Request for Proposals (RFP) Broad Street Plaza and Roadway Improvements

The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) will retain an engineering consultant (Consultant) to design a public plaza and roadway improvements in the East Liberty neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh (City).              

The URA is the owner of a .35-acre parcel at the corner of Broad Street and N. Highland Avenue. The URA would like to redevelop this underutilized property into a public asset that will benefit residents, new and existing businesses, and visitors in exemplary ways.  Located in the heart of East Liberty, this site has the potential to become a dynamic public plaza that enhances the business district experience through attractive open space and public gathering opportunities.              

The property is bounded by Broad Street to the south. Broad Street is currently one-way and the traffic lanes are undefined. This project will make improvements to Broad Street, converting it to two-way and potentially integrating it into the plaza design aesthetics.               

The URA will select a Consultant to work with the URA, East Liberty Community groups, the City’s Department of Public Works (DPW) and the City’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure (DOMI) to provide engineering services for the development of a new public plaza and Broad Street roadway improvements. The new plaza is intended to become a City-owned asset and improvements to Broad Street are within the City’s right-of-way.  Engineering of improvements will need to meet DPW and DOMI standards for design, specifications, furnishings, and maintenance. The Consultant will be responsible for securing all City approvals for the project, as well as Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) approvals.               

The URA has adopted a goal of 18% minority participation and 7% women’s participation in its contract work and wishes to achieve this level of significant MWBE participation in its professional services contracts. To that end, majority Consultants are encouraged to team with, subcontract, and/or joint venture with certified minority and women-owned firms.

Selection of the Consultant is expected by June 2018.  It is anticipated that the Consultant will begin design of the public improvement work in July 2018. The public improvements designed by the Consultant will be constructed under one contract. The URA will expect the Consultant to obtain approvals and prepare construction bid documents for bid in Spring 2019.

The selected Consultant will be required to produce contract documents (drawings and specifications) for public bidding. The Consultant will be responsible for all data collection, review, field survey, and coordination with public and private agencies and utilities.  Review of the design is anticipated to be performed by the URA, DPW, DOMI, and PWSA.              

The following is a detailed scope of the required engineering services: 

Services for the Design of Public Improvements  

1.  Field Survey

A survey is attached as Exhibit A. The Consultant shall verify and provide any updates to the survey necessary to complete the scope of work.   

2.  Utilities     
     
Perform a complete utility investigation for the project. The investigation shall include location and ownership status of utilities which exist on the site and adjacent to the site.              

3.  Meetings

The Consultant shall participate in a range of meetings throughout the design period to secure community support for the project, as well as the necessary design approvals. Expected meetings include but are not limited to:

• Preliminary site meeting with project partners including the URA, DPW, DOMI, East Liberty Chamber (Chamber) and East Liberty Development Inc. (ELDI) ·       
• Three meetings with project partners to present improvement plans, one at 50% schematic design, one at 50% design development, and one at 50% construction documents       
• Three public meetings, charrettes or other engagement activities to present the improvement plans, one at 75% schematic design, one at 75% design development, and one at 75% construction documents ·  
• Regular progress meetings with URA personnel as needed. Minimum two per phase for a total of six
• Design review meetings with DPW, DOMI, Zoning and PWSA necessary to secure approvals for the project
• Support of the project during the construction phase, including attendance at bi-weekly construction meetings as required: The construction meetings should be included in the ‘Services During Construction’ price total.

4.  Schematic Design

• Perform design services and attend regular coordination meetings as needed. Minimum two during schematic design.
• Review existing conditions and community planning documents.
• Illustrate at least two conceptual designs of the future public plaza and Broadway Street improvements.
• Share conceptual design drawings with the public and project partners for comments and review.
• Incorporate comments and develop an updated conceptual plan prior to proceeding with design development. 

5.  Design Development

• Perform design services and attend regular coordination meetings as needed; Minimum two during design development.
• Prepare developed designs for the plaza and Broad Street improvements, including but not limited to preliminary:
  • Grading plans to accommodate the construction of public improvements
  • Landscaping and materials plan
  • Site amenities
  • Plaza and street lighting design
• Prepare an illustrative site plan and one perspective rendering for public meeting, marketing and fundraising purposes.
• Share design development drawings with the public and project partners for comments and review.
• Prepare application and submit design for conceptual review by Art Commission and/or any other reviews required by Zoning. 
• Submit design development drawings and cost estimates to the URA for comments and review, and incorporate all revisions.
• Prepare preliminary maintenance plan and budget for the plaza.  

