2026 Transit Development Plan Request for Proposals
| Location: | North Dakota |
|---|---|
| Posted: | Feb 19, 2026 |
| Due: | Mar 16, 2026 |
| Agency: | City of Bismarck |
| Type of Government: | State & Local |
| Category: |
|
| Publication URL: | To access bid details, please log in. |
| Bid Title: |
2026 Transit Development Plan Request for Proposals
|
| Category: | Metropolitan Planning Organization |
| Status: | Open |
|
Attachment Preview
REQUEST
FOR PROPOSALS
FOR
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING SERVICES
The Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) request proposals
from qualified consultants for the following project:
2026 Transit Development Plan
Qualifications based selection criteria will be used to analyze technical proposals and
interviews from responding consultants. The MPO reserves the right to reject any or
all proposals. This project has a not to exceed budget of $180,000.
Interested firms should contact, Paulette Jacobsen, Transit Planner, at the Bismarck-
Mandan MPO, 221 N 5th Street P.O. Box 5503, Bismarck ND 58506. Contact can
also be made via phone 701.355.1473 or by email: pjacobsen@bismarcknd.gov
All proposals received by 5:00 PM (Central Time) on Monday, March 16, 2026,
will be given consideration for an interview. The Bismarck-Mandan MPO reserves
the right to limit the interviews to a maximum of five (5) firms whose proposals most
clearly meet the RFP requirements. Firms will be notified in writing or by phone of
shortlist results. Successful candidates will receive date, time and location information
for the interviews.
It is the responsibility of the consultant to ensure all required elements of the proposal
are submitted. Proposals missing required elements will be rejected and consultants
will be denied interviews.
Respondents must submit one (1) electronic copy of the proposal. The full length of
the proposal shall be no more than eight (8) pages. Appendix material is not counted
toward the eight (8) page limit. Submittals must be received no later than 5:00 PM
(Central Time) Monday, March 16, 2026, and may be emailed to:
pjacobsen@bismarcknd.gov
Once submitted, the proposals become the property of the MPO. Proprietary
information must be clearly noted in the proposal, or it will be subject to open records
laws.
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
TO PERFORM PLANNING SERVICES FOR:
Transit Development Plan
BISMARCK-MANDAN METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
Paulette Jacobsen
Transit Planner
PROPOSALS MUST BE DELIVERED TO
BISMARCK-MANDAN MPO
BY 5:00 P.M. Central Time, Monday, March 16, 2026
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Contents
I: PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST ..............................................................................................4
II: GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS................................................................................................ 4
III: CONTENT OF PROPOSALS .............................................................................................. 6
IV: ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION .............7
V: EVALUATION CRITERIA AND PROCESS....................................................................... 8
VI: REGIONAL CONTEXT AND EXISTING CONDITIONS .................................................8
VII: OBJECTIVE.......................................................................................................................10
VIII: STUDY AREA.................................................................................................................. 11
IX: SCOPE OF WORK..............................................................................................................12
X: REVIEW AND COMPLETION PROCESS......................................................................... 14
XI: PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PLAN......................................................................................15
XII: INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE CONSULTANT .............................................. 16
Appendix A: Proposed Sub-Consultant Request Form
Appendix B: Consultant Self Certification of Government-Wide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) Form
Appendix C: Certification and Restriction on Lobbying Form
Appendix D: Federal, State and Local Clauses
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I. PURPOSE OF THE REQUEST
The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to provide interested consulting firms with enough information about
the professional services desired by the Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the following
project:
2026 Transit Development Plan
The MPO is requesting services to complete an evaluation and operational analysis of the transit system managed by Bis-
Man Transit, which serves Bismarck, Lincoln and Mandan, ND. This study will be in cooperation with the cities of
Bismarck, Lincoln and Mandan; the Bis-Man Transit Board, the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT),
the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
II. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
A. Any questions or comments regarding this proposal should be submitted to:
Paulette Jacobsen
Bismarck-Mandan MPO
221 N 5th Street
P.O. Box 5503
Bismarck, ND 58506-5503
Phone: 701-355-1473
pjacobsen@bismarcknd.gov
B. Proposals shall be submitted to:
Paulette Jacobsen
pjacobsen@bismarcknd.gov
C. All Proposals must be clearly identified and marked as follows:
NAME OF SUBMITTING FIRM
Proposal for:
2026 Transit Development Plan
Bismarck-Mandan MPO
D. The MPO will only consider proposals received prior to 5:00 PM (Central Time) on Monday, March 16, 2026.
One (1) electronic copy must be received by the deadline. Electronic copies may be emailed to:
pjacobsen@bismarcknd.gov. Proposals received after the 5:00 PM deadline will be considered unresponsive and will
not be considered for an interview. The MPO reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.
E. Proposal Cut Down:
The Selection Committee intends to interview between three (3) and five (5) consultants, depending on the
number and quality of proposals received. Strength of the written proposals will be the basis for awarding an
interview. Consultants who are awarded an interview will be notified by phone or email between March 24-26,
2026. Consultants not selected for an interview will be notified in writing.
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F. Selection Committee:
The Selection Committee will consist of a five (5) person panel; four (4) voters and one (1) moderator.
Committee members represent the following entities: City of Bismarck, City of Lincoln, City of Mandan, Bis-
Man Transit. The MPO Project Manager will moderate the interviews. In the case of a first ranked tie, the
moderator’s ranking will provide the tie-breaking score.
G. Interviews:
Consultants will be evaluated on both the written proposal and interviews, which may be conducted either in-
person or remotely (TBD). Ranking is based on the criteria listed in Section V: Evaluation Criteria and Process.
Interviews are planned to be held April 13 – 16, 2026. Consultants will be given forty-five (45) minutes for their
proposal and Q&A. Consultants manage their own time and are encouraged to leave space at the conclusion of
their presentation for questions and answers. If remote, the MPO project manager will provide a TEAMs link for
the interview.
H. Selection and Approvals:
Selection will be based on the interview committee’s recommendation. All interviewees will be notified of the
selection results in writing. Approval of the top ranked consultant will be requested of the MPO’s TAC and
Policy Board on April 20 & 21, 2026, respectively.
I. Contract Negotiations:
Contract development will begin immediately after Policy Board approval of the top-ranked consultant. The
MPO has a template contract which will be used for the study. Consultant will be required to prepare a scope
of work and final fee schedule, which will be included in the contract. The draft contract is reviewed by MPO
Staff, its partners, and legal counsel(s). After negotiations, the MPO intends to execute the contract upon staff
authority. (Disclaimer: This contract will be subject to a financial assistance contract between the state of
North Dakota and the USDOT).
Final negotiations will include submission of:
1) Prime Consultant scope of work and final fee schedule not exceeding $180,000 (programed in 2026 to spend up
to $99,338 & programed in 2027 to spend remaining balance of the not to exceed $180,000 total study budget)
2) Scope of work and fee schedule for ALL Subconsultants
3) Prime Consultant Certificate of Liability Insurance
4) Prime Consultant Indirect Cost Form (blank form will be provided by MPO)
5) SFN 60233: Prime Consultant Request to Sublet Form (blank form will be provided by MPO)
6) Up-to-date SF330 Form for NDDOT (See Section III: Content of Proposals).
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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.
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