CRISFIELD — A request for proposals (RFP) to study the feasibility of a fast passenger ferry connecting both sides of the Chesapeake Bay is on the verge of being released after $125,000 in matching funds were awarded in September by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.

Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau Inc. are taking the lead but Somerset County is one of the partner sites along with Calvert, St. Mary’s and Queen Anne’s counties which are also contributing to the $125,000 match.

Clint Sterling, director of Somerset County Recreation, Parks & Tourism, said the study will look at financial and operational requirements, and prioritize first and second tier ferry routes.

While that could be between Annapolis and Queen Anne’s only, it could also be a longer trip and use Crisfield — which has a facility advantage as its dock already accommodates passenger and cruise boats.

“We have an established dock,” Mr. Sterling said.

The feasibility study will identify potential users, estimate ridership and fares, plus project set-up, operational and maintenance costs.

The study will also look at the conditions around the Chesapeake Bay such as water depth and navigational restrictions, distances, vessel requirements and other factors to see how well a fast, hydrofoil-style ferry might do. Currently services like this are in place in Massachusetts between Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket and in Puget Sound in Washington state.

“They don’t draw a lot of water and are able to move very quickly,” Mr. Sterling said, and “they’re able to handle a lot of sea.”

The RFP is drafted and being reviewed by an outside agency for completeness. After its release a vendor will be chosen with the winning firm having 120 days to complete the report.

Following that the plan is to seek bidders from private companies interested in establishing the service.

“The county’s not buying a big boat and running it,” Mr. Sterling said, and “it will not be a car ferry.”

Mr. Sterling said the obvious advantage to any waterfront community is that more visitors means more potential business opportunities. “The travel itself is a big part of the experience,” he said. “We want to increase visibility and drive visitation to the area (and) create potential for other developments.”

“It’s not a done deal, and we’re a long way away from the finish line,” Mr. Sterling said, but he’s encouraged by the enthusiasm of the partners involved — with Somerset County Economic Development Commission Director Danny Thompson noting that Annapolis, Anne Arundel and Queen Anne’s had applied for the feasibility study grant once before without Somerset County’s involvement and were turned down.

“We’re not the lead on this,” Mr. Thompson said, “But they were ecstatic that Somerset County was willing to come into the game,” and the partner jurisdictions hold weekly meetings for updates.

In presenting an update to the Mayor and City Council at the November meeting, the elected leaders spoke favorably of the potential opportunity, with Councilman Eric Banks suggesting that this could open the door to revisiting the potential for a car ferry.