Volume 40 - Issue 42 - October 21, 2021

State of Kansas

Department of Transportation

Notice to Consulting Firms

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is seeking a consulting firm for the project below. Interested consulting firms must be prequalified by KDOT or otherwise demonstrate qualification in the following categories: 161 Corridor/Project Feasibility Studies; 211 Highway Design – Major Facility; 221 Non-Standard Bridge Design and Special Structures; and 302 Engineering Surveying. A PDF (2Mb maximum size) of the response must be emailed to kdot.designcontracts@ks.gov. Proposal responses are limited to eight pages; the subject line of the reply email and the PDF file name must read “KA-6099-02_K-96 Expansion_FIRM NAME.” The proposal is required and must be received by 12:00 p.m. October 29, 2021, for the consulting firm to be considered.

If a firm is not currently prequalified by KDOT, a proposal may still be submitted. Firms not prequalified must also provide documentation that demonstrates the firm is qualified for each specified category listed in this notice for the project. Firms may use the KDOT prequalification form to provide this documentation. Forms and KDOT 1050 Prequalification category definitions (Blue Book) can be found at http://www.ksdot.org/descons.asp. All firms doing business with KDOT must be registered and in good standing under the laws of the State of Kansas at the time of contracting and must comply with applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations.

Background and Scope of Project

The K-96 Expansion Project in Sedgwick County has been identified in the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program Expansion Development Pipeline. This project is scheduled for potential letting in FY 2026 (July 2025 – June 2026). KDOT intends to select the most highly qualified firm to perform professional services associated with the design of this pavement replacement and expansion project. A project summary of primary scope items is provided in Table 1 and additional scope items are listed below.

Table 1: K-96 Expansion Primary Scope
Project Number	Route and Scope	Length	Project Termini
096-087 KA-6099-02	K-96 Sedgwick County Pavement Replacement and Expansion (added lane in each direction)	6.90 mi	Hydraulic Ave. Entrance Ramp (Gold Project Limits) to 21st St.
096-087 KA-6099-02	Pavement Replacement	1.10 mi	21st St. to 13th St.
Structures	Anticipated Structure Scope	BR#	Structure Size (Type)*
Box under K-96	Apron, Wall, Ditch Lining Improvements	133	3-10’ x 10’ x 215’-6” (RCB)
Bridge over Hillside St.	Inside Widening	397	42’-56’-56’-42’(RCSH)
Bridge over Hillside St.	Inside Widening	398	42’-56’-56’-42’(RCSH)
Bridge over UPPR	Inside Widening	399	150’-220’-150’(SWCH)
Bridge over UPPR	Inside Widening	400	150’-220’-150’(SWCH)
Box Under K-96	No Work	-	2-7’ x 4’ x 182’-9” (RCB)
Box Under K-96	No Work	275	3-10’ x 8’ x 362’-6” (R.C.B.B.)
Bridge over Oliver Ave.	Inside/Outside Widening	401	42’-56’-56’-42’(RCSH)
Bridge over Oliver Ave.	Inside/Outside Widening	402	42’-56’-56’-42’(RCSH)
Box Under K-96	No Work	403	14’ x 8’ x 151’-6” (RCB)
Box Under K-96	No Work	404	3-20’ x 10’ x 382’ (R.C.B.B.)
Bridge over Woodlawn Blvd.	Replacement	405	42’-56’-56’-42’(RCSH)
Bridge over Woodlawn Blvd.	Replacement	406	42’-56’-56’-42’(RCSH)
Bridge over Rock Rd.	Replacement	407	42’-56’-56’-42’(RCSH)
Bridge over Rock Rd.	Replacement	408	42’-56’-56’-42’(RCSH)
Bridge over Webb Rd.	Replacement	409	72’-130’-72’(SWCH)
Bridge over Webb Rd.	Replacement	410	72’-130’-72’(SWCH)
Bridge over Greenwich Rd.	Inside/Outside Widening	411	41’-81’-41’(PBMC)
Bridge over Greenwich Rd.	Inside/Outside Widening	412	41’-81’-41’(PBMC)
Bridge over 21st St.	Inside/Outside Widening	413	42’-56’-56’-42’(RCSH)
Bridge over 21st St.	Inside/Outside Widening	414	42’-56’-56’-42’(RCSH)
Bridge over Fourmile Creek	No Work	415	62’-63’-62’(PBMC)
Bridge over Fourmile Creek	No Work	416	62’-63’-62’(PBMC)
Bridge over Rose Trail	No Work	417	51’-63’-51’(SBMC)
Bridge over Rose Trail	No Work	418	51’-63’-51’(SBMC)
Bridge over K-96 (13th St.)	No Work	419	55’-76’-76’-55’(PBMC)
*Additional 10’-20’ Span Structures in Project Limits (No Work): C0559, C069, and C0584

