Comprehensive Downtown Parking Study & Management Plan RFQ

The City of Shelton (“City”), in partnership with the Shelton Economic Development Corporation (SEDC), is requesting qualifications from qualified multi-disciplinary transportation planning, traffic engineering, or urban planning consulting firms to conduct a Comprehensive Downtown Parking Study and Management Plan.

Background

The City of Shelton is seeking proposals from qualified transportation planning, traffic engineering, or urban planning consulting firms to conduct a Comprehensive Downtown Parking Study & Management Plan.

Over the past decade, Downtown Shelton has experienced a dramatic revitalization, driven by significant high-density, transit-oriented, and mixed-use residential developments along Canal Street and Howe Avenue. While this growth has brought immense economic vibrancy, it has fundamentally changed downtown parking dynamics.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the existing parking supply and demand, project future parking needs based on pipeline developments, and deliver actionable, modern recommendations to alleviate current friction points and prevent future deficits.

Project Details

• Reference ID: 2026-33
• Department: SEDC
• Department Head: Paul Grimmer (President)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-07-14T21:00:00.000Z
• Answers Posted By: 2026-07-16T21:00:00.000Z

Evaluation Criteria

• Preparation Expenses —

  Each consultant preparing a response to this RFQ shall bear all expenses associated with its preparation and any subsequent and related expenses and no claims for reimbursement shall be submitted to the City for the expense of preparation or presentation. 

• Bid/Proposal Unsealing —

  Bids will be received up to but not later than 11:00 am on Friday, July 24, 2026 via the City e-Procurement Portal located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofshelton. The City e-Procurement Portal Clock is the official clock for the determination of all deadline dates and times.  By way of the e-Procurement Portal, responses will be locked and digitally encrypted until the submission deadline passes (11:00 am on Friday, July 24, 2026). Without exception, responses will not be accepted after the submission deadline regardless of any technical difficulties such as poor internet connections. The City of Shelton strongly recommends completing your response well ahead of the deadline.

  The Municipality reserves its right to consider informal any response not prepared and submitted in accordance with the provisions hereof and may waive any informalities or reject any and all responses, at its discretion.  Any response may be withdrawn prior to the above scheduled time for the opening of responses or the authorized postponement thereof. Any response received after the time and date specified shall not be considered or accepted. No respondent may withdraw a response within 90 days after the actual date of the opening thereof. The Municipality may accept or reject any or all responses or any portions thereof and take any action deemed to be in the best interest of the City.

• Insurance Requirements —

  The successful Consultant will be required to furnish a Certificate of Insurance naming the City of Shelton as the additional insured.  The insurance is to be suitable Contractor’s Liability and Worker’s Compensation, thereby making the City of Shelton harmless from all eventualities that may occur relative to this Bid and the resulting purchase order or contract. 

  The Consultant shall not commence any work under the Contract until all insurance required by this section has been obtained and certificates of insurance and any other evidence of required coverage requested by the City, including a copy of the policy itself, have been received and approved by the City. Such policies shall stipulate that no coverage can be changed or canceled, including for non-payment of premium, unless the City has had thirty (30) days prior notice in writing. Certificates of renewal or changes in policies shall be delivered to the City at least thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the policy. The City always reserves the right to reject insurance companies; if approved insurance policies cannot be provided, the contract shall be terminated. The insurance requirements set forth are minimum limits of coverage only and in no way limit the Contractor’s liability. The following insurance is required to be maintained in full force until all work required by the contract has been fully completed, except that products / completed operations coverage shall be maintained for five (5) years. Insurance will be primary and non-contributory with a 30-day notice of cancelation in favor of the City of Shelton. Insurance carriers will be no less than A-rated and admitted carrier or subject to review by the City of Shelton.

  Worker’s Compensation Insurance: The Contractor shall carry Worker’s Compensation and Employer’s Liability Insurance in the form and in such amounts as may be currently required to comply with the labor laws of the State of Connecticut.

