The Yellowstone County Board of Planning (YCBP) is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Billings Urban Area. The Billings Metropolitan Planning Organization (Billings MPO) is seeking an experienced and qualified consultant to assist the MPO in conducting a feasibility study to identify items required to submit a successful BUILD or other discretionary grant. This is the first phase of a 2-phase project. If Phase I of the project determines that the community is poised to develop a BUILD or similar grant application, a consultant will be contracted as part of Phase II to complete the submission of a 2019 BUILD or discretionary grant on behalf of the MPO.

The scope of work for Phase I will include the development of elements for the following projects: Inner Belt Loop (motorized and non-motorized roadway) and the remaining portions of the Marathon Loop that include the Skyline & Zimmerman Trail (separated non-motorized pathways), and the Zoo Drive to Coulson Park non-motorized on/off road pathway.

Below is a general outline of the anticipated scope of work. However, the final scope of work will be negotiated with the successful proposer.

This project will require the following Scope of Work and Documentation package to be completed within approximately forty-five working days of contract signing. The Study will include, but not be limited to the following:

SCOPE OF WORK

For each project, please identify the information needs to complete a BUILD or discretionary grant. Please refer to the Federal Register for guidelines and requirements for these types of grants. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2018-04-27/pdf/2018-08906.pdf

The information in this feasibility study should focus on the required data needed to complete a grant application.

• Community Readiness:
• Review project readiness;
• Identify local requirements.
• Identify all environmental needs and permits (local, state, federal). Gather and provide all NEPA requirements.
• Include estimated timelines for approvals, target dates, milestones;
• Identify rolls, responsibilities, and a timeline for developing and completing all environmental processes and permits needed;
• A portion of the Zoo to Coulson Park trail includes a trail connection under Interstate 90 and a rail line. Include MDT, BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe) and MRL (Montana Rail Link) rail for all easement or permitting requirements;
• Develop a budget needed to complete all necessary environmental documents.
• Develop the Program of Projects budget (Inner Belt Loop, Skyline & Zimmerman Trail, and Marathon Loop:
• Cost and match share between each individual project;
• Identify past, present and planned future public infrastructure projects that could contribute as local match;
• Identify source and amount of all local, state and federal funding options.
• Identify, quantify and compare expected costs and benefits of the investment. This work will be developed into a full cost-benefit analysis.
• Preliminarily develop the Merit Criteria (federal register) components that include:
• Safety;
• State of Good Repair (maintenance responsibilities);
• Economic Competitiveness;
• Environmental Protection;
• Quality of Life;
• Innovation;
• Partnerships
• "New" non-federal revenue possibilities.
• Overall, identify project roadblocks and fatal flaws with any element or group of elements being proposed by the MPO.

FEASIBILITY STUDY DELIVERABLES

During and at the conclusion of the study the following items will be delivered:

• Weekly email updates of project status to City-County Planning Division. Project meetings as needed.
• A study that provides an outline and timeline of events and duties that must be completed to successfully submit a grant application through the Federal Department of Transportation or other agency.
• A feasibility study that provides preliminary information required to successfully submit a grant application through the Department of Transportation or other agency.
• Fifteen full color copies of the study as well as electronic submittal of the document.
• Provide accessible formats of all narratives, charts, graphs, illustrations and drawing, i.e. Word, Excel, JPG, PDF, etc.