KDOT is seeking consultant services to prepare preliminary engineering and construction drawings for the K-96 Pavement Replacement and Expansion Project in Sedgwick County. Consultant will complete full survey and existing right of way survey along the entire project limits, including sideroad improvements, to be completed June 1, 2022. Consultant will include the development of a traffic and safety study, surveying, interchange layout, and scoping estimates for alternatives to be completed by May 1, 2022. The consultant will be expected to perform a detailed traffic projection and traffic modeling analysis to supplement the initial projections and provide reasonable alternatives with cost estimates for improving the corridor traffic operations at the intersections of Rock Road, Woodlawn Boulevard, and Webb Road. The consultant will be required to provide any traffic control and necessary equipment for data collection, traffic projection, traffic modeling and analysis, and conceptual study. The consultant shall provide necessary traffic modeling and analysis as needed to compare reasonable alternatives and document the basis for a recommended alternative. Consultant will develop a tolling study for the K-96 Corridor from Interstate-135 to Interstate-35, including preliminary engineering services for use in the toll study. Consultant will provide design and plans for horizontal and vertical alignments for mainline, side roads, and ramps along the corridor. Consultant shall provide design and plans for roadway and bridge improvements described in Table 1.

The project scope will include the following phases and items:

1. Phase I – Study Phase

1. Provide full topographic survey and existing right of way survey along the entire project limits
2. Provide Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) Quality Level B at the Woodlawn Boulevard, Rock Road and Webb Road interchanges
3. Perform preliminary design for pavement and structure improvements as described in Table 1 to support environmental assessment development and approval process
4. Provide Tolling Study
   1. Level 1 Tolling Study to understand the traffic and estimate the potential toll revenue that could be generated by a single added and tolled lane in each direction
   2. Level 2 Tolling Study to establish whether there is public support for tolled express lanes to provide local match and congestion management for the corridor
      • Final evaluation of the function, revenue potential, and long-term operation of a tolled express lane facility
      • Agency coordination between the City of Wichita and KDOT will include meetings and communication throughout the process and culminating with a presentation of final recommendations and documentation of local support
5. Provide traffic model with updated origin/destinations to KDOT along project limits, including side roads from 21st Street to 37th Street
   1. Work with WAMPO and other local agencies to update and refine the traffic growth assumptions including other modes of transportation such as public transit and rideshare
   2. Perform traffic operational analysis for the tolled express lanes
6. Signal coordination design on all signals within the study area described above
7. Interchange investigations and recommendations at the following locations based on 2047 traffic projections
   1. K-96 and Woodlawn Boulevard
   2. K-96 and Rock Road
   3. K-96 and Webb Road, including no right of way acquisitions on Jabara Airport parcels or impacts to airport approach space
8. Eastbound and Westbound Auxiliary Lanes at the following locations
   1. Between Oliver Avenue and Woodlawn Boulevard
   2. Between Woodlawn Boulevard and Rock Road
9. Identification of local street improvements to be coordinated with local public agencies
10. Complete an Environmental Assessment (EA) document in accordance with NEPA
    1. Establishing the need and purpose
    2. Evaluating the reasonable alternatives and supporting the selection of a preferred alternative
    3. Develop planning level cost estimates for each alternative
    4. Describe the affected environment
    5. Assess the impacts of the reasonable alternatives on resources in the area including but not limited to: sensitive noise receptors, parks and public lands, water resources, cultural resources, neighborhoods and businesses, natural features and wildlife, and hazardous material sites
    6. Discuss the permits required and the mitigations needed to address adverse impacts
    7. Develop and implement an agency coordination and involvement plan to support the NEPA process and applicable federal regulations and to support KDOTs and FHWAs issuance of an environmental decision for the recommended preferred alternative
11. Stakeholder Engagement
    1. Develop Public Involvement Plan
       • Identify list of stakeholder groups
       • Outline targeted outreach for each stakeholder group may include brochures, media releases, fact sheets, presentations, public meeting boards, social media updates, and updates during construction activities
       • Outreach may also occur using technology including virtual public meetings, infographics, social media, and websites
    2. Minimum Stakeholder Groups
       • City of Wichita
       • Tolling Advisory Committee
       • WAMPO
       • Kansas Turnpike Authority
       • General public

