CITY OF KIRKLAND

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

PROJECT NAME: Kirkland Safety Action Plan: Near-Miss Analysis, Citywide Crash Analysis, Operating Speed Study, and Speed Limit Policy Update

JOB NUMBER: 38-24-PW

FEDERAL AID NUMBER: 693JJ32440280

QUALIFICATIONS DUE: August 1, 2024 no later than 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time

QUALIFICATIONS SUBMITTED TO: Purchasing Agent (see Submittal section)

Public notice is hereby given that the City of Kirkland has issued the above-mentioned Request for Qualifications (RFQ). This RFQ is to solicit proposals from a qualified firm or individual to develop plans, specifications, and estimates for the above referenced project.

Project Description

The City of Kirkland has received planning and demonstration grant funding through the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program to develop Kirkland’s Safety Action Plan. work elements are listed in this RFQ and may also incorporate elements from Kirkland’s current Vision Zero Action Plan and Local Roads Safety Plan. The funds must be expended by April 2025. The approach to the Kirkland Safety Action Plan is intended to be data- and research-driven, context-sensitive, tailored to meet Kirkland’s needs, and in alignment with the USDOT Safe System Approach.

As a part of the Safety Action Plan, the City’s Public Works Transportation Division staff, in partnership with other City departments, seek to establish a revised speed limit policy that promotes safer vehicle operating speeds to work toward the goal of eliminating fatal and severe injury crashes in our city.

The City of Kirkland’s current Speed Limit Policy, R-17, is based on the outdated methodology of assuming the 85th percentile speed, or the speed at which 85 percent of people travel at or below, is safe and reasonable. City Transportation staff seek a qualified consultant to help establish a new methodology to set speed limits based on data and the latest published guidance from recognized agencies including, but not limited to, the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). This policy update and supporting studies will align with the City’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating fatal and serious injury crashes in Kirkland by 2035, and with the additional goal of achieving a safer environment for people walking, rolling, bicycling, and driving within the City.

A new speed limit setting policy is required to comply with recommendations in the most current edition of the MUTCD (11th Edition released in December 2023) for the establishment of speed limits including:

• Consideration of a range of factors including land-use context, pedestrian and bicyclist activity, roadway geometrics, functional classification, traffic volumes, driveway density, intersection spacing and crash history when setting speed limits.

• Incorporation of speed limit setting tools and methods consistent with the Safe System approach.

Scope of Work and Technical Requirements

The City is seeking the professional assistance of qualified consulting firms, or consultant teams, to complete the following work elements of the Kirkland Safety Action Plan: Near-Miss Analysis, Citywide Crash Analysis, Operating Speed Study, and Speed Limit Policy Update. This will include the following items:

• Near-miss Analysis
• Crash data analysis
• Recommendations for safety countermeasures at high-crash locations
• Data collection and analysis of citywide vehicle operating speeds on arterial and collector streets
• Research and development of a step-by-step speed limit setting procedure and tool to be used by City staff in the future
• Pilot use of the new tool to evaluate the speed limit for a defined number of corridors
• Development of a new speed limit policy document
• Development of implementation plan for new speed limits
• Public outreach
• Safety Action Plan development

Timeline

The project schedule is as follows:

Issue RFQ - July 11, 2024
Deadline for questions - July 19, 2024 – 12:00 PM
Responses to questions - July 25, 2024
Deadline for submittal of SOQs  - August 1, 2024 – 4:00 PM
Interviews (if needed )  - August 12-16, 2024
Selection of successful SOQ - August 20, 2024
Agreement for services signed - September 9, 2024
Deadline for deliverables  - April 2025

Submittal

SOQs shall be no more than fifteen (15) 8.5” x 11” pages, excluding resumes and cover letter. Since submittals must be made electronically, one page refers to one electronic 8.5” x 11” sheet of text, graphics, photos, etc. The minimum font size shall be 11 point. One-inch minimum margins are recommended for clarity and ease of review but will not be strictly scrutinized.

SOQs shall be clear and concise.

Include the following information:

• A statement of assurance from the consultant or consultant team that contracting with the City of Kirkland will not result in a conflict of interest.
• Project manager experience. Demonstrate the ability of the designated project manager to lead a project team and successfully drive schedules forward based on prior experiences with the City of Kirkland or similar local agencies.
• Project team experience. Identify key project team members and their anticipated role on the project, if selected. Include team experience and relevant individual experience, unique qualifications of personnel, and availability of team members. Do not include team members who will not participate in project after selection.
• Previous experience on similar projects. Provide information on similar transportation safety studies and/or projects, including general scope, location of agency, timeframe, and key project team members who participated.
• Project understanding and approach. Demonstrate knowledge of the work required in this RFQ including background in transportation safety principles and engineering studies. Describe the project team’s approach to the work described in the RFQ, including any innovative ideas or proposed deviations from the Scope of Work and how it would benefit the City of Kirkland.
• Ability to meet schedule. Identify basic work plan items in project approach and provide schedule to meet project schedule goals identified in this RFQ.
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Practices. Describe how DEIB principles are incorporated into the project team’s workplace practices and approach to the project. Include information on Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) status of consultant and/or teaming partners.
• References. Provide at least two references from local agencies for work performed on similar previous projects. Include name, title, agency, phone number, and email address for local agency staff directly overseeing work.

Do NOT submit information regarding fees, price, or any other cost information with the SOQ.

Evaluation Criteria Points

1. Organization and Completeness of SOQ Submitted -  0-10
2. Experience of Project Manager and Project Team -  0-15
3. Project Approach and Methodology -  0-30
4. Experience and/or Past Performance on Similar Projects-   0-30
5. Ability to Meet Project Schedule-   0-5
6. Consideration of DEIB practices and DBE teaming partners-   0-10

Maximum Points 100

Contract Requirements and Fees

If your qualifications are accepted, the following fees and requirements will be due upon award, prior to issuance of a contract:

1. Compliance with Law/City of Kirkland Business License

• Consultant must obtain and provide a copy of a City of Kirkland Business License and otherwise comply with Kirkland Municipal Code Chapter 7.02.
• The Consultant shall comply with all applicable State, Federal and City laws, ordinances, regulations, and codes.

2. Insurance

• Consultant’s insurance should be consistent with the requirements found in the sample document of “Professional Service Agreement” on City’s website.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information

The City of Kirkland, 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. This material can be made available in an alternate format by emailing purchasing@kirklandwa.gov or by calling 425-587-3123.

Title VI Statement

The City of Kirkland, 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. Please reach out to the Title VI Coordinator of City of Kirkland for additional information by email titlevicoordinator@kirklandwa.gov and phone (425) 587-3831.