RFQ: Ohio River Vision Civil Engineering – Evansville

Ohio River Vision – Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

This transformative project is the first regional effort to plan for the health, vibrancy, and economic potential of the Ohio River frontage, securing long-term prosperity for the Evansville Region and its communities.

Funded by Indiana’s READI Grant Program, this effort seeks to drive activation and investment in the region’s economy, quality of life, and exceptional assets, including the Ohio River. This project will be overseen by the following organizations, to be known as “Regional Partners”: The Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (EREP), the Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District (EID), the Downtown Evansville Development Corp (DEDC), the Southwest Indiana Regional Development Authority (SWIRDA), the City of Evansville, and the global interdisciplinary planning and design practice Sasaki as the lead consultant to administer this planning process and shape a vision for the region.

Focus of the Ohio River Vision Project
While the broader effort covers the entire Evansville Region Riverfront from Mount Vernon to Newburgh Lock and Dam, this RFQ prioritizes the Downtown Evansville Riverfront as a focal point for in-depth analysis and schematic designs to identify and address the project’s technical, environmental, and regulatory complexities, ensuring a comprehensive approach to site infrastructure, stormwater management, and flood resiliency while aligning with the project’s broader goals of connectivity, placemaking, and sustainability.

RFQ – Key Services

The schematic design phase for the Evansville Riverfront project represents a critical step in translating the visionary concepts outlined in the Ohio River Vision and Strategic Plan (ORVSP) into implementable designs. This schematic design phase will identify and address the project’s technical, environmental, and regulatory complexities, ensuring a comprehensive approach to site infrastructure, stormwater management, and flood resiliency.  This aligns with the project’s broader goals of connectivity, placemaking, and sustainability.

Key services for this RFQ will include civil engineering expertise to conduct data collection, utility analysis, and site evaluation, supporting the design team in resolving potential conflicts and coordinating with utility providers, as well as schematic-level evaluation and understanding of regulatory requirements at the City, State, and Federal levels for items such as floodplain impacts and endangered species on the Ohio River. Hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling will assess flood risks, drainage patterns, and stormwater impacts, focusing on integrating these findings into a resilient and sustainable design framework. The civil engineering team will lead all preliminary permitting efforts, ensuring compliance with City, State, and Federal requirements, while providing recommendations to advance the project’s infrastructure readiness beyond the schematic design phase.

Sasaki will coordinate closely with the civil and H&H consultant to develop innovative stormwater management strategies, balancing natural water systems with urban development. Together, this multidisciplinary team will deliver a robust schematic design package that responds to the project’s unique challenges, maintain regulatory compliance, and establish a foundation for successful implementation in future phases.

Documents for review: Ohio River Vision & Strategic Plan – Master Plan Report | Summary Report

Project Schedule

• RFP Release Date: December 16th, 2024
• Questions due by 5:00 PM CST: December 20th, 2024
• Questions Returned by 5:00 PM CST: December 27th, 2024 
• Responses due by 5:00 PM CST: January 15th, 2025
• Interviews of selected respondents: January 22nd, 2025
• Selected respondent announced by: January 27th, 2025

Estimated NTP Date: TBD, 2025

Submit Questions and Responses to:
Ashley Diekmann, River Vision Advancement Director
Evansville Regional Economic Partnership
318 Main St., Ste. 400
Evansville, IN 47708
812.461.0198
adiekmann@evvregion.com

Brian Wethington, Senior Associate Landscape Architect
Sasaki
414 14th St Suite 250
Denver, CO 80202
617.923.7215
bwethington@sasaki.com