  Automobile Insurance: The Contractor shall carry and maintain during the life of the Contract a policy with a combined single limit of $1,000,000 and rider CA9948 or equivalent. This policy shall include all liability of the Contractor arising from the operation of all self-owned motor vehicles used in the performance of the Contract, and shall also include a ‘non-ownership’ provision covering the operation of motor vehicles not owned by the Contractor, but used in the performance of the work.

  Commercial General Liability:

                      Bodily injury and property damage:  $1,000,000 each occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate

                      Products / Completed Operations:  $1,000,000 each occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate.

                      Professional liability: $1,000,000

  An error and omissions protection provision shall be provided.

  This policy shall include Subcontractor’s liability coverage, protecting the Contractor and the City against liability arising out of the activities of Subcontractors engaged by the Contractor in the performance of the work.

  Umbrella / Excess Policy:  An umbrella policy in the amount of $1,000,000 with respect to all operations the Contractor performs, is required.

  Pollution Liability Insurance:  Where applicable, a policy in the amount of $5,000,000 including coverage for transport and other offsite risks. Such policy must be given to the City for review and determination of acceptability before an award will be made.

  Additional Insured and Certificate Holders: The City of Shelton, Shelton Board of Education, its officers, officials, employees, agents, boards and commissions shall be named as Additional Insureds on the Contractor’s and Subcontractor’s Commercial General Liability (for ongoing and completed operations, Automobile and Umbrella policies. The coverage shall be primary and non-contributory and contain no special limitations on the scope of protection afforded to the City of Shelton. 

  Subcontractor’s Insurance:  Each Subcontractor engaged by the Contractor to perform any work under the Contract shall obtain all insurance required of the Contractor in the same amounts and subject to the same provisions specified above for the Contractor, including the additional insured requirement. Certificates of insurance shall be submitted to the Contractor and the City, and approved by the City before commencing any work.

• Request for Information and Addenda Notification —

  All questions related to this solicitation must be submitted in writing through the City’s OpenGov e-Procurement Question/Answer Tab.  Bidders are required to register for an account via the City e-Procurement Portal hosted by OpenGov. Once the bidder has completed registration, they will receive addenda notifications to their email by clicking “Follow” on this project. Ultimately, it is the sole responsibility of each bidder to periodically check the site for any addenda at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/cityofshelton.  It is the sole responsibility of the bidder to submit via the City’s e-Procurement portal. Late bids will not be accepted and will be rejected.

  Please include the section title for each question, if applicable, in order to ensure that questions asked are responded to correctly.  Bidders must clearly understand that the only official answer or position of the City shall be the one stated in writing and posted on the City’s procurement portal.  When asking questions, please enter each question separately. 

  Verbal requests for information will not be accepted. Failure to comply with these conditions will result in the bidder waiving the right to dispute bid specifications and conditions, no exceptions. A response in the form of an addendum will be posted to the City’s e-Procurement portal no later than 5:00 pm on Thursday, July 16, 2026;  it is the bidder’s sole responsibility to monitor the website for updated information about this bid.

  Any contact about this bid between a Bidder and any other City official and/or department manager and/or City of Shelton employee, other than as set forth above, may be grounds for disqualification of that Bidder. No questions or clarifications shall be answered by phone, in person, or in any other manner other than specified above.

• Legal Name —

  Responses shall clearly indicate the legal name, address, and telephone number of the consultant and shall indicate whether the consultant is a corporation, general partnership, individual or other business entity. 

• Mandatory Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting —

  The Mandatory Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting will be at NO VALUE at NO VALUE on NO VALUE and will comply with Covid-19 restrictions in place at the time.

• Scope of Work —

  A. Study Area & Inventory

  • Geographic Focus: The primary study area includes the Howe Avenue corridor (Bridge Street to Wheeler Street) and the Canal Street corridor, including all municipal lots, on-street parking, and key private/shared parking assets.
  • Baseline Inventory: Catalog all current public and private parking spaces, including restrictions, time limits, enforcement hours, and physical conditions.

