REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS — ENGINEERING SERVICES

The City of Independence, Kansas (City) is soliciting Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) from qualified engineering firms to provide preliminary engineering and NEPA support for the City’s FY 2023 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Implementation Grant project. The City may authorize optional final design, right-of-way and utility coordination, bidding assistance, construction engineering and inspection, and record-document services.

This is a qualifications-based selection. Do not include fees, hourly rates, salary information, or other cost information in the SOQ. The City will negotiate a detailed scope, schedule, and fair and reasonable compensation with the highest-ranked firm after ranking is complete.

Base Phase — Preliminary Engineering and NEPA

• Conduct a kickoff meeting with the City and designated FHWA, KDOT, and project stakeholders.
• Prepare a project management plan covering organization, communications, decision authority, schedule, deliverables, budget monitoring, QA/QC, risk, document control, and invoice procedures.
• Perform field reconnaissance and prepare an inventory of existing conditions, constraints, traffic-control devices, accessibility conditions, drainage, utilities, and constructability concerns.
• Validate the safety need, treatment selection, and location of each proposed countermeasure using available crash, speed, traffic, pedestrian, bicycle, school-zone, and field data.
• Prepare concept alternatives and preliminary layouts for the multiuse path and systemic improvement locations.
• Coordinate with the appropriate Environmental Review Entity and prepare the studies, forms, technical memoranda, maps, exhibits, and environmental documentation needed for NEPA and related approvals.
• Prepare itemized opinions of probable construction cost and phase-level consultant estimates, with documented quantities, unit costs, contingencies, inflation assumptions, and risk allowances.
• Support City-led engagement with affected property owners, schools, law enforcement, emergency services, disability advocates, community organizations, businesses, and other stakeholders.

Base Phase Deliverables

• Preliminary Engineering/Concept Report summarizing data, alternatives, recommended treatments, design criteria, risks, schedule, and cost estimates.
• Concept plans and exhibits for each authorized location, at a level agreed during scope negotiation.
• NEPA/environmental documentation and written evidence of completion or the status of required environmental review.
• Updated project location matrix, GIS files, quantity and cost workbook, risk register, schedule, decision log, and electronic project files.
• A written recommendation for the scope, schedule, staffing, and fee basis for any optional phase.

Optional Phase 1 — Final Design, Right-of-Way, and Utilities

• Advance authorized concepts through field check, office check, final check, and final plans, specifications, and estimate (PS&E) in the format required by the City and applicable reviewing agencies. [...]
• Identify utility conflicts, coordinate relocations, document responsibilities and schedules, and incorporate utility information into final plans.

Optional Phase 2 — Bidding and Construction-Phase Engineering

• Assist with advertisement, pre-bid meeting, bidder questions, addenda, bid evaluation, recommendation of award, and conformed contract documents.
• Provide construction administration and resident/project inspection at the level authorized by the City, including submittal review, requests for information, pay-estimate review, change documentation, testing coordination, field records, and progress meetings.

Technical Support to the Separate Grant Administrator

- Provide timely, accurate technical information for quarterly performance reports, reimbursement support, grant amendments, subsequent obligation requests, and closeout.

**Submission:** SOQs must be received by the due date and time shown on the cover. Submit one searchable PDF by email to Engineer@IndependenceKS.gov with the subject line “Independence SS4A Engineering SOQ — [Firm Name].” The City’s email time stamp will control. Late submissions may be rejected. Maximum attachment size: 20 MB.

The SOQ may not exceed 15 single-sided pages using no less than 10.5-point font. Questions must be submitted in writing by the deadline shown in the schedule. Responses and addenda will be posted on the City’s procurement webpage.

**Evaluation:** Evaluators will assign each criterion a rating from 0 to 10 and convert the rating to weighted points. The maximum total score is 100 points.

• Firm Profile, Experience, Qualifications, and Capacity: 30%
• Project Team and Key Personnel: 20%
• Project Understanding and Technical Approach: 30%
• Quality, Project, and Contract Management: 10%
• Past Performance and References: 10%

Insurance (anticipated minimums):

• Workers’ Compensation: Statutory; Employers Liability $500,000
• Commercial General Liability: $1,000,000 each occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate
• Automobile Liability: $1,000,000 combined single limit
• Professional Liability: $1,000,000 each claim / $1,000,000 aggregate

The project-specific grant agreement identifies a 60-month period of performance measured from the effective date of the award. No pre-submittal conference is planned.