REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

BLACKSTONE/SHAW ACTIVITY

CENTER PROJECT

Fresno Council of Governments

2035 Tulare Street, Suite 201

Fresno, CA 93721

(559) 233-4148

www.fresnocog.org

February 2018

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I. INTRODUCTION

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is being advertised by the Fresno Council of

Governments (Fresno COG) to contract with a consultant with experience in community-

based urban design, multimodal transportation planning, and traffic engineering to

submit a proposal for the development of a complete streets strategy for the

Blackstone/Shaw Activity Center. The Consultant’s total budget with all expenses for the

project shall not exceed $150,000.

II. BACKGROUND

About The Fresno Council of Governments

Fresno COG is a consensus builder, developing acceptable programs and solutions to

issues that do not respect political boundaries. Fresno COG is a voluntary association of

local governments, one of California’s 38 regional planning agencies, and one of 500+

nationwide. In 1967 elected officials of Fresno County and its incorporated cities

informally created the agency, formalizing Fresno COG in 1969 through a Joint

Powers Agreement. Fresno COG undertakes comprehensive regional planning with an

emphasis on transportation, provides citizens an opportunity to be involved in the

planning process, and supplies technical services to its members.

About The City of Fresno

The City of Fresno, California is the fifth largest city in California with a diverse

population of 515,609 spread over 114 square miles, and is located in the Central San

Joaquin Valley. Over the next 25 years the City’s population is expected to grow to more

than 970,000. On December 18, 2014, the City of Fresno adopted a new General Plan

which identifies priority infill areas for new investment and redevelopment. The

Downtown Neighborhoods Community Plan (DNCP) and the Fulton Corridor Specific

Plan (FCSP) were adopted a year later in order to assist the continued revitalization of the

Downtown area and adjacent historic neighborhoods. The recently approved Southwest

Fresno Specific Plan envisions many important improvements in a traditionally

disadvantaged inner city district, and the Central Southeast Specific Plan was recently

launched for a similarly challenged area east of Downtown. The City of Fresno’s

commitment to infill development and economic revitalization is strong and sustained.

About Fresno Metro Ministry

Fresno Metro Ministry (Metro) will provide leadership for community outreach,

engagement, and preparation of community constituents, especially environmental

justice (EJ) and disadvantaged community members, to effectively participate in design

workshops that it will help facilitate along with the Consultant. Metro has been engaging

diverse community leaders and groups with appropriate cultural and relevant language

skills in health equity and EJ advocacy in Fresno and the Valley for forty-seven years.

Starting in early 2015, Metro has been intensively engaging neighborhoods, businesses,

and institutional stakeholders along Blackstone as part of strategic work organized by

Metro to help build the Better Blackstone Association – see www.betterblackstone.com.

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Metro’s multilingual outreach team will conduct all on-the-ground community outreach

to ensure good representation of the community through participation of diverse

residents and business owners at project events, including providing culturally

competent materials, live interpretation and childcare as needed. Metro will lead and

conduct all outreach activities with assistance from the lead consultant.

About Blackstone Avenue

Blackstone Avenue is another area on which the City is focused. Blackstone begins at the

northern edge of Downtown and proceeds due north for about 9 miles to the northern

suburban neighborhoods of Fresno. It began as an enclave for wealthy attorneys in the

late 1800s, which is why it was named after the famous English jurist, Sir William

Blackstone. Early in the 20th Century, streetcars stretched development further to the

north causing commercial development, middle class neighborhoods, and an early

waterpark called Zapp’s Park to take shape. Since it was an important link to points north

such as Madera County and Yosemite, it became part of State Route 41 and eventually

was widened to modern state highway standards.

Today, Blackstone Avenue is no longer part of State Route 41. That designation was

moved to a freeway one half mile to the east, and the street is now owned and operated

by the City of Fresno. The Blackstone/Shaw Activity Center area has struggled for

decades. The strip malls are aging and in many cases are in disrepair. Auto traffic

volumes and bus ridership remain high, but the pedestrian environment is hostile. Safe

and legal crossings are infrequent at best, and sidewalks are generally narrow and

constrained by curb cuts, utilities, and other obstructions. Most buildings are set too far

back from the street, forcing pedestrians to walk along and through unpleasant surface

parking lots, unsafely competing for space against vehicles when accessing retail space.

In a 1999 article on the ugliness of suburban sprawl in Fresno, the front page of the San

Francisco Chronicle was emblazoned with a picture of the tangle of pole signs, asphalt,

and stucco commercial boxes that is Blackstone, which was presented as a derogatory

metaphor for the entire community.

