Volume 40 - Issue 15 - April 15, 2021

State of Kansas

Department of Transportation

Notice to Consulting Firms

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is seeking to secure ready availability of surveying services on an as-needed basis by entering into up to ten contracts with qualified consulting engineering firms who may perform services, from time to time and on short notice, when KDOT does not have the personnel to perform the services. The services may require construction surveying, land surveying and calculations based on those surveys, as well as administration and recordkeeping associated with such services.

Schedule/Deadlines

Responses to this Request for Proposal (RFP) are due on or before 12:00 p.m. (CST) April 23, 2021, to be delivered via email to kdot.designcontracts@ks.gov. Evaluation and ranking of submissions will occur on or about May 5, 2021, after which time all firms that submitted will be notified of the ranking. Negotiations with up to ten of the most highly ranked firms to commence on or about May 19, 2021. An agreement should be in place on or about June 3, 2021.

Scope of Services to be Performed

Periodically, KDOT’s personnel may be unable to perform surveying within the time frame required so it may be necessary to engage a consultant firm (with appropriate KDOT certification) on short notice under an as-needed agreement. The scope of services will generally consist of project surveying as well as accurate and timely documentation thereof, including submission of all documentation to KDOT. Thorough knowledge of, and compliance with the KDOT’s Standard Specifications for State Road and Bridge Construction, Construction Manual, project specifications, and other relevant KDOT policies, procedures, and manuals, as well as KDOT documentation and recordkeeping requirements is essential.

Locations

KDOT sites, statewide, as needed.

Requirements

Interested firms must: (a) be prequalified by KDOT in category 301 Land Surveying and 302 Engineering Surveying; (b) have employees who are licensed in Kansas as professional surveyors and experienced in surveying; (c) submit a proposal according to the instruction detailed below. A PDF must be emailed to David Lutgen, P.E., Contracts Engineer at kdot.designcontracts@ks.gov. Responses are to be limited to eight pages, the subject line of the reply email and the file name must read “As-Needed Survey RFP – Firm Name.” RFPs must be received by 12:00 p.m. (CST) April 23, 2021 for the consulting firm to be considered.

If a firm is not currently prequalified by KDOT but is interested in obtaining prequalification, then please view the requirements and categories at http://www.ksdot.org/divengdes/prequal/default.asp. For licensure and other requirements applicable to the practice of technical professions within the State of Kansas, please consult the website of the Kansas Board of Technical Professions at http://www.ksbtp.ks.gov/. All firms doing business with KDOT must be registered and in good standing under the laws of the State of Kansas and comply with applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations.

Instructions for Proposal

No costs shall be contained in the proposal. The proposal must not exceed eight (8) pages total to address the pertinent topics. Please use the following naming convention for submittal… As-Needed Survey RFP – Firm Name. RFPs submitted will consist of the proposal and a completed and signed Special Attachment No. 7 (“Certificate of Final Indirect Costs”), a completed and signed Special Attachment No. 8 (“Tax Clearance Certificate”), and a completed and signed Special Attachment No. 10 (“Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment”).

The proposal should address and include the following items:

• Provide internal policies and procedures of consultant’s firm, if any, or established practices of consultant’s firm which address how the consultant ensures its employees are properly trained, familiar with KDOT processes and procedures, and capable of correctly performing surveying services in an accurate and timely manner as well as create and maintain appropriate record keeping and documentation.
• Provide internal policies and procedures of consultant’s firm, if any, or describe consultant’s established practices to respond to poor or substandard performance of consultant’s personnel in surveying and how instances of poor or substandard performance are addressed, rectified or otherwise corrected by consultant. Describe any recent (within last five years) instances of poor or otherwise substandard performance problems, including those that have not been documented as part of a formal performance evaluation process of consultant or consultant’s clients.
• Provide the names, qualifications and relevant recent experience of consultant’s employees who are or will be proposed for performance of surveying. Along with the names of consultant personnel proposed for performing services, please also identify the KDOT districts where such consultant employee has previously worked.
• Provide organization chart identifying the titles, responsibilities, roles, and duties of each individual proposed to be utilized by consultant in performing services.

Qualifications-Based Selection Process

RFPs will be evaluation based on the factors listed below, evenly weighted, to rank the most qualified firms. At KDOT’s option, shortlisted firms may be interviewed by telephone conference call or asked to attend meetings or participate in other discussions with KDOT.

Evaluation factors: 1) the quality of the response to the RFP; 2) qualifications and experience of consultant employees proposed for services; 3) past performance history; and 4) ability and availability to perform services on short notice in one or more regional areas of the State of Kansas.

Up to ten of the highest ranked firms will be asked to enter into negotiations with KDOT for an as-needed agreement for services under which KDOT may request survey services via task or work orders over a period of four years, subject to a maximum cumulative aggregate amount of up to $2 million. In the event KDOT cannot reach agreement with any of the highest ranked firms, it will terminate negotiations with such firms and commence negotiations with the next highest ranked firm, and so on, until either agreement is reached for a satisfactory scope of services for a fair and reasonable price, or KDOT decides to pursue other alternatives. KDOT intends to conclude or terminate negotiations on or before June 3, 2021.

Contract Terms and Conditions

A standard as-needed agreement for engineering and technical services will be used for this project. Special Attachments for the Kansas “Tax Clearance Certificate,” the “Certification of Final Indirect Costs,” and the Special Attachment No. 10 (“Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment”) will also eventually become attachments to the contract.

Questions about this RFP shall be sent by email to KDOT at kdot.designcontracts@ks.gov.

Calvin E. Reed, P.E. Director
Division of Engineering and Design

Doc. No. 049029