Description
The South Dakota Department of Transportation seeks a qualified consultant to (1) update the State Rail Plan in accordance with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) guidelines and (2) conduct a standalone feasibility study of the state‑owned Napa‑Platte Railway (NPRW) to assess restoration, market potential, and phased investment options. The effort will be performed over a 20‑month period, culminating in a revised State Rail Plan and a final report/presentation to the South Dakota Railroad Board. Deliverables include multiple technical memoranda, quarterly progress reports, stakeholder‑outreach findings, and an executive presentation. The work must comply with Section 508/WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards and follow SDDOT’s research‑proposal procedures.
• Update the South Dakota State Rail Plan per FRA Chapter 227 and 49 CFR Part 266.
• Conduct a comprehensive feasibility study of the NPRW corridor, including data collection, market analysis, and phased restoration recommendations.
• Produce a series of technical memoranda, quarterly progress reports, a revised draft State Rail Plan, and a final report with executive presentation to the Railroad Board.