Improvements are on the way, however. A new investment group is working diligently to

revive activity nodes along Blackstone Avenue. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) was approved for

the Blackstone corridor in 2014 and was funded by a Federal Transit Administration

grant—service will commence in the first quarter of 2018. This will be the highest quality

transit service available in Fresno in a generation, and it will link the entire corridor to

Downtown’s 35,000 jobs, numerous services and amenities, and the future High Speed

Rail station. The Fresno General Plan proposed thousands of new housing units along

the Blackstone Avenue corridor; to enable this much of the land along the street has

been rezoned for walkable, mixed-use, transit-oriented development. The entitlement

process has been streamlined and fees have been reduced, resulting in proposals for

several development projects.

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Despite these positive steps, Blackstone is still a fundamentally inhospitable place for

pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders. For it to thrive, this must be remedied. The

Blackstone/Shaw Activity Center Plan will explore ways to transform the Blackstone/Shaw

area into a safe, comfortable, and convenient environment that serves all users,

particularly pedestrians, and to develop a stakeholder constituency that is committed to

this transformation.

Traffic Injuries

Safety for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists is a concern on Blackstone Avenue. Over

the five years from January 2010 to January 2015, Blackstone had 217 total accidents.

Blackstone Avenue Collisions, January 2010 to January 2015

Fixed/Other

Objects Vehicle Pedestrian Bicycle

Injury Non-

Injury Injury

Non-

Injury Fatal Injury

Non-

Injury Fatal Injury

Non-

Injury Fatal

8 26 71 73 0 15 10 2 11 0 1

Project Area

The project area encompasses Blackstone Avenue from Santa Ana Avenue to Barstow

Avenue and Shaw Avenue from SR 41 to Glenn Avenue. This area will be known as the

Blackstone/Shaw Activity Center. It centers on commercial shopping centers, and vacant

and underutilized parcels.

III. OBJECTIVES

The Blackstone/Shaw Activity Center Plan will utilize an extensive and intensive

community-based effort to accomplish two core objectives:

1. Complete Streets Strategy. The Consultant will develop community-driven design

concepts to implement complete streets improvements that increase the effective range

of public transit and serve the needs of all roadway users, particularly pedestrians. The

outcome will be a plan with detailed recommendations for project improvements to the

street, sidewalks, intersections, and adjacent properties including:

a. Increase Access and Safety for All Users and All Travel Modes: Identify Activity Center

and corridor strengths and weaknesses that impact safety, access and mobility for

pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and motorists. Specific emphasis should be

placed increasing safety, access, and mobility for environmental justice and

disadvantaged communities.

b. Identify and Address Impacts on Business Opportunities: Identify strengths and

weaknesses that impact business opportunities and performance within Activity

Center areas and along the corridor.

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c. Address Multimodal Access and Safety Improvements: Evaluate Activity Center for

multimodal access and safety, and recommend street cross-section improvement

alternatives.

d. Enhance Sidewalks and Streetscapes: Produce Activity Center area and corridor

design concepts for sidewalk and streetscape enhancements to support pedestrian

access to transit, access to businesses and services, and installation of street furniture,

public art, street trees, and the preservation and health of existing trees.

e. Improve Pedestrian Crossing Access and Facilities: Produce Activity Center area and

corridor design concepts for pedestrian crossing improvements, such as curb

extensions and enhanced crosswalks that also meet or exceed ADA standards.

f. Improve Bicycle Access and Facilities: Identify potential bicycle corridors and produce

design concepts for bicycle facilities and treatments within the Activity Center along

the corridor such as standard and protected bike lanes, bicycle racks and bicycle

parking corrals – using Caltrans’ Bicycle Guide for District 6 and Complete Street

Elements and FHWA’s document on Separated Bike Lanes -

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/publications/separated_bi

kelane_pdg/page00.cfm, City of Fresno Active Transportation Plan March 2017

https://www.fresno.gov/publicworks/wp-

content/uploads/sites/17/2016/09/170022FresnoATPFinal012017.pdf

g. Improve Roadway Traffic Calming: Recommend Activity Center area and corridor

design concepts for roadway traffic calming.

h. Integrate On-Street and Off-Street Parking: Recommend Activity Center area and

corridor configurations for on-street parking and access and location of off-street

parking, including potential opportunities for shared parking arrangements and

electric vehicle charging stations.

i. Improve Gateway and Wayfinding Signage: Identify Activity Center area and corridor

opportunities and recommendations for gateway improvements and directional

signage.

j. Recommend Locally Feasible Implementation Strategies: Identify locally feasible

implementation strategies and funding approaches for recommended public and

private improvements in the Activity Center area and related corridor segments, and

clear next steps for implementation.

k. Facilitate High Quality, High Frequency Transit: Identify design strategies and facility

enhancements to promote transit ridership for the elderly, disabled, low-income,

students and youth and to establish maximum connectivity, ridership, and revenue

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potential for the future Blackstone Avenue Corridor BRT to reach its highest

capability.

l. Create an interconnected transportation system for vehicles, transit, pedestrians and

bicyclists.

