Request a Bid Package
Notice - Request for Qualifications with Price Proposal
Date Issued: August 23, 2023
RFQ/P #44-014
Sealed submittals from firms will be received by the Purchasing Department of the Hall County Board of Commissioners at 2875 Browns Bridge Road, Gainesville, GA, 30504 until 2:00 p.m. legal prevailing time will be on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 for:
Flowery Branch Downtown Parking and Mobility Study
After the time and in a designated room and place, the names of the Firms submitting proposals will be publicly read. No further information will be read, discussed or provided until the evaluation of all submittals is completed. No extension of the bidding period will be made other than by a formal written addendum.
Hall County is seeking proposals from firms or team of firms experienced in transportation planning and engineering to support GHMPO and the City of Flowery Branch in developing the Flowery Branch Downtown Parking and Mobility Study.
Proposal submittal documents may be obtained by going to our Bids & Proposals website at
http://www.hallcounty.org/Bids.aspx
, then select the bid titled ‘Flowery Branch Downtown Parking and Mobility Study’, click on ‘Request a Bid Package’, fill out the requested information, click ‘Submit’, and this will send an automatic request to our office. You may also contact us in the Purchasing Office at 2875 Browns Bridge Road, 4th. Floor, Gainesville, GA 30504, or via Phone 770-535-8270 or Fax 770-531-7112 to obtain the information at no charge. This is the only official release site for this request for proposals or any addenda that may be issued for same.
All qualification submittals will be evaluated in accordance with applicable Hall County rules, regulations and laws. This proposal will be evaluated using a multi-step process. The first step is to evaluate “qualification” submissions. Factors to be considered in the evaluation include: ability of the professional staff, experience on past projects, performance on past projects, and references for similar services. This step will result in a “shortlist of qualified firms”. During the evaluation process, the selection committee and the County reserve the right, when it may serve the County’s best interest, to request information or clarification from proposers or to allow corrections of errors or omissions.
Once the “short list” is compiled, the second step is to evaluate “cost proposal” which should have been submitted at the same time in a separate sealed envelope. If deemed necessary, the firms short-listed will be invited to interview with the committee.
Your submittal must have a signature in its “original form”. Hall County suggests you provide a “cover letter” to submittal to ensure this. Please submit four (4) hard copies and one (1) copy in digital format, either in Microsoft Word or PDF format.
No proposal may be withdrawn for a period of one-hundred and twenty (120) days after time has been called on the date of opening.
The County reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and use any idea(s) in a proposal regardless of whether that proposal is selected. The County shall have the right to waive any informality or irregularity in any bid received.
The County shall reserve the option to reject any or all bids, in whole or part, or to select any bidder to complete the described Work. Award of Contract will not be solely based on low bid, but also on quality, references and other subjective criteria as the County may deem necessary and determine at its sole discretion. The Undersigned Bidder expressly understands that his proposal may be rejected by the County for any reason without liability on part of the County to the Undersigned Bidder.
Questions: All questions must be in writing and directed solely to the issuing officer, Julie Dorough, Buyer,
jdorough@hallcounty.org
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. No other contact of any nature, verbal, email, or other communication, is permissible with any County staff member, nor its elected officials, nor Commissioners, during the evaluation process. Such contact may render the submission in violation of the Official Code of Hall County and rendered as non-responsive. The bid response will not be evaluated for an award.
Hall County Board of Commissioners
Julie Dorough
Buyer
Hall County Board of Commissioners
Request for Qualifications with Price Proposal
RFQ/P #44-014
Flowery Branch Downtown Parking and Mobility Study
August 23, 2023
Table of Contents
Section
I. Introduction
II. Firm Capability
III. Content and Format of Proposals
IV. Scope of Work
V. Selection Process
Exhibit A: Mandatory Bid Response Form
Exhibit B: Contract- ATTACHED
Exhibit C: Mandatory Cost Proposal
Exhibit D: Mandatory W-9 - ATTACHED
Exhibit E: Mandatory E-Verify Verify Affidavit
Exhibit F: Mandatory Ethics Affidavit
Exhibit G: Mandatory Scored Questions - ATTACHED
I. Introduction
Hall County, in partnership with GHMPO and the City of Flowery Branch, is seeking proposals from firms or a team of firms experienced in transportation and resiliency planning and engineering to support Hall County in the creation of the Flowery Branch Downtown Parking and Mobility Study. The scope of work is discussed below and provides information regarding the level of detail required as well as specific tasks to be accomplished.
Hall County intends to award an initial contract or contracts for work during fiscal year 2024. Any award for this project is contingent upon the respondent agreeing to enter into a Professional Services Agreement in the form included with the RFP package. The respondent affirms they have thoroughly reviewed and is familiar with the terms of said Professional Services Agreement.