2. Phase II – Preliminary Design

1. Supplemental surveys for local street improvements identified in the study phase and agreed to with a city/state agreement
2. Perform preliminary design for pavement and structure improvements as described in Table 1 including supplemental local street improvements with the following schedule
   1. Plans to Materials and Research, scheduled Sept. 2022
   2. Plans to Field Check, scheduled September 2023
3. Participate in Value Engineering Process in advance of Field Check
4. Traffic Engineering
   1. Construction sequencing for pavement and structure improvements
   2. Advanced signing concept
   3. Lighting concept
   4. Traffic signal concept
   5. Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) concept
5. Provide construction cost estimates bi-annually and at major project milestones
6. Present project details to Program Review Committee prior to proceeding with Right of Way
7. Stakeholder Engagement
   1. Local public agency coordination
   2. General public outreach is anticipated to include one open house public meeting which may be in-person or virtual

3. Phase III – Final Design

1. Final design services for pavement and structure improvements as described in Table 1 will be negotiated after Field Check is complete and when requested by KDOT
   1. Anticipated letting in Fiscal Year 2026
2. Traffic Engineering
   1. Signing and marking plans
   2. Lighting plans
   3. Traffic signal plans
   4. (ITS) improvements as defined during preliminary engineering
   5. Tolling technology plans
3. Provide construction cost estimates bi-annually and every major project milestone
4. Provide electronic plan files compliant with KDOT Graphic Standards Manual, including CAD conformance checks and ControlCAD indexed DGN files with ProjectWise attributes
5. Participate in pre-bid activities including responding to contractor questions and participation in a pre-bid meeting
6. Stakeholder engagement will include outreach to educate the public on the use of tolled express lanes if included in the design

4. Phase IV – Construction Services will be negotiated following completion of final design and will include participation in a preconstruction meeting, submittal reviews, responding to request for information, and preparation of revised plans throughout the construction phase.

KDOT has made the following items available from KDOT’s FTP site at https://secftp.ksdot.org/public/file/qpnbu7a-m0yacflvrelenw/096-087_ka-6099-02_packet.zip.

• Expansion Screening Study (2021)
• Existing plans
• KMZ of Assumed Replacement/Expansion Limits
• KMZ of Assumed Replacement Limits

If you have any questions or issues accessing this information, please contact kdot.designcontracts@ks.gov.

Special Conditions

PMC

This project is being managed by a Project Manager Consultant (PMC) on behalf of KDOT. The PMC will be the primary contact for the selected firm and will not be on the KDOT Consultant Selection Committee.

Schedule Reporting

Project schedules will be developed during project negotiation. A basic schedule template, prepared by the PMC, will be reviewed and specific dates will be defined by the consultant to achieve the critical milestones. Monthly schedule progress reports and updates will be required throughout the project from the consultants and reviewed with the PMC to track progress for KDOT.

