RFP 23-074 NM - DTD On-Call Planning Support Services

Purpose and Introduction
The Multimodal Planning Branch (MPB) and the Freight Mobility and Safety Branch (FMSB), both of the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) Division of Transportation Development (DTD) seek consultant services to primarily support state and federally required Work Program elements and enhance its capacity and ability to respond to ad hoc analysis and reporting requests from the Transportation Commission (TC), CDOT executive and senior management, and planning partners, as well the completion of discrete tasks and activities that promote a continuous, cooperative, comprehensive and data-driven planning process. The consultant must have staff available for quick turnaround work with completion within as little as one week to one month for special request items. A CDOT project manager will be assigned as a primary point of contact; however, the consultant may be required to work directly with others in DTD, or other areas of the Department, depending on the specific task(s).
CDOT anticipates this contract will be a three (3)-year term. The work may not be evenly distributed throughout the year since much of it is driven by requests that cannot be planned. A description of the task, anticipated deliverables, timeline, and cost estimate will be developed for each work item, contracted on a task order basis, to be approved by the CDOT task leader and CDOT procurement.
All work items and deliverables will require compliance with the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Colorado SB 21-260, 2 CCR 601-22, and all other applicable federal and state laws.
Range of Possible Planning Tasks
The consultant can expect a variety of tasks related to:

• Policy Research and Analysis – Conduct research and analysis to support planning and policy development. Research regulatory requirements, best practices, case studies, and other relevant resources related to transportation planning and policy issues, interview CDOT staff, other DOT staff, planning partners, other transportation stakeholders, federal partners, the traveling public, etc. Topics may include performance-based planning, performance measures, scenario planning, truck parking, supply chain efficiencies, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reduction mitigation strategies, risk and resilience, land use and transportation, public health and transportation, and project selection processes. Task deliverables may include but not be limited to draft reports on findings or policy documents for use by CDOT.

• Multimodal Transportation Data Collection and Analysis – Collect, organize, and analyze transportation data of all different modes from CDOT and other sources, including asset management and traffic data, freight transportation data, mobility, public health and transportation data, as well as information from the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) or Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs). Produce analysis and observations regarding DEI trends within transportation planning, GHG emission reductions, multimodal and freight movement trends, projections, future needs, and lists of projects by location, type, cost, or other Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) level information. Summarize data or findings in multiple formats, including reports, charts, maps, graphics, web-based dashboards, and presentations.

• Planning Data Analysis – Produce analyses and reports related to transportation planning for Colorado by using available data from multiple sources (mostly web-based), such as census, labor statistics, state and/or national data sources. Reports will likely include current and projected data and may cover geographic sub-areas in Colorado such as (Transportation Planning Region (TPRs), MPOs, and counties. Analyze data to extract information useful for transportation planning, GHG emissions reduction, DEI practices, public health, and transportation or other state or federal policies impacting Colorado. 
• Freight Information and Data Analysis – Perform multimodal freight data and information collection and analyses to support CDOT freight planning work of the DTD Freight Mobility and Safety Branch.

• Economic Analysis – Perform economic impact analyses, market and non-market valuation of transportation costs and benefits including benefit-cost analyses, descriptive data analysis as well as inferential statistical analyses. Identify general economic and alternative fuel vehicle market penetration trends and write economic fact sheets for specific industries, sectors, geographies, or transportation modes (truck, rail, etc.). The consultant may be asked to collect datasets necessary for analysis (generally web-based readily available economic data), use CDOT internal data, or both.
• Subject Matter Expert Technical Support – Provide subject matter expertise related to transportation topics to assist with meeting facilitation, conducting interviews, and subject matter research and documentation, including report development, project cost estimation, and other technical support activities.

• Data and Information Validation – CDOT planning work often includes conducting analysis on various topics and calculating numbers on spreadsheets for various purposes. CDOT needs a consultant to be available on short notice to review internal analysis, model run review and interpretation, and quality check spreadsheet calculations before the information is distributed up the chain of command.

