East Central WI Regional Planning Commission (ECWRPC) is issuing this “Request for Proposals” (RFP) to: Northeast Intermodal Freight Facility Study - Phase 2. Between the fall of 2020 and May of 2022, the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission worked with the Brown County Planning Commission/Green Bay MPO, Port of Green Bay, New North, Inc., private consulting firms, and a steering committee to develop an intermodal freight facility study for the northeast portion of the state. This study found that there is significant demand for intermodal freight shipping in Northeast Wisconsin and that a locally-based intermodal service may be fast and cost-effective enough to be an attractive option for shippers. However, the study also found that there are currently a variety of operational challenges associated with establishing intermodal service and that a strong business case needs to be built to justify establishing this type of service in Northeast Wisconsin.

The goal of this Phase 2 study will include (but will not necessarily be limited to):

•Working with the core team to identify potential project champions and creating an intermodal freight facility coalition.

• Determining if shippers and railroads are willing to cooperate with each other and possibly a third-party facilitator to establish and sustain an intermodal freight facility.

• Identifying specific preferred and secondary facility locations in Northeast Wisconsin.

• Determining the short- and long-term roles of the Port of Green Bay in a regional intermodal freight facility, including an analysis of the Port of Green Bay regarding short and long-term opportunities for container shipping on the Great Lakes.

• Refining the facility cost estimates from the 2022 Northeast Wisconsin Regional Intermodal Freight Facility Study.

• Engineering and regulatory modifications necessary to make a site viable for an intermodal freight facility.

• Identifying potential funding sources to establish and operate an intermodal freight facility.

The Consultant selected to complete this project will coordinate, work with, and work under the direction of ECWRPC staff for the completion of work