Volume 44 - Issue 40 - October 2, 2025

State of Kansas

Department of Transportation

Request for Proposals

KA-6886-01– Clear Zone Improvement Project on K-9

Notice to Consulting Firms

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) is seeking a qualified consulting firm or team of firms to perform professional services for the project(s) described in Table 1 below. Interested consultants must submit a proposal as laid out herein by 12:00 p.m. (Central Time) October 22, 2025, to be considered for selection.

Consultant Prequalification

Interested consulting firms must be prequalified by KDOT or otherwise demonstrate qualification in the following category(s):

• 201 – Location and Design Concept Studies/Corridor Studies
• 212 – Highway Design – Minor Facility
• 222 – Standard Span Bridge Design
• 231 – Traffic Control Analysis and Design
• 325 – Hydraulic and Hydrologic Studies
• 401 – Landscape, Seeding, and Erosion Control

If a firm is not currently prequalified by KDOT in any of the required categories, 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 solicitation 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 https://www.ksdot.gov/doing-business/design-consultants/design-consultant-prequalification. 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.

Table 1: Background and Scope of Project
Project Number	Background and Scope of Project
KA-6886-01	This project includes the reconstruction and addition of shoulders along K-9 from the Marshall/Nemaha County line east to Centralia in Nemaha County. The discovery phase is expected to determine the shoulder width and type, evaluate existing vertical geometry, and evaluate existing structures and culverts. Services associated with this Request for Proposals are for the Discovery Phase only, with an option to supplement the contract through Preliminary Design, Final Design, and Construction Phase Services.

Table 2: Project Summary
Project Number	Route and Scope	Length (mi)	Project Termini
KA-6886-01	K-9 in Nemaha County Discovery Phase: Clear Zone Improvement	6.1	K-9 from Nemaha/Marshall County line east to 0.1 mile east of the west city limits of Centralia.
Project Number	Structure BR#, Structure Scope, Structure Size and Type
KA-6886-01	Structural improvements, if any, will be determined during the discovery phase. Structures along this section of the corridor include (but are not limited to) the following: Culvert #511: 2-6’x4’x32’ RCB (1932) Br. No. 9-66-256.33 (010): 3-8’x8’x32’ RCB (1932) Br. No. 9-66-257.11 (039): 3-10’x9’x32’ RFB (2004) Br. No. 9-66-257.61 (040): 30’-39’-30’ RCSH (2005) Culvert #512: 2-8’x4’x32’ RCB (1932)

Anticipated Consultant Scope

A discovery phase summary report detailing the analysis, alternatives, costs, and recommendations is expected. Other expectations for consultant scope are shown below. A scoping meeting will take place after consultant selection is made. The scope included herein may not be all-inclusive and is subject to change. A scoping meeting will take place after consultant selection is made.

KDOT anticipates the following to be included in the consultant’s scope:

• Project Discovery:
  • Travel demand forecasting, traffic analysis, and engineering:
    • KDOT to complete the forecast, consultant to gather counts.
  • Analysis of shoulder widths and types, geometric improvements, and intersection improvements.
  • Identify priority segments and improvements for a phased approach to construction projects along the study corridor.
  • Produce a report summarizing alternatives/improvement options, including cost estimates, along with a recommended action.
• Road Design:
  • Discovery Phase including NEPA desktop screening.
  • Visit the project site location.
  • Subsequent phases may include:
    • Develop plans to Materials and Research.
    • Develop Preliminary Plans to Field Check.
    • Develop Office Check Plans.
    • Design, and roadside safety analysis.
    • Develop Final Plans for Construction.
    • Perform roadway geometric design, drainage design, and roadside safety.
• Bridge Design:
  • Discovery Phase:
    • Determine structural improvement needs, if any.
  • Subsequent phases may include:
    • Develop Preliminary Plans to Field Check.
    • Perform hydraulic analysis and determine type, size and location of proposed replacement structures.
    • Final Design.
• Traffic Engineering:
  • Discovery Phase.
  • Subsequent phases may include:
    • Develop permanent signing and pavement marking plans.
    • Develop Traffic Control Plans.
• Transportation Planning:
  • Data collection of present traffic (counts) as needed or deemed necessary. Data collection of present traffic (counts) as needed or deemed necessary.
  • Coordinate information with the Transportation Planning Forecasting Group.
• 3D Electronic Deliverables Preparation.

