BFT is a municipal corporation, which provides public transportation services covering a 616- square mile area located in Benton and Franklin Counties. The area includes the cities of Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, West Richland, Benton City, Prosser and adjacent unincorporated areas of Benton and Franklin County with an estimated combined population in 2017 of 284,000. In 2030 the estimated population for Benton County is projected to increase to 236,007 and for Franklin County 130,284.

The purpose of this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is to identify experienced Architecture and Engineering (A&E) firms, or teams of firms (collectively referred to as “Contractor”). The A&E firm chosen will need to provide the complete set of services required for the planning, design, and permit approvals (planning, engineering, and environmental) for transit centers and bus stops. This contract does not include the land acquisition or construction management of those facilities on a task order/on-call basis.

Ben Franklin Transit (BFT) will select a single firm or a team of firms managed by one prime consultant to deliver the services under this contract. Facilities to be developed under this contract may utilize local, state, or federal funding. It is permissible to utilize any combination of these funding sources. The selected firm or team must demonstrate technical expertise and experience in delivering similar projects. The projects must be compliant with applicable local, state, and federal permitting and regulatory requirements.

BFT has received state funding for three new transit centers, two of which will be designed under this project. BFT has sought external funding for three additional transit centers and has an ongoing locally funded program of bus stop improvements that may be supported under this contract. BFT can offer no guarantee that any project can continue to completion beyond those that have already been funded through external sources.

These services may be sought in accordance with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations, and will meet requirements of the State of Washington, and rules and regulations of BFT’s Public Transportation Area.

BFT estimates the potential value of the task order A&E contract to be an initial $1,000,000 with option to increase up to an estimated $3,500,000.

Disadvantaged Business Participation
BFT promotes equal employment opportunity and maximum practicable opportunity participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises certified by the State of Washington office of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises in its Contracts.

Equal Employment Opportunity
Contractor is required to comply with all applicable Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations.

Ineligible Contractors
Contractor is required to certify that they or their Sub-Contractors are not on the Comptroller General’s list of ineligible Contractors.

Rejection and Waiver
BFT reserves the right to reject any or all qualifications/proposals and to waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received. This Request for Qualifications 2022-15 may be cancelled at any time and any and all proposals may be rejected in whole or in part when it is in the best interest of BFT.

NOTE: A & E FIRMS ARE NOT TO PROVIDE COST INFORMATION WITH THE PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL, BFT IS REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE BROOKS ACT THAT BASES THE EVALUATIONS ON FIRM QUALIFICATIONS.