II. Firm Capability
Hall County is seeking a transportation planning or engineering firm with experience in creating similar safety action plans for local governments.
General Qualifications:
1. The contractor shall be responsible for all work performed in support of this contract. Sub-contractors shall perform no work unless pre-approved in writing by the County. Contractors must disclose any intended sub-contractors within the bid at the time of bid submissions. If the bidder intends to use a sub-contractor to fulfill one entire segment of this contract, then the bidder should submit to the County professional references for the sub-contractor on jobs similar in size and scope. Once the County has awarded the contract, the contractor cannot change sub-contractors without seeking written pre-approval from the County. The County reserves the right to check all references and conduct background checks on any changes to sub-contractors or workers performing work under this contract. The contractor shall be wholly responsible for the quality of their sub-contractor’s work. The contractor shall not award more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the work to sub-contractors on any project, without prior approval of the County Representative.
2. If awarded, The Contractor must maintain insurance policies at the Contractor's own
expense and must furnish the County with a Certificate of Insurance (COI) providing
evidence of coverage at least in the amounts indicated in EXHIBIT B – SAMPLE
CONTRACT TEMPLATE FOR SERVICES. The insurance certificate must list County as
the certificate holder and as an additional insured under the commercial general,
automobile and umbrella liability policies as follows: “Hall County Government, its Board
of Commissioners, its officers, employees and agents, 2875 Browns Bridge Rd,
Gainesville, GA 30504”.
3. The awarded contractor(s) shall provide transportation planning and engineering services.
4. The County must pre-approve any change orders in writing.
The County may deny any work done before the issuance of a written change order. Contractor is not to accept any verbal change order(s) from the project manager. The County will consider this out of scope and thus not to be compensated.
5. Contractor shall provide copies of the following Licensing with their bid response:
a. Valid Business License
b. Required licenses and certifications
III. Content and Format of Proposals
The County requests that Bidders submit proposals addressing all items listed below. Failure to
include any of these mandatory documents may result in disqualification. All responses must be in writing. Bidder’s should submit Four (4) copies of each proposal with one (1) marked “Original” and three (3) marked “Copy” and all documents loaded onto one (1) USB flash drive in MS Word, Excel and PDF formats depending on the document.
Bidder’s must submit their sealed bid response packages with clearly marked with “RFQ/P 44-014.
“Flowery Branch Downtown Parking and Mobility Study” on the outside in the lower left hand corner of the package. The bid submittal must have a signature on the “Original” proposal. Hall County suggests this bidder’s provide this signature on their “Introductory Letter”. Failure to sign your proposal in the introductory letter may render the proposal as “non-responsive” and thus not considered for award. Bidders MUST include their email address.
Follow these instructions carefully. Include in your bid response package two (2) separate, sealed envelopes. Mark one (1) envelope with “RFQ/P #44-014 Technical Response,” and enclose these completed Exhibits:
Copy of Business License
Certificate of Insurance
Exhibit A – Mandatory Bid Response Sheet
Exhibit B – Contract
Exhibit D - Mandatory Completed W-9 Form
Exhibit E - Mandatory E-Verify Affidavit
Exhibit F - Mandatory Ethics Affidavit
Exhibit G - Mandatory Scored Questions/Responses
In a separate sealed envelope from above, clearly mark “RFQ/P #44-014 “Mandatory Cost
Proposal Worksheet”, and enclose a completed Exhibit C - Mandatory Proposal Cost Worksheet.
Do not enclose the Cost Proposal Worksheet in the Technical Response envelope. This will render your proposal as non-responsive and thus not evaluated for award.
The County will make all proposals submitted publicly available by a written request after the award of bid by the Board of Commissioners at a voting meeting.
Bidders may submit to the following address by the deadline date and time. All deliveries must be date and timed stamped. The County is not responsible for late bids due to mailing delays.
Hand Delivery/FedEx/UPS/USPS/Courier:
Hall County Government Center
Purchasing Division - 4th Floor,
2875 Browns Bridge Road
Gainesville, Georgia 30504
Attn: Julie Dorough
Mailing Address:
Hall County Government Center
Purchasing Division - 4th Floor,
P.O. Drawer 1435
Gainesville, GA. 30503
Attn: Julie Dorough
Technical Proposal Response: Bidders must answer all Mandatory Questions, which are pass/fail, and the Mandatory Scored Questions, which are weighted. The County’s Evaluation Committee will weigh the answers with point values. The total maximum points available for the Technical Proposal response is eight-hundred (800) points.
