RFQ: Susquehanna River Road Corridor Safety, Shared-Use Path and Quarry Park Access Improvements

The Town of Port Deposit in coordination with WILMAPCO the seeks a multidisciplinary planning and engineering consultant team to advance an integrated Susquehanna River Road corridor safety and mobility project, including safe access to the planned Hopkins Quarry Park (Quarry Park), recreational connections to the Susquehanna River and downtown Port Deposit, and feasibility and preliminary design of a shared-use path between Granite Avenue and Octoraro Park.

The procurement is intended to select one team capable of undertaking the first corridor study phase, progressing identified improvements through approximately 30% preliminary design, and, if funds and approvals become available, carrying the same project or separable construction packages through final Plans, Specifications and Estimates (PS&E). Each stage shall be separately scoped, negotiated and authorized. There is no guarantee of additional funding or task orders. This is a qualifications-based selection process.

Objectives

• Establish a context-sensitive safety strategy for the entire corridor, guided by the Safe System Approach and documented crash and roadway-risk factors.
• Determine feasible and safe vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle, emergency and service access to Quarry Park, including appropriate entrances, trailhead and shared-parking concepts.
• Evaluate a shared-use path from Granite Avenue to Octoraro Park, particularly riverfront and railroad-side alternatives north of the VFW, respecting floodplain, sensitive habitat, scenic character and private property.
• Prepare an actionable 30% design and basis-of-design package for the preferred project or logical implementation segments, including cost, funding, agency coordination and feasibility risks.

Phase 1. Scoping, Reconnaissance, and Early Ideas/Concepts

• Task 2 – Stakeholder Engagement and Public Input. Consultant Deliverables: engagement plan, survey, interview summaries, presentation materials and comment log.
• Task 3 – Corridor Safety Analysis and Alternatives. Consultant Deliverables: Prepare a summary of existing conditions and community feedback; risk and alternatives matrix, corridor countermeasure menu and map, and sketch-level concepts for the Granite to VFW segment.
• Task 4 – Draft and Final Conceptual Recommendations Report. Consultant Deliverables: draft and final Word/PDF reports, GIS data and editable exhibits, decision record. The target for completing the phase is June 30, 2027.

Phase 2: Feasibility Review and Preliminary Engineering

• Task 5. Work Plan. Consultant Deliverables: Scope of work and fee for approval by the Town.
• Task 6 – Base Map and Targeted Field Studies. Create CAD base mapping for the corridor.
• Task 7 – Preliminary engineering and 30% plans. Prepare an initial basis of design report.
• Task 8 – Environmental and Third-Party Coordination. Prepare environmental documentation for NEPA (most likely a categorical exclusion).
• Task 9 – Basis of design, 30% package and implementation roadmap. Obtain agency review and provide one consolidated response-to-comments.

Phase 3: Optional, separately authorized services: 30% to PS&E

Subject to additional funding, written notice to proceed, approvals and mutually negotiated task orders, services may include: 60% and 90% design; [...] and complete 100% PS&E, engineer’s estimate, bid documents, procurement/advertisement support and limited construction-phase services.

Submission

Submit one searchable PDF technical proposal. The technical proposal shall not exceed 25 pages, excluding a cover letter, table of contents, and required administrative forms. Do not submit a proposed fee, hourly rates or price information with the technical proposal. Offerors shall deliver six hard copies of the proposal to the Town of Port Deposit and an emailed PDF version to bswiatek@wilmapco.org and jamie@woodvalleystrategies.com (on behalf of the Town). Proposals are due **Monday, November 16, 2026 – 3:00 PM**.

Evaluation

This is a qualifications-based selection process. Each criterion is of the same weight. Proposals will be evaluated by a committee using an adjectival rating system (Outstanding, Good, Adequate, Poor, Unacceptable). The criteria are Proposed Team and Key Staff; Project Understanding, Proposed Approach and Response to Technical Questions; and Related project experience and local/contextual understanding. Interviews, if needed, are scheduled for Tuesday, December 1, 2026.

Insurance and requirements

• Certification of insurance must include at a minimum **$1,000,000** per occurrence of Professional Liability.
• A completed *Bid/Proposal affidavit* is required.
• As to Phase 1, the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) contract goal is ZERO PERCENT (0%).
• The Consultant must be able to provide prompt consultant services within 5 – 7 working days of the contract’s Notice to Proceed.

The pre-proposal meeting is **mandatory** for firms intending to submit a proposal.