  B. Utilization & Demand Analysis

  • Empirical Data Collection: Conduct parking occupancy and turnover counts during peak and off-peak periods (including weekdays, weeknights, and weekend peaks) to capture the behaviors of residents, commuters, and patrons.
  • Residential Development Impact: Analyze the specific impact of recently completed and proposed multi-family residential projects on Canal Street and Howe Avenue. Evaluate how current parking ratios match actual car ownership and usage patterns of downtown residents.

  C. Future Projections & Gap Analysis

  • Pipeline Modeling: Model future parking demand based on proposed, approved, and under-construction mixed-use projects over 5-year and 10-year horizons.
  • Zoning & Standards Review: Evaluate Shelton’s current parking regulations and standards relative to current high-density urban residential trends. Determine if existing requirements align with the goal of creating a highly walkable, vibrant downtown.

  D. Recommendations & Implementation Plan

  Deliver a suite of creative, realistic improvements to optimize the parking ecosystem, including:

  • On-Street & Off-Street Optimization: Proposed changes to time limits, loading zones, and directional signage/wayfinding.
  • Infrastructure & Technology Modernization: Recommendations for modern parking management tools (e.g., smart meters, mobile apps, real-time signage) if deemed appropriate for Shelton's scale.
  • Shared Parking & Private Agreements: Strategies to leverage underutilized private lots during off-peak hours or integrate shared-parking models between residential and commercial users.
  • Walkability & Connectivity: Recommendations to improve pedestrian connections between peripheral parking lots and core destinations along Howe and Canal, reducing the reliance on "front-door" parking.
   
• Optional Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting —

  The Optional Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting will be at NO VALUE at NO VALUE on NO VALUE and will comply with Covid-19 restrictions in place at the time.

• Anticipated Deliverables —
  • Existing Conditions Report: A technical memorandum summarizing inventory data, utilization rates, and identified bottleneck areas.
  • Draft & Final Parking Study: A comprehensive report detailing data analysis, future projections, and prioritized recommendations with a matrix of short-, medium-, and long-term actions.
  • Public Presentations: Preparation of materials and presentation of findings to the Shelton Planning and Zoning Commission and other designated stakeholder groups.
• Openness of Procurement Process —

  Written responses, other discussions, correspondence, and all other pertinent records shall be handled as public records in compliance with State and Federal open records statutes and regulations.

• Proposal Submission Requirements —

   

  Interested firms should submit a proposal containing the following sections:

  1. Letter of Interest: Signed by an authorized principal of the firm.
  2. Firm Qualifications & Team Profiles: Overview of the firm’s experience with municipal parking studies, specifically in historic or rapidly transforming downtown riverfront corridors. Provide resumes of the key personnel assigned to Shelton.
  3. Project Approach & Methodology: A detailed narrative explaining how the firm will approach data collection, residential impact modeling, and stakeholder engagement.
  4. Relevant Experience/References: Summaries of at least three (3) similar projects completed within the last five years, including municipal references with contact information.
  5. Project Timeline: A proposed schedule from project kickoff to final delivery (the City anticipates a project duration of roughly 4 to 6 months).
  6. Cost Proposal: A separate fee proposal breaking down costs by task, including hourly rates for project personnel and a maximum not-to-exceed total.
• Errors and Omissions —

  Once a response is submitted, the City of Shelton may consider request by any consultant to correct errors or omissions, but shall retain sole discretionary authority to determine the outcome of such a request. 

• No Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting required —

  No Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting required.

