Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Roadway Safety Action Plan

Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Roadway Safety Action Plan

This request seeks to solicit engineering and urban planning consulting firms to provide qualification-based submissions for the completion of the Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Roadway Safety Action Plan.

PROJECT SUMMARY

The Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Roadway Safety Action Plan (Plan) project will require an experienced engineering and urban planning consulting firm with public outreach capabilities to develop a comprehensive safety action plan for Cattaraugus County.

The Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Safety Action Plan will:

• Acknowledge an official public commitment to the goal of eliminating fatal crashes and reducing serious injury crashed by fifty percent (50%) by the year 2050
• Prepare data-driven assessment and analysis of the County Road system and descriptions of identified safety problems for all road users
• Identify and prioritize a comprehensive set of safety improvements, programs and strategies to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries over the County owned road system
• Adhere to the Safety Action Plan component requirements of the USDOT Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Discretionary Grant Program

Five major tasks (further detailed in the Scope of Services section) must be completed for this project:

1. Review of:
   1. Planning structure
   2. Project development/selection
   3. Community engagement processes
   4. Crash data and other data necessary to assess safety performance
   5. Inform policy and process changes
   6. Safety implementation program recommendations.
2. Development of:
   1. Planning structure
   2. Community engagement
   3. Implementation Program recommendations focused on infrastructure, operational and behavioral safety to progressively reduce fatal and serious injury crashes on the County Road System.
3. Definition of a prioritization framework for implementation of short-term (0-5 years) and long-term (5+ years) actions consistent with existing New York State safety plans; and identify/evaluate impacts of recommended program actions, including impacts on fatal and serious injury crashes.
4. Creation of a customized tracking system for transparency and continually reporting progress towards achieving set goals.
5. Completion of the final Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Safety Action Plan and the first Implementation Program Annual Report.

Project work requires a wide range of transportation planning and engineering services. Qualified teams must:

• Demonstrate superior competence and experience for the work tasks outlined in the Scope of Project section of this RFQ
• Demonstrate the requisite competence and experiences (both singularly and in teams) and a thorough knowledge of the project management, transportation planning, and engineering services required for the project
• Demonstrate competency in project management, transportation planning, analysis and documentation, project phasing, design development, community outreach and agency coordination. Specific experience in vision zero and safety plan development and publishing is preferred.

PROJECT BACKGROUND & OVERVIEW

Cattaraugus County was awarded a grant to study the safety needs of the County owned road system, which are reflected in the numbers of crash-related deaths and serious injuries. During the 5-year period from 2017 to 2021, crash data indicates there were 11 serious motor vehicle crashes on County-maintained highways, resulting in 13 fatalities.  Most serious accidents occurred along highway corridors that typically receive greater than 1000 vehicles per day and serve as critical roadways within the County’s Emergency Services Department.

As the County moves forward, it looks to the future with a mission to achieve the goals of zero fatal crashes and a fifty percent (50%) reduction of serious injury crashes on the roadways by the year 2050. To that end, the Cattaraugus County Legislature unanimously passed Act 294-2023 and submitted a planning grant application to the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary grant program for the development of a comprehensive safety action plan. The purpose of the Safety Action Plan is the identification of safety improvement projects, programs and strategies that would benefit users of the Cattaraugus County Road System. Recommendations will employ low-cost/high-impact, evidence-based projects and strategies, adopt innovative technologies that improve and promote safety and equity over a wide geographical area, and implement Safe System changes (as outlined by the US DOT’s National Roadway Safety Strategy) that emphasize a Complete Street approach.

The Plan and its development process will follow SS4A Program requirements, as well as complement and build upon existing safety plans and initiatives. Products from newly developed data analysis systems for New York State will be leveraged to examine the data necessary for establishing a prioritized countermeasure implementation program. The Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Safety Action Plan will consider the safety of all streets, roads, and highways on the County owned road system, with specific focus on historically underserved communities.

The Plan development process will facilitate collaboration among a variety of public and private community stakeholders and safety partners in the region through inclusive community engagement efforts that ensure public input into the Plan is maximized and incorporated into the Plan where appropriate.

