Contract:
The purpose of this contract is to solicit proposals to update the 1993 Vermont Trails and Greenways Manual for the Vermont Trails and Greenways Council (VT&GC) on behalf of the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. The VT&GC is the recipient of a National Recreational Trails Program grant which will fund this project. The project consultant will collect, compile and summarize all relevant existing information and materials, as described below and from other sources; and use these materials to update the current document.

Introduction:
The 1993 manual is a general purpose reference resource guide designed to provide the basic resource information to get a community or regional trails organizations to start a trail or greenway project. The manual contains information on how to plan design, build, maintain and manage a trail. In addition, it provides lists of organizations and agencies that can provide technical assistance and funding support, as well as a bibliography of helpful publications. The original manual was developed as an outgrowth of the VT Trails & Greenways Plan and the VT&GC is eager to update it to make it a useful resource again.
The Vermont Trails and Greenways Council is a consortium of trails groups that represent a broad spectrum of motorized, non-motorized and multiple use trails interests throughout the state. The VT&GC’s mission is to ensure the availability of land and water-based trails and greenways to the people of Vermont. The Council does this by: 1) promoting the development, improvement, maintenance, and protection of trails by all groups and agencies; 2) promoting coordination of efforts among user groups and government agencies; and 3) encouraging educational programs by all related groups and agencies. The Council may also: 1) serve as a clearinghouse; 2) carry out studies and promote research and publications; and 3) coordinate matters related to appropriate legislation.

Existing Standards, Guidelines and Policies Include:
A host of other resources exist from the diverse group of trail users and organizations in Vermont. Listed below are several of the resources that should be consulted for this project.
1. Agency of Natural Resources, Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation – Public Recreation on Private Land: A Landowner’s Guide.

2. Green Mountain Club. Trail and Shelter Maintenance Manual, 2001 and Long Trail System Management Plan, updated 2002.

3. VT Agency of Transportation. VT Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Planning and Design Manual. 2002
4. The Vermont Statutes Annotated.
5. Americans with Disabilities Act (28 CFR Part 36) Accessibility Guidelines, 1990 and Interim Final Ruling dated Dec. 20, 1994, and proposed standards under consideration by the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board), Regulatory Negotiation Committee on Outdoor Developed Areas.
6. U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Part11: Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access, Review of Existing Guidelines and Practices. July 1999.
7. U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Part 2: Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access, a Best Practices Design Guide. Sept. 2001.
8. Trails for the 21st Century. Rails to Trails Conservancy. 2001.
9. Vermont Trails & Greenways Council Publication/Sheets: Natural Resource Guidelines for Planning your Trail.
10. Appalachian Mountain Club. The Complete Guide to Trail Building and Maintenance. 3rd Edition. 1998.

Please Note: The project consultant will be responsible for acquiring all publications and resources used in compiling the design manual, including those resources listed above.

PHASE A
I. Development of the Project
A project steering committee from the VT&GC will act as the project manager for the overall project, and shall direct the project. A committee chairperson will be the point person for the consultant. The steering committee will include representatives from various trail user and trail-providing groups representing diverse interests including winter, summer, motorized, and non-motorized user groups.

II. Methodology
The proposed methodology for this project will include the following components:
A. Information Collection and Review- The project consultant will review the 1993 version of the manual and will assemble and analyze information from the resources listed above and other updated and relevant sources. The consultant will be expected to incorporate new information, to reflect new guidelines and directives and point users of the Manual to new resources that have been developed since the Manual was developed. The project consultant should anticipate using the internet as a research tool. In addition, the consultant will compile and analyze existing state and federal guidelines, national research reports on trails researching the legal aspects of various facility improvements. The consultant should anticipate contacting various trail users groups independent of the project steering committee to gather data for inclusion in the manual. A wholesale rewrite of the Manual is not anticipated, although an electronic copy of the 1993 Manual does not exist. See Appendix A. for the chapters which will need the greatest amount of revision.
B. Convene and Facilitate up to three meetings of the Project Steering Committee- to obtain input and reach consensus on content of the manual. The meetings will include a project kick off meeting with the steering committee a preliminary draft review meeting with the steering committee and a final draft meeting with the full VT T&GC.