• Evaluation Criteria —

  Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Experience & Qualifications (35%): Demonstrated success in delivering actionable parking management plans for municipalities experiencing similar residential growth.
  • Project Methodology (30%): Clarity, thoroughness, and creativity of the proposed technical approach to analyzing Shelton's unique corridors.
  • Team & Resource Allocation (20%): The qualifications of the specific personnel assigned to this project and their capacity to meet deadlines.
  • Cost Effectiveness (15%): The overall value and reasonableness of the fee proposal relative to the scope of work.
• Retention and Disposal of Statements of Qualifications —

  The City reserves the right to retain all submitted statements for public record keeping purposes. No copies of any material will be returned to the consultant.  The City reserves the right to cancel this solicitation at any time prior to the execution of a formal contract.

• Collusion —
  By offering a response to this RFQ the consultant certifies that they have not divulged to or discussed or compared its submittal with any competitors, and have not colluded with any other consultant or parties to this process whatsoever.  The consultant also certifies, and in the case of a joint venture each party thereto certifies as to its own organization, that in connection with their submittal:

  1. No attempt has been made or will be made by the consultant to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a Statement of Qualification for the purpose of restricting competition.
  2. All persons interested in this project, principal or principals being named therein and no other person have an interest in this project or in the Agreement to be entered into.
  3. No person or agency has been employed or retained to solicit or secure this Agreement upon an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage, brokerage, or contingent fee, excepting bonafide employees or established commercial agencies maintained by the consultant for the purpose of doing business.  
  4. All firms interested in this project (including the firm's employees, representatives, agents, lobbyists attorneys and subconsultants) will refrain, under penalty of disqualification, from direct or indirect contact for the purpose of influencing the selection or creating bias in the selection process with any person who may play a part in the selection process, including the evaluation panel and other administrative staff.  The policy is intended to create a level playing field for all potential firms; assure that contract decisions are made in public and to protect the integrity of the selection process.  

  Bidder shall complete and upload a signed and notarized non-collusion affidavit found in the Vendor Questionnaire Section. 

• Suspension and Debarment —

  Suspension and Debarment

  The City will not enter into contracts with parties that have been debarred, suspended or excluded from Federal assistance programs per 2 CFR part 180 and part 1532 and 40 CFR part 31.35

  Further, the bidder is required to verify that the bidder, or its principals, as defined at 49 CFR 19.995, or affiliates, as defined at 49 CFR 29.905, are excluded or disqualified as defined at 49 CFR 29.40 and 29.945

  The bidder is required to comply with 49 CFR 29, Subpart C and must include the requirement to comply with 49 CFR 29, Subpart C in any lower tier covered transaction it enters into.

  By signing and submitting its bid or proposal, the bidder or proposer certifies as follows:

  The certification in this clause is a material representation of fact relied upon by the City if it is later determined that the bidder or proposer knowingly rendered an erroneous certification, in addition to remedies available to the City the Federal Government may pursue available remedies, including but not limited to suspension and/or debarment.  The bidder or proposer agrees to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR 29, Subpart C while this offer is valid and throughout the period of any contract that may arise from this offer.  The bidder or proposer further agrees to include a provision requiring such compliance in its lower tier covered transactions.

• Contract —

  Please review and acknowledge in Vendor Questionnaire Section. 

   

  SAMPLE   AGREEMENT

  THIS AGREEMENT, entered into on this _______ day of _______________________, 20 ____ by and between the CITY of Shelton (hereinafter referred to as the “CITY”) and <COMPANY>­­­­ (hereinafter referred to as the “CONTRACTOR’):

  WHEREAS, the CITY desires to retain the services of <CONTRACTOR> to perform any and all services as required and set forth in “City of Shelton <RFP> <RFQ> Bid # <NUMBER> <TITLE>” in accordance with the Contract Documents and Addenda set forth in Schedule A.

  NOW, THEREFORE, CITY and the CONTRACTOR for the consideration of One ($1.00) Dollar and other valuable consideration and under the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, hereby agree as follows, to wit:

  • The CITY hereby engages the CONTRACTOR and the CONTRACTOR hereby agrees to perform any and all services as required and set forth in “City of Shelton <RFP? <RFQ> Bid # <NUMBER> <TITLE> in accordance with the Contract Documents and Addenda set forth in Schedule A.  
  • Additional work shall be performed by the CONTRACTOR only with the specific authorization of the CITY under a written amendment to this Agreement.

