Consultant Services for Trails Technical Assistance Program

SACOG is seeking qualified firms to provide technical assistance that is focused on accelerating the development and construction of the trail network.  The goal of this project is to continue the Trail Technical Assistance Program that launched in 2024 with the goal of offering high-quality, engineering-focused technical assistance to trail implementers throughout the SACOG region. Building on the successes of the Trail Technical Assistance Pilot, this assistance will be available to any agency implementing or planning to implement a trail project, as outlined in Regional Trail Implementation Strategy. Technical assistance may look different for each agency and will be tailored to their specific needs. Examples of technical assistance could include grant application preparation, cost estimates, high level design support, project ideation, developing a community engagement strategy, planning concept development, etc.

Background

Project Details

• Reference ID: FY26-16-RFP
• Department: Transportation
• Department Head: Kristina Svensk (Director of Transportation)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-06-09T00:00:00.000Z
• Answers Posted By: 2026-06-23T00:00:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-05-27T17:00:00.000Z — Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/21780951964186?p=QoZPsBETD7t4XoDLj0 Meeting ID: 217 809 519 641 86 Passcode: ys2Mu6EB

Evaluation Criteria

• Project Understanding (10 pts) —

  Clear understanding of the background and requirements of the project.

• Overall Project Approach (20 pts) —

  The overall and technical approach to be followed and the tasks to be performed, including detailed steps, resources required, introduction of innovative or advanced strategies, and proposed project schedule.

• Resource Allocation (15 pts) —

  The relative allocation of resources, in terms of quality and quantity, to key tasks including the time and skills of personnel assigned to the tasks and consultant’s approach to managing resources and project deliverables.

• Demonstrated Qualifications and Experience (30 pts) —

  Education and experience of proposed personnel, including qualifications of the project manager and assurance of involvement in the project.

• Cost Analysis and Justification (15 pts) —

  Cost analysis related to calculation of task costs and overall justification of costs.

• State and Federal Funding Compliance (10 pts) —

  Familiarity with State and Federal procedures and compliance, as demonstrated by the proposal and experience.

Submission Requirements

• Table of Contents and List of Proposal Documents Submitted (required) —

  Required upload for this section:

  • Table of Contents
  • Itemized list of all proposal documents being submitted
• Transmittal Letter and Conflict of Interest Statement (required) —

  Transmittal Letter

  Name position title, business address, phone number, email, and electronic signature of an individual with authority to negotiate on behalf of and to contractually bind the Consultant, and who may be contacted during the period of proposal evaluation.

  Conflict of Interest Statement

  Proposers must disclose to SACOG any actual, apparent, or potential conflicts of interest that may exist relative to the services to be provided under Agreement for consultant services to be awarded pursuant to this RFP.

  If the consultant or firm has no conflict of interest, a statement to that effect must be included in this section. 

  Required upload for this section:

  • Transmittal Letter
  • Disclosure of any Conflict of Interest, or Statement of No Conflict of Interest
• Acceptance of Standard Terms and Conditions (required) —

  By submitting a proposal, proposers confirm that they have reviewed the standard terms and conditions as provided in the attached Sample Agreement, and accepts the terms and conditions with or without qualifications. 

  Any exceptions to SACOG's standard terms and conditions must be included with the proposal at time of submission for consideration. For any exception requested, rationale for the request, and a redlined/annotated Sample Agreement must be uploaded in this section. 

  Required upload for this section: 

  • Statement confirming that consultant has reviewed and accept the standard terms and conditions in the Sample Agreement, with, or without qualifications; and
  • A statement that they do not have exceptions to the terms and conditions, or
  • Rationale for exceptions, and a redlined/annotated sample agreement with requested changes.
• Project Approach (required) —

  Proposers should clearly demonstrate an adequate understanding of the project and provide a clear explanation of their proposed Technical Approach, Project Schedule and Project Management System as detailed below.  

  A. Project Understanding

  Demonstrate an adequate understanding of the role and relationships of SACOG.

