January 10, 2006 – This notice has been changed.  The following sections have been revised as follows:

Deadline:

A Letter of Interest notifying TxDOT of the provider’s interest in the contract(s) will be accepted by fax at (512) 486-5007, by hand delivery to TxDOT, Transportation Planning and Programming Division – Administration, 118 Riverside Dr., Attention: DonAnne Williford, or by mail addressed to P.O. Box 149217, Austin, TX  78714-9217.

If faxing a Letter of Interest, the required number of original copies of the Letter of Interest must be delivered to the contact listed within 3 business days of the deadline.

The provider is responsible for verifying that the TxDOT contact person has received the LOI.

Letters of Interest will be received until 5:00 p.m. CST, on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 Monday, January 23, 2006.

Agency Contact:

Requests for additional information regarding this notice of intent may be addressed to Peggy Thurin, P.E. at P.O.Box 149217, Austin, TX 78714-9217 or fax 512-486-5040 or email pthurin@dot.state.tx.us. 

Additional Information:

 

The previous study report for this corridor and a similar type study report are available upon request from Ms. Peggy Thurin, P.E., Statewide Planning Coordinator, 512-486-5036.

 

The following questions on this project have been asked.  Any additional questions will not be addressed in this NOI.

 

Question:  Can we identify additional work categories we think should be included in our response besides those outlined in the LOI?

 

Question:  If we show those categories, should we treat them as Non-Listed Categories, and provide supporting documentation or experience and capabilities?

 

Answer to Both Questions:  No, please contain your discussion to those listed and non-listed categories shown in the NOI.

 

The revised NOI follows:

NOTICE OF INTENT TO CONTRACT

The Transportation Planning and Programming Division of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)intends to enter into one specific deliverable contract with prime providers pursuant to Texas Government Code, Chapter 2254, Subchapter A, and 43 TAC §§9.30-9.43, to provide the following services.

Contract Number:  50-648P5002

Project Description and Work to be Performed:

This contract will be for a corridor feasibility study analyzing as a minimum the feasibility of improving the La Entrada Al Pacifico (La Entrada) Corridor as defined by House Bill 2115, 1997 Texas Legislature and named Corridor 56 in Section 1304, High Priority Corridors on the NHS, in SAFETEA-LU to a Texas Trunk System standard.  The goals for this study are to:

§         Determine the feasibility of a four-lane divided facility (Trunk System Standard) within the national corridor as well as other corridors potentially identified by the public in the area

§         If a four-lane divided facility is not feasible, identify and prioritize potential roadway improvement alternatives

§         Evaluate the economic impacts of future linkages and improvements to the infrastructure in Mexico as well as the potential for modal shift in the corridor

§         Identify financial and institutional issues related to the development and construction of the corridor

§         Provide public involvement through an outreach program and public meetings

Selection Requirements:

The proposed team must demonstrate that a professional engineer registered or licensed in Texas will sign and/or seal the work to be performed on the contract.

The selected prime provider must perform a minimum of 30% of the actual contract work.

Certification Requirements:

Precertification requirements are not waived for this contract.

The prime provider and all subproviders proposed for the team must be precertified by the deadline date for receiving the Letter of Interest (LOI) for each of the advertised work categories listed in which that firm intends to perform work unless the work category is a non-listed work type included in the "Work Categories and the % of Work Per Category" section below.

If the work in any individual work category is less than 5.0% of the contract, precertification is not required.  A prime provider or subprovider that is not precertified must demonstrate in an attachment to the LOI how it meets the minimum requirements for the specified work category, as identified on the TxDOT website, or how it possesses the knowledge and skill to perform the work in the category.  This attachment is in addition to the maximum pages allowed for the LOI.

If the work category is a non-listed work type precertification is not required.  A prime provider or subprovider intending to perform the work must demonstrate in an attachment to the LOI how it meets the minimum requirements as specified in the "Work Categories and % of Work Per Category" section of this Notice.  This attachment is in addition to the maximum pages allowed for the LOI.

Joint Venture Certification Requirements:

TxDOT allows joint ventures. Submittal of a joint venture proposal is at the discretion of the provider. A joint venture is the prime.  In order for a joint venture to be precertified, each firm included in the joint venture must be precertified.  All joint venture parties must be clearly identified.  All joint venture parties will be required to sign the contract and take equal 100 % responsibility for the contract. 

Employment Law:

A prime provider or subprovider currently employing former TxDOT employees must be aware of the revolving door employment laws, including Government Code, Chapter 572 and Chapter 2252.901 of the General Appropriations Bill.

The prime provider and all subproviders that are awarded this contract shall not be eligible to participate in contracts for design or construction activities related to the specific projects managed under this contract. 

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Goal:

The assigned DBE goal for participation in the work to be performed under this contract is 12.7% of the contract amount.

The provider shall furnish evidence of compliance with the assigned DBE goal or evidence of a good faith effort acceptable to TxDOT to meet the assigned goal.  Failure to do so shall be reason to consider the provider nonresponsive, and TxDOT will select the next highest scored provider meeting these requirements.

Work Categories and the % of Work Per Category:

1.1.1 Policy Planning (10%)

1.2.1 Systems Planning (15%)

1.3.1 Subarea/Corridor Planning (15%)

1.4.1 Land Planning/Engineering (5%)

1.5.1 Feasibility Studies (25%)

1.6.1 Major Investment Studies (20%)

NLC 1 – Traffic Demand Modeling ( 10 %)

Description:

This category requires the development of demographic data, demographic forecasts, and network coding necessary for travel demand model activities for analysis of passenger and freight movements through use of the Statewide Analysis Model (SAM) as well as providing alternatives analysis.