6.  Subdivision Plan       
         
If required, the Consultant is responsible for the preparation of a subdivision plan including the preparation of a plan of lots for the publicly-owned portion of the site and right-of-way plans for the proposed improvements to Broad Street.                     

7.  Construction Documents ·

• Perform design services and attend regular coordination meetings as needed to enable the URA to publicly bid and award the project.  Minimum three during the construction documents phase.
• Consultant shall perform all work necessary to obtain required permits to construct the project. Permit fees are reimbursable.
• Prepare final construction documentation (drawings and specifications) for the plaza and Broad Street improvements, including but not limited to final:
  • Final grading plan with 1-foot contours. Grades will be established on the paved areas including the curbs at critical sidewalk areas
  • Landscaping and materials plan
  • Amenities such as benches, trash receptacles, bike racks, drinking fountains, park signage, etc.  Site furnishings must conform to DPW standards
  • Utility engineering; The Consultant is responsible for coordination with utility companies.
  • Plaza and street lighting design, including photometric layout, foundation, conduit and wiring layouts, and service point locations as needed
  • Prepare pavement marking, signage and traffic signal plans as required by the City, if necessary.
• Update illustrative site plan and one perspective rendering for public meeting, marketing and fundraising purposes as necessary.
• Prepare application and submit design for final review by Art Commission and/or any other reviews required by Zoning.
• Submit 60% and 90% complete design package for URA, DOMI, and DPW comments and approvals, and incorporate all revisions. Submittals must meet the standards for all municipal agencies reviewing the work. Files must be submitted in both hard copy and digital (PDF) format.
• Prepare storm-water and Tap-In plans as required by PWSA if necessary.
• Prepare final construction cost estimate.
• Prepare operation and maintenance manual for the plaza.  ·        Contract technical specifications and special conditions shall be prepared in accordance with URA standards.
• Prepare a distribution of contract time schedule for URA’s use in determining construction completion time and enforcement of liquidated damages clause for the construction contract.
• Submit one hard copy and one digital (PDF) copy on CD ROM of bid documents (plans and specifications) prior to advertisement to the URA.
• Attend pre-bid meeting, prepare and distribute meeting minutes, and prepare any required addenda. 

8.  Pre-Construction Services

• Review bids, prepare bid tabulation and make recommendations regarding award of the contract.
• Attend pre-construction meeting, give technical presentation and prepare meeting minutes.  

9.  Services During Construction 

• Review shop drawings.
• Attend bi-weekly construction progress meetings as required. ·        Provide responses to Requests for Information (RFI) from the contractor.
• Provide design solutions to address problems and respond to contractor RFIs that are identified during construction.
• Prepare final as-built field survey to record final roadway elevations, top of curb, inverts of inlets, manholes and the like, and record this information on the final as-built mylar drawings. The Consultant will also record other information on the as-built mylars as provided by the URA’s construction monitoring firm (to be selected at a future date) as required.

The Consultant shall submit a proposal that includes a technical section and a fee section, bound within one document.              

The Technical Proposal shall address the following specific issues:  

1.  A written narrative description of the Consultant’s plan for managing the project including tasks to be performed by subconsultants; Include Consultant and subconsultant experience with similar type projects and key staff resumes.

2.  Experience with similar projects, public planning processes and experience working with the City and PWSA is essential to the project. Provide a detailed explanation of prior experience. 

3.  A Bar Diagram Project Schedule indicating the projected duration of the major tasks and subtasks identified in the scope of work shall be included.   

4.  A discussion about the Consultant’s current work load and availability of staff to deliver this project on schedule shall be included.

5.  Minority and Women-Owned Business Participation
Indicate how your firm would propose to incorporate minority and women-owned business (MWBE) participation into this project.

The URA is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to minorities and women and equal opportunities for business growth and development to minority and women entrepreneurs. To that end, the URA requires that all contractors and subcontractors performing work for the URA shall demonstrate a good faith effort to obtain the participation of minority and women business enterprises in the work to be performed for the URA and to employ minorities and women during performance of the work. It is the URA's objective to obtain minority and women's participation in its contracts with the goal being eighteen percent (18%) of the contract amount be expended for minority participation and seven percent (7%) of the contract amount be expended for women's participation. The URA promotes the full utilization of subcontracting activities to ensure a successful Minority and Women’s Participation Plan.  