The proposer’s response should be limited to direct answers to the questions asked. Proposers are required to answer all the Mandatory Scored questions.
Bidders may expanded their answers to the questions onto separate pages if needed, with the question repeated at the top of each page, in addition to the space provided next to each Mandatory Scored Question worksheet.
Responses to the questions should be clear and concise. If possible, summarize key information or points for each question at the beginning of answers.
Evaluation and Selection: The County will evaluate all submittals in accordance with the Official Code of Hall County, Georgia 3.10, and as further detailed herein. The County uses the ‘Technical Proposal’ that outlines the bidding firm’s qualifications and experience and its approach to offering the Services. The total available points available is eight-hundred (800) points.
The Evaluation Committee will then evaluate cost for such services to determine the best value in the interest of the County. The total available points for cost is two- hundred (200) points. The total highest score is a possible one-thousand (1,000) points. The highest scoring proposal will be the apparent award winner and may enter negotiations with the County.
The County has determined its own Evaluation and selection Committee to review the submitted qualifications of submitting firms. During the evaluation process, the County reserve the right, when it may serve the County’s best interest, to request information for clarification from proposers and to allow corrections to errors or omissions.
Defined Terms: For the purpose of this Request for Qualifications, the terms; ‘consultant’, ‘submitter’, ‘proposer’, ‘firm’ and ‘bidder’, ‘contractor’, ‘agency’, ‘company’, shall mean one and the same. Additionally, the terms ‘submittal’, ‘bid’, ‘response’ and ‘proposal’ shall also mean one and the same. Additionally, ‘Hall County, Georgia’, ‘Hall County Government’, ‘Hall County Board of Commissioners’, and ‘County’, shall all mean one-and-the-same.
Validation: Bidders must sign and notarize their submittals. Hall County requires that bidder’s provide a cover letter with a signature by an officer of the firm with the submittal to ensure its originality. Please submit one (1) hard paper proposal marked “Original” with a signature, along with three (3) copies, and additionally provide the proposals (technical and separately cost) in a digital format on a flash drive, in both Microsoft Word and Excel, as each document requires.
The County reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and use any idea(s) in a proposal regardless of contract award or not. The County shall have the right to waive any informality or irregularity of immaterial deviation in any bid received.
Bidders must complete and return all forms and documents entitled ‘Mandatory’ with the bid or the proposal. Failure to do so may deem the proposal non-responsive and the County will not evaluate for award.
Award Process: The County reserves the option to reject any or all bids, in whole-or-in-part, or to select any bidder to complete the described Service. The County will make an award of contract based on approach, references, qualifications and other subjective criteria as the County may deem necessary and determine at its sole discretion. Bidder then expressly understands that the County may reject the proposal for any reason without liability on part of the County to the Bidder.
IV. Scope of Work
A. General: The work to be accomplished by the Consultant(s) is in support of the following GHMPO Unified Planning Work Program component:
• Task #4: System Planning, Sub-Element 4.5: Bike and Pedestrian Plan Update/Special Transportation Studies (page 22)
For more information, the FY 2023 UPWP can be found here:
http://www.ghmpo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/fy-2024-upwp-amendment-2-documents.pdf
B. Background and Objectives:
The City of Flowery Branch has spent the past several years developing their downtown into a vibrant area, frequently filled with various activities and events. Due to increased levels of pedestrian and vehicle traffic, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain parking and downtown is experiencing more and more congestion. The City of Flowery Branch, in partnership with the Gainesville-Hall Metropolitan Planning Organization, is seeking to develop a Downtown Parking and Mobility Plan to identify locations that would be best suited for new parking developments, a plan to implement this infrastructure, and recommendations for implementing a road diet to assist in traffic control. This study will only focus on the small downtown portion of the City of Flowery Branch (see maps on pages 9 and 10).
C. Work Tasks:
Specific objectives, which must be provided and are listed in Section B, Background and Objectives, are identified, but consultants may propose additional ones that contribute to the successful completion of the project and meet overall project objectives.
Flowery Branch Downtown Parking and Mobility Study
Primary Objectives
a. Review future development plans from Flowery Branch
b. Identify ideal locations for future parking infrastructure
c. Provide implementation plan for alternatives
d. Conduct an analysis of existing streets for purposes of possibly implementing a road diet or converting roads to one-way traffic
Deliverables
• Flowery Branch Downtown Parking and Mobility Study
V. Selection Process
Steps to Award
The Evaluation Committee will recommend award of the contract to the highest scoring company(s). Upon the County’s award of contract, the County will present an agreement to the selected contractor(s) for execution. If execution of this agreement with the selected Contractor is unsuccessful, the County retains the right to negotiate with the lower ranked Contractor(s) and so on, until reaching a satisfactory agreement.
