CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE SANTA PAULA BRANCH LINE - RAILS WITH TRAILS PROJECT

July 28, 2026

Subject: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE SANTA PAULA BRANCH LINE - RAILS WITH TRAILS PROJECT

City of San Buenaventura (City) is seeking proposals from consulting professionals experienced in the construction management, including inspection, of active transportation, transportation infrastructure, railroad corridor, and public works construction projects.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

In order for your proposal to be considered, this office must receive your proposal electronically by email no later than 4:00 pm on August 31, 2026. Proposals should be emailed to the project engineer:

Attn. Alejandro Puga

City of Ventura

Public Works Department

apuga@cityofventura.ca.gov

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Santa Paula Branch Line - Rails with Trails Project (Project) will construct approximately four miles of Class I multi-use trail between the East Ventura Metrolink Station and the Saticoy Train Depot. The project location is shown on Attachment A - Project Location Map. The Project will improve bicycle and pedestrian connectivity between the communities of Montalvo, Cabrillo Village, and Saticoy while providing a safe and convenient transportation alternative. The Project is funded through a combination of Active Transportation Program (ATP), Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (SCCP), and Priority Legislative Budget Project (PLBP) funds totaling approximately $31.1 million. The anticipated construction contract value is approximately $18.4 million. Major improvements include pedestrian bridges, retaining walls, drainage improvements, HAWK signals, traffic signal modifications, trail lighting, fencing, landscaping, irrigation, signing and striping, railroad crossing improvements, utility relocations, and ADA improvements. The Project is being implemented in partnership with the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) and requires extensive coordination with Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA)/Metrolink, Sierra Northern Railway, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Caltrans, Ventura County, utility owners, and other stakeholders.

An overview of the Project is provided below:

Approximately four miles of Class I multi-use trail.

Pedestrian bridges.

Retaining walls and slope stabilization improvements.

Drainage facilities and culvert improvements.

Railroad crossing improvements.

High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) signals.

Traffic signal modifications.

Signing and striping.

Wayfinding signage and trail monuments.

Landscaping and irrigation.

Trail lighting.

Fencing and access control improvements.

ADA improvements including curb ramps and trail access points.

Utility relocations and utility conflict resolution.

Construction within and adjacent to railroad right-of-way.

With design substantially complete, the City seeks proposals from experienced construction management firms capable of providing construction inspection, contract management, stormwater and permit compliance coordination, railroad coordination, grant reporting support, documentation, and project closeout services.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

The following items are to be included in the proposal:

Railroad Coordination

The Project includes construction within and adjacent to active and inactive railroad right-of-way and requires extensive coordination with VCTC, SCRRA/Metrolink, Sierra Northern Railway, CPUC, railroad flagging personnel, railroad contractors, and railroad stakeholders.

The Construction Management consultant shall coordinate and communicate regularly with these entities and assist the City in documenting compliance with railroad agreements, railroad permits, work windows, railroad safety requirements, railroad access restrictions, and railroad flagging requirements.

Environmental and Permit Compliance

The Project is subject to the terms and conditions of State Water Resources Control Board Water Quality Order No. 2004-0004-DWQ, including the Notice of Intent submitted for modifications and recontouring of an existing drainage ditch adjacent to agricultural land between the Bristol Road trail crossing and Harmon Barranca to accommodate the proposed trail while maintaining and improving the existing stormwater conveyance system. The Construction Management consultant shall coordinate with City staff, the contractor, and applicable regulatory agencies, as necessary, to support compliance with all environmental commitments, permits, approvals, and regulatory requirements applicable to the Project. This may include requirements related to stormwater management, drainage improvements, erosion and sediment control, construction-related water quality protection measures, and other applicable environmental mitigation or monitoring requirements.

The consultant shall coordinate and document compliance activities during construction, including inspections, maintenance of relevant compliance records, and tracking of corrective actions. The consultant shall promptly notify the City of observed noncompliance, potential permit or environmental issues, or field conditions requiring corrective action or additional agency coordination. The consultant shall not make regulatory commitments or representations on behalf of the City without prior City authorization.

Grant Reporting Documentation

The Project is funded through State transportation funding programs, including the Active Transportation Program (ATP), Solutions for Congested Corridors Program (SCCP), and Priority Legislative Budget (PLBP) funds. The Construction Management (CM) consultant shall assist the City with grant administration and documentation throughout construction, including progress reporting, construction reporting requirements, labor compliance documentation, funding agency information requests, invoice support, reimbursement documentation, and project closeout documentation required by Caltrans, the California Transportation Commission (CTC), and other applicable funding agencies. The consultant shall maintain complete and organized project records to support grant compliance and shall assist the City in responding to funding agency audits, inquiries, and documentation requests throughout the duration of the Project.

