DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PRE-QUALIFICATION ANNOUNCEMENT Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Greater Minnesota Transit Technology Partners Assistance MnDOT Contract No. 1064619

Description: PROJECT SPECIFIC INFORMATION Project Overview MnDOT requests letters of interest to obtain professional support for Greater Minnesota public transit agencies as they prepare transit technology grant applications and develop Request for Proposals (RFPs) after award. The MnDOT Office of Transit and Active Transportation (OTAT) administers approximately $1 million in annual transit technology grants that fund hardware and software such as fleet telecommunications, fare boxes, onboard cameras, passenger counting systems, scheduling and dispatching software, route planning tools, and trip-booking platforms. Because these grants require specialized industry knowledge, extensive research, and detailed preparation, MnDOT seeks a consultant with strong transit technology expertise to assist agencies throughout the full grant and procurement process. The Successful Responder will help applicants identify appropriate technologies, complete needs analyses, develop cost estimates, assess risks, and prepare required documentation. After award, the Successful Responder will support grantees in developing their RFPs, including draft solicitation language, feature requirements, and guidance for reviewing and scoring proposals. Project Goal The goal of this project is to help Greater Minnesota transit agency partners submit valid and competitive transit technology grant applications, and once awarded, ensure grantees successfully complete their transit technology procurement with the best solution for the task at hand at the most competitive price. MnDOT's OTAT seeks a consultant to support agencies through these processes and help them identify appropriate technologies, prepare required application materials, and complete procurement activities successfully. Scope of Work and Deliverables Under this contract, the Successful Responder will complete the following tasks: Task 1. Pre-Solicitation Assistance Tasks to be Completed 1.1 Meet with MnDOT-approved public transit agencies with low or no technology adoption to prepare for applying (estimated 2-3 agencies per cycle). 1.2 Develop a needs analysis report and a recommendation on whether to pursue the grant (go/no-go). 1.3 Complete two consultation meetings with participating agencies: Meeting 1 Intake Interview and Meeting 2 Recommendation Report. Deliverables Required 1. Needs analysis report for each participating agency. 2. Go/no-go recommendation. 3. Summary of consultation meetings. Specific Outcomes Expected 1. Agencies understand their technology needs and readiness. 2. Agencies receive clear guidance on whether to apply for the transit technology grant. Task 2. Transit Technology Grant Application Assistance Tasks to be Completed 2.1 Meet with MnDOT-approved public transit agencies who plan to apply for a transit technology grant to determine possible technologies to meet agency needs, research selected technologies, and help develop the transit agency's grant application (estimated 5-8 agencies per cycle). 2.2 Develop a research report on technology options available to meet the needs of the agency. 2.3 Develop a draft grant application for each transit agency based on the selected technology. 2.4 Complete three consultation meetings with participating agencies: Meeting 1 Intake Interview, Meeting 2 Presentation of Recommended Technologies, Meeting 3 Review of Draft Application. Deliverables Required 1. Technology research report. 2. Draft grant application. 3. Summary of consultation meetings. Specific Outcomes Expected 1. Agencies submit valid, competitive, and well-supported transit technology grant applications. 2. Agencies understand available technologies and how each option aligns with operational needs. Task 3. Transit Technology Procurement Assistance Tasks to be Completed 3.1 Meet with MnDOT-selected Transit Technology Grant recipients to develop procurement documentation for the RFP for their awarded technology (estimated 5-8 agencies per cycle). 3.2 Develop draft RFP language, functional requirements, and scoring criteria for each grantee. 3.3 Complete four consultation meetings with grantees: Meeting 1 Intake Interview, Meeting 2 Review of Draft RFP Documentation, Meeting 3 Technical Review of RFP Submissions, Meeting 4 Technical Review of Work Plan and Contract of Winning Bid. Deliverables Required 1. Draft RFP language, functional requirements, and scoring criteria. 2. Technical review summaries for proposal evaluations and final contract. 3. Final procurement documentation for each grantee. Specific Outcomes Expected 1. Grantees complete their procurement process successfully. 2. RFPs include clear, accurate, and competitive requirements aligned with agency needs. 3. Grantees select the best technology solution at the most competitive price. Responder Requirements The "Official List" identifies the consultants who are eligible to submit for this specific project. In order to be eligible as a responder to submit a letter of interest to this project, the prime consultant must: 1. Be pre-qualified in at least of one work type identified on the project, 2. Be pre-qualified at the time the project is posted, 3. Add value to the project, and 4. Appear on the Official List posted with the project. If the responder meets the eligibility requirements above but is not pre-qualified for the remaining work types deemed necessary for project, they must make arrangements to subcontract with firms that are pre-qualified in those work types. When applicable, the responder must identify in the letter of interest their sub-consultant(s), and which work type(s) the sub-consultant(s) will be completing. If there are not firms currently listed on the "Official List" for an identified work type(s), the responder may provide the work themselves, or they may subcontract with any firm.