  B. Technical Approach

  1. A summary of the proposed project approach to tasks

  2. An explanation of the consultant’s intended role as related to the role of SACOG.

  3. Must include a thorough but concise explanation of the consultant’s proposed course of action. References should be made to RFP requirements and the consultant’s plans for meeting those requirements.

  4. If the consultant proposes major changes to the project approach, those changes should be specified clearly.

  5. The consultant should specify its technical approach, especially data elements to be sampled, staff to be interviewed, and documents to be reviewed, etc., if applicable. 

  C. Project Schedule

  A task-based description of the proposed project schedule (including milestones, draft and final deliverables) and the deliverables to be produced. 

  D. Project Management

  An explanation of the project management system and practices to be used to assure that the project is completed within the scheduled time frame and that the quality of the required work and products will meet SACOG’s requirements.

  NOTE** Project Management activities and costs must be built into all task costs and is not allowable as a standalone task. 

  Required upload for this section:

  • Narrative explanation of the Overall and Technical project approach
  • Proposed Project Schedule
  • Description of the Project Management System
• Consultant Qualifications, References, and Staffing (required) —

  A. Statement of Experience and Qualifications (Required)

  1. Describe the qualifications and experience of the consultant/subcontractor and key project staff relevant to the work described in this RFP, including descriptions of previously completed projects, associated outcomes, and familiarity with State and Federal procedures and funding requirements.
     
     
  2. Proposal must include a professional resume for each proposed member of the project team.
     
     
  3. Proposal must include an Organizational Chart, identifying the proposed Project Manager and all key Project Staff, including subcontractors. 

  B. Level of Effort and Staff Resources Matrix (Required)

  1. Proposals must include a Level of Effort and Staff Resources Matrix indicating the effort, either in percentage of the total project or in person-hours, which will be contributed by each professional, during task making up the project. Subcontractors should be included.
  2. This matrix should be organized by task and align with Scope of Work and Budget Tasks.  The matrix should include the team member's position title, hourly rate, participation in % or in hours per task. This must also include any proposed subcontractor(s). This helps determine the reasonableness of task costs proposed. 

  C. References (Required)

  Two (2) to Three (3) relevant references will be verified and must include:

  1. Client contact names, address, email addresses, and phone number(s)
  2. Descriptions of the type of work performed
  3. Approximate time of performance
  4. Names of consultant's professional staff who performed the work
  5. If a subcontractor is proposed, up to two (2) references should be provided for the subcontractor.

  D. Work Samples (Optional)

  Up to two (2) samples of the consultant’s work on closely related projects may be included but are not required.

   

  Required uploads for this section: 

  • Consultant Qualification narrative 
  • Project Manager and Staff Resumes, including subs
  • Organizational Chart, including subs 
  • References and optional Work Samples, including subs
  • Level of Effort and Staff Resources Matrix, including subs
• Cost Proposal (required) —

  The required Cost Proposal consists of a task-based budget to support proposed Task cost allocations and a certification of indirect costs and financial management system. 

  Proposed Standard Task-Based Budget

  Proposers must download and complete the standard SACOG Task-Based Budget form. 

  The cost proposal must describe both the total and the detailed price for which the consultant will commit to complete the total scope of work and all deliverables. The cost proposal detail shall describe estimated costs (only the total amount is a binding offer) for each professional’s time, for the completion of each proposed task, for travel and per-diem (if applicable), and for materials and supplies. Cost proposals must be submitted on the SACOG Standard Task-Based Budget form.

  The cost proposal must include all costs by Task, including subcontractors costs for each Task. The resulting contract will be Task-Based. 

  Failure to provide adequate cost data that justifies the Task costs proposed will result the proposal SACOG deeming the proposal unresponsive.

  Consultant Indirect Costs and Certification of Financial Management System

  Proposers and any proposed Subcontractor must download and complete the Consultant Indirect Costs and Certification of Financial Management System form, and upload to this section. 

