Penn Pike rush hire of engineers to do toll conversion of I-80

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is doing a rush hire of engineers in what it calls an "open-end contract to lead and direct the engineering efforts required for toll conversion of Interstate 80". The Commission has legal authority from the state of Pennsylvania to toll I-80 following legislation passed July 7, that was signed into law days later by the Governor. Under that law now known as Act 44 the Turnpike Commission in return for annual payments of hundreds of millions annually to the state gets custody of I-80 for 50 years in a kind of uncompeted toll concession granted it by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. It also gets authority to hike mainline tolls 25% in 2009.

Tolling of I-80 is an integral part of a legislative compromise reached to hike revenues for transportation in Pennsylvania by upwards of a $700m a year, $300m of which is supposed to come from borrowing based on the future revenue stream from I-80 tolls.  

But I-80 tolling still faces obstacles in federal law and threats from politicians representing small but potentially angry constituencies along its route in the northern half of the state. 

The "open-end" engineering contract

The three page solicitation signed by commission chairman Mitchell Rubin has been issued  in recent days by the Turnpike. It is headed "Open End Contract: Program Direction, Engineering and Management Services for I-80 Toll Conversion Project."

The program management and engineering contract is specified as being for three years and $3 million, though the solicitation says that because of uncertainty as to the effort required, the contract may be extended and supplemented - that is its "open-end" character as the Turnpike renders it. (Isn't correct english "open-endED"?)

The selected firm will provide a fulltime project leader.

Quota requirements for women, disabled and minority representation (termed DBE/MBE/WBE) are being waived as not required due to the specifics of the project.

Respondents are told they will be judged on:

- the specialized experience and technical competence of the firm and of the lead principal to work fulltime for the Commission and who must be a Pennsylvania resident

- the specific experience for this project of four extra people who will help the principal

- in-house capabilities

- record of quality, cost control, punctuality in meeting deadlines on similar projects

- existing workload

Deadline for receipt of statements of interest is noon Friday August 10.

The solicitation has no date on it, but one informed person tells us it is only days old - suggesting a rush job.

Here's a copy of the solicitation.

Inquiries Frank Kempf fkempf@paturnpike.com

On contract issues grados@paturnpike.com

TOLLROADSnews 2007-08-07