  • The CONTRACTOR covenants and agrees that it will perform its services under this Agreement in accordance with the highest standards and best practices of its trade. 

  • In performing the services required under this Agreement, the CONTRACTOR shall conform to all applicable provisions of Federal, State and local laws and regulations, including all environmental matters. 

  • The CONTRACTOR shall indemnify, defend and save harmless the CITY for any damages, claims, actions and losses arising either directly or indirectly from the work performed by the CONTRACTOR or his subcontractors. The provisions of this paragraph shall survive the expiration or termination of the Agreement and shall in no way be limited by reason of any insurance coverage.

  • The CONTRACTOR shall provide the CITY with evidence of insurance coverage of a type and in the amounts required by the contract documents and naming the CITY as an additional insured if the CITY so requires. All insurance shall be taken out and maintained at no cost or expense to the CITY and the CONTRACTOR shall be responsible for the full amount of any deductible. A Performance Bond and a Payment Bond, each in the amount of $ <AMOUNT> shall be presented to the CITY prior to commencing the performance of any work under this agreement. The Performance Bond shall be released upon the CITY’s final acceptance of the Project.

  •  In providing the services required under this Agreement, the CONTRACTOR shall meet with CITY officials/representatives as often as reasonably necessary and shall be available upon request.

  • The CITY of Shelton may terminate any Contract/Purchase Order at any time for any reason. Said termination shall not give rise to any claim against the CITY for damages or for additional compensation. 

  • Non-appropriation: If the CITY fails to appropriate the funds required by the Agreement or fails for two consecutive months to make the payments required hereunder, the Agreement shall be deemed to be terminated and of no further force and effect, and the CONTRACTOR shall retain all sums previously deposited as liquidated damages, provided the CITY shall pay CONTRACTOR any amounts due for services rendered as of the date of termination.

  • The CITY shall compensate the CONTRACTOR $ <AMOUNT>. 

  • The CONTRACTOR shall not assert any claim arising out of any act or omission by any agent, officer or employee of the CITY in the execution or performance of this Agreement.

  •  The CONTRACTOR shall commence work on this project as directed by the CITY.

  •  All work performed by the CONTRACTOR shall be subject to inspection and acceptance by the CITY.

  • The wages paid on an hourly basis to any mechanic, laborer or workman employed upon the work herein contracted to be done and the amount of payment or contribution paid or payable on behalf of each such employee to any employee welfare fund, as defined in subsection (i) of Section 31-53 of the General Statutes, shall be at a rate equal to the rate customary or prevailing for the same work in the same trade or occupation in the town in which such public work project is being constructed. Any CONTRACTOR who is not obligated by agreement to make payment or contribution on behalf of such employees to any such employee welfare fund shall pay to each employee as part of his wages the amount of payment or contribution for his classification on each pay day.

  • Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Section 49-41a, the CONTRACTOR, within thirty (30) days after payment by the CITY, shall pay any amounts due any subcontractor, whether for labor performed or materials furnished, when the labor or materials have been included in a requisition submitted by the CONTRACTOR and paid by the CITY. In addition, the CONTRACTOR shall include in each of its subcontracts a provision requiring each subcontractor to pay any amounts due any of its subcontractors, whether for labor performed or materials furnished, within thirty (30) days after such subcontractor receives a payment from the CONTRACTOR which encompasses labor and materials furnished by such subcontractor.

  • Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Section 49-41b, the CITY shall withhold five percent (5%) from any periodic payment or final payment until the work required herein has been completed and accepted by the CITY.

  • The CONTRACTOR acknowledges the execution of the Non-Collusion Affidavit which was submitted as part of the bid documents and reaffirms the statement s provided for therein.

