Model RFP for Bike Paths and Lanes: Rapid City, SD
This document is a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. This RFP was generated by Rapid City, South Dakota, a city with a population of 59,607. The RFP seeks a contractor to evaluate and improve the current state of the city's walking and bicycling infrastructure.
This RFP outlines the scope of the job that Rapid City is looking to complete, gives a timeline of when proposals are due and states when a decision will be made. This RFP can serve as a template for other cities to begin to determine what elements to include in their bicycle planning. It also gives very specific instructions about the proposal process, which can be useful to both the city and the contractor.
By increasing the availability and quality of bike infrastructure, Rapid City is working towards becoming a more sustainable city. Because it is the most energy efficient form of travel, bicycling is a highly sustainable transportation method for people traveling within cities. Bicycling reduces the amount of gasoline used, the amount of emissions released into the atmosphere and the amount of air pollution in cities. Additionally, bicycle lanes reduce congestion, sprawl and deadly accidents. By installing bike lanes, cities promote "Smart Growth," which better allocates resources around urban centers.