PROJECT GOAL

The goal of this study is the successful completion of the Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Roadway Safety Action Plan project as detailed in this RFQ for Cattaraugus County in New York State.

The study will be considered successful when all work (tasks and deliverables) is submitted on time and accepted by the Cattaraugus County DPW Project Manager.

SCOPE OF PROJECT

The Consultant will perform a regional safety planning study for Cattaraugus County.

The study will include the following eight (8) items:

1. Analyses of crash event, vehicle, contributing factor, infrastructure, demographic and geographic data to achieve a data-driven assessment of existing safety performance and historical trends of the regional transportation system
2. Assessments of planning structure, project development/selection and public involvement processes; recommendations for improving processes and promoting transportation safety and equity
3. Assessment of policies, guidelines and/or standards; identification of opportunities to improve prioritization of transportation safety
4. Prioritization framework for recommended Implementation Program – a comprehensive set of near-term and long-term projects and strategies to address identified safety problems
5. Identification and evaluation of recommended Implementation Program impacts
6. Customized tracking system for reporting Implementation Program progress and ensuring transparency
7. Draft and final Comprehensive Safety Action Plan and Implementation Program Annual Report documents
8. Cattaraugus County will provide all required data and documents necessary to complete the project within a nine (9) month time period.

DETAILED PROJECT TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

Task 1: Project Management

• Develop a project management plan outlining key project information, milestones, schedule, task deliverables and contact information for task leads.
• Complete all applicable components of Quarterly Project Progress Reports as outlined in USDOT FHWA Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant Program Agreement.
• Facilitate and conduct project progress meetings, including scheduling, providing PowerPoint presentation files and recording/distributing meeting summaries.

 Tasks 1 Deliverables:

1. Project Management Plan that includes a completion schedule with dates, assigned project roles and staffing assignments
2. Quarterly Project Progress Reports
3. Meeting agendas and meeting summaries

Task 2: Planning Structure and Community Engagement

• Plan, coordinate and facilitate information gathering meetings with Cattaraugus County, public and private stakeholders, and other safety partners in the region
• Design strategies for establishing safety planning structure (i.e., committee, task force, implementation group) charged with oversight of action plan development, implementation, and monitoring
• Design strategies for engaging the public, community groups, private stakeholders, local municipalities and other external safety partners in the region to incorporate their feedback into the action plan
• Design a community engagement strategy which must include one (1) initial community outreach to educate the public about the project and solicit initial feedback, two (2) hybrid public meetings (live and virtual) to present the draft document and solicit feedback and two (2) hybrid public meetings to present the final document.

Task 2 Deliverables:

1. Planning Structure and Community Engagement Plan with implementation schedule
2. Planning Structure and Community Engagement Strategies document that includes responsibilities
3. Digital and print materials for initial community outreach and four (4) hybrid public meetings including meeting summaries, notes, and comments

Task 3: Data Analysis

• Analyze existing conditions and historical trends that provide a baseline level of fatal and serious injury crashes in the region through examination of crash event, vehicle, contributing factor, infrastructure, and geographic data
• Conduct Systemic Approach analyses to determine risk factors (e.g., high-risk road features, specific safety needs of relevant road users, analysis of the built environment, etc.) and overrepresentation of fatal and serious injury crashes as needed
• Document crash data analyses of locations, areas and facilities by type, severity, contributing factors for the various modes (motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians, transit users, etc.). Analyses shall include all County owned roadways.
• Review network screening results for Cattaraugus County produced by New York State’s crash data analysis systems
• Review underserved communities identified through analysis of population characteristics data
• Develop geospatial identification of higher-risk locations (a High-Injury Network, areas identified as high risk for vulnerable road users, or equivalent) based on the analyses performed and screening results reviewed.

Task 3 Deliverables:

1. Regional Existing Conditions Report documenting crash data findings, systemic and other screening analyses by location, crash characteristics, user types, and underserved community status
2. High Risk Location mapping in Geographic Information System (GIS) and print formats (i.e., Geodatabase, Shapefile, PDF)

Task 4: Equity Considerations

• “Underserved Communities” are defined in the SS4A NOFO as consistent with the USDOT definition of a disadvantaged community
• Document crash data analyses of locations by disadvantaged status
• Assess initial equity impact of recommended Implementation Program actions
• Develop equity rating measures to incorporate into project prioritization/selection.