Step 1: The Evaluation Committee will evaluate the bidder’s responses according to the criteria as described herein, and score and rank the proposals. The County reserves the right to request clarification of information provided and to request additional information required to assist in the evaluation process.
Step 2: Purchasing will then open the Cost Proposals and score the responses. Purchasing will combine these results with the results of Step 1 scoring. After this scoring, Purchasing will rank the highest scoring proposers on a short list.
Step 3: The Evaluation Committee may schedule interviews with the short list bidders. All costs associated with the interview (if required) will be at the expense of the proposing Bidder.
Step 4: Based upon the results of the proposals, references, and the interviews, the Purchasing Division along with the Evaluation Committee may negotiate with the Contractor(s) ranked highest in an attempt to reach agreement. If negotiations with the highest ranked firm are unsuccessful, the County may negotiate with the second ranked Contractor, and so on until reaching a satisfactory agreement.
EXHIBIT A
MANDATORY BID RESPONSE FORM
This section must be completed and returned with the bid by the Bidder
By submitting a proposal, the respondent certifies that it has fully read and understands the proposal and has full knowledge of the scope, nature, and quality of work to be performed. The services offered and the cost factor must be valid for at least one-hundred twenty (120) days from date of signature.
Date of Bid Submittal: ___________ RFQ/P Bid No: __#44-014____________
Bid Name: Flowery Branch Downtown Parking and Mobility Study_____________
Affirmation: Bidder affirms the following by affixing a wet signature in blue ink below:
“I agree to abide by all terms and conditions of this RFQ/P and certify that I am authorized to sign this bid”.
Company Name: _________________________________________________
Bidder Signature: ____________________________ Date: _______________
Print Name: ________________________________
Title: ______________________________________
Phone Number: _____________________________
Email Address: _________________________________________________
Physical Address: _______________________________________________
Physical Address 2: _____________________________________________
Bids not signed may be declared as “Non-Responsive” and will not be evaluated.
If you desire to submit a “No Bid” then please indicate by checking one or both of the reasons listed below and explain.
______ Bidder does not offer this service
______ Unable to meet specifications
EXHIBIT C
RFQ/P #44-014
Mandatory Cost Proposal
NOTE: This Cost Proposal MUST be submitted in a separate, sealed envelope with the RFQ/P Number and bid due date/time written in lower left corner of the envelope.
The below signed Contractor agrees to provide all services outlined in this RFQ/P for the lump
sum amount of: $___________________.
Company Name: ________________________________________________________
Signed: ________________________________________________________
Printed Name: ________________________________________________________
Job Title: ________________________________________________________
Date: ________________________________________________________
Hall County Government
FINANCIAL SERVICES
POST OFFICE DRAWER 1435
GAINESVILLE, GA 30503
t: 770.535.8270 | f: 770.531.6711
DIRECTOR
Wesley Geddings
EXHIBIT E
MANDATORY E-VERIFY AFFIDAVIT
The undersigned contractor ("Contractor") executes this Affidavit to comply with O.C.G.A § 13-10-91 related to any contract to which Contractor is a party that is subject to O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91 and hereby verifies its compliance with O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91, attesting as follows:
a) The Contractor has registered with, is authorized to use and uses the federal work authorization program commonly known as E-Verify, or any subsequent replacement program;
b) The Contractor will continue to use the federal work authorization program throughout the contract period, including any renewal or extension thereof;
c) The Contractor will notify the public employer in the event the Contractor ceases to utilize the federal work authorization program during the contract period, including renewals or extensions thereof;
d) The Contractor understands that ceasing to utilize the federal work authorization program constitutes a material breach of Contract;
e) The Contractor will contract for the performance of services in satisfaction of such contract only with subcontractors who present an affidavit to the Contractor with the information required by O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91(a), (b), and (c);
f) The Contractor acknowledges and agrees that this Affidavit shall be incorporated into any contract(s) subject to the provisions of O.C.G.A. § 13-10- 91 for the project listed below to which Contractor is a party after the date hereof without further action or consent by Contractor; and
g) Contractor acknowledges its responsibility to submit copies of any affidavits, drivers' licenses, and identification cards required pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91 to the public employer within five business days of receipt.
_____________________________________________ _________________
Federal Work Authorization User Identification Number Date of Authorization
_____________________________________________ __________________
Name of Contractor Name of Project
Hall County, Georgia
Name of Public Employer
I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed on _________, _____, 2023 in _______________ (city), __________ (state).
