REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ? VENTURA COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION 2027 TITLE VI PROGRAM UPDATE

VENTURA COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
Request for Proposals
Title VI Program Update
Date Issued : July 10th, 2026
Contract No.: TPU-2026 -01
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Contents
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE ............................................................................................................ 4
Applicable Regulations and Guidance .............................................................................................. 4
Agency Overview .............................................................................................................................. 5
PROCUREMENT/KEY ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE ..................................................................................... 7
PROPOSAL ELEMENTS/SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................... 9
CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS ....................................................................................................... 11
SCOPE OF SERVICES ......................................................................................................................... 12
TASK 1 - PROJECT INITIATION AND DATA COLLECTION ............................................................ 12
1.1 Kick -Off Meeting ..................................................................................................................... 12
1.2 Data Collection and Review .................................................................................................... 12
TASK 2 - FOUR FACTOR ANALYSIS AND LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE PLAN (LAP) ....................... 14
2.1 Four Factor Analysis ................................................................................................................ 14
2.2 Language Assistance Plan (LAP) Update ............................................................................ 15
TASK 3 - PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN (PPP) UPDATE ............................................................. 17
3.1 Review of Existing PPP and Outreach Record ........................................................................ 17
3.2 Stakeholder and Community Mapping ............................................................................... 17
3.3 Updated Public Participation Plan ....................................................................................... 18
3.3.1 Purpose and Policy Statement: ........................................................................................... 18
3.3.2 Outreach Strategies for Title VI -Protected Populations: .................................................... 18
3.3.3 Public Engagement Methods and Tools: ............................................................................ 18
3.3.4 Consideration and Response to Public Input: ................................................................. 18
3.3.5 Three -Year Outreach Implementation Summary: ........................................................... 19
3.3.6 PPP Monitoring and Update Procedures: ............................................................................ 19
TASK 4 - TITLE VI PROGRAM DOCUMENT UPDATE .................................................................... 20
4.1 Title VI Notice to the Public ................................................................................................ 20
4.2 Title VI Complaint Procedures and Complaint Form .......................................................... 20
4.3 List of Transit -Related Title VI Investigations, Complaints, and Lawsuits .......................... 20
4.4 Service Standards and Service Policies .............................................................................. 20
4.4.1 Service Standards: ............................................................................................................... 20
4.4.2 Service Policies: ............................................................................................................... 21
4.5 System -wide Service Monitoring ........................................................................................ 21
4.6 Demographic Data and Service Area Maps ........................................................................ 21
4.7 Sub-Recipient Oversight (if applicable) ............................................................................. 21
TASK 5 - FARE AND MAJOR SERVICE CHANGE EQUITY ANALYSIS (CONDITIONAL) ............... 23
5.1 Determination of Major Service or Fare Change .................................................................... 23
5.2 Disparate Impact and Disproportionate Burden Analysis ................................................... 23
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TASK 6 - COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT SUPPORT ...................................... 24
6.1 Outreach Event Support .......................................................................................................... 24
6.2 Online and Digital Engagement .......................................................................................... 24
6.3 Comment Response Matrix ................................................................................................. 24
TASK 7 - FINAL PROGRAM SUBMISSION AND FTA COORDINATION .......................................... 25
7.1 Board Adoption Package ........................................................................................................ 25
7.2 FTA Submission Package .................................................................................................... 25
7.3 FTA Comment Response .................................................................................................... 25
EVALUATION CRITERIA ...................................................................................................................... 26
AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES ............................................................................................................... 27
MILESTONE -PAYMENT SCHEDULE ................................................................................................... 28
BID PROTEST PROCEDURES ............................................................................................................. 30
Consultant Services Agreement (DRAFT) .......................................................................................... 34
FTA CLAUSES AND CERTIFICATIONS ............................................................................................... 51
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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, and
national origin in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. As a
recipient of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding, Ventura County Transportation
Commission (hereinafter " VCTC ") is required to maintain an active Title VI Program in
compliance with FTA Circular 4702.1B, Title VI Requirements and Guidelines for Federal
Transit Administration Recipients.
VCTC's current Title VI Program was last submitted to FTA in 2024 . Per FTA requirements,
Title VI Programs must be updated and resubmitted every three years, or whenever a
significant service or fare change occurs. VCTC is seeking professional consulting services
to develop a comprehensive Title VI Program Update that m eets all current FTA regulatory
requirements and reflects VCTC's current service area demographics, service delivery, and
community engagement activities. Proposals shall be evaluated pursuan t to the Evaluation
Criteria contained herein and staff will recommend an award to VCTC's governing body
after completion of such evaluation. Any award is solely within the discretion of VCTC's
governing body and no award will be valid until properly appro ved by the Commission.
