. The fee for Phase II will be negotiated upon the successful completion of Phase I. The method of payment to be used for each phase of this project will be lump sum.

Firms interested in being considered for this project must submit a “Letter of Qualification” and unpriced prospectus to Mr. Richard L. Warner, P.E., Assistant Director - Planning Services, Planning and Research Division, Room 816, Division of Highways, Building Five, State Capitol Complex, Charleston, West Virginia 25305, prior to 4:00 p.m. on Friday February 9, 2007.

As a minimum, the prospectus will include the following evaluation factors:

1. Professional qualifications necessary for satisfactory performance of required services;
2. Specialized experience and technical competence in the type of work required;
3. Capacity to accomplish the work in the required time;
4. Past performance on contracts with government agencies and private industry in terms of cost control, quality of work, and compliance with performance schedules;
5. Location of the office in which the work will be performed.

Each of the above evaluation factors will be given equal consideration in the shortlisting process. In addition to the evaluation factors, the prospectus shall include, as a minimum, the following items:

1. A completed copy of the Division’s Consultant Confidential Qualification Questionnaire, if not already on file for the calendar year 2007, dated January 1, 2007 or later;
2. Indication of whether a cost accounting system has been maintained and is in effect such that it is capable of segregating and identifying accumulating costs for the project;
3. A completed copy of the Division of Highways’ Short List Evaluation Factor Criteria Form; and
4. A copy of a representative final report if the firm has previous experience performing statewide transportation planning studies.

Prior to entering into contract negotiations, the selected firm and any subconsultants shall submit a current audited overhead rate computation performed by a State or Federal government agency or independent CPA firm. The submitted overhead audit shall contain a detailed exhibit of the computations with all applicable eliminations and references. The audit shall be done in accordance with Government Auditing Standards issued by the Comptroller General of the United States and all eliminations required by the Federal Acquisition Regulations will be made. This requirement will be waived for the selected firm or any subconsultant when its portion of the fee for the project is less than One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00). In such instances, a company computed overhead rate may be utilized.

It is the policy of the West Virginia Division of Highways that Disadvantaged and Women-owned Business Enterprises shall have the maximum opportunity to participate in the performance of contracts financed in whole or in part with Federal funds.