Missoula County, Montana seeks proposals from qualified consulting agencies to undertake a comprehensive planning process for pedestrian and bicycle pathways in Missoula County, leading to the adoption of a Pathways & Trails Master Plan. The plan will direct development and ongoing maintenance of shared-use paths and similar facilities to increase active transportation outside the City of Missoula. The overarching goal is to understand the extent of pathway and trail needs, from development through maintenance, and the resources required to meet these needs. This will lead to strategic development of new facilities as well as implementation of a maintenance regimen upon completion.

Missoula County is a rapidly growing county located in Western Montana that includes exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities. Residents highly value parks and trails as indicated in a recent statistically valid survey. Completion of this Missoula County Pathways & Trails Plan will support these values in prioritizing the investment of approximately $2.2 million in bond funds for shared-use paths and supplemental active transportation infrastructure outside Missoula's urban core.

The main goals in producing this plan are to:

1. Increase participation in walking and cycling for active transportation, recreation and wellness
2. Understand the maintenance impacts of pedestrian/bike facilities and develop strategies to provide for lifecycle maintenance
3. Identify priority projects and detail implementation steps based on feasibility and public input
4. Demonstrate to partner agencies, grant funders, and tax payers that the previous three goals have been carefully considered
5. Establish a planning document composed and stylized in an expert manner, that can be easily replicated in the future when producing complementary plans

CONTRACT PERIOD AND MAXIMUM BUDGET

Consultant selection will be finalized during the week of May 3rd, 2021. Execution of the contract should occur as soon as possible to allow adequate time for scheduling public outreach during the late summer and fall of 2021. A 50% draft of the plan will be due in January, 2022. The final plan is due in July, 2022. Project closeout tasks are to be completed by October 1st, 2022.

The maximum amount of the contract will be $104,000 for the total project costs.

SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT

The procurement officer will be the single point of contact for inquiries regarding this RFP from the date issued until the selection is publicly announced. Offerors may not communicate with any County officials or staff regarding this procurement, except at the direction of the procurement officer; and any unauthorized contact may disqualify the offeror from further consideration. Contact information for the procurement officer is:

Procurement Officer: John Stegmaier

E-mail Address: jstegmaier@missoulacounty.us

SCOPE OF PROJECT OF PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

The core scope of this project is a planning process that identifies and prioritizes pedestrian and bicycle facility projects based on existing conditions, current plans[1], and the needs of local communities. The process and outcome will entail:

• A cohesive vision for developing pathways and trails in Missoula County's outlying communities while establishing a model for sustainable maintenance
• Meaningful public involvement with equitable representation from communities across the County
• Recommendations for priority projects based on existing conditions, plans, and stakeholder input
  • Alignment with relevant plans pertaining to the urban area
• An estimation of the fiscal requirement to implement the plan
• Production of the Missoula County Pathways and Trails Master Plan

Due to the predominately rural setting of the planning area, and state-level policies[2] governing improvements in state highway right-of-way, it is anticipated that shared-use paths and supplemental improvements (signs, crosswalks, ADA improvements, etc.) will constitute the majority of new facility types recommended in the final plan. Other facility types — including sidewalks, natural surface trails, bike lanes, roadway modifications, etc. — are anticipated to be recommended and considered, albeit less frequently so than shared-use paths.

The following three categories reflect the core services required to execute this project. It is not an exhaustive list and further refinement shall occur during contract negotiation. Recommendations for additional services are welcome but should be noticed as such in the proposal.

PROJECT ADMINISTRATION

• Direct all project work including staff assignments, progress tracking, budget oversight and quality control
• Facilitate coordination meetings to report on project status, resolve issues and identify additional needs
  • Prepare agendas, materials and take meeting notes
• Maintain a stakeholder registry for communications and project involvement purposes
• Provide monthly invoices and written progress reports
  • Maintain a visual reference (Gannt-chart, burndown chart, or similar) to demonstrate project advancement

PUBLIC OUTREACH AND STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT

A main goal of the project is to effectively engage local communities, partner agencies, and other stakeholders. The consultant will be responsible for executing the public involvement process including:

• Preparing publicity materials
• Running public meetings (anticipate three in-person)
• Providing multiple channels/platforms for engagement (e.g. website, surveys, focus groups, etc.)
• Gathering, synthesizing and incorporating the input for proposed projects
• Preparing a summary of the outreach method and response

Given the unique conditions of the current COVID-19 pandemic, innovative public outreach techniques are encouraged. However, due to the demographics of Missoula County's rural areas — including many residents without internet service — some in-person outreach will be necessary to ensure equitable public participation.

MASTER PLAN PRODUCTION

The main deliverable will be a document defining a course of action for development and long-term maintenance of pathways and trails in Missoula County outside the urban core for the next 20 years. The format and presentation should be appropriate for both a technical and lay audience as the plan will be referenced in detailed project planning as well as garnering public support.

At minimum, plan production should involve the following tasks:

1. Identifying facility gaps in the regional network as well as a limited number of critical local gaps in each community.
2. Enhancing and integrating an existing draft document pertaining to the maintenance of shared-use paths with particular consideration of:
   1. Maintenance impact amounts from new facility construction
   2. Maintenance tasks and scheduling intervals
3. Assessing a limited number of priority projects in each region to include:
   1. Specification of implementation risks and a determination of overall feasibility
   2. A cost estimate for project execution
4. Articulating strategies for implementing the plan with consideration of:
   1. Clear action steps
   2. Performance metrics
   3. Partnership opportunities (existing and needed)
   4. Funding opportunities
   5. Policy change impacts and adaptations
   6. A defined process to update project priorities as conditions change
5. Estimating an annual budget amount to sustain a pathways and trails program at the current and future levels of infrastructure as recommended in the plan.
6. Preparing materials for public presentation and formal adoption of the plan.

Upon completion of a draft version of the plan, the consultant shall supply five print copies and a digital version. Following finalization of the plan, the consultant shall supply six print copies and a digital version of the plan. A final draft of the plan will be presented to the Parks and Trails Advisory Board and the Missoula Board of County Commissioners during the adoption process.