Minimum Requirement:

The firm must employ one engineer or transportation planner with a degree in engineering, mathematics, geography or urban/transportation planning with 5 years direct experience in both urban and statewide travel demand models using TransCAD. 

Major Work Categories:

In addition to the precertification requirements for the work categories listed above, the LOI must address the team’s capabilities and experience in the following major work categories:

1.1.1 Policy Planning

1.2.1 Systems Planning

1.5.1 Feasibility Studies

1.6.1 Major Investment Studies

Selection Criteria:

TxDOT will evaluate Letters of Interest using the following criteria: 

·        Project understanding and approach (40%)

·        The project manager’s experience with similar projects (35%)

·        Similar project-related experience of the task leaders responsible for the major work categories identified in this notice (25%)

Selection Procedure:

A Short List meeting with providers advancing to the short list will not be held.

Providers advancing to the short list will participate in an interview and submit a written proposal.  These providers will be sent a Request for Proposals (RFP) containing instructions for preparing a written proposal and for participating in the interview.  The prime provider’s project manager must be present for and participate in the interview or the provider will be dropped from further consideration.  Interviews and proposals will be evaluated, with the proposal evaluation counting 30% and the interview counting 70% of the final score, which is the basis for contract award.

Letter of Interest Requirements:

The Letter of Interest is limited to five 8½ x 11 inch pages, single sided, using 12 pitch font size.

The LOI must include the following:

·        Contract Number 50-648P5002

·        An organization chart containing the names, addresses, telephone and fax numbers of the prime provider and any subprovider’s key personnel proposed for the team and their contract responsibilities by work category.  Include the team member’s personnel sequence number in the proposed organization chart if the team member is precertified.  The organization chart can be prepared with a font size of less than 12 pitch and is limited to one page.  The organization chart is not included in the five page Letter of Interest and is considered an Attachment. 

·        The name of the prime provider’s project manager (who may be replaced during the selection and award process only by another person proposed for the prime provider’s team, as approved by the director of TxDOT’s Design Division) and key personnel who will work on the contract.  Under a joint venture agreement, one project manager must be identified to represent the joint venture as the prime.

·        Information showing the team's project understanding and approach; the project manager's experience with similar projects; similar project-related experience of the task leaders responsible for the major work categories; and other pertinent information addressed in this notice.  For each similar project referenced, identify either the project manager’s or the task leader’s specific role(s) and work contributed.

·         Information showing the project manager’s or the task leader’s experience in the non-listed work category shown is limited to two pages.

·        Evidence of compliance with the assigned DBE goal through the prime provider or subproviders identified on the team or a written commitment to make a good faith effort to meet the assigned goal.

·        Verification in the form of a statement that the proposed team individuals are currently employed by either the prime provider or a subprovider.

·        Name and contact information (mailing address, e-mail address, telephone number) for at least three prime provider references for similar related projects.  Members of the consultant selection team consisting of Peggy Thurin, Mary Telles-Goins, and Ajay Shakyaver, may not be used as references.

·        Submit 4 original copies of the Letter of Interest.

Letter of Interest Attachments:

·        The Organization Chart limited to one (1) page.

Attachments to the Letter of Interest may be included under the following precertification circumstances:

·         When precertification is waived and a provider or subprovider who is not precertified wishes to perform the work (see the "Certification Requirements" section above).

·         When a work category is less than 5% of the contract and a provider or subprovider that is not precertified wishes to perform the work (see the "Certification Requirements" section above).

·         When a provider or subprovider needs to describe how they meet the minimum requirements of any non-listed work categories included in the "Work Categories and the % of Work Per Category" section above.

Deadline:

A Letter of Interest notifying TxDOT of the provider’s interest in the contract(s) will be accepted by fax at (512) 486-5007, by hand delivery to TxDOT, Transportation Planning and Programming Division – Administration, 118 Riverside Dr., Attention: DonAnne Williford, or by mail addressed to P.O. Box 149217, Austin, TX  78714-9217.

If faxing a Letter of Interest, the required number of original copies of the Letter of Interest must be delivered to the contact listed within 3 business days of the deadline.

The provider is responsible for verifying that the TxDOT contact person has received the LOI.

Letters of Interest will be received until 5:00 p.m. CST, on Monday, January 23, 2006.

Agency Contact:

Requests for additional information regarding this notice of intent may be addressed to Peggy Thurin, P.E. at P.O.Box 149217, Austin, TX 78714-9217 or fax 512-486-5040 or email pthurin@dot.state.tx.us. 

Additional Information:

 

The previous study report for this corridor and a similar type study report are available upon request from Ms. Peggy Thurin, P.E., Statewide Planning Coordinator, 512-486-5036.

 

The following questions on this project have been asked.  Any additional questions will not be addressed in this Notice.

 

Question:  Can we identify additional work categories we think should be included in our response besides those outlined in the LOI?

 

Question:  If we show those categories, should we treat them as Non-Listed Categories, and provide supporting documentation or experience and capabilities?

 

Answer to Both Questions:  No, please contain your discussion to those listed and non-listed categories shown in the NOI.