Solicitation for Phase 1: The New American Legion Bridge I-270 Traffic Relief Plan
Phase 1 Developer Selection
On February 18, 2021, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), MDOT State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA), and the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) announced the selection of Accelerate Maryland Partners, LLC to become the developer responsible for overseeing predevelopment work on The New American Legion Bridge I-270 Traffic Relief Plan.
A comprehensive evaluation process, including MDOT, MDTA, industry experts, advisors from Montgomery and Frederick counties and an observer from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), was conducted to select a partner committed to collaborating with community stakeholders and other partners in advancing the American Legion Bridge and I-270 improvements.
Op Lanes Maryland will be designed and developed using a multi-step Progressive P3 model. Selecting Accelerate Maryland Partners as the partner for the Predevelopment Work over the next year allows MDOT and MDTA to begin working with the Phase Developer and all stakeholders on best ways to advance the preliminary design to further avoid and minimize impacts to environmental resources, communities, properties, utilities, and other features by working with the counties, municipalities, state and federal agencies, property owners, utilities and citizens.
To learn more about opportunities for small, DBE, minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses, visit Opportunity MDOT here.
Request for Proposals
The Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) issued Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Phase Developer for Op Lanes Maryland Phase 1: American Legion Bridge I-270 Traffic Relief Plan on December 18, 2020.
The RFP marked another important milestone toward transformative traffic relief for the National Capital Region.
The RFP Fact Sheet provides key information on the contents of the RFP.
Statement of Qualifications
On July 17, 2020, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) announced a shortlist of highly qualified private-sector teams eligible to respond to a Request for Proposals (RFP) to be the developer of Op Lanes Maryland Phase 1: New American Legion Bridge I-270 Traffic Relief Plan.
The Phase 1 Developer will be a strategic partner to provide preliminary design, stakeholder engagement, and other predevelopment activities that will ultimately lead to designing, building, financing, operating and maintaining managed lanes in Phase 1.
Teams making the shortlist are: Accelerate MarylandExpress Partners, Accelerate Maryland Partners LLC, Capital Express Mobility Partners, and Potomac Mobility Group.
The shortlisted teams responded to MDOT and MDTA in May with a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) expressing their interest in becoming the Phase I Developer. MDOT and MDTA solicited SOQs in February for potential Phase 1 Developers following a vote in January by the Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) to amend its designation of Op Lanes Maryland to advance the competitive solicitation process for Phase 1.
The four teams that submitted SOQs by the May 20 deadline subsequently underwent a thorough evaluation of their technical and financial qualifications, capacity, experience on similar projects, and approach. After careful consideration, it was determined that all four should advance to the shortlist.
The shortlisted teams will respond to the Request for Proposals (RFP) in early 2021. In the interim, MDOT, MDTA and the teams will enter into discussions on key technical and commercial aspects of Phase 1 to improve the value and quality of proposals. Progress of the I-495 & I-270 Managed Lanes Study and collaboration with local, state and federal stakeholders during this time will play important roles in setting other key parameters for the RFP.
MDOT and MDTA plan to select a preferred Phase Developer and recommend a Phase 1 P3 Agreement to the BPW for its review and approval late Spring or early Summer 2021. An environmental decision document under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) will be approved before necessary BPW approvals to commence with final design and construction on any portion of Phase 1: New American Legion Bridge I-270 Traffic Relief Plan.
Click here to see the press release announcing the Phase 1 Solicitation Shortlist
Download the RFQ on eMaryland Marketplace Advantage
Click here to download a PDF of the presentation from the Industry Update Webinar on January 29, 2020.
Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about the Solicitation Process.