  • The CONTRACTOR agrees that the CITY of Shelton, the State of Connecticut, agencies of the Federal Government, or any other authorized representatives, shall, until the expiration of three (3) years after the final payment under the contract, have access to and the right to examine any directly pertinent books, documents, papers, and records of such CONTRACTOR, involving transactions related to the CONTRACTOR.

  The period of access and examination described above, for records which related to (1) appeals for disputes, (2) litigation of the settlement of claims arising out of the performance of this contract, or (3) costs and expenses in relation to the performance of the contract to which exception has been taken by the CITY, State or Federal government or any of their duly authorized representatives, shall continue until such appeals, litigation, claims or exceptions have been disposed of.

  • Pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Section 31-52a, in the employment of mechanics, laborers or workmen to perform the work specified herein, preference shall be given to residents of the state who are, and continuously for at least six (6) months prior to the date hereof have been, residents of this state, and if no such person is available, then to residents of other states.

   

  CITY OF SHELTON                                                   COMPANY __________________________

   

  By ___________________________________            By_________________________________

   

  __________Mark A. Lauretti_______________             ___________________________________

                          Mayor                                                              Contractor Title

• Rejection of Responses —

  The City may reject responses if:

  1. The consultant misstate or conceals any material fact in the proposal. 
  2. The rejection of all responses is deemed to be in the best interest of the City.
• Assurances —

  The selected firm agrees to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, all as amended, in the performance of its contract with the City of Shelton. The selected firm acknowledges and agrees that the contract by and between the City and the selected firm shall include certain contract provisions required by Federal Law and/or by Connecticut General Statutes. Such contract shall be construed under, governed by and enforced in accordance with Connecticut law without regard to conflict of law principles.

  The City of Shelton and  its representatives shall be the sole judge of qualifications and suitability of bidders and reserves the right to reject and or all proposals at its sole discretion for any reason. The City reserves the right to waive an informality, to accept or reject, in part or in whole, and all submittals, or take whatever action may be deemed to be in the best interest of the City.

  All personnel in responsible charge of the project will be required to process and maintain valid professional licenses/certifications for the State of Connecticut.  Services and materials for this project are exempt from Connecticut State Sales Tax.

Submission Requirements

• Certificate of Insurance (required) —

  Please upload most current Certification of Insurance meeting the specifications of this bid.

• Non-Collusion Affidavit (Signed and notarized) (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Bid Proposal Confirmation (required) —

  Respondent confirms to provide all documents, provisions, labor, materials, equipment, technical service, insurances, warranties, applicable taxes and licenses, etc., to supply all Items/Services per the specifications of this response, or alternate manufacturers as approved by the City. The Respondent hereby certifies that any and all defects, errors, inconsistencies or omissions of which he/she is aware, either directly or by notification from any sub-bidder or material supplier. 

• Review of Sample Agreement (required) —

  Confirm you have reviewed the City's Sample Agreement.

• Proposal (required) —

  Please upload your response to this Request for Qualification/Proposal taking care to include, at a minimum, all information requested.  The separate cost proposal should be uploaded in the next Question. 

• Cost Proposal (required) —

  Please upload your required cost proposal here. 

• Bid Bond? (required) —

  Will this solicitation be of a construction nature and is it anticipated to cost in excess of $100,000?

• Bid Bond Percentage (required) —

  Please enter the percentage amount for your Bid Bond requirement:

• Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting? (required) —

  Please select the appropriate option for Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting?

  1. Mandatory Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting
  2. Optional Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting
  3. No Pre-Bid/Proposal Meeting required.
• Electronic Pricing Table (required) —

  Would you like to have bidders respond to an electronic pricing table through OpenGov?

  Choose this if:

  1. This is a quote for a finite set of goods or commodities
  2. This is a Construction Bid with a Bid Schedule
  3. Seeking services for hourly rate schedules