Introduction

On behalf of the region's Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Greater Portland Council of Governments is soliciting proposals for assistance researching and drafting a scoring framework for prioritizing projects — of different modes and from different municipalities and agencies — for funding.

About GPCOG and PACTS

The Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System (PACTS) is the state's largest Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). Pursuant to federal statute, PACTS was established in 1964 as a collaborative effort of municipal, regional, state and federal representatives responding to the transportation-related goals and objectives of the Greater Portland region and its citizens. The purpose of PACTS is to identify travel patterns in the area, forecast future needs, and develop plans for improvements necessary to maintain a transportation system that will provide for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods in the Greater Portland area.

The PACTS area includes 18 member communities with 7 public transportation providers. The member communities are Arundel, Biddeford, Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, Gorham, North Yarmouth, Old Orchard Beach, Portland, Raymond, Saco, Scarborough, South Portland, Standish, Westbrook, Windham and Yarmouth. The public transportation providers are Biddeford Saco Old Orchard Beach Transit (Shuttlebus Zoom), Casco Bay Island Transit District, Greater Portland Transit District (METRO), Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, Regional Transportation Program, City of South Portland Bus Service, and York County Community Action Corporation.

One of PACTS' important functions is to program state and federal transportation funds, via the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). PACTS programs these dollars throughout the region, across all modes.

In 2018, PACTS and the Greater Portland Council of Governments (GPCOG) — a regional planning agency and economic development district — voted to combine their staffs to better serve the region. The agreement, approved by the governing boards of both organizations, set up a process for a complete merger of GPCOG and PACTS over a three-year period. PACTS will continue to program federal highway and transit funds.

Project Information

Purpose and Need

As mentioned above, PACTS programs funds across all modes. While PACTS has an adopted scoring system used to prioritize FHWA capital projects, it currently lacks a formal mechanism for prioritizing transit projects. PACTS needs to develop a comprehensive, consistent, multimodal framework that can be used to select projects for funding. This framework is necessary to ensure PACTS is making the best use of its investments in support of PACTS' regional goals.

Background

In 2016, PACTS developed, and the PACTS Policy Committee approved, a new scoring system for FHWA capital projects. The system was designed to help PACTS invest in regionally significant capital improvements across all modes and implement the Priority Corridors and Centers recommendations in the Destination 2040 long range transportation plan. The new scoring system replaced several separate scoring formulas used previously. PACTS first used the new system in 2017 and, as a result, programmed projects that met more of PACTS regional goals and objectives. The scoring system needs to be expanded to cover all projects in all modes.

Scope of Work

The scope of work for this project is below. This scope of work shall be used as a guideline; it is the proposer's responsibility to provide all necessary services to ensure the project is completed fully and efficiently.

➢ Task 1: Convene/Attend Kickoff Meetings

Convene an initial meeting with GPCOG staff. Attend a kick-off initial meeting of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Committee.

Deliverables

• Attendance at and active participation in 2 meetings.
• Written summaries from both meetings highlighting decisions, action items, and next steps.

➢ Task 2: Research Best Practices

Research national examples of frameworks for scoring and prioritizing projects of different modes for funding. Look at frameworks used by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (San Francisco Bay Area), Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), Atlanta Regional Commission, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (Massachusetts), etc. Seek examples that are simple and applicable to PACTS. Identify portions that are not applicable to PACTS, such as state-specific restrictions on funding sources. Suggest how examples from large regions could be tailored to PACTS. Also review PACTS Bylaws and related documents to determine if any changes are required to fully execute a funding prioritization framework.

Deliverables

• Written report on best practices.

➢ Task 3: Obtain Input

Design a process for obtaining input from TIP Committee members, including developing the agendas and meeting materials to solicit input from the TIP Committee in the process of developing a framework. Attend all TIP Committee meetings and facilitate agenda items as needed. Work with staff to engage committee members. Present research to the committee.

Deliverables

• Attendance at and active participation in 5-10 meetings.
• Written summaries from all TIP Committee meetings highlighting decisions, action items, and next steps.

➢ Task 4: Draft Scoring Framework

Draft a proposed scoring framework or framework options, whichever is most applicable based on the ongoing process with the TIP Committee. Develop criteria that are applicable to all modes and all funding streams.

In developing the framework, draw from the following documents:

• Moving Southern Maine Forward
• Destination 2040
• PACTS Reforms
• PACTS Priorities
• Transit Tomorrow Vision Statement

Deliverables

• Draft scoring framework(s).

➢ Task 5: Final Scoring Framework

Work with PACTS staff and the PACTS TIP Committee to select and finalize a scoring framework. Present the framework at a PACTS governing board meeting.

Deliverables

• Scoring framework(s) prepared for approval by PACTS.
• Attendance at and active participation in the PACTS governing board meeting.
• Written summary from the PACTS governing board meeting.

We estimate this work to take 150-200 hours. A framework should be adopted by May 2020.

Please find the full RFP at http://www.gpcog.org/Bids.aspx.