The proposal package must include a Preliminary Minority and Women Business Enterprise Narrative detailing how the respondent plans to meet the URA’s expressed MWBE participation goals for the project in the event the respondent is awarded the contract (the Plan Outline). The Plan Outline should be written on company letterhead and must include the following:   A one- or two-page narrative summary detailing how the respondent plans to meet the 18 percent (18%) MBE goal and 7 percent (7%) WBE goal through the incorporation of MWBE firms on the project

• Potential scope areas where work can be subcontracted, along with any outreach efforts to ensure that MWBE firms are aware of the opportunity
• A list of any MWBE firms that will be included as a part of the team or invited to bid on work
• An expressed commitment to demonstrating a good faith effort to meet the URA’s MWBE goals
• An expressed commitment to remain in communication with the URA’s MWBE program officer in order to develop a finalized MWBE plan should the project be awarded
• Respondent(s) will be asked to develop a final MWBE Plan upon the awarding of a URA contract
• Any questions about MWBE requirements should be directed to Diamonte Walker, MWBE program officer, at (412) 255-6610 or mwbe@ura.org.  

6.  Sustainability The URA is committed to fostering, encouraging and supporting sustainable development and green building practices to the maximum extent possible in the City of Pittsburgh. Issues of sustainable design and how green building practices can be incorporated into this project should be addressed in the proposal. The URA will be considering the design team’s experience with sustainability and green infrastructure during the selection process.  

The Fee Proposal shall identify the derivation of the total fee by indicating:  

1.  The level of effort in manhours for the various tasks and subtasks corresponding to the scope of services and the technical proposal  

2. The job classifications and direct hourly rates applied to the work tasks  

3.  The total salary cost for the services  

4.  The proposed overhead factor to be applied to the salary cost with a detailed breakdown  

5. The fee or percentage of profit proposed for the services  

6.  The completion of Exhibit B – Calculation of Specific Rate Factor  

7.  The direct costs projected including subconsultant’s fees for various services  

8.  Assumptions made in estimating time and costs  

9.  Include a master spreadsheet that includes total level of effort (manhours) for each task. The spreadsheet shall list employee name, job classification, projected hours, pay rates, overhead factors, direct costs and profit in separate columns. Prime subconsultants/subcontractors which make up your team must also be included in the master spreadsheet.  

10.  The completion of Exhibit C – Cost Summary  

Selection for this assignment will be made based on the following criteria:  

1. The qualifications of the staff and subcontractors assigned to the project and their professional experience with similar type projects 
   
   
2. Organization and management of the project including efficient staff utilization  
   
   
3. The level of significant MBE/WBE participation
   
   
4. The quality of the narrative on sustainability and the experience of the project team in incorporating sustainability concepts in projects
   
   
5. Project design schedule and the teams perceived ability to meet the schedule  
   
   
6. The fee proposal

Proposals must be submitted through Public Purchase.      
Three (3) hard copies of the proposal must also be submitted.                    
Hard copy proposals are to be submitted to:  

Martin Kaminski Director of Engineering and Construction
Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
200 Ross Street, 11th Floor
Pittsburgh, PA  15219     

no later than 3:00 p.m., ET prevailing time on May 10, 2018.  Proposals will not be returned.  

All questions regarding this RFP should be submitted, and will be answered, through the Public Purchase platform. Both the question and corresponding answer will be visible and available to anyone registered on the site who reviews this opportunity. Please see Exhibit D for instructions on how to register on publicpurchase.com.  

It is anticipated that interviews, if needed, of select top-ranked firms will be scheduled for the afternoon of May 22, 2018 and that the selected firm will be notified in May 31, 2018.

Responses to the RFP will be evaluated by a selection committee. The selected respondent(s) will be chosen based on the selection criteria listed above. The URA reserves the right to verify the accuracy of all information submitted.   

One or more respondents may be asked to meet with the selection committee in a formal interview process.   

The URA shall be the sole judge as to which respondent(s) meet the selection criteria. The URA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any or all responses received, to waive any submission requirements contained within this RFP, and to waive any irregularities in any submitted response.  

By responding to this RFP, proposers acknowledge that the URA has no liability to any individual or entity related to this RFP or any proposal and/or the URA’s use or nonuse of any such proposal.

The proposer, for itself and its employees, contractors, and primary subcontractors, agrees not to discriminate, whether in employment, contracting or otherwise, in violation of any federal, state, or local law and/or on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression.