Volume 41 - Issue 20 - May 19, 2022

State of Kansas

Department of Transportation

Notice to Consulting Firms

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is seeking a number of qualified consulting firms or teams of firms to perform professional services as described below. Interested consultants must email a proposal to KDOT.DesignContracts@ks.gov by 12:00 p.m. (CDT) June 3, 2022, to be considered for selection.

Consultant Prequalification

Interested consulting firms must be prequalified by KDOT or otherwise demonstrate qualification in the following categories: Geotechnical Engineering Services and 312 Materials Laboratory Testing Services. In addition, 333 Geotechnical Specialty Services may come into play on some relevant needs.

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 must use the KDOT prequalification form to provide this documentation. KDOT 1050 Prequalification category definitions (Blue Book) can be found at http://www.ksdot.org/descons.asp. Consultants may create a team to meet the prequalification requirements. 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

Accurate testing of certain samples and materials according to the applicable KT, KDOT, AASHTO, and/or ASTM standard may be needed from time to time by KDOT for information pertinent to investigations, analyses, engineering or design decisions and other matters. Periodically, KDOT’s own laboratory may be unable to perform the testing within the time frame required. In those instances, it may be necessary to engage a consultant (with appropriately accredited personnel and laboratory facilities) on short notice for testing samples and materials under an On-Call agreement. See Exhibit 1 to this request for proposals, Short Term On-Call Services Summary.

In addition, KDOT may engage a consultant on short notice to perform the geotechnical field investigations and drilling required to collect samples.

Therefore, KDOT is seeking to execute on-call agreements with a number of highly qualified firms, one of which may be selected on a task-by-task basis for specific assignment to be detailed in a Task Order/Work Order issued under a four-year term on-call agreement.

Anticipated Consultant Scope

KDOT anticipates the following to be included in the selected consultants’ scope: Material Testing Services and/or Geotechnical Services as described below:

Most often, the scope of services will generally consist of obtaining materials or samples from KDOT’s laboratory in Topeka, Kansas, accurately performing the tests requested and reporting the test results to KDOT. All tests shall be performed in accordance with either the appropriate KT, KDOT, AASHTO, and/or ASTM standard(s), as directed by KDOT. The laboratory shall be accredited by the AASHTO Accreditation program for the tests to be performed. Materials encountered may include the following: aggregates, bituminous materials, cement, concrete, concrete admixtures, curing materials, geosynthetics, fly ash, lime, metals, paints, reflective materials, soils, sealants, wood, water, and any other materials required to construct and maintain the Kansas roadway system.

Occasionally, Geotechnical Engineering Services (category 311) and/or Geotechnical Specialist services (category 333) may be required to perform the geotechnical field investigations required to collect samples. These samples will be used to identify and locate, both horizontally and vertically, significant soil and rock types and ground water conditions present, and establish the characteristics of the subsurface materials visually, by sampling, and by laboratory and in-situ testing. Geotechnical Specialty Services consists of conducting specialty surveys and services concerning geophysical or nondestructive testing and pavement condition inventory. The service requirements will include geophysical surveys (seismic, resistivity, sonic, magnetic), ground penetrating radar surveys, thermography surveys and automated pavement condition surveys and providing analysis and comprehensive report on results of surveys.

Anticipated Schedule and Key Dates

1. Proposals are due by or before 12:00 p.m. (CDT)
2. On-call agreements negotiated with the selected firms will take effect by July 1, 2022