_____________________________________________
Signature of Authorized Officer or Agent
_____________________________________________
Printed Name and Title of Authorized Officer or Agent
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN BEFORE ME
ON THIS THE _______ DAY OF _____________, 20______.
__________________________________________________
NOTARY PUBLIC
My Commission Expires: _____________________________ [Locus Sigilli]
EXHIBIT F
MANDATORY ETHICS AFFIDAVIT
For Compliance with
Official Code 3.10.070 of Hall County
Contractors, consultants, and vendors of any service or commodity to Hall County, Georgia must read and affirm to adhere to the following ethics requirements.
3.10.070. - Ethics.
A. It is the policy of Hall County to seek the best overall value when procuring goods and services. Toward this end, the county finds and declares that its objectives will best be achieved through an open, competitive process with a broad range of responsible vendors wishing to furnish products and services to the county. Hall County will establish and conduct a procurement program that maximizes service benefit to the community and awards contracts to vendors who offer the best quality and value.
B. Hall County declares that county employees and officials, along with those wishing to do business with the county, have the shared responsibility for avoiding biased, anticompetitive, or unethical practices.
C. Hall County employees, officials, and their family members are prohibited from seeking, requesting, or receiving any material payment, gift, job offer, security, promise of future benefit, or any other tangible or intangible thing of value when such receipt has the potential to influence a procurement decision or to gain undue advantage in a procurement competition.
D. Prospective vendors must compete for county business within the parameters of the solicitation process and are prohibited from seeking to obtain inside information, attempting to skew the writing of specifications, or influencing a procurement decision through any means outside the process established for the particular solicitation. This principle applies to any contractor, subcontractor, representative, employee, or agent that may be associated with a procurement transaction.
E. Bidders and proposers shall disclose on competitive bid responses any individual(s), firm(s), and/or county official(s) who do business with the county if there is an appearance of a conflict of interest.
F. Ethical business practices are important, both, during a solicitation, and after the decision to grant an award. The county seeks to establish relationships with business partners whose ongoing ethical standards of business conduct are congruent with those outlined here. The purchasing manager, subject to the approval of the director of financial services, is charged with establishing methods for ongoing monitoring for non-compliance with these principles. The prohibition against the offering of or the acceptance of kickbacks, gratuities, payments or any other instrument of value extends beyond and outside any specific procurement or solicitation.
G. A vendor's contract compliance history with Hall County and other contractual parties is a valid element in the decision to award a solicitation.
H. Hall County stipulates that the furtherance of its strategic goals for job creation, stability and growth in the tax base, business retention, and other fiscal and economic development objectives may be considered during the procurement process. The purchasing manager, subject to the approval of the director of financial services, is authorized to establish procurement initiatives consistent with the county's strategic economic development objectives. These procurement practices shall be applied consistently and equitably and shall have a direct relationship to the county's goals.
I. Hall County employees, officials, and their family members are generally prohibited from participation in any procurement decision or any gain of undue advantage in a procurement competition as a result of contemporaneous employment with a potential or actual business partner.
J. It is unethical for any county employee to purchase commodities or services from a county contract for personal use.
K. With the exception of solicitations for the sale of real property, individuals, firms and businesses seeking an award of a Hall County contract may not initiate or continue any verbal or written communications regarding a solicitation with any county officer, elected official, employee or other county representative other than the purchasing associate named in the solicitation, or the county's financial advisor, between the date of the issuance of the solicitation and the date of the final contract award by the board of commissioners. The purchasing manager will review violations. If determined that such communication has compromised the competitive process, the offer submitted by the individual, firm or business may be disqualified from consideration for award. Solicitations for the sale of real property may allow for verbal or written communications with the appropriate Hall County representative.
L. All county commissioners, officials, and employees shall adhere to the standards outlined in the Hall County Code of Ethics.
M. (AMENDED) The purchasing division of the financial services department shall determine and implement methods of educating all prospective contractors, bidders, proposers, and vendors on the requirements and provisions of Code Section 3.10.070, including, but not limited to, requiring each prospective contractor, bidder, proposer, and vendor that expresses an intent to do business with the County to sign an affidavit attesting that they have read this Chapter and have more specifically also read Code Section 3.10.070.” (Res. of 11-14-19(1), § 1(Exh. A))
I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed on _________, _____, 20_____ in _______________ (city),
_______________ (state) _______________ (Zip Code)
________________________________________________________
Signature of Authorized Officer or Agent
________________________________________________________
Printed Name and Title of Authorized Officer or Agent
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN BEFORE ME
On This the _______ Day of _____________, 20__________
__________________________________________________
NOTARY PUBLIC
My Commission Expires: ______________________________
