Trail Data Management and Collection Guidelines

Purpose

The Oak Ridges Trail Association (ORTA) and the Greenbelt Foundation invite proposals from qualified consultant teams to design and implement a geospatial database for the Oak Ridges Moraine Trail (ORMT). This database will serve as a central platform for storing trail attributes and administrative data, supporting efficient data collection, management and long-term monitoring.

In addition to the database, the consultant will develop a plain language user manual and workflow to support volunteers in collecting, uploading, and maintaining data, ensuring long-term quality and sustainability.

Background

The ORMT has been stewarded for over 30 years by a dedicated community of volunteers and partners, including ORTA and the Oak Ridges Moraine Land Trust. ORTA oversees volunteer teams that regularly audit the trail, collecting information on trail segments, infrastructure, and user amenities. The Greenbelt Foundation is working with ORTA to standardize data collection protocols, and create a centralized system to store, digitize, and manage this data.

Over the past year, geospatial data on key trail features has been collected and priorities identified for future data collection. This project seeks a consultant to build a centralized geospatial database that allows volunteers to easily upload, access, and manage data. The consultant will also produce a plain-language user manual that will help volunteers use of the database. Together, the geospatial database and user manual will support consistent, efficient, and sustainable data management, helping strengthen trail maintenance, planning, and reporting.

Project Objectives

The project will focus on:

1. Designing and building a geospatial database that supports visualization, analysis, and future updates of trail attributes and landowner data.
2. Developing protocols and tools for data collection that are volunteer-friendly, efficient, and reliable.
3. Uploading, validating, and organizing data from prior audits, new collection efforts, and landowner information.
4. Creating a plain language user manual to guide volunteers in accessing, updating, and maintaining the database over time.

Scope of Work

1. Geospatial Database Development

• Design and build a geospatial database to store trail attributes and related geotagged photos and documents.
• Structure the database for long-term sustainability and ease of use by a volunteer-led organization and ensure scalability for future data updates.
• Upload and validate existing datasets, including prior trail audits and geotagged photos.
• Group related attributes into logical layers to support visualization, analysis, and reporting.

2. Protocol Development for Data Collection and Platform Setup

• Recommend field data collection tools suitable for volunteers.
• Establish workflows linking field-collected data to the database.
• Define data validation rules to minimize errors.

3. Database & Data Collection User Manual

• Develop a plain language GIS user manual suitable for training volunteers, including instructions for accessing, navigating, editing, uploading, and validating data.
• Define data standards including naming conventions, metadata requirements, and validation rules.
• Include procedures for ongoing maintenance, quality control, and troubleshooting.

Deliverables

• A geospatial database containing validated trail attribute data
• A plain language user manual that is suitable for training new volunteers.

Timelines

The project is expected to be completed by August 2026.

Inputs Provided by ORTA

• GIS platform licenses as required.
• Access to ORTA volunteers for testing and validation.
• Existing trail spatial data and prior trail audit datasets.

_{*This table provides a high-level overview of the key attribute categories and example sub-attribute fields for the project. A full and comprehensive list of attributes, subcategories, and associated data fields can be provided to interested parties by email.}

Proposal Submission

Interested parties are invited to submit their proposals to Samantha Bennett at sbennett@greenbelt.ca by May 11, 2026. The proposal must include the following:

• Understanding of the assignment and proposed approach, including database design and outline of user manual.
• A work plan for completing the project, including tasks and milestones.
• Detailed budget.
• Candidate’s or team’s strengths and experience, as they pertain to this project including CV(s).
• Roles and level of effort for each team member (if more than one).
• Summary of work or projects completed within the past 3-5 years that are of a similar nature and scope to this project, including three relevant references.

Evaluation and Selection

ORTA and Greenbelt Foundation will evaluate the proposals based on qualifications, methodology, experience, and cost-effectiveness. ORTA and Greenbelt Foundation reserve the right to request additional information or clarification from proposers during the evaluation process. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Inquiries

For any inquiries or clarifications regarding this request for proposal, please contact Samantha Bennett at sbennett@greenbelt.ca.