Consulting Engineering Services for the Development of an Asset & Capital Improvement Plan

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONView PDF versionOverviewThe Town of Hartford aims to effectively plan, finance, and provide an efficient system of improving and/or replacing Town facilities, vehicles and equipment to meet present and future needs. The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) is intended to be a multi-year plan that identifies each proposed capital improvement, the source of funding, the cost, and cash flow information. The Town has assembled a capital asset inventory and several departments maintain capital Improvements plans of their own. The CIP will be prepared using an open process, providing an opportunity for residents, organizations and municipal departments to propose and comment on capital improvements and priorities. The CIP is linked to and consistent with the Town Plan.Context and BackgroundHartford is a town with a mix of rural residential areas, a village noted for tourism (Quechee) and a vibrant, diverse urban village (White River Junction). It is responsible for managing Town-owned facilities, a highway system, a Transfer Station, two water systems and two wastewater systems which require significant investment and are subject to damage from increasingly severe storm events. The CIP is needed to assist the Town in planning for necessary known and unforeseen expenditures. Additional information can be found in The Hartford Town Plan and town highway maps (both available through the Two Rivers Ottaquechee Regional Commission website or from bridge and culvert inventories (VTCulverts.org).DETERMINE SCOPEConsultant will consult the Town’s Asset Capitalization Policy and work with the Town Manager to set agreed-upon thresholds for capital projects and infrastructure to be included.Meet with Town Staff and CommitteesConsultant will meet with the Town Manager, Finance Director and the following Department Heads to collect information about facility, vehicles and equipment needs: Public Works (Highway, Solid Waste, Water, Wastewater), Police, Dispatch, Fire, Parks & Recreation and Information Technology.Asset Inventory and Cost EstimatesConsultant will review Town paving priority matrices and other available information on the Town’s capital assets and undertake on-site-evaluation of asset condition using an agreed-upon methodology and develop cost estimates for highway maintenance/resurfacing and improvements to State Standards and improvement on replacement of highway assets.Compile and Summarize DataConsultant will compile information into a list of potential projects, estimated costs and annual expenditures.Prioritize and Identify NeedsConsultant will meet with the Selectboard to prioritize the list of potential projects and expenditures and other needs.PREPARE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTSConsultant will create a draft plan that incorporates the goals of the Town Plan and abilities of the Town officials.HOST PUBLIC FORUMConsultant will partner with the Selectboard to host a community forum to share the contents of the draft plan and provide the opportunity to weigh in on priorities.FINAL EDITSPending comments from the Public Forum, final edits will be made and the draft Capital Improvement Plan will be provided to the Selectboard for the Hearing and adoption process.TIME FRAMEThe proposed project should be started by January 1, 2026 or thereafter, (depending upon theavailability of sufficient municipal planning grant funding), and completed by September 30, 2026.DELIVERABLESStakeholder interviews (Selectboard, Planning Commission, Town Manager, Finance Director, Public Works Department, Police Department, Fire Department, Dispatch, Information Technology) and meeting notes.Facilities inventory with cost estimates and scheduleVehicle inventory with cost estimates and scheduleEquipment Inventory with cost estimates and scheduleRoadway inventory with cost estimates and schedulePrioritization meeting with SelectboardPreliminary Capital Improvement Plan (Digital format: PDF, and/or Microsoft Word and MS Excel)Public meeting and meeting notesFinal Capital Improvement Plan in both hardcopy (10) and digital format (PDF and/or Microsoft Word and MS Excel)ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONThe final Capital Improvement plan shall be in a digital format that is easily updated yearly by the Town, such as the Microsoft Office suite.PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTSSubmission RequirementsAll responses to the RFP shall include the following information:Cover Letter– A letter of interest and a summary of qualifications, recommended approaches, scope of work, processes, and deliverables for the project.Scope of Work– Provide a detailed scope of work based on the work plan provided above, broken down by task. Describe the approach to the project and proposed methodology including:A detailed scope of work with associated list of tasks broken down by task and team leader.Description of the proposed deliverables.The consultant may also propose additional supplemental items to the scope of work. While the work plan above conforms with the requirements of the $30,000 Municipal Planning Grant, which the Town has secured, feel free to propose new/creative approaches to this project.Proposed Schedule– Provide a schedule that includes the completion of work tasks and deliverables including key meetings and complies with the time frame provided above.Project Budget– Provide a schedule budget broken down by task and team member. Include your overhead and hourly rates for the individuals involved.Qualifications and Staffing– Provide a qualifications profile of the lead consultant and subconsultants, including indication of the lead consultant, the role of each consultant and the team with organizational staffing chart and percentage of time devoted to the project by each consultant. Also provide detailed information on each consultant, including contact information, the name of the firm, year established, including a description of relevant experience on similar projects for each firm and a listing of their individual work experience in this role on similar projects.References– A minimum of three (3) professional references for whom a similar project has been completed within the last ten (10) years.Page Limit– The proposal, encompassing items above, shall not exceed 15 double sided pages (30 total pages) including cover letter, table of contents, project lists and contracts.All information submitted becomes property of the Town of Hartford upon submission. The Town of Hartford reserves the right to issue supplemental information or guidelines relating to the RFP as well as make modifications to the RFP or withdraw the RFP, once submitted. The consultant team (including specific staff assigned to the project) may not be changed without prior written notice to and consent of the Town of Hartford. The cost of preparing, submitting and presenting a proposal is the sole expense of the consultant. The Town of Hartford reserves the right to reject any and all proposals received as a result of this solicitation, to negotiate with any qualified source, to waive any formality and any technicalities or to cancel the RFP in part or in its entirety if it is not in the best interest of the Town of Hartford. This solicitation of proposals in no way obligates the Town of Hartford to award a contract.SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTSRespondents should submit one (1) digital copy (PDF) and 8 printed copies of the proposal by November 28, 2025 to:John HaverstockTown Manager171 Bridge StreetWhite River Junction, VT 05001For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address.If you have any questions about this project or the RFP, please address them in writing via email to John Haverstock, Town Manager.RFP SCHEDULEProposals due November 28, 2025Consultant selection by: December 10, 2025: Project Work to begin: January 1, 2026Complete project on or by: September 30, 2026PROPOSAL SELECTIONRespondents will be evaluated according to the following factors:Consultant Qualifications (experience with similar projects, ability to work with municipalities to attain desired outcomes, and knowledge of the topic) – 40%Scope of work, fees, methodology and schedule – 40%Proposal quality, completeness, and clarity - 20%INTERVIEW FRAMEWORKThe Town of Hartford reserves the right to select the top two to three highly scored consultants and invite them for an interview prior to awarding the contract. In this process, the Town may ask the respondents to give an oral presentation of the respective proposals. The purpose of this oral presentation is to provide an in-depth analysis of certain qualifications, experience in performing similar services, and an opportunity for the consultant to clarify or elaborate on their qualifications without restating the proposal. The interview and presentation is merely to present facts and explanation to the review committee and allow the selection committee to ask targeted questions of the consultant team.FINAL CONSULTANT SELECTTIONFollowing the selection process, one team will be selected to negotiate a final contract for services. The final scope of work with specified deliverables may be modified through negotiation of the final contract. The final project team may also be modified through negotiation of the final contract. Any expenses resulting from the interview and proposal process will be the sole responsibility of the consultant.TitleRFP-Asset & Capital Improvement PlanApplication Deadline11/28/2025LocationHartford, VTWebsitewww.hartford-vt.org