C. Preparation of Draft Text- the project consultant will use assembled materials, direction from the project steering committee and the proposed outline included in Attachment A as the basis for compiling the draft manual.

D. Review of Draft Text - The project steering committee will act as the primary reviewers for the draft manual, and they will critique the text of each chapter as it is completed; the draft text will be sent out to additional reviewers as needed, by the steering committee.

E. Revisions to draft document- the project consultant will consider the proposed revisions and comments of reviewers and propose changes for incorporation into the manual.

F. Preparation of draft charts, figures, illustrations and photographs – upon approval of the draft text the consultant will prepare all charts, figures, illustrations and photographs for review and approval by the steering committee.

G. Council Review Process- The draft design manual will be distributed for review by the full VT T&GC at its annual meeting in May. In addition, a formal public comment period will be held. A .PDF file compatible version of the draft manual will also be supplied for posting on the VT T&GC website. Following the Council review period the project consultant will consider the proposed comments and (when justified) propose revisions for incorporation into a final draft.

H. Completion of text charts, figures, illustrations and drawings - A final version of the manual text including all charts, figures, illustrations and photographs will be prepared for review by the project steering committee.

I. Production of final manual- A camera-ready version of the manual will be prepared for reproduction. In addition, a .PDF file compatible version of the final manual, including text, charts, figures, illustrations and photographs will be supplied for posting on the VT&GC website. The project consultant will be required to provide all final digital information including text, graphics sketches etc. in PageMaker, Quark or other comparable software as approved by the steering committee. The draft and final manual should also be made available in .PDF format for ease of posting on the web. Additionally, for the final draft .EPS format files should be provided for all sketches and diagrams. Upon completion of the project all project files shall be supplied on a compact disc(s).

Phase B
I. Reproduction of the Manual (Optional)
The project steering committee may negotiate a price with the Consultant to typeset, reproduce, dual paginate, bind and deliver 500 design manuals. A decision to proceed with Phase B of the contract will depend upon availability of funding and will be made, nearing the completion of Phase A.

Phase C
I. Additional Meetings
Proposals should include an additional per meeting cost. Assuming a meeting length of three hours in addition to travel to the central Vermont area.

Submittals, Review Process and Revisions
When the project consultant has completed work on a section to its satisfaction they should submit copies to project steering committee members.
The consultant will prepare notes of all meetings held under this contract and will forward them to the project steering committee for concurrence.

% Payment by Deliverables
Payments will be made based on a submittal of deliverables as indicated below:
Completion of Kickoff Mtg - 20%
Completion of preliminary draft review Meeting– 20%
Completion of Final Draft Meeting with VT&GC– 20 %
Receipt of all Deliverables – 40 %

Proposal Requirements

· Proposals shall be limited to no more than 10 pages
· Provide a realistic schedule including important benchmarks for completion of the project.
· Provide breakout of cost by task, please include Phase B- reproduction of manuals- as a separate budgeted cost item
· Provide a history of relevant/similar projects completed

Timeframe

RFP out: 10/15/04
Bids due: 11/15/04
rec’d by Northern VT RC&D
Selections made: 11/30/04
Contract: 12/15/04
Project kick-off: 1/05*
First Draft to Council: VT&GC Spring Mtg*
Draft responses: 4/15/04
Final Draft to Council: 6/15/05
or nearest Council Mtg*
Project Complete: 8/31/05*
* Asterisk indicates payment due to consultant

Point of Contact: For questions, a copy of the 1993 manual or to send a proposal:

Beth Ann Finlay, Coordinator
Northern Vermont Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council
617 Comstock Road, Suite 2
Berlin, VT 05602

Phone: 802-828-4595
Fax: 802-223-6163
Email: beth_ann.finlay@vt.usda.gov.

Fax and electronic copies are acceptable. All bids must be received by 11/15/04.