Public Outreach and Access Management

The Construction Management consultant shall coordinate with City staff regarding construction notifications, street closures, traffic control measures, detours, stakeholder outreach, business access, and maintaining access to adjacent properties throughout construction.

ESTIMATED RFP AND PROJECT SCHEDULE

A simplified overview of the construction management RFP milestones currently anticipated is as follows:

Issue RFP by Email August 3, 2026

Deadline for questions from Consultants to City August 14, 2026

Proposals Submitted to City by Email August 31, 2026

Proposal review by City Staff and Short List/Selection September 7, 2026

Consultant Interviews (if required) September 14, 2026

City Council Approves Professional Services Agreement October 13, 2026

Anticipated Construction Contract Schedule

Advertise for bids August 17, 2026

Bid Opening September 22, 2026

Contract Award by City Council October 13, 2026

Contract Execution and NTP November 2026

Construction Mobilization March 2027

(anticipates 4-month materials lead time)

Complete Construction December 2028

SCOPE OF WORK

The consultant shall provide a team responsible for construction management, resident engineering, office engineering, construction inspection, materials testing coordination, specialty inspection coordination, stormwater and permit compliance coordination, railroad coordination, report preparation, and project documentation on behalf of the City.

The consultant shall provide a full-time Resident Engineer and full-time Lead Inspector during active construction operations. The Resident Engineer shall serve as the City's primary day-to-day representative in the field and shall be responsible for administering the construction contract, overseeing consultant inspection staff, coordinating with the contractor and project stakeholders, monitoring schedule and progress, reviewing payment requests, processing submittals, RFIs, and change-order requests, and maintaining project documentation.

The City Construction Engineer will retain overall project oversight and approval authority for contract changes, payment recommendations, contract modifications, claims resolution, and other decisions requiring City authorization. The Resident Engineer shall coordinate closely with the City Construction Engineer and shall not authorize changes to the contract documents, cost, or time without City approval.

The consultant shall also provide Office Engineer support, additional inspectors, and specialty support staff as necessary to adequately cover concurrent construction operations, railroad work, structures, drainage, signals, and other specialized work.

The consultant's responsibilities shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Meetings:

The consultant shall coordinate and participate in meetings necessary for successful delivery of the Project following execution of the Professional Services Agreement. Services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Schedule, attend, conduct, and prepare meeting minutes for the preconstruction meeting and weekly construction progress meetings.

Communicate regularly with the City's Construction Engineer regarding project status, construction progress, upcoming work activities, schedule issues, and items requiring City direction.

Coordinate with City staff, Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC), Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA)/Metrolink, Sierra Northern Railway, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Caltrans, Ventura County, utility owners, regulatory agencies, adjacent property owners, and other stakeholders as necessary.

Coordinate with other City departments, including Public Works, Ventura Water, Parks & Recreation, Police, Fire, and other City departments as required.

Assist the City with stakeholder coordination meetings and railroad coordination meetings.

Inspections:

The consultant shall provide inspection services necessary to verify that construction is performed in accordance with the contract documents, applicable permits, regulatory requirements, and accepted construction practices. Services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Perform and/or coordinate construction inspections, specialty inspections, materials testing, compaction testing, and other required testing services.

Collect, review, and maintain inspection reports, testing reports, and supporting documentation.

Record project photographs before, during, and after construction.

Perform daily inspection of the project site to verify compliance with the plans, specifications, permits, approved traffic control plans, and applicable safety requirements.

Inspect trail improvements, retaining walls, pedestrian bridges, drainage facilities, railroad crossing improvements, HAWK signals, traffic signal modifications, lighting, fencing, landscaping, irrigation, signing and striping, and ADA improvements.

Coordinate inspection activities with Ventura County personnel for work occurring within Ventura County road right-of-way and Ventura County Watershed Protection District right-of-way, as applicable.

Coordinate with City staff and the contractor to verify compliance with the project SWPPP, City MS4 requirements, State Water Resources Control Board Water Quality Order No. 2004-0004-DWQ, and applicable Ventura County permit conditions, as applicable. Coordinate with the Contractor's Qualified SWPPP Practitioner (QSP) regarding required monitoring, compliance, and reporting activities.

Schedule final inspections with City staff and participating agencies.

Prepare, maintain, and continuously update project punch lists until final acceptance.