Quality Control

Consultants will be required to provide a Quality Control (QC) plan at project kick-off. QC audits will be conducted by the PMC throughout the project. The audits will check compliance with the consultant’s plan.

Bentley CONNECT Edition Software

Consultants will be required to prepare plans and digital deliverables using Bentley CONNECT Edition Software products with KDOT’s CONNECT Edition workspace environment.

Schedule

This project is scheduled for a potential letting in FY 2026 (July 2025 – June 2026). Therefore, the design activities must be scheduled to deliver final plans no later than March 2026.

Instructions for Proposal

The main text of the consultant’s proposal must not exceed eight (8) pages (including the cover letter) to address the topics listed in Table 2 below. The following outline is the expected submittal organization, content, and page length for the technical proposals. Duplication of content in technical proposals is expected.

Proposals submitted will also include completed and signed Special Attachment No. 8 (“Tax Clearance Certificate”) and a completed and signed Special Attachment No. 10 (“Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment”). Subconsultants will need to complete these attachments as well. All these forms are attached to the original email announcement. These pages do not count against the page limit.

Table 2: Proposal Content and Evaluation Factors
	Content	Pages
Cover Letter		1 page
Overview	Qualifications and Experience Project manager for the project Names, qualifications, education, training, and expertise of proposed team members Past performance on similar projects, including references and contact information Delivery Process Approach to schedule Approach to quality control	4 pages
Project Understanding and Approach	Highlight concepts for cost-effective and optimized solutions for the project. Include unique qualifications or experience that may inform the selection of firms Approach to investigating and recommending interchange type configurations Approach to regional signal coordination Approach to streamlining the NEPA process to obtain environmental clearance in 12 months	3 pages

Selection Process

KDOT intends to select the most highly qualified firms to perform professional services associated with the design of this project. No cost or pricing information shall be submitted with the proposal. Proposals including cost or pricing information will not be considered in the selection process to rank proposals.

Per standard KDOT consultant selection process, at least three (3) consultants will be shortlisted from the technical proposal submitted for the project. Technical proposals will be evaluated based on the factors listed in Table 3 below to select the most qualified firms. All evaluation factors are weighted equally.

Table 3: Evaluation Factors
Evaluation Factor
Qualifications and Experience
Past Performance
Delivery Process: Approach to Schedule
Delivery Process: Approach to Quality Control
Understanding the Project Area
Project Approach: Unique Qualifications and Solutions
Familiarity with KDOT Design Standards

Shortlisted consultants will be notified before November 17, 2021, of the location, date, and time of the interview. Shortlisted consultants are invited to attend individual pre-interview meetings held on November 22, 2021, to provide additional clarification to teams for any of their outstanding questions in advance of the interviews.

Following the interview, the selected firm will be asked to enter negotiations with KDOT for an agreement. Negotiations will proceed quickly through scoping, manhour/fee negotiation, and NTP. In the event KDOT cannot reach agreement with the selected firm, it will terminate negotiations 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.

Contract Terms and Conditions

A standard KDOT agreement for engineering and technical services will be used for this project. Special Attachment No. 8 (for the Kansas “Tax Clearance Certificate”) and Special Attachment No. 10 (“Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment”) will also eventually become attachments to the contract.

The firm’s accounting systems must have the following capabilities before the firm may be awarded a contract.

• Valid, reliable, and current costs must be available within the system to support actual costs and pricing data
• Capability to provide a means of measuring the reasonableness of incurred costs
• Capability to identify and accumulate allowable costs by contract or project records which will reconcile with the general ledger
• Ability to provide supporting documentation of actual expenditures for each billing, based on costs

Questions about this request for proposal shall be sent via email to kdot.designcontracts@ks.gov.

Ben Asnicar, PE
Interim Contracts Engineer

Doc. No. 049490