CITY OF HERMISTON
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT OF
SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL ACTION PLAN
OCTOBER 2023

SUBMIT PROPOSAL TO:

City of Hermiston
180 NE 2nd Street
Hermiston, OR 97838
(541)667-5025
ATTN: Clinton Spencer, Planning Director

RESPONSE DUE DATE NOVEMBER 17, 2023, AT 5:00 PM

General Information

The City of Hermiston is a rapidly growing community of nearly 20,000 in northeast Oregon. Located in the economically and culturally diverse Columbia Basin, the city strives to be a regional economic engine. From modest beginnings, Hermiston has grown into a modern, progressive city enjoying a wealth of assets in people, land, climate, and the mighty Columbia River. As the largest city in Eastern Oregon, Hermiston has tremendous potential for further agricultural, commercial and industrial expansions, because of logistics and land availability.

Hermiston is the largest and fastest-growing city in the Hermiston-Pendleton Micropolitan Statistical Area, the eighth largest Core Based Statistical Area in Oregon. Hermiston sits near the junction of I-82 and I-84, and is 7 miles south of the Columbia River, Lake Wallula, and the McNary Dam. The Hermiston area has become a hub for logistics and data center activity due to the proximity of the I-82 and I-84 interchange, Pacific Northwest fiber optic backbone, and low power costs. The city is also known for its watermelons, which are part of its branding.

Project Description

The City has been awarded a grant from the US Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration to prepare a Safe Streets for All comprehensive safety action plan (SS4A). The city seeks the services of a transportation planning and consulting firm to develop this plan during the 22-23 fiscal year.

The SS4A work plan will follow the FHWA action plan component guidelines. A copy of the guidelines may be found at:

https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2022-6/SS4A_Action_Plan_Components.pdf

Specifically, the City wishes to engage consultant services in creating and executing a public engagement plan, conducting a safety analysis of existing conditions and historic crash data, developing policy changes and implementation measures, and implementing the recommended changes.

The project goal is to identify and prioritize projects that have the potential to eliminate traffic deaths and injuries. These projects will be included in the City's capital improvement plan. The final action plan shall identify potential funding sources allowing the City to pursue project implementation.

Development of the action plan will utilize an evidence-based approach examining trends of accident locations, conditions, and other factors that result in serious injuries or fatalities on all streets within the Hermiston city limits and urban growth boundary. Hermiston is served by two state highways which function as the city's principal arterials. Although subject to Oregon Department of Transportation jurisdiction, these highways will be a component in all safety considerations and recommendations of the applicable state highway plans will be incorporated.

In accordance with the requirements of the SS4A NOFO, the final action plan will consider the existing conditions and crash data most affecting underrepresented and underserved communities. Projects benefitting these communities will be prioritized in the plan. Additionally, development of the plan shall utilize an inclusive and representative process. 58.93% of Hermiston's population is in an underserved community census tract. These communities shall receive special outreach as part of the planning process and identification of potential projects.

The plan shall consider all road users, including personal vehicles, commercial traffic, public transit, pedestrians, cyclists, and mobility impaired users.

Project Schedule

The City seeks to begin the project immediately upon consultant selection and contract approval. The project is anticipated to require 10 months. The City anticipates completion by October, 2024.

Consultant Role

The consultant will be the project lead for all aspects of the SS4A action plan development. The consultant will be responsible for conducting public outreach meetings, attending steering committee meetings, data collection and analysis, plan preparation, and presentation of documents to adopting bodies. As noted in the project description, public engagement shall give priority to equitable outreach and engaging underserved communities.

City Role

The City will provide project management and team coordination. The City will schedule and lead all public meetings. The City will schedule and lead steering committee and project team meetings. The City will provide all necessary consultant support, including making all GIS data available as well as existing planning documents. The City will prepare and distribute all meeting agendas and minutes.

Proposal Submittal

Firms submitting proposals shall be evaluated on the following criteria:

1. Capability and experience to perform all or most aspects of the project.
2. Knowledge of local conditions.
3. Key personnel's professional background and qualifications, including the project manager and/or team for this project. Define their roles and extent of participation anticipated for this project. Provide a list of all projects worked on by the proposed project manager in the last three years, including an identification of this person's role/responsibility for each project.
4. Qualifications and experience of subconsultants who will participate in the project. Please identify the portions of the project anticipated to be performed (in part) by subconsultants.
5. Quality of projects previously undertaken.
6. Ability to manage and complete projects that may be considerable distance from your offices. Please include a description of where your key personnel for this project will be based, as well as the amount of travel anticipated, and other items you consider important to demonstrate this ability.

Proposals shall be familiar with the USDOT grant programs, including the SS4A program, the SS4A Action Plan grant, the SS4A Implementation Grant process, and tools to conduct equitable safety data analysis.

In awarding a contract, the City is required to comply with all applicable Federal laws and regulations, including but not limited to the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR part 200); National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. §4321 et seq); and Build America, Buy American Act (BIL, div. G §§70901-27).

Upon evaluation of proposals received in accordance with the criteria outlined above, the selection of a firm by the City of Hermiston, and concurrence in the award of contract by the Federal Highway Administration and Hermiston City Council, a written contract will be executed. Upon execution of the contract, the selected contractor shall immediately begin work. The City will make payment to the contractor upon receipt of project funds from the US Department of Transportation.

The City of Hermiston is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and encourages all qualified firms, including disadvantaged business enterprises and those by owned minorities and women, to submit proposal for review and evaluation.

Please submit summaries, or examples, of similar work which your firm has completed. Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. on Friday, November 17, 2023.

Submit to:

Clint Spencer, Planning Director
cspencer@hermiston.or.us
(541) 667-5025

City is not required to select from proposals if no proposals are satisfactory.