1.0 Overview
This Request for Proposals (“RFP”) is issued by the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (“HART”) to solicit sealed proposals for the Outside Counsel for Public Utilities Commission (PUC) “II” Services Contract.
1.1 HART Description
HART is a semi-autonomous agency of the City and County of Honolulu (the “City”), established in 2011 pursuant to a 2010 amendment to the Revised Charter of the City (Charter). Originally, HART was authorized under the Charter to “plan, construct, operate and maintain” the City’s fixed guideway rail system. In 2016, voters of the City approved an amendment to the Charter that transferred the responsibility for operations and maintenance of the rail system to the City. Accordingly, HART’s responsibilities are to plan, design, develop and construct the Honolulu Rail Transit Project (the “Project”).
The Project consists of design and construction of an 18.9-mile, grade separated fixed rail system from East Kapolei to the Civic Center Station in Honolulu, Hawai’i. From East Kapolei, the Project proceeds to the University of Hawaiʻi at West Oahu, then east to Pearl Harbor, the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, through downtown Honolulu, and will have a temporary terminus at the Civic Center Station in Kaka’ako. The Project will operate in an exclusive right-of-way and will be grade separated except for a 0.6-mile, at grade section near Leeward Community College. The Project includes 19 stations, 80 fully automated (driverless) rail vehicles and a Maintenance and Storage Facility. The Project is the largest infrastructure project in the history of the State of Hawai’i and will be the first fully automated commuter rail system in the nation.
The Project alignment is separated into three segments as follows:
Segment 1 – Kualaka’i (East Kapolei) Station to Halawa (Aloha Stadium) Station
The alignment begins at Kualaka‘i Parkway at the East Kapolei Station near the University of Hawai‘i West O’ahu campus and continues to the Aloha Stadium Station. Segment 1 includes approximately 10 miles of guideway and nine rail stations.
Segment 2 – Halawa (Aloha Stadium) Station to Kahauiki (Middle Street) Station
This segment extends the route from the Aloha Stadium Station, past the Pearl Harbor Naval Base and the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, to the Middle Street Transit Center. Segment 2 includes approximately 5.2 miles of guideway and four rail stations.
Segment 3 – Kahauiki (Middle Street) Station to Ka’akaukukui (Civic Center) Station
This segment extends the route from the Middle Street Station, through downtown Honolulu, to the Civic Center Station, located at the intersection of South Street and Halekauwila Street. Segment 3 includes approximately 3 miles of guideway and six rail stations. There is an option to extend the segment 1 mile to Ala Moana Center and two additional stations, Kaka’ako Station and Ala Moana Center Station.
HART is responsible for the design and construction of the Project. As each segment is completed and ready for passenger service, the completed segment will be transferred to DTS, which will be responsible for rail operations and maintenance.
1.2 Outside Counsel for Public Utilities Commission (PUC) “II” Contract Description
The selected Offeror (or “Contractor”) shall perform legal services in support of HART in matters dealing with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).
Legal Services will include legal research, analysis, and drafting legal documents on legal matters including, but not limited to,
- Advising HART whether the rules, regulations, and processes of the PUC apply to the development and implementation of work for the Project; and
- Should the rules, regulations, and processes of the PUC apply to the development and implementation of work for the HRTP, advising HART in its efforts to comply with such rules, regulations, and processes of the PUC in the most expeditious manner possible.
The Scope of Services includes, but is not limited to, the tasks and basic work elements required for executing the work. The selected Offeror shall perform the services in connection with the Agreement in compliance with all applicable State and Federal laws and regulations.
The Scope of Services is set forth in Special Provisions, Appendix A of this request for proposal.
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