This Request for Proposals outlines the required elements for proposals, the schedule for
submission, instructions for submission, as well the anticipated Scope of Services for the
Update which outlines all tasks, deliverables, schedule, and budget associated with
completing the Title VI Program Update. The successful proposer shall execute VCTC's
standard Consultant Services Agreement, a draft of which is included in this RFP. In
addition, this Update is partially funded by federal funds and thus, is subject to all federal
contracting requirements as outlined in the Federal Clauses also included with this RFP.
The work completed for the Update's Scope of Services shall encompass all required
components under FTA Circular 4702.1B and any subsequent federal guidance for a transit
provider, including but not limited to:
* Title VI Program Notice and Complaint Procedures
* Public Participation Plan (PPP) Update
* Language Assistance Plan (LAP) Update including a Four Factor Analysis
* Service Standards and Service Policies
* Equity Analysis for any service or fare changes (if applicable)
* System -wide Service Monitoring
* Demographic and service area data analysis
* Title VI Training Records and Program Administration documentation
Applicable Regulations and Guidance
The consultant shall conduct all work in accordance with all federal regulations, guidance
documents, any subsequent or newly issued federal guidance, and applicable state
requirements , including :
* Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.)
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* FTA Circular 4702.1B - Title VI Requirements and Guidelines for Federal Transit
Administration Recipients (October 1, 2012, and subsequent updates)
* Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.) obligations
pertaining to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
* U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) LEP Guidance (2002)
* FTA Policy Guidance Concerning Recipients' Responsibilities to Limited English
Proficient (LEP) Persons (2007)
* Executive Order 12898 - Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in
Minority Populations and Low -Income Populations
* FTA Environmental Justice Circular 4703.1
* Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 - as applicable to complementary
analysis
Agency Overview
VCTC provides fixed -route bus and paratransit service throughout Ventura County.
featuring six fixed routes with coverage across the County, including Ventura, Oxnard,
Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Fillmore, Santa Paula, Saticoy, Simi Valley, Moorpark, and
Somis, as well as California State University at Channel Islands (CSUCI). The Coasta l
Express service extends northwest of Ventura County to Carpinteria, Santa Barbara,
Goleta, and the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB). The Highway 101/Conejo
Connection service extends east of Ventura County to Woodland Hills in Los Angeles
County. VCTC Intercity commuter/express bus service serves park -and-ride or major
transit centers with few local street stops, and operates mostly on the highway between
communities.
VCTC receives FTA funding under Sections 5307, 5310, and/or 5311 (as applicable) of the
Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act (IIJA).
For more information regarding the transit services provided, please visit:
* https://www.goventura.org/vctc -transit/routes -schedules/
* https://www.valleyexpressbus.org/
* https://www.goventura.org/wp -content/uploads/2026/04/Final -FY2025 -2034 -
Short-Range -Transit -Plan.pdf
The latest static GTFS feed that contains both VCTC Intercity and Valley Express services
are available at the bottom of the following webpage: https://www.goventura.org/vctc -
transit/routes -schedules/
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PROCUREMENT/KEY ACTIVITIES SCHEDULE
The procurement schedule outlined below identifies key milestones and anticipated dates
for this Request for Proposals (RFP) process. The schedule is intended to provide
proposers with a general timeline for the procurement and evaluation process, from RFP
release through contract award.
All dates are approximate and subject to change at the sole discretion of the Ventura
County Transportation Commission (VCTC). Any revisions to the procurement schedule
will be communicated through formal addenda and posted on VCTC's website. Proposers
are solely responsible for monitoring the website for updates, clarifications, and
notifications related to this solicitation.
VCTC reserves the right to modify the procurement schedule as necessary, including
extending deadlines, cancelling or reissuing the solicitation, or adjusting evaluation and
award timelines to ensure a fair and competitive process.
Activity Date
RFP Release July 10th, 2026
Pre-Proposal Meeting - Virtual (OPTIONAL) July 21st, 2026 at 11:00 AM (PST)
Questions Due July 31, 2026 by 5:00 PM (PST)
Answers Due August 7 th, 2026
Proposals Due August 21, 2026
Interviews ( if necessary ) Week of September 7 th
Anticipated Commission Award October 2 nd, 2026
Project Kickoff October 5 th, 2026
Draft Title VI Program Update - Commission Review April 2 nd, 2027
Title VI Program Update - Anticipated Commission
May 7th, 2027
Approval
FTA Submittal May 10th, 2027
All electronic deliverables shall be provided in both PDF (final/ unlocked) and Microsoft
Word (editable) formats unless otherwise noted. All GIS data shall be provided in Esri
Shapefile and/or Geodatabase format, along with PDF versions of all maps at 300 dpi
resolution minimum.
VCTC Reservation of Rights
In connection with this RFP, VCTC reserves the right to do any of the following:
1. Accept or reject any and all proposals, or any item or part thereof, or to waive any informalities
or irregularities in a proposal or any item or part thereof;.
2. Withdraw or cancel this RFP at any time without prior notice and VCTC makes no
representation that any Contract will be awarded to any contractor responding to this RFP.