2. Stakeholder Organization. Fresno Metro Ministry has agreed to lead outreach efforts to

establish a cross-sector collaborative vision and stakeholder constituency committed to

transformation of Blackstone Avenue into a high quality Smart Mobility Framework

corridor, including:

a. Engage Project Area Residents, Especially Environmental Justice and Disadvantaged

Communities: Engage project area residents in planning and design processes,

especially those members of the community that have otherwise been left out of

public planning, design, and decision making processes such as environmental justice

and disadvantaged communities.

b. Prepare Project Area Constituents to Participate: Identify, gather, and build relevant

skills, capacities, and tools of diverse community, business, and institutional

constituents and their associations along and adjoining the Blackstone Corridor study

area to fully participate in and inform the project’s successful conduct, completion,

and ultimate implementation.

c. Improve Local, Regional, and State Level Communication: Improve communication

among Activity Center area stakeholders, BRT corridor-wide residents, business

owners, interest groups, the City, and regional and state agencies to increase the

sustainability of constituent engagement in public transportation planning processes.

IV. SCOPE OF WORK

Task No. 1: Project Planning and Coordination

1. Bi-weekly project coordination meetings will be held between the project manager

and the consultant by teleconference as arranged by the consultant.

2. Advisory Group meetings. The consultant, in close coordination with Fresno COG,

the City and Metro, will convene an advisory group to help guide the project.

Participants will include City of Fresno Planning and Engineering staff, Metro Ministry

staff, local business owners, neighborhood leaders, Caltrans representatives, and

Fresno COG staff. The Advisory Group should meet at least three times. Once for a

kick-off meeting, again about half-way through the project, and again close to the

end of the project.

Task No. 2: Document Conditions

An existing conditions report will serve as the basis for proposed development and

circulation improvement. The selected Consultant will work with the City of Fresno,

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project partners and other sources to compile and organize available information on

existing conditions for the project area such as, traffic volumes, crash data, state route

planning, construction plans, aerial and base maps, demographic information, existing

development standards and regulations, relevant policy documents, roadway network

and circulation, and crime statistics. The Consultant and partners will conduct a joint site

visit to meet with the advisory group and document conditions in the field. The

Consultant will then prepare a base map series for design concepts and analysis work

that can be easily understood by the public for use at meetings and outreach events.

Deliverables: Existing conditions report and base maps.

Task No. 3: Traffic Impact Study

The Traffic Impact Study shall be prepared using the procedures and guidelines as

outlined in the 2009 City of Fresno Traffic Impact Study Report Guidelines.

Study Locations

1. Shaw Avenue at Maroa Avenue

2. Shaw Avenue at Glenn Avenue

3. Shaw Avenue at Blackstone Avenue

4. Shaw Avenue at Effie Street

5. Shaw Avenue at SR 41 Southbound Ramps

6. Shaw Avenue at SR 41 Northbound Ramps

7. Shaw Avenue at Fresno Street

8. Barstow Avenue at Blackstone Avenue

9. San Jose Avenue at Blackstone Avenue

10. Santa Ana Avenue at Blackstone Avenue

Operational/delay analysis and queuing analysis for all movements shall be conducted

for all study locations. In addition, a merge/diverge analysis shall be included for the SR

41 off-ramp locations.

Study Scenarios

1. Existing Conditions

2. Existing Plus Project Conditions

3. Existing Plus Approved Plus Project Conditions

4. Cumulative Plus Project Conditions

Cumulative volumes shall be calculated using the Fresno Council of Governments Traffic

Model and the increment method. The Cumulative scenario will represent the build-out

of the General Plan.

Study Time Periods

1. Weekday AM Peak Hour: 7:00 – 9:00 AM

2. Weekday PM Peak Hour: 4:00 – 6:00 PM

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3. Saturday mid-day Peak Hour: 11:30 – 3:00 PM

Traffic counts shall be collected during the weekday AM and PM and Saturday peak

hours and include vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle counts. Counts shall be collected

during a non-holiday week when schools are in session. The peak hour factor to be used

in the Existing scenarios shall be calculated using the AM, PM and Saturday peak hour

traffic counts.