Task 4 Deliverables

1. Equity Technical Memorandum of data analysis for underserved communities and vulnerable road users
2. Equity Rating Template with resulting impact of recommended Implementation Program

Task 5: Policy and Process Changes

• Assess current policies, guidelines, and/or standards to identify opportunities to improve how processes prioritize transportation safety
• Recommend approaches to build support for policy and process changes; identifying action steps necessary to achieve changes that prioritize safety (e.g., project checklists(s), a review process integrated into planning structure, metrics incorporated as a regular meeting agenda item and/or annual report)
• Outline and discuss implementation through the adoption of revised or new policies, guidelines, and/or standards, as appropriate.

Task 5 Deliverable:

1. Policy and Process Technical Memorandum outlining recommended and potential policy and process changes and benefits for adoption

Task 6: Prioritize and Recommend Safety Implementation Program

• Identify a comprehensive set of projects and strategies to address documented safety problems shaped by data analyses, network screening results, the best available evidence and noteworthy practices, stakeholder input, and equity considerations. Projects and strategies focus on a Safe System approach, effective interventions, and consider multidisciplinary activities
• Identify and evaluate impacts of recommended Implementation Program actions, including impacts on fatal and serious injury crashes. Data limitations are identified and mitigated to the extent practical
• Establish a full scope of near-term action items to be initiated or completed within the first five (5) years from the long-range metropolitan transportation plan (MPT) update, categorizing them by type of strategy (i.e., policy vs. capital improvements vs. smaller ongoing, routine investments), lead agency, relative level of investment needed, and where those investments should occur based on a prioritization framework
• Define a prioritization framework for projects and strategies, or descriptions of programs, projects and strategies with safety data being the primary guide for where to focus efforts. Consideration should be given to project complexity, equity in public investment, community support, project cost or benefit/cost ratio, opportunity, or efficiencies, in investments
• Develop a prioritized listing of specific near-term and long-term implementation actions for review by member agencies. The list should contain interventions focused on infrastructure, operational and/or behavioral safety.

Task 6 Deliverables:

1. Prioritization Framework
2. Draft Recommended Implementation Program Annual Report and Template

Task 7: Progress Tracking and Transparency

• Develop a customized tracking system for reporting progress on the recommended Implementation Program over time, including outcome data
• Establish means to ensure ongoing transparency with the public and other stakeholders to include annual publicly accessible reporting on progress toward reducing roadway fatalities and serious injuries including posting of the plan and progress report online.

Task 7 Deliverable:

1. Implementation Tracking and Outcome Evaluation document including methods to ensure transparency

Task 8: Comprehensive Safety Action Plan and Implementation Program Annual Report

• Prepare the final draft Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Safety Action Plan document that includes narratives summarizing data analysis and crash statistics, recommended policy and process changes, recommended Implementation Program, prioritization framework, and progress tracking system
• Prepare maps, graphics, tables, charts, photos and additional meaningful metrics at the plan-level and at the project-level where appropriate to include in the plan
• The plan will include the first Implementation Program Annual Report with template for development in future years and be replicable in terms of layout, graphics, and metrics to be tracked and reported.

Task 8 Deliverables:

1. Final Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Roadway Safety Action Plan
2. Final Recommended Implementation Program Annual Report and Template

REFERENCE MATERIAL

The following items will be supplied by Cattaraugus County upon request. To request copies of the reference material, please email William Fox (WAFox@cattco.org).

• Crash event, vehicle, contributing factor, infrastructure, geographic and population data
• New York State safety data systems network screening products
• New York State 2023 Highway Safety Strategic Plan
• New York State 2016 Pedestrian Safety Action Plan
• USDOT Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) 2013 Systemic Safety Project Selection Tool
• USDOT 2022 National Roadway Safety Strategy

Any additional required software licensing and/or datasets should be included in submission.

All items produced in the completion of this study (maps, graphs, images, charts, etc.) will be requested, used, and owned by Cattaraugus County.

