REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
169th Street Connector

Local Agency Project Number: P02.531

                                     Design Services

Statement of Qualifications Due: No later than 2:00 pm on August 28, 2025

 

 

1.0      PROJECT INFORMATION

The City of Arlington is requesting interested consulting engineering firms to submit Statements of Qualifications (SOQ’s) for the preparation of engineering design plans, specifications, cost estimates, and construction bid documents for the 169th St. Connector.  

The City of Arlington reserves the right to amend terms of this “Statement of Qualifications” (SOQ) to circulate various addenda, or to withdraw the SOQ at any time.   

 

2.0       PROJECT DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND – This project proposes to design a new road that will provide an alternate route for freight and vehicles from the main state highway, SR-531, east of 169th Street NE and support the fast-growing industrial area located in the Cascade Industrial Center (CIC). The 169th St Connector will have an E-W alignment connecting Smokey Point Blvd on the west to 43rd Ave NE and 168th Street NE on the east and include multimodal improvements. 

This city has been working with an engineering consulting firm and have completed a 30% drawing design package. The current stage of design is approaching a 60% design package, and the prospective engineering firm will need to establish communication with the previous consultants to continue with the design from its current stage, as needed.

PROJECT –Continue the design of a new road with two travel lanes and grade separated pedestrian facilities, a 5-foot-wide sidewalk on one side (where applicable) and a 12-foot-wide multiuse trail on the other. The roadway will include pedestrian and street lighting, street amenities (landscaping, benches, trash cans, etc.), and local area art (where applicable); it will also include new storm utilities for the proposed hardscape and converting a type 3 urban ditch to new underground culvert beneath the proposed roadway.

This roadway will be located in between commercial and residentially zoned areas. The project will require intersection design for the intersections located at 40th Ave NE and 43rd Ave NE. The new road will total approximately 0.31 miles.  

FUNDING – This project has received federal funding for the completion of the project design. The City of Arlington is providing matching local funds as well.  

3.0        SCOPE OF WORK

The work to be performed by the CONSULTANT includes engineering analysis, design plans, specifications and estimate necessary for the project to receive NEPA certification and advertisement for the 169th St. Connector Improvement project. The major features of the project are as follows:

• Preliminary Design Data Collection:  Consultant team shall collect necessary data and information for the successful completion of this project. This includes coordination with the previous consulting firm to obtain existing design data, as needed.    
• Design Reports and Studies:  Consultant team shall complete all studies and evaluations necessary for the successful completion of this project design and permitting.    
• Project Design and Specifications: Consultant team shall prepare preliminary and final engineering plans and specifications (60%, 90% and Issue for Bid (IFB)), project bid documents and ROW Plans.  All submittals shall be consistent with WSDOT standards for federally funded projects.  
• Estimate of Project Costs:  Consultant Team shall prepare an estimate of probable costs for the construction phase (60%, 90% and Issue for Bid (IFB)). The contract shall be on a Cost-Plus Fixed Fee basis.

 

4.0       QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

City evaluation team will score, and rank SOQ based on the following criteria:

• Team Composition and Key Personnel:  Scoring will look at firms included in the Consultant’s project team, the qualifications and availability of staff assigned to this project. Consideration will be given to specialized project experience or technical competence relating to the Project Area, and familiarity with work in the north Snohomish County area. This section shall also describe the in-house expertise qualifications. Demonstrate the ability to provide the proposed staff for the full duration of this project and that continuity will be maintained. (25 points)

 

• Project Approach and Schedule:  Consultant shall demonstrate a full understanding of the City’s concerns, goals and objectives with this very important project; and how the Consultant’s team will meet these goals in a “Consultant defined” timeline.  (25 points)
• Experience with Similar Projects:  Scoring will evaluate Consultant’s team experience with projects of similar complexity and function. Also included in the evaluation will be past experience with similar federally funded projects and coordination with WSDOT local programs.  (20 points)

 

• Completeness of DBE Participation plan: Demonstrate ability to prepare a DBE plan and Good Faith Effort documentation. Evaluation will include complete documentation showing DBE firms are certified to perform the scope of work and any good faith effort documentation is included. (20 points)

 

• Familiarity of Relevant Codes and Standards: Demonstrated understanding of relevant codes (Arlington, FHWA, AASHTO, and WSDOT) and ability to coordinate projects with jurisdictional agencies and multidisciplinary projects. (10 points)

 

Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by an Evaluation Committee comprised of City staff. Interviews will be scheduled with the top three scoring proposals.

 

5.0       SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Submittals should include the following information: Firm name, phone numbers; Name of Principal-in-Charge and Project Manager; and Number of employees in each firm proposed to project. The entire submittal package, excluding front and back cover sheets, shall not exceed twenty (20) double‐sided pages. At a minimum, the Consultant’s qualifications should include:

 

• An introductory letter stating your firm’s interest in the project, 
• A clear concise description of the general approach to be undertaken on the project, 
• A list of similar projects in the past five years with brief resumes of key members and project references,  
• Organizational chart of project team
• Description and examples of process and quality control measures,
• Approach to meet DBE goal (DBE Participation plan),

 

Please submit FOUR copies (if submitting hard copies) of your Statement of Qualifications to the City of Arlington in a sealed package clearly labeled “SOQ for 169th St. Connector”. Email submittals are accepted and shall be sent to utilities@arlingtonwa.gov. In person, email submittals, and/or deliveries and US Post will be accepted at the Public Works Office at 154 W Cox, Arlington, WA 98223 no later than 2:00 PM on August 28, 2025.  

 

Address all RFQ questions to the Project Administrator, Linda Taylor, at ltaylor@arlingtonwa.gov.  Questions and inquiries received before 2:00 pm on August 21st, 2025, will be answered.  The City reserves the right to reject any and all submittals that are not responsive to this RFQ request. If you wish to receive a ‘Project Detail Map’ of the project area, please reach out to utilities@arlingtonwa.gov.  

 

6.0       SCHEDULE

The City will meet with the selected firm shortly after notification of selection to develop the scope and fee. The Contract will be Awarded by September 2025, with design to occur over Summer/Fall/Winter 2025/2026. The Ad Date goal is for March 2026.

 

7.0       EQUITY IN PROPOSAL SELECTION 

The City of Arlington is an equal opportunity employer and encourages disadvantaged, minority, and women‐owned consultant firms to respond. Note that federally funded projects will be held to Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) requirements.

 

Title VI Statement

The City of Arlington, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.”

 

 

DBE Goals

The city has applied the criteria and established a nineteen percent (15%) mandatory DBE firm participation for this project. The consultant shall submit a DBE Participation Plan prior to commencing work on the Agreement.

 

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information  

The City of Arlington in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), commits to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability, in all of its programs and activities. Consultants will also be held to this standard. This material can be made available in an alternate format by emailing Nate Thompson at nthompson@arlingtonwa.gov or by calling 360-403-3526.      

Published:  Everett Herald                                               Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce                                                    https://www.arlingtonwa.gov/bids.aspx?bidID=164

1st Pub: 8/14/2025    2nd Pub: 8/21/2025                             1st Pub:8/14/2025     2nd Pub: 8/21/2025