Instructions for Proposal

1. No cost or pricing information shall be submitted with the proposal. Proposals including cost or pricing information will be considered non-responsive and withdrawn from further consideration.
2. The consultant’s proposal must not exceed 4 pages total (including any cover letter, index, etc.). All pages shall be standard letter size (8.5” x 11”). Any page larger than standard letter size will be count as two or more pages depending on size.
3. Fill out and return Exhibit 1 to this request for proposals, Short Term On-Call Services Summary. This page does not count against the page limit listed above. If you are reading this in the Kansas Register, please contact KDOT.DesignContracts@ks.gov for a copy of this document.
4. A single PDF (2MB maximum size) of the proposal including all attachments must be emailed to KDOT.DesignContracts@ks.gov by the proposal due date and time.
5. The subject line of the email and the PDF file name must read:
   1. “On-Call Geotech 2022_FIRM NAME”
6. The proposal must be accompanied by Special Attachments No. 8 (“Tax Clearance Certificate”) and No. 10 (“Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment”). If you need a Tax Clearance Certificate, you can request one at https://www.ksrevenue.gov/taxclearance.html. Allow 2-3 business days for processing.
7. The outline in Table 1 below describes the expected proposal organization and content sections.
8. Table 2 lists the evaluation criteria and associated weights which will be used to make a selection.
9. Contact information for one consultant individual who is capable of answering any questions that may arise from the proposal shall be included in the proposal.
10. Depending on the number of responses received, KDOT may elect to shortlist (based on proposals) and hold in-person interviews prior to final selection (which may be based on both proposal and interview content). If KDOT deems them necessary, interview evaluation criteria will be distributed to shortlisted consultant teams in advance.

Table 1: Proposal Content
Section	Description of Intent
Cover Letter	1 page
Project Approach	Demonstrate adequate capabilities to provide the services efficiently and to a high standard. Include cost-effective and optimized solutions. Include unique qualifications or experience related to the services required.
Approach to Schedule	Describe the ability to accomplish the scope of services within schedule requirements. Include anticipated timelines for mobilization and lab testing.
Approach to Quality Control	Describe methods or procedures your firm will use to provide all services, reports and other deliverables with professional quality and technical accuracy.
Qualifications and Experience	For key personnel to be assigned to the project, provide names, office location, qualifications, education, training, and expertise. Identify their area(s) of responsibility and their ability to dedicate what percent of their time to the project when providing the subject services. If there are changes in key personnel, KDOT should be notified immediately, and the above information should be provided for the new personnel. List work for which you do not have in-house capability and name the firm you propose to subcontract with. If laboratory services are a part of the subcontracted work, include the subcontracted labs AASHTO/AMRL accreditation status.
Past Performance	Describe team’s past performance with respect to ability to meet project schedules; quality of work; and ability to control costs on similar transportation projects, especially those performed for KDOT. Include three references and contact information.
Familiarity with KDOT and Project Areas	Describe team’s familiarity with KDOT’s processes and standards. Describe familiarity with geotechnical engineering and geology in Kansas and any special site conditions you might anticipate finding.

Table 2: Evaluation Factors
Evaluation Factor	Weight
Qualifications and experience of project manager and other key project team members proposed for services	10%
Approach and commitment to meet advertised schedule	10%
Past performance history for similar projects/services for KDOT	15%
Understanding of the project area	10%
Innovation/Creativity in solutions	10%
Availability to respond to the work	15%
Unique qualifications	10%
Approach to quality control	10%
Demonstrated understanding of nature and scope of project	10%

Contract Terms and Conditions

A standard KDOT on-call agreement for engineering and technical services will be used for professional services projects. The following special attachments will need to be provided by the selected consultant and all subconsultants with the signed work order following negotiations and will become attachments to the contract.

• Special Attachment No. 8 (“Tax Clearance Certificate”)
• Special Attachment No. 10 (“Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment”)

Special Contract Conditions

On-call agreements negotiated with the selected firms will take effect by July 1, 2022, have a maximum cost of services of three million dollars ($3,000,000) over the life of the agreement, per consultant, and remain effective until such amount is spent associated with the agreement or for a period of one year with the option (at KDOT’s discretion) to add one-year extensions no more than four (4) times.

Questions

All questions regarding this request for proposals shall be emailed to KDOT.DesignContracts@ks.gov.

Questions can be submitted until May 24, 2022; answers will be provided to all prequalified consultants on May 30, 2022.

Marcia Turner, P.E., Contracts Manager
Division of Engineering and Design

Doc. No. 050158