KDOT, at the Secretary’s discretion, reserves the right to retain for subsequent phases of design and consulting services the consultant selected to provide services associated with this Request for Proposals. Scope in subsequent phases will likely include, but is not limited to, plan development through preliminary and final design as well as traffic engineering.

Activities performed by KDOT include:

• Topographic and Land Survey
• Development of Existing Right of Way
• Traffic Forecasting

Anticipated Schedule and Key Dates

1. Proposals are due by or before 12:00 p.m. (Central Time) October 22, 2025.
2. Ranking of proposals is expected to occur on or around November 5, 2025. Negotiations with the most highly ranked firm are expected to begin on or around November 19, 2025. An executed agreement is anticipated around December 31, 2025.
3. Discovery phase shall be completed by August 15, 2026.
4. The program fiscal year for this project is FY2032 (July 2031 – June 2032).

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 5 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 counted as two or more pages depending on size.
3. A single PDF (10 MB maximum size) of the proposal must be uploaded to the appropriate bid form on Bid Express by the proposal due date and time.
4. The proposal PDF file name must read:
   1. “KA-6886-01_Clear Zone Improvement Project FIRM NAME”
5. The proposal must be accompanied by Special Attachments No. 8 (“Tax Clearance Certificate”), No. 10 (“Policy Regarding Sexual Harassment”), and No. 12 (“Certification of Company Not Currently Engaged in the Procurement or Obtainment of Certain Equipment, Services, or Systems”). 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. Both attachments are required for every firm involved in a multi-consultant team. Upload these files as instructed in Bid Express.
6. The outline in Table 3 below describes the expected proposal organization and content sections.
7. Depending on the number and quality of responses received, KDOT anticipates shortlisting (based on proposals) and holding interviews prior to final selection (which may be based on both proposal and interview content). If KDOT deems interviews to be necessary, interview details and requirements and evaluation criteria for the interview will be distributed to shortlisted consultant teams in advance.
8. Table 4 lists the evaluation criteria and associated weights which will be used to shortlist respondents and may be considered in final selection.

Table 3: Proposal Content
Section	Description of Intent	Page Limit
Cover Letter		1 Page
Project Approach	Demonstrate a unique approach to accomplish the design efficiently and to a high standard. Include cost-effective and optimized solutions to address the anticipated improvements in the design. Include unique qualifications or experience related to the project approach.
Approach to Schedule	Describe the approach to accomplish the scope of services within the schedule requirements. Include anticipated key milestone dates and availability of staff.
Approach to Quality Control	Describe methods or procedures your firm will use to provide all drawings, reports and other services 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 percent of their time dedicated to the project. List work for which you do not have in-house capability and name the firm you propose to subcontract with.
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 Area	Describe team’s familiarity with KDOT’s design process and standards. Describe familiarity with the project area and any identified special site conditions.

Table 4: Evaluation Factors
Evaluation Factor	Weight
Qualifications and experience of project manager and other key project team members proposed for services	25%
Project approach	20%
Approach and commitment to meet advertised schedule	20%
Approach to quality control	15%
Past performance history for similar projects/services for KDOT	10%
Understanding of the project area	10%

Contract Terms and Conditions

A standard KDOT 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 Attachment No. 12 (“Certification of Company Not Currently Engaged in the Procurement or Obtainment of Certain Equipment, Services, or Systems”)

Special Contract Conditions

N/A

Questions

All questions regarding this Request for Proposals shall be submitted via the Q&A section of bid form in Bid Express.

Questions can be submitted until October 10, 2025, answers will be provided to all prequalified consultants on October 15, 2025.

Calvin Reed
Secretary
Department of Transportation

Doc. No. 053530