REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue Streetscape and Corridor Improvement Plan

For the Town of Munster, Indiana

RFP Issued: October 1, 2019

Response Deadline: 4:00 PM CST, October 30, 2019

This document is posted on the Town of Munster website at www.munster.org/egov/documents/1569948448_75387.pdf

Proposals shall be submitted to:

Town of Munster
Community Development Department
ATTN: Thomas Vander Woude
1005 Ridge Road
Munster, IN 46321

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Town of Munster is seeking a qualified consultant team to develop a streetscape and corridor improvement plan for the Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue corridors. The goal of the project is to redesign these corridors with walkable streets that incorporate urban forestry and streetscaping enhancements.

The key themes of the plan should include:

• A safe and comfortable pedestrian environment
• A functional streetscape providing stormwater benefits
• A consistent and beautiful public realm
• A sense of arrival and identity
• A multimodal system that balances access and mobility

The plan will provide list of short- and long-term investments that can be implemented as funding becomes available, private sector projects take place, and major projects such as the South Shore Westlake Corridor project are implemented.

The plan should provide recommendations for the following:

• Public right-of-way cross sections, with provisions for vehicular traffic, on-street parking, streetscaping zones, pedestrian zones, and bicycle infrastructure
• Access control
• Intersection realignments
• Utility relocations
• Street furniture
• Ornamental lighting
• Intersection geometries and treatments
• Gateway enhancements
• Wayfinding signage
• Specific green infrastructure elements including:
  • Locations and species of street trees
  • Designs for planters and raingardens
  • Permeable pavements
  • Traditional parkways and landscaped medians

The planning process must include at a minimum an interactive visioning type workshop with residents and business owners, open house style public meetings at key milestones, and stakeholder interviews conducted by the consultant.

This project is partially funded by a grant from the Lake Michigan Coastal Program, the mission of which is to protect and enhance natural, cultural, and historical coastal resources of the Lake Michigan region. Therefore, it is important that the plan integrate specific recommendations for enhancing tree canopy and the urban forest, implementing clean water BMPs and green infrastructure elements, and incorporating low-maintenance, native plantings into traditional placemaking strategies. More information about the Lake Michigan Coastal Program can be found here: https://www.in.gov/dnr/6034.htm.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Cover Letter — A cover letter introducing the firm(s), including the name of the firm(s) and the name and telephone numbers of the person(s) authorized to represent the company regarding all matters related to the proposal.
2. Description of Approach — A summary of your firm(s)' project understanding, intended approach and methods, and community engagement efforts. The approach must be consistent with the attached grant application, specifically Sections 16 and 21.
3. Project Experience — The firm must have experience developing streetscaping and green infrastructure concepts that include native trees and plantings.
   1. A description of firm(s)' experience in completing streetscape and corridor improvement plans or other similar projects.
   2. Provide links to or electronic copies of at least three plans.
   3. Provide references for at least three projects.
4. Team Expertise — The team should include members that represent the following disciplines: transportation planning, land use planning, environmental planning, landscape architecture, and transportation engineering.
   1. Brief description of general qualifications.
   2. Specific evidence of relevant experience completing streetscaping and corridor improvement plans.
   3. Résumés of key personnel that may work with the Town. Resumes should list all relevant licenses and certifications.
5. Schedule — Overview of timeline and important project milestones to ensure project delivery on time. The schedule must be consistent with the attached grant application and timeline.
6. Project Costs — An outline of your professional fees for completing the work as described. Provide an estimate of projected hours and costs for each task.

SUBMITTAL PROCEDURES

Submittals must be received by the Town of Munster by no later than 4:00 p.m. (CST) on October 30, 2019.

Consultants must submit three (3) identical paper copies and one (1) electronic copy of their submittal package. Electronic copies may be submitted either as a saved document on a USB flash drive with the paper copies or via an email received prior to the deadline. Submissions must be in a sealed package or envelope marked "Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue Plan." The consultant organization's name and address shall appear in the upper left corner of the package. Documents submitted via email must include in the subject line the consultant organization's name and "Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue Plan."

Submissions must be delivered to Town Hall at the following address:

Town of Munster
Community Development Department
ATTN: Thomas Vander Woude AICP
1005 Ridge Road
Munster, IN 46321

Emailed submissions must be sent to:

tvanderwoude@munster.org.

There will be no public opening for this RFP. Late submissions will be rejected and returned unopened. Respondents are responsible for ensuring that their submittals are received by the Town before the deadline. The Town reserves the right to reject any and all proposals.

Questions

Questions may be sent via email to Thomas Vander Woude at tvanderwoude@munster.org.

ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE

This schedule is subject to change.

Release RFP..................................................... October 1, 2019

Responses Due................................................. October 30, 2019 at 4:00 p.m.

Interviews (if necessary) ................................ Week of November 11, 2019

EVALUATION OF SUBMITTALS

Proposals will be evaluated based upon the following:

• The quality and similarity of project experience.
• The qualifications (including education, training, licenses, experience and past performance) of team members.
• Understanding of the work to be completed based upon the clarity of the proposal. The Town will not assume that a responding firm will perform services not specifically detailed in its submitted proposal.
• Quality, clarity, completeness, and responsiveness of proposal.
• Ability to meet any required timelines or other requirements.
• Anticipated value.
• References.
• Ability to negotiate and execute a contract in a timely manner.

The Town of Munster will evaluate all submittals to determine which consultants have the experience and qualifications that are most suited for these services. The Town of Munster may request personal interviews with the highest-ranked consultants.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

1. The Town of Munster reserves the right to reject any and all responses and to waive minor irregularities in any response to the RFP.
2. The Town of Munster reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted and to request additional information from any firm submitting a response to the RFP.
3. The Town of Munster shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by any firm in preparing, submitted or presenting its response to the RFP.
4. By submitting a response, the responding firm acknowledges the proposal and all materials submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the Town.
5. This project is funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and is being administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Lake Michigan Coastal Program. Compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations is required.
6. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Indiana State Auditor, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the Comptroller General of the United States, or any of their duly authorized representatives, will have access to any books, documents, papers, and records of the contractor that are directly pertinent to that specific contract, for the purposes of making audit, examination, excerpts, and transcription. Such records must be maintained for three years after the closeout of the contract.