  An approval letter from the consultant's cognizant agency, or a Safe Harbors form may be substituted for the standard form provided. 

  If there is no indirect rate enter N/A on the form, sign, and submit. 

  Required uploads for this section:

  • SACOG Standard Task-Based Budget form (Consultant)
  • Consultant Indirect Costs and Certification of Fin Mgmt System form signed by Consultants and any proposed Subcontractors. 
• Consultant and Subcontractor Information (required) —

  Download and complete the attached Consultant and Subcontractor Information form. 

  Required upload for this section: 

  • Completed Consultant and Subcontractor Information form
• Proposed Subcontractor Letters and Conflict of Interest Statements —

  For any proposed subcontractor, the proposer must include a letter from the subcontractor committing to perform at least the work shown for the subcontractor in the submitted Level of Effort/Staff Resources matrix.  Letters should be on subcontractor letterhead and signed by an authorized signatory of the subcontractor. 

  Commitment letters must include any actual, apparent, or potential conflicts of interest that may exist for the Subcontractor relative to the services to be provided under Agreement for consultant services to be awarded pursuant to this RFP. If the consultant or firm has no conflict of interest, a statement to that effect shall be included in the letter. 

  If the consultant or firm has no conflict of interest, a statement to that effect shall be included in the letter of commitment.

  Required upload for this section:

  • Subcontractor(s) Letter(s) of Commitment, to include
  • Disclosure of any potential Conflict of Interest; or Statement of No Conflict of Interest
• Affirmative Action Program Statement —

  If required pursuant to the equal employment opportunity requirements of the U.S. Department of Labor Regulations (41 CFR Part 60, et seq.)., the proposal should include a description of the Consultant’s Affirmative Action (AA) program,

  Regulations cited above require that certain contractors to develop and maintain affirmative action programs, including service contractors (non-construction) with 50 or more employees and a federally assisted contract of $50,000 or more.

  Required upload for this section:

  • Statement describing Consultant’s AA Program, only if required. 
• Debarment Form (required) —

  Download and complete the attached Debarment Certification form.  This form must be completed by the Consultant and by any proposed subcontractor. 

  Required upload for this section:

  • Signed Debarment Certification by the Consultant and each subcontractor proposed 
• Levine Act Disclosure and Government Code 1090 Forms (required) —

  Download and complete the attached Levine Act and Government Code 1090 forms.  These forms must be completed by the Consultant and by any proposed subcontractor. 

  Required upload for this section:

  • Signed Levine Act form and Signed Gov Code 1090 Form by the Consultant and each subcontractor proposed 
• Certification of Restrictions on Lobbying (required) —

  Download and complete the attached Certification of Restrictions on Lobbying form if your proposal is more than $100,000. This form must be completed by the Consultant and any proposed subcontractors.

  Required upload for this section:

  • Signed Lobbying Certification by the Consultant and each Subcontractor proposed, if applicable. 
• Full Cost of Proposal (required) —

  Enter the proposed total cost for the entire contract term.

  This amount should match the proposed budget total cost and align with the Level of Effort and Staff Resources Matrix. 

• Full Proposal Document (required) —

  Required upload for this section:

  • Upload the full proposal package in a single PDF document, not password protected.
• Addenda (required) —

  By checking this, Proposer acknowledges any and all addenda issued for this RFP. 

• Federal Funding (required) —

  Is this Project DLAE Funded?

• Firm Offer Period (required) —

  Please enter the firm offer period you want for this solicitation (defaulted to 60 days here), so i.e. "sixty (60)"

• Contract Execution Date (required) —

  Please enter the date which you want to be included in the solicitation as the contract execution date (i.e. "January 25, 2020")

• DBE Obligation (required) —

  For projects funded through Caltrans’ Division of Local Assistance, please contact the Procurement Officer to obtain the appropriate percentage and insert in the blank below (10.73% as of 2015-2016) - (i.e. "10.73"). 

  For projects funded directly through FTA, use SACOGs established DBE Goal of 6.82%