BACKGROUND

The City of Chicago is committed to developing bus rapid transit (BRT) as an accessible and efficient transportation choice for Chicago residents. The City of Chicago has three BRT projects under development: the Jeffrey Corridor on the south side, the Central Loop BRT and the Western-Ashland Corridor on the west side. The Rockefeller Foundation’s Transportation Initiative has funded a series of initiatives to advance the City’s effort to implement bus rapid transit. The Chicago Community Trust serves as the local coordinator of the BRT efforts supported by The Rockefeller Foundation. The Trust is seeking a qualified consultant for a one-year contract to serve as the BRT Project Manager. The full-time consultancy position will be housed at a city agency and the selected candidate will report to a BRT Steering Committee made up of city agencies and civic organizations.

RFQ SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Interested candidates should submit electronic copies of the following items by February 22, 2012 to the attention of Brandon Thorne at the Chicago Community Trust via bthorne@cct.org

• A cover letter summarizing the qualifications for the BRT Project Manager consulting position
• A resume
• Three references relevant to the work described in the RFQ

BRT PROJECT MANAGER RESPONSIBILITIES

The qualified candidate for this assignment would have the demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with the Trust, the City personnel and the BRT Implementation Steering Committee to achieve the following objectives:

1. Assist CDOT and CTA with the day-to-day responsibility of coordinating the implementation of the three BRT demonstration projects;

2. Serve as a liaison between departments within city government on issues related to BRT and related policy, representing the city, as requested, in presentations and meetings; February 7, 2012 Page 2

3. Provide regular briefings to stakeholders of the BRT projects to build knowledge and support for BRT.

4. Guide the development of a brand and messaging plan for bus rapid transit in Chicago within a timeframe that allows for its integration into the three demonstration projects, coordinating the resources of appropriate consultants and city resources;

5. Guide the public engagement process integrating the city and non-profit partners’ work to ensure that there is an effective outreach strategy. The work includes developing presentation materials and engaging in collaborative planning and shared leadership with a BRT public and private steering committee through regular meetings and consultation

6. Work with non-profit partners and pro-bono consultants to develop an operations strategy for the evolving system of bus rapid transit in Chicago.

7. Assist with long-range projects involving BRT as a key component of the City’s overall transit and transportation plan including development of reports, proposals, and communications with potential funders; 8. Assist the Chicago Community Trust with administration of grants and contracts made under this effort to make sure that grantees’ scope of work, outcomes and budget is clearly articulated; that their activities are reviewed periodically for compliance; that payments are processed appropriately; and that the results are documented;

9. Prepare progress and final reports as required by the Rockefeller Foundation

QUALIFICATIONS

1. Experience successfully managing complex projects involving multiple objectives and responsible parties in a public sector environment.

2. Ability to work independently and deliver quality work product timely and effectively.

3. Ability to work collaboratively with public agencies, non-profits, business and community leaders.

4. Strong writing and oral presentation skills

5. Knowledge of local government planning and development issues including transportation planning and operations.

6. Knowledge of Bus Rapid Transit is a plus.