Public Notice

REQUEST
FOR STATEMENTS
OF QUALIFICATIONS
FOR COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONS
ANALYSIS OF
BELOMAR REGIONAL
TRANSIT SYSTEM
The Bel-O-Mar Regional Council is soliciting Statements of Qualifications from professional consulting firms to conduct a Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) for the Belomar Regional Transit System, operated by the Ohio Valley and Eastern Ohio Regional Transit Authority (OV/EORTA). This initiative is funded through bistate suballocated Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds.
Scope of Work: The selected consultant will:
Collaborate with Belomar and OV/EORTA to develop a cost per passenger mile analysis of existing transit services.
Evaluate current operations and identify opportunities for more streamlined and cost-effective service delivery, with particular attention to labor cost savings.
Propose new routes, service areas, and innovative models for delivering efficient transit service (e.g., microtransit, demand- response, hybrid fixed-flex models).
Administer and evaluate vanpooling and carpooling services as part of the regional mobility strategy.
Analyze and incorporate findings from the recently completed Belomar Multimodal Study as they relate to transit operations.
Assess ridership trends, fleet utilization, and operational efficiency.
Develop performance metrics and visualizations (e.g., route maps, service coverage, cost-efficiency charts).
Engage stakeholders including riders, drivers, local governments, the public, and community organizations throughout the planning process.
Deliverables:
A final comprehensive planning document that includes:
Recommendations for streamlined operations and service delivery.
o Cost-benefit analysis of proposed changes.
All original data and supporting documentation.
A public-facing summary for community engagement.
This planning-only project will not result in construction or physical infrastructure improvements. The final deliverables will be the comprehensive planning document and all original data and documents therein. The anticipated period of performance is 12 months, with the final plan publicly available by January 30, 2027.
Procurement of services will comply with WV Code Chapter 5G, Ohio’s Qualifications-Based Selection Law, and the US Brooks Act, all of which require selection based on qualifications. All expenses must comply with applicable local, state, and federal cost principles under Uniform Guidance.
Submission Requirements: Qualified candidates/firms interested in being considered must submit one (1) hard copy and one (1) electronic copy on a flash drive of each of the following:
A letter of interest;
Resumes detailing credentials and qualifications of the firm’s principals and key support personnel;
An illustrative list of relevant projects recently completed by the firm;
Contact information for references.
Please submit all requested information to: Bel-O-Mar
Regional Council
105 Bridge Street Plaza
Wheeling, WV 26003
Proposals will be accepted until 4:00 p.m., November 21st, 2025.
Firms will be evaluated competitively based on qualifications including the quality and length of credentials and certifications held, background and experience, approach to planning and analysis, professionalism and communication, capacity to perform work and meet deadlines, quality of past work and references, ability to meet compliance requirements, the firm’s interest in the subject, and the quality of the submission. After selecting the most qualified firm, the selected firm must be prepared to submit their fee based on job type, direct hourly fee, indirect/overhead hourly fee, and profit hourly fee associated with each work task, if applicable. The top-ranked firm will then be invited to negotiate a scope of services and fee.
The Council reserves the right to reject all proposals. The contract award is contingent upon available federal funding under the program and the final approval of the governing body.
Compliance Requirements: The selected firm must comply with:
The Civil Rights Act of 1964;
Executive Orders and Memorandums
The Americans with Disabilities Act;
The Rehabilitation Act;
Conflict of Interest and Access to Records provisions;
All other applicable federal and state laws.
Belomar Regional Council will afford full opportunity for minority business enterprises (MBEs) and women business enterprises (WBEs) to submit statements of qualifications and will not discriminate against any firm or individual based on race, creed, color, sex, age, disability, national origin, familial status, veteran status, or any other protected class in the award of this contract.
Additional information may be obtained by contacting:
Samuel Richardson
Transportation Planning Director, Bel-O-Mar Regional Council
(304) 238-9562 srichardson@belomar.
org
Int. Oct 29, Nov 5, 2025