Regional Development Authority Issues RFQ for Engineering Services

The Northwest Indiana Regional Development  Authority (RDA) invites qualified firms or teams to submit statements of qualifications to  provide transportation, civil, and multimodal engineering services for the US 12 Scenic Byway  Technical Study, to be completed by December 1, 2027. The selected engineering consultant will  join an RDA-led consultant team preparing a coordinated regional framework for U.S. 12 in  Lake and Porter Counties that advances lakefront access, tourism, safety, mobility,  environmental stewardship, and corridor revitalization across Northwest Indiana. 

The RFQ can be downloaded at https://www.in.gov/rda/rfprfq. 

The study will implement the vision and recommendations of the RDA Comprehensive Strategic  Plan by producing a Corridor Management Plan, an Indiana Dunes State Park Access Study, and  a prioritized implementation program. The work will support an Indiana Byway Program  application, position the corridor for a potential future National Scenic Byway nomination, and  prepare high-priority projects for grant and capital funding. Final documentation should address  the six federally recognized intrinsic qualities and clearly distinguish between state designation  requirements and those associated with a future federal nomination. 

The RDA President and CEO, staff, and consultants will lead the overall process, including  project management, committee coordination, stakeholder engagement, corridor visioning,  intrinsic-qualities documentation, Corridor Management Plan preparation, and integration of the  final study. The selected engineering consultant will serve as the technical engineering lead and  will coordinate with the RDA, the other lead consultants, INDOT, NIRPC, Indiana DNR, the  National Park Service, municipalities, tourism organizations, transportation providers, and other  corridor partners. 

Applicants should demonstrate relevant experience in scenic byway and active, multi-modal  corridors; civil and environmental engineering, access, and environmental analysis; traffic,  transportation, and multimodal engineering, including roadway, rail, bicycle, pedestrian, and  transit systems; state park access requirements and best practices; federalized land requirements;  documentation of the six federally recognized intrinsic qualities; and state and federal scenic  byway designation requirements. 

The Authority will determine whether a composite team or individual firms will best meet the  objectives of the project mission. The RDA also reserves the right to select one or more  individual firms, rather than accept a composite team as proposed.