Railroad and Agency Coordination:

The consultant shall coordinate construction activities requiring approvals or coordination with outside agencies.

Services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Coordinate railroad flagging services.

Coordinate railroad access permits and railroad work windows.

Coordinate with the City and applicable regulatory agencies, including the State Water Resources Control Board, Caltrans, Ventura County, SCRRA/Metrolink, Sierra Northern Railway, and other permitting agencies, to support permit compliance, agency coordination, required inspections, and approvals necessary during construction.

Verify contractor compliance with railroad agreements and railroad safety requirements.

Coordinate construction activities within railroad right-of-way.

Assist the City in documenting permit compliance, railroad approvals, regulatory coordination activities, and other agency correspondence throughout construction.

Submittals and Shop Drawings

The consultant shall administer contractor submittals and shop drawings throughout construction.

Services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Review, log, and track all contractor submittals and shop drawings.

Coordinate submittal reviews with the Engineer of Record and City staff.

Monitor submittal review durations and follow up as necessary.

Review returned submittals for completeness prior to distribution.

Maintain complete submittal logs throughout construction.

Requests for Information (RFIs)

The consultant shall administer Requests for Information (RFIs) throughout construction.

Services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Receive, review, log, and track all contractor RFIs.

Coordinate with City staff and the Engineer of Record to prepare responses.

Assist the City in resolving discrepancies, conflicts, omissions, or ambiguities in the contract documents. Coordinate with the Engineer of Record as necessary and document the resolution of each issue.

Maintain complete RFI logs throughout construction.

Log and document all design revisions affecting the contract documents.

Change Order Management:

The consultant shall assist the City with the evaluation, documentation, negotiation, and processing of contract change orders throughout construction.

Services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Review and evaluate contractor requests for contract change orders.

Verify quantities, supporting documentation, and entitlement associated with proposed contract change orders.

Prepare independent cost estimates, quantity takeoffs, and time impact analyses, as requested by the City.

Coordinate with the Engineer of Record regarding design revisions and technical recommendations.

Prepare written recommendations regarding approval, denial, or modification of proposed contract change orders.

Prepare and submit complete contract change order packages to the City Construction Engineer for review and processing.

Document and maintain records of potential claims submitted by the contractor and notify the City Construction Engineer of issues that may affect the Project's cost, schedule, or contractual obligations.

Assist the City in evaluating contractor requests for additional compensation and time extensions.

Maintain a change order log throughout construction.

Monitor cumulative cost and schedule impacts resulting from approved change orders.

Coordinate incorporation of approved changes into the contract documents and record drawings.

Schedule and Progress Monitoring:

The consultant shall monitor construction progress throughout the duration of the Project.

Services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Provide routine reporting, including daily inspection reports and monthly progress reports.

Monitor the contractor's baseline schedule and schedule updates.

Identify potential delays and recommend corrective actions.

Coordinate construction sequencing with VCTC, SCRRA, utility owners, regulatory agencies, and City staff.

Review contractor recovery schedules, when required.

Maintain and continuously update the project punch list.

Prepare grant reporting information for City review.

Contract Management:

The consultant shall provide contract management and administrative support services throughout construction.

Services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Review contractor payment requests and verify quantities completed.

Prepare payment documentation and recommendations for City processing.

Review and document certified payroll and prevailing wage compliance using the City's labor compliance tracking system.

Complete ATP, SCCP, and PLBP grant documentation and reporting requirements.

Coordinate public outreach activities with City staff.

Coordinate traffic control and lane closures with the City, Ventura County, Caltrans, VCTC, railroad operators, and other affected stakeholders.

Maintain complete project records, correspondence, meeting minutes, inspection reports, testing reports, and contract documentation.

Coordinate preparation and review of record drawings (as-builts).

Assist the City with project closeout, final acceptance, warranty documentation, and final contract documentation.

Perform other construction management services as directed by the City's Construction Engineer.

Project Closeout:

The consultant shall assist the City with project closeout activities to facilitate final acceptance of the Project.

Services shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Coordinate final inspections with the City, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders.

Verify completion of all punch list items.

Review and transmit record drawings, operation and maintenance manuals, warranties, and other closeout documents.

Verify receipt of all required testing reports, certifications, permits, and compliance documentation.

Prepare final project documentation required for grant reimbursement and project closeout.

Assist the City in processing final payment, Notice of Completion, and contract closeout.