PROJECT CONTROL

• The consultant will report directly to the designated Cattaraugus County Project Manager
• The consultant will meet with Cattaraugus County staff to:
  • Negotiate the contract, scope, and cost; finalize project tasks and resolve questions prior to commencement of project work
  • Acquire copies of safety plans and data, previous analyses of the study area as well as other documentation related to the project
  • Familiarize themself with sources of information
  • Review summaries at key milestones
  • Review Final Draft Report
• Project work will include attendance and presentation at select Cattaraugus County DPW Legislative Committee Meetings and/or Cattaraugus County administrative staff meetings.  

PROJECT TIMELINE

The anticipated time schedule for this study is as follows:

• Advertisement Date: October 9, 2025
• Questions Due Date: October 23, 2025, 3:00 PM EDT
• Responses to Questions: October 30, 2025, 3:00 PM EDT
• Submissions Due Date: November 6, 2025, 3:00 pm EDT
• Select Consultant: November 13, 2025 (estimated)
• Negotiate Final Contract: TBD
• Notice to Proceed: Upon Cattaraugus County Legislative approval of contract
• First Milestone Summary: Last week of full month after Notice to Proceed (bi-monthly thereafter)
• Final Draft – Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Roadway Safety Action Plan: TBD, ten (10) copies each
• Final Draft – Recommended Implementation Program Annual Report: TBD, ten (10) copies each
• Policy Committee Meeting Presentation(s): To be scheduled
• Information gathering meetings: To be scheduled
• Final Cattaraugus County Comprehensive Roadway Safety Action Plan (9 months from Notice to Proceed) – ten (10) copies
• Final Recommended Implementation Program Annual Report and Template: TBD – ten (10) copies.

RESPONSE FORMAT

All submissions to the RFQ must be submitted to the Cattaraugus County DPW via hard copy or emailed to WAFox@cattco.org by 3:00 PM EDT on November 6, 2025.

All submissions must include the following:

1. Cover Letter

Include a cover letter that provides a brief overview of your project team and unique reasons your team should be selected.

2. Qualifications and Experience

Provide a personnel summary of all individuals participating in the project team, including roles, task-lead responsibilities, percentage of the project, and professional resumes. Identify any relevant similar projects and the contributions of the individuals. To demonstrate your qualifications and experience, please provide the following information:

• A brief overview of the firm’s experience and qualifications to perform the type of work required
• An introduction of key staff members who will work directly on this project and identify their role in the project
• A statement of the availability of key personnel in the firm to undertake the project
• An explanation of any unique skills or innovations your firm will bring to the project.

3. Project Understanding and Approach

Provide a clear understanding of the project, including the overall objectives and key challenges as your team understands them. Provide an outline of specific tasks to be performed indicating what will be done, in what sequence, and as led by whom. Describe key features of the planning approaches that could be employed by the project team, noting any previous experience with these features.

4. Proposed Timeline

Provide the proposed completion timeline for the project including major milestones.

CONSULTANT EVALUATION

A Selection Team will evaluate the responses. The team will select the Consultant whose submission is most advantageous to Cattaraugus County considering the evaluation criteria.

Selection Procedure

1. The selection team will evaluate and score all submissions received.
2. Submissions not meeting minimum requirements and those that are not responsive will not be given further consideration.
3. Submissions in the competitive range will be determined. These consultants may be asked to present their submission to the selection team.
4. The selection team will recommend that the consultant with the highest overall score be selected the contract.
5. Once the selection is made the County and the selected consultant shall enter into negotiations for the scope and fee. If a fair and equitable scope and fee cannot be negotiated with the selected consultant, the County will dismiss that consultant and move to the next highest ranked consultant for scope and fee negotiations.
6. Once the negotiations are finalized, the approved scope and fee will be recommended for award by the Cattaraugus County Legislature prior to the execution of a contract.

NOTE: Cattaraugus County reserves the right to make the consultant selection based upon the initial submissions submitted, without presentations or discussions.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

1. Qualifications and Experience (50%)
   • Demonstrated ability in the industry, references, past performance, key personnel, organization, management, lead time.
2. Technical Criteria (50%)
   • Project approach, methods proposed, compliance with requirements.

Cattaraugus County, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252,42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that will affirmatively ensure that any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for a selection or award.