Trip Generation and Distribution

Trip Generation shall be prepared using the most recent edition of the Institute of

Transportation Engineers Trip Generation Manual. Proposed pass-by and capture rates

need to be reviewed and approved by the City Traffic Engineer prior to use in the study.

Trip distribution should be based on the Fresno Council of Governments Traffic Model,

existing travel patterns and locations of complimentary land uses.

Deliverables:

1. PDF and electronic copy of the Traffic Impact Study, including appendices and

figures.

2. Synchro files

3. Sim Traffic runs for all scenarios

Task No. 4: Community Design Event

The selected consultant will partner with Fresno Metro Ministry to hold a community

design event in the project area that will engage residents and stakeholders in a public

process to assess and document conditions for all travel modes (walking, running,

bicycling, transit, and driving), and users (youth, seniors, people with disabilities,

residents, diverse groups, visitors, and businesses), identify shared values and concerns,

and identify and prioritize enhancements to the Blackstone/Shaw Activity Center.

The selected consultant will at a minimum:

1. Prepare large (3’ x 4’) base maps for use at the design event.

2. Prepare a presentation about the project with conceptual urban design drawings and

graphics – Before & After ideas for various sections of the project area.

3. Provide logistical support and assistance to Fresno Metro Ministry.

Deliverables: Workshop presentation, community design idea summary, photos, and

notes.

Task No. 5: Draft Report

After the community design event and public engagement process has concluded, the

Consultant will prepare a comprehensive administrative draft report. The report will

include recommendations to make streets in the project area more complete and

incorporate this project’s objectives. The report will also contain a record of the

community design event, proposed timing and prioritization for implementation of the

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recommendations, cost estimates, and potential funding sources. The draft report must

contain the following:

1. Detail relevant and attainable implementation strategies for the Blackstone/Shaw

Activity Center.

2. A matrix that includes a list of improvement projects, phasing/timing, cost estimates,

and potential funding sources. The matrix will also provide locally feasible financing

strategies for recommended right-of-way improvements and improvements to

adjacent frontage.

3. All feasible mechanisms and tools available to finance the recommended

improvements will be identified, assessed, and presented within the comprehensive

report.

4. Conceptual designs and recommendations shown in plan-view, cross sections,

perspective sketches, and/or photo simulations for improved road safety and

operations.

5. Provide detailed focal points for pedestrian, bicycle, and transit, parking, and traffic

calming improvements within the Activity Center.

6. Retain record of the design event, and incorporate ideas generated from the event.

7. Provide cost estimates for proposed design improvements, and potential funding

sources and strategies the City of Fresno, Fresno COG, and partnering organizations

can use.

Deliverable: Administrative draft report

Task No. 6: Revised Final Administrative Draft

The Consultant will make revisions to the document based on comments and feedback.

Deliverable: Revised final administrative draft.

Task No. 7: Fresno COG Policy Board Approval/Acceptance

The Consultant will present the final plan to the Fresno COG Policy Board for

approval/acceptance.

Deliverable: Presentation of the Final Plan to the Fresno COG Policy Board.

Task No. 8: City Council Approval/Acceptance

The Consultant will present the final plan to the City of Fresno Planning Commission and

Fresno City Council for approval/acceptance.

Deliverable: Presentation of the Final Plan to the Planning Commission and City

Council.

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Task No. 9: Plan Submission

The Consultant will deliver one electronic copy and six bound hard copies of the final

plan to the City of Fresno and one electronic copy and two bound hard copies to Fresno

COG.

Deliverable: Final plan (digital and bound copies) delivered.

V. SCHEDULE

The selected consultant will be expected to perform all work necessary to complete the

scope of work. It is intended that that the consultant’s work team will begin immediately

upon signing a contract.

Proposed Time Schedule (Tentative)

Activity Date

Request for Proposals Released Monday, February 26, 2018

Deadline for Questions on RFP Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Deadline for Proposal Submittal Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Interviews/Selection Process Week of April 16, 2018

TTC/PAC/Policy Board Approval of Consultant May 2018 meetings

Notice to Proceed Monday, June 18, 2018

Contracted timeline for Completion June 2018 – April 2019

TTC/PAC/Policy Board Acceptance May 2019

City Council Acceptance June 2019

VI. PROPOSAL FORMAT/REQUIREMENTS

Clarity and succinctness are essential and will be considered in assessing the consultant's

capabilities. All consultant proposals submitted in response to this request will be

screened by a review committee. The committee will determine, through the screening

process, which consultants will be invited to make formal presentations and be

interviewed by the selection committee. The selection committee reserves the right to

make a final selection without an interview. The Proposal should be precise. Printing

should not exceed twenty-five double-sided pages. Special emphasis will be placed on

timely completion of the work products by the prospective consultant. The Consultant

will indicate actions that will be taken to ensure compliance with the schedule. Any

suggested variations from the schedule will be indicated in the Consultant’s response.