3. Reject all Proposals and to re-issue (or not re-issue) a new RFP for the same or similar work.
4. Postpone proposal openings, review and/or evaluation for its own convenience. Proposers may
withdraw their proposals before the proposal submittal date by submitting a written request
signed by an authorized representative of the proposer, and delivered to VCTC at the address
identified herein.
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5. Award multiple contracts as a result of this RFP and reserves the right to award contracts for
similar services outside of this RFP process.
6. Alter the Selection Process Dates.
7. Remedy technical errors in the RFP process.
8. Request additional information from Proposers and investigate the qualifications of all firms
under consideration.
9. Confirm any part of the information furnished by a Proposer.
10. Obtain additional evidence of managerial, financial or other capabilities.
11. Negotiate with any, all, or none of the Proposers;
12. Solicit best and final offers from all or some of the Proposers;
13. Accept other than the lowest-priced Proposal;
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PROPOSAL ELEMENTS/SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Proposal Elements
Proposals shall include the following required elements. Any proposal not containing the required
elements may be deemed to be incomplete and removed from any further consideration:
1. Title Page - Indicate RFP subject, name of proposer's firm, address, telephone number, name
of contact person, and date of proposal.
2. Table of Contents - Identify the material in the proposal by section and page number.
3. Letter of Transmittal - Briefly state the proposer's understanding of the work to be done and
commit to perform the work within the specified time period and budget. The letter should be
signed by someone authorized to bind the consultant team. Include the names and contact
information of all subcontractors. Provide the names and titles of individuals authorized to
represent the proposer. Letter should include acknowledgement of all addenda and proposed
exceptions to the draft contract. Letter should be no longer than three pages.
4. Profile of the Proposer - Describe the firm's resources and provide evidence that it has the
ability to complete the work solicited by this RFP in the time frame proposed.
5. Summary of Proposer's Qualifications - Describe similar projects performed. Provide a list of
references for which similar work has been performed, as well as references for any proposed
subcontractors. Include sample reports or sample materials produced. Sample reports can be
summarized here and submitted in an Appendix digitally.
6. Proposed Staffing - Provide a list of proposed staff, their qualifications and backgrounds
identifying the proposed project manager and staff positions for the study. Indicate what
proportion of their time key personnel will devote to this project and include statements that
each of those key people have time to meet those obligations.
7. Technical Approach - Describe how the Scope of Services is proposed to be conducted.
Describe any refinements or proposed changes to the Scope of Work based on recent changes
to federal guidance. Describe project management techniques and strategies to insure quality
and deliver project on time and within budget.
8. Preliminary Schedule - Provide a draft schedule for study completion.
9. Indicate RFP subject, name of proposer's firm, address, telephone number, name of contact
person, and date of proposal.
10. Table of Contents - Identify the material in the proposal by section and page number.
11. Letter of Transmittal - Briefly state the proposer's understanding of the work to be done and
commit to perform the work within the specified time period and budget. The letter should be
signed by someone authorized to bind the consultant team. Include the names and contact
information of all subcontractors. Provide the names and titles of individuals authorized to
represent the proposer. Letter should include acknowledgement of all addenda and proposed
exceptions to the draft contract. Letter should be no longer than three pages.
12. Profile of the Proposer - Describe the firm's resources and provide evidence that it has the
ability to complete the work solicited by this RFP in the time frame proposed.
13. Summary of Proposer's Qualifications - Describe similar projects performed. Provide a list of
references for which similar work has been performed, as well as references for any proposed
subcontractors. Include sample reports or sample materials produced. Sample reports can be
summarized here and submitted in an Appendix digitally.
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14. Proposed Staffing - Provide a list of proposed staff, their qualifications and backgrounds
identifying the proposed project manager and staff positions for the study. Indicate what
proportion of their time key personnel will devote to this project and include statements that
each of those key people have time to meet those obligations.
15. Technical Approach - Describe how the Scope of Services is proposed to be conducted.
Describe any refinements or proposed changes to the Scope of Work based on recent changes
to federal guidance. Describe project management techniques and strategies to insure quality
and deliver project on time and within budget.
16. Preliminary Schedule - Provide a draft schedule for study completion.
17. Cost Structure - Provide a detailed cost breakdown, including estimated time by task, person,
hourly rates, estimated travel time and travel expenses and materials cost.
Questions
All questions, comments, and clarifications should be directed to:
Aubrey Smith, Program Manager
Ventura County Transportation Commission
751 East Daily Drive, Suite 420
Camarillo, CA 93010
Phone: (805) 642-1591 (ext. 110)
Email: asmith@goventura.org
Submission Requirements
The Consultant proposal shall be submitted in electronic form via email to asmith@goventura.org by
August 21, 2026 no later than 4:00 P.M. (electronic submissions will not be accepted). Proposals
delivered after the stated date and time may not be considered and may be returned to the
proposing firm unopened. Proposals shall be delivered to the VCTC offices at:
Ventura County Transportation Commission
Title VI Program Update RFP
751 East Daily Drive, Suite 420
Camarillo, CA 93010
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