Coordinate final acceptance with the City Construction Engineer and assist in preparation of the Notice of Completion.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Your proposal should specifically address the following topics in the same order as presented. Please refrain from submitting general marketing materials which do not explicitly serve this purpose. The Proposal shall be signed by an individual or individuals authorized to execute legal documents on behalf of the Respondent. Each proposal shall be limited to no more than 35 pages, including resumes.

Cover Letter/Background: The Cover Letter (or transmittal) letter shall be addressed to:

Alejandro Puga, Senior Transportation Engineer

Public Works Department, Transportation Division

City of Ventura

501 Poli Street, Room 120

Ventura, CA 93001

Phone (805) 654-7764

Email:

The letter shall be on Consultant letterhead and include the Consultant's contact name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address. The letter will address the Consultant's understanding of the services being requested and any other pertinent information the Consultant believes should be included. All addendums released by the City must be acknowledged in the transmittal letter.

The letter shall be signed electronically by the individual authorized to bind the Consultant to the Proposal.

Executive Summary: Summarize the content of your, or your firm's Proposal in a clear and concise manner.

Firm's Experience: Provide a list of similar active transportation, railroad corridor, transportation infrastructure, and public works projects completed within the past seven (7) years. Specifically identify experience with State-funded transportation projects, railroad flagging and railroad access coordination, multi-use trails, pedestrian bridges, retaining walls, drainage improvements, and traffic-signal or HAWK-signal work. Submittals shall include a detailed description of a minimum of three (3) projects within the past seven (7) years which include the following information:

Contracting agency

Contracting agency Project Manager

Contracting agency contact information

Contract amount

Funding source

Date of contract

Date of completion

Consultant Project Manager and contact information

Project Objective

Project Description

Staff's Experience: Provide resumes for the proposed full-time Resident Engineer, full-time Lead Inspector, Office Engineer, Railroad Coordinator, Stormwater and Permit Compliance Coordinator, and other key staff. Identify each individual's anticipated availability and percentage of time assigned to the Project. The proposed Resident Engineer shall have demonstrated experience administering comparable public works construction contracts, including railroad-adjacent or railroad-right-of-way work. Provide a list of similar projects and clients that the proposed Project Manager and Construction Inspector(s) have completed work for in the past 7 years. Consultants shall demonstrate that proposed staffing levels are sufficient to support multiple concurrent construction operations throughout the duration of the Project. Include a staffing matrix identifying anticipated hours by position and construction phase, including mobilization, grading and drainage, structures, trail construction, signals and electrical work, railroad work, and project closeout.

Subconsultant's Experience: Provide a list of all proposed subconsultants, their background and qualifications, and degree of involvement.

Project Understanding: Provide a brief statement of your firm's project understanding and a list of the project's critical element(s). Describe your firm's approach to managing construction within or adjacent to active railroad right-of-way while maintaining compliance with railroad safety requirements and minimizing impacts to the construction schedule.

Fee: Provide estimated time and materials not-to-exceed fee including breakdown by task, subtask and labor classification in a separate password protected file.

Requested contract modifications.

Each proposal should be limited to no more than 35 pages, including resumes and cover letter. The proposal rating sheet gives extra points to firms with a business address and staff that work from the Ventura area.

A copy of the City's standard Professional Services Agreement is provided in the Project Documents for your review. Any modifications to the City's standard Professional Services Agreement must be requested with submission of the proposal. Execution of the City's standard agreement is required to be selected for this project.

Following receipt of the proposals, notifications will be given to each participant as to the status of their proposal. City staff may select a consultant based on the submitted proposal or elect to conduct interviews with those consultants whose qualifications are most desirable for this project.

The City reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and may use any idea in a proposal regardless of whether that proposal is selected. The City may select one, or none of the proposing firms.

Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the firm of the conditions contained in the proposal unless clearly and specifically noted in the proposal submitted and confirmed in the agreement/contract between the City and the firm(s) selected. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, and may award to one or none of the proposing firms through its City Council.

PROJECT DOCUMENTS

The project documents identified below will be available for electronic download. The project documents identified below are provided for proposal preparation purposes only and are subject to final City review and approval prior to advertisement for construction.

Santa Paula Branch Line - Rails with Trails Project Draft 100% Plans

Santa Paula Branch Line - Rails with Trails Project Draft 100% Technical Specifications

Geotechnical Engineering Report

Standard Engineering Professional Services Agreement

CLOSURE

Questions from consultants shall be directed to Alejandro Puga, Senior Transportation Engineer, and must be submitted by email no later than 4:00 p.m. August 14, 2026, to apuga@cityofventura.ca.gov.