Any extensions to the schedule associated with this selection process will require a

formal written request from the consultant to the Fresno COG project manager, with

confirmation/denial of extension approval being provided by the Fresno COG project

manager in writing. The Fresno COG project manager will monitor the schedule to

ensure proper and timely performance by the contractor.

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In order to simplify the review process and maximize the degree of comparative analysis,

the proposal should be organized in the following manner:

A. Transmittal letter

The transmittal letter should be signed by an official authorized to bind the consultant

contractually and will contain a statement to the effect that the proposal is a firm offer

for 90 days. The letter accompanying the proposal will also provide the following: name,

title, address, and telephone number of individuals with the authority to negotiate and

contractually bind the company. The transmittal shall contain a statement of

understanding of the RFP.

B. Table of Contents

Include identification of the material by page number.

C. Overview

This section should clearly convey the consultant’s understanding of the nature of the

work and the general approach to be taken in its performance. This section should

include, but not be limited to, a discussion of the purpose of the project, the

organization of the project effort, and a summary of the proposed approach.

D. Detailed Work Plan

The prospective contractor shall provide a schedule for completing the project, within

the schedule set forth in this RFP. The schedule shall identify the major tasks to be

undertaken and the time frame for each task. This section should include the following

components:

1. Task Description

Include a full description of each step to be followed in carrying out the project. The

work description should be presented in sufficient detail (tasks, subtasks, etc.) to show a

clear understanding of the work and the proposed approach.

2. Deliverables

A description of the format, content, and level of detail that can be expected for each

deliverable.

3. Schedule

A schedule showing the expected sequence of tasks, subtasks, etc. should accompany

the work description. Important milestones should be identified on the schedule.

E. Management Approach

This section should describe the firm’s management approach. If the proposal is a team

effort, the distribution of work among the team members should be indicated. Describe

the organization of the management, the structure of the work assignments, and any

specific features of the management approach that require special explanation.

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Designate by name the project manager to be employed who will oversee the project.

No substitutions of the identified project manager will be allowed without prior

approval of Fresno COG.

Include the name and qualifications of all professional personnel to be employed, a

resume for each professional (included in an appendix), a statement indicating how

many hours each professional will be assigned to the contract and what tasks each

professional will perform. Staffing assignments should be specific enough to

demonstrate understanding of skills required and commitment of proper resources. The

selected consultant will not substitute members of the project team without prior

approval of Fresno COG.

F. Experience and References

This section should list relevant past project experience of staff on similar projects and

client reference associated with similar projects.

G. Budget and Billing Format

A cost analysis of the proposed budget will be done by Fresno COG staff. Under various

circumstances the budget could be subject to Pre audit and/or the final cost subject to

Post audit by Fresno COG or Caltrans division of Audits and Investigations. The

allowability of individual items of cost will be determined by 48 CFR, Federal Acquisition

Regulations System, Chapter 1, Part 31 et. Seq. The Contractor will also be required to

comply with 49 CFR, Part 18, and Uniform Administrative Requirement for Grants and

Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments. The contractor should have

an accounting system capable of segregating direct costs from indirect costs per the

above cited regulations. The Contractor and Subcontractors will comply with all

applicable laws and maintain books, documents, papers, and accounting records for a

period of three years from the date of the final payment.

1. Method of Payment

The method of payment for this project will be the Lump Sum payment method.

Invoices shall be submitted monthly by the Consultant. 10% retention will be withheld

from all invoices. This retention will be released at the satisfactory completion of all

tasks.

2. Project Budget

A maximum of $150,000 has been budgeted for consultant services for this project.

3. Task Budget

A schedule of estimated costs to complete each task should add down to the total cost

of the project (see Attachments C & D). The task budget should include a subsidiary

breakdown by task of hours and billing rate charges. To ensure a full understanding of

the resources committed to the project the schedule should clearly indicate the amount

of hours key personnel will be used in each task.

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4. Budget and Cost Breakdown

The prospective consultant will prepare a detailed cost breakdown for the work to be

performed during the project regardless of the method of reimbursement chosen. This

will include all tasks required to complete the project including final reports and

presentation.

a. Direct Labor Cost – A schedule of billing rates and hours worked by employee or

category of employee is required of the prime contractor and all subcontractors.

Billing rates shall be based on actual pay rates and should cover all costs associated

with the employee (salary, benefits, and anticipated cost of living and/or merit

increases during the term of the contract). Depending on the individual cost

structure, overhead may be applied as a component of the billing rate or applied

separately. The proposer should be prepared to validate billing rates with payroll

registers, wage agreements, or other payroll documentation.

b. Overhead Rates – The overhead rate should include all indirect coste not readily

assignable to cost objectives specifically benefited. Typically an overhead rate is

calculated on a company or division wide basis by segregating expenses into direct

cost and indirect cost categories and then dividing the indirect costs by a direct cost

base such as direct labor to arrive at an overhead rate. The overhead rate is then

applied on a contract by contract basis to recapture the indirect costs that are not

chargeable directly to a final objective such as general and administrative, facilities,

equipment, supplies, accounting, maintenance, materials, etc. Some cost structures

may be broken into various overhead rates that are applied to different bases. The

proposer should be prepared to provide supporting documentation such as prior

agreements with government agencies or audits of prior year activities to validate

overhead rates structures.

c. Direct Cost – Direct costs are those incremental costs that can be identified

specifically with a particular final cost objective. Although in some instances direct

cost and indirect cost may include similar categories, incremental direct costs

attributable to final objectives must be separated and not included in the overhead

calculation. All direct costs specifically attributed to the project and not included in

the billing rates must be itemized by budget category to be eligible for

reimbursement. Once contractually authorized, direct cost budgets may not be

substituted without prior written consent of FCOG.

d. Sub consultant Fees – Sub consultants must provide the same cost data detail as the

prime contractor (see Table I and Table 2).

e. Fixed Fee – A fixed fee is calculated as a basis of total direct and indirect costs. The

State of California allows a 10% maximum fee.

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H. Insurance Requirements

Without limiting Fresno COG’s right to obtain indemnification from the consultant or any

third parties, the consultant, at its sole expense, shall maintain in full force and affect the

following insurance policies throughout the term of the contract:

1. Comprehensive general liability insurance with coverage of not less than $2,000,000

combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury, personal injury, and property

damage. Comprehensive general liability insurance policies shall name Fresno COG,

its officers, agents, and employees, individually and collectively, as additional insured,

but only insofar as the operations under the terms of the contract are concerned.

Such coverage for additional insured shall apply as primary insurance or self-

insurance and any other insurance, maintained by Fresno COG, its officers, agents,

and employees, shall be given excess only and not contributing with insurance

provided under the consultant’s policies herein.

2. Comprehensive automobile liability insurance with limits for bodily injury of not less

than $25,000 per person, $250,000 per accident, and for property damages of not

less than $50,000, or such coverage with a combined single limit of $250,000.

3. Professional liability insurance of at least $2,000,000.

4. Worker’s compensation insurance as required by law. This insurance shall not be

canceled or changed without a minimum of thirty (30) days advance written notice

given to Fresno COG. The consultant shall provide certification of said insurance to

Fresno COG within twenty-one (21) days of the date of the execution of the contract.

Such certification shall show, to Fresno COG’s satisfaction, that such insurance

coverage has been obtained and is in full force; that Fresno COG, its officers, agents,

and employees will not be responsible for any premiums on the policies; that as and

if required such insurance names Fresno COG, its officers agents, and employees

individually and collectively as additional insured (comprehensive and general

liability only), but only insofar as the operations under the contract are concerned;

that such coverage for additional insured shall apply as primary insurance and any

other insurance, or self-insurance, maintained by Fresno COG, its officers, agents, and

employees, shall be excess only and not contributing with insurance provided under

the consultant’s policies herein; and that this insurance shall not be canceled or

changed without a minimum of thirty (days) advance, written notice given to Fresno

COG.

I. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Certification

There will be no DBE Goal for this contract.

However, the DBE Bidders Listing (Attachment B) must be completed for all consultants

and sub-consultants regardless of DBE affiliation.

Fresno COG fully anticipates that it will consistently meet and exceed its adopted DBE

overall goal under 49 CFR Part 26 using Race-neutral measures exclusively.

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Only DBE firms currently certified per 49 CFR Part 26 will participate as DBEs in our

program. Such certification must be issued by Caltrans, FHWA, FTA, DOT, MPO, City,

County, or State in accordance with 49 CFR Part 26.

Contractors with DBE participation must provide the following information with the initial

proposal or before entering into a contractual agreement with Fresno COG:

1. The names and addresses of the DBE firms.

2. A description of the work each DBE will provide.

3. The dollar amount of participation by each DBE.

4. Proof of DBE certification.

5. Written confirmation that the DBE will participate.

Prime consultants are required to maintain records and document payments to all

subconsultants for three years following the performance of the contract. These records

will be made available for inspection upon request by any authorized representative on

Fresno COG, FCTA, Caltrans, FHWA, or DOT. This reporting requirement also extends to

any certified DBE subcontractor. The contractor shall maintain records showing the

name and address of each subcontractor, the date of payment, and total dollar figure

paid to each subconsultants.

Fresno COG will safeguard from disclosure to third parties information that may

reasonably be regarded as confidential business information, consistent with federal,

state, or local laws.

J. Conflicts of Interest

The prospective contractor shall disclose any financial, business, or other relationship

with Fresno COG that may have an outcome on the selection.

K. Attachments

Attachments to be included at the end of the proposal are as follows (as attached

herein):

Attachment A: Title VI Assurance

Attachment B: DBE Participation

Attachment C: Budget and Cost Breakdown

Attachment D: Sample Cost Estimate

VII. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

A. Preparation of Proposal

The proposal shall be formatted in accordance with the requirements specified in Section

VI (Proposal Format/Requirements) of this RFP. All proposals shall be prepared by and at

the expense of the Consultant.

B. Examination of RFP Document

The Consultant shall be solely responsible for examining, with appropriate care, the RFP,

including any addenda issued during the proposal period. The Consultant shall also be

responsible for informing itself with respect to any and all conditions which may in any

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way affect the amount or nature of the proposal or the performance of the work in the

event the Consultant is selected. Failure of the Consultant to examine and inform itself in

this manner shall be at the Consultant’s own risk and no relief for error or omission shall

be given.

C. Submission of Proposal/Period of Acceptance

One electronic and six hard copies of all proposals must be received by Fresno COG no

later than 2:00 PM (PDT) on Tuesday, March 27, 2018. Deliver proposals to:

Peggy Arnest, Project Manager

Fresno Council of Governments

2035 Tulare Street, Suite 201

Fresno, CA 93721

All proposals will remain firm for a period of ninety (90) days following the final date for

submission. All proposals will become the sole property of Fresno COG and a part of its

official records without obligation on the part of Fresno COG.

This RFP is not to be construed as a contract of commitment on the part of Fresno COG.

Fresno COG reserves the right to reject all proposals, to seek additional information from

each Consultant, or to issue another RFP, if deemed appropriate.

D. Modification or Withdrawal of Proposals

Any proposal received before the date and time specified above for receipt of proposals

may be withdrawn or modified by written request of the Consultant. To be considered,

however, the modified proposal must be received by the proposal due date and time

specified previously.

All verbal modifications to these conditions or provisions are ineffective for proposal

evaluation purposes. Only written changes issued by Consultants to Fresno COG are

authorized and binding.

E. Rejection of Proposals

Failure to meet the requirements for the request for proposals will be cause for rejection

of the proposal. Fresno COG reserves the right to reject any and all proposals submitted.

Fresno COG may waive an immaterial deviation in a proposal. Waver of an immaterial

deviation shall in no way modify the Request for Proposals document or excuse the

Consultant from full compliance with the contract requirements if the Consultant is

awarded the contract.

In the event the consultant fails to keep in effect at all times insurance coverage as

herein provided, Fresno COG may, in addition to other remedies it may have, suspend or

terminate the contract upon the occurrence of such event.

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VIII. CONSULTANT OBJECTIONS

A Consultant may object to any of the terms or provisions set forth in the RFP’s Scope of

Work or to the selection of a particular Consultant on the grounds that Fresno COG’s

procedures, the provisions of this RFP, or applicable provisions of federal, state, or local

law have been violated or inaccurately or inappropriately applied by submitting Fresno

COG a written explanation of the basis for the objection. Deadlines for submittal of

objections are:

No later than two weeks prior to the date proposals are due, for objections to

RFP provisions; or

Within three working days after the date on which contract award is authorized

or the date the Consultant is notified that it was not selected, whichever is later,

for objections to Consultant selection.

If the Consultant does not state any objections, Fresno COG will assume that the RFP’s

Scope of Work is acceptable to the Consultant and have been fully factored into its

response. If the Consultant intends to negotiate with Fresno COG concerning any part of

the project scope of services that the Consultant finds objectionable, the Consultant

must provide specific language in its response that will address or cure its objections.

IX. FRESNO COG RIGHTS

Fresno COG may investigate the qualifications of any Consultant under consideration,

require confirmation of information furnished by a Consultant, and require additional

evidence of qualifications to perform the work described in this RFP.