• Program and Performance Management – Review existing programs, processes, and performance management tools. Develop new tools or processes to identify recommended changes or process improvements. Potential areas of application include grant program management and tracking of projects and reporting of benefits of general pass-through programs.
• Performance-based Planning Develop web-based data-driven dashboards as directed by project PM for data analysis and to share findings with the public and stakeholders. Support the further advancement of performance-based planning in long-range planning and project selection. Support the development and maintenance of new tools (e.g., Power BI Platform National Highway Freight Program Reporting Dashboard and any other Power BI Dashboards created for CDOT) and processes to leverage performance data, analyze trade-offs, and inform the development of long-range investment strategies.
• Public Health and Transportation Linkage:  Perform tasks that assist in analyzing public health impacts of transportation planning efforts, specifically how transportation infrastructure decisions impact public health measures in Disproportionately Impacted Communities and throughout the state.
• Disproportionately Impacted Community Analysis:  Perform analysis to identify strategies for increased public engagement and improved decision-making for Disproportionately Impacted Communities.
• General Planning Support: Perform tasks that support multiple planning efforts ongoing at CDOT. Tasks would include data collection and analysis, research, meeting coordination, technical support, and quality checks on deliverables, among the other example tasks highlighted in this document for the following planning areas/ programs within the MPB and the FMSB:
  • Freight Planning
  • Alternative Fuels and Alternative Fuel Vehicles
  • Revitalizing Main Street Program
  • Complete Streets
  • Active Transportation and Recreation Trail/Off-Road Planning 
  • Land Use Considerations and Coordination
  • Colorado Scenic Byways Program
  • Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning and other Non-Motorized Modal Planning
  • GHG Emissions Reduction Programs
  • DEI Transportation Programs
  • MPO and Regional Planning
  • Environmental Justice and Equity analysis
  • Economic Analysis
  • Risk and Resilience
  • Transportation Planning Policy
  • Statewide, MPO and Regional Environmental Planning Considerations
  • Transportation Technology
  • CDOT 10-Year Plan Strategic Pipeline of Projects
  • Transportation Travel Demand Modeling
  • Public Health and Transportation
  • Public Involvement and Engagement

• Grant Program Management - Review existing processes related to the administration and monitoring of several grant programs, tracking, and reporting on federal pass-through funds.  Assist with the development of grant selection criteria development and the solicitation of new projects.  Identify new or revised processes and tools to support contract and program management for programs, including: Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ), Transportation Alternatives Program (TA), Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG), Metropolitan Planning, High Priority Bicycle Corridors, Scenic Byways, Revitalizing Main Streets (RMS), Multimodal Transportation and Mitigation Options (MMOF), and Safe Routes to School, Freight Grant Opportunities and IIJA Grant Opportunities.

• Communication and Public Involvement Materials – Produce public-friendly communication materials including branding of concepts, and producing graphics, newsletters, one-page information sheets, info-graphics, social media content,  maps, videos, or other visual displays (for example, dashboards) of data analysis (employing data visualization tools) including PowerPoint presentations, short articles, findings and observations summaries, questions and answers on topics, or other related material.  Public involvement communication materials might need to be translated into Spanish for outreach and engagement to Spanish speaking communities. Translation into other languages may be necessary upon request.

• Meeting Coordination – Perform meeting coordination and logistics activities as requested that including:

• Meeting Facilitation- perform meeting facilitation activities including giving presentations, serving as meeting moderator, attending to flip charts, and/or facilitating breakout sessions.
• Note-taking – attend meetings (in-person as needed, or remotely), record, and draft meeting notes.
• Meeting materials development – Develop meeting materials including agendas, handouts, meeting boards, videos, infographics, presentations, meeting and event invitations, etc.

• Committee and Council Activity Support – Perform tasks associated with CDOT advisory committees and councils regarding pre-meeting strategizing for an approach to meeting materials and content, and assist with meeting coordination activities, presented above as requested.

• Website Development and Maintenance – Perform website development and maintenance activities including minor modifications, regular updates, and/or major overhauls as requested. Review relevant websites for usability, organization, and functionality improvements. Assist with identification of appropriate CDOT work products to be featured on websites.

• GIS support services – Using CDOT, planning partner, and publicly available datasets, provide consultation and support for geospatial visualization and analysis that supports the planning, communications, and educational roles of MPB, including ArcGIS Online support.

• Manuals and Documentation – Develop new and updated manuals and other detailed documentation on transportation planning processes, contracts and invoicing, etc.

• 10-Year Plan Strategic Pipeline of Projects Implementation and Reporting – Potentially assist in the developing quarterly progress report information for the 10-Year Plan.