Fresno COG reserves the right to:

1. Reject any or all of the proposals if it deems such action is in the public interest;

2. Issue subsequent Requests for Proposals;

3. Cancel the entire Request for Proposals;

4. Remedy technical errors in the Request for Proposals process;

5. Appoint an evaluation committee to review the proposals;

6. Seek the assistance of outside technical experts in proposal evaluation;

7. Approve or disapprove the use of particular subcontractors;

8. Establish a short list of Consultants eligible for interviews after review of written proposals;

9. Negotiate with some, all, or none of the respondents to the RFP;

10. Solicit best and final offers from all or some of the Consultants;

11. Award a contract to one or more Consultants;

12. Accept an offer other than the lowest price offer; and

13. Waive informalities and irregularities in proposals and the bid process.

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This RFP does not commit Fresno COG to enter into a contract, nor does it obligate

Fresno COG to pay for any costs incurred in preparation and submission of proposals or

in anticipation of a contract. All proposals will be subject to public disclosure as required

by the California Public Records Act.

Fresno COG reserves the right to investigate the qualifications of all firms under

consideration to confirm any part of the information furnished by a Consultant, or to

require other evidence of managerial, financial, or other capabilities which are

considered necessary for the successful performance of the contract.

X. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS QUESTIONS

Any interpretations of, or changes in, this RFP will be posted on the Fresno COG website

and distributed to all prospective proposers. Written questions regarding this RFP can be

emailed to parnest@fresnocog.org before 5:00 p.m., Thursday, March 13, 2018. Fresno

COG will respond by posting questions and answers on the Fresno COG website.

For further information, please contact:

Peggy Arnest, Senior Regional Planner

parnest@fresnocog.org

Fresno Council of Governments

2035 Tulare Street, Ste. 201

Fresno, CA 93721

(559) 724-9218

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Attachment A

TITLE VI ASSURANCE The Council of Fresno County Governments, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21 Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority businesses enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or nation origin in consideration of an award.

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Attachment B

DBE/WBE BIDDERS LISTING

Bidders Listing

Name of Firm Address Project

Budget $$ DBE Status

Yes/No Age of Firm Annual Gross Receipts

TOTAL BUDGET

$

1. All contractors/subcontractors bidding on the project must provide the requested information.

2. Bidders claiming DBE status must attach a copy of a current Certification issued pursuant to 49 CFR Part 26.

3. Bidders claiming DBE status must attach written affirmation that they will participate in the project.

4. Each bidder must designate of Gross Annual Receipts are greater than or equal to $750,000.

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Attachment C

PERSONNEL COST SCHEDULE TEMPLATE

SUBMIT FULL COST BILLING RATE FOR PERSONNEL – INCLUDING SUBCONSULTANTS. INCLUDE SALARY, BENEFITS, OVERHEAD, PROFIT, AND ANYTHING ELSE YOUR FIRM CHARGES IN A FULL COST BILLING RATE.

(Role)

(Role)

(Role)

(Hourly Billing Rate)

(Hourly Billing

Rate)

(Hourly Billing Rate)

Personnel

19

Attachment D The hypothetical cost format example given below is to illustrate required components of the cost proposal only, and may have to be tailored to fit individual cost structures.

HYPOTHETICAL COST ESTIMATE

Table 1.- Direct cost by Task

Cost Items

Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Total

1. Direct Labor

$3,700 $17,053 $5,502 $26,255

2. Overhead (__% of Line 1)

$1,480 $6,821 $2,201 $10,502

Total Salary Burden

$5,180 $23,874 $7,703 $36,757

3. Direct Expenses Telephone/FAX

$35 $28 $15 $78

Postage/Shipping

$12 $8 $35 $55

Graphics/Printing

$11 $11 $75 $97

Travel

$350

$500 $850

Misc.

$45 $45 $45 $135

Total Direct Expenses

$453 $92 $670 $1,215

4. Subconsultant Fees *

$4,244 $22,276 $2,726 $29,246 5. Fixed Fee (__% of Lines 1,2,3)

$764 $1,524 $1,132 $3,420

Total

$10,640 $47,766 $12,231 $70,638

$70,638

Table 2 - Project Task Costs by Key Personnel

Key Staff Key Staff Staff Total

#1 #2 Support Hours

Task No. and Description Task 1. Establish Parameters

$25 $75

$100 Task 3. Data Collection and Analysis

$400 $250 $650

Task 4. Final Report and Presentation

$15 $50 $175 $240

Total Hours

$40 $525 $425 $990

Billing Rate

$75 $44 $25 Memo Total

$3,000 $23,132 $10,625 $36,757

* Subconsultants must provide required cost components found in Tables 1 & 2