RFQ - Department of Planning - City of Gary, Indiana

Request for Proposal

The Empowerment Zone and the City of Gary Planning and Development Council (PDC) is interested in receiving proposals from qualified Consultation Firms to prepare a Comprehensive Plan and Master Development Plan for the City of Gary, Indiana

I. Scope of Services
The Consultant will complete the necessary research to prepare a comprehensive plan to replace the current plan adopted in 1986. The plan must meet all required elements of the Indiana Code 36-7-4 and other elements as identified in this request.

While the planning areas will be the entire City of Gary, special attention to certain "development zones" is expected. These zones are identified as the following; the downtown business district, the stadium district, the lakeshore reclamation and development district, the Miller area, the University Park area, and the Westside development district. The plan must include boundaries, vision statements, development histories, identification of plan elements, development scale (auto-oriented, neighborhood, central business district, etc) and projects, and one and five year priorities for each of these seven zones.

The Master Plan will be utilized as a policy guide for the City with a 15 year time horizon. The plan should provide a framework for the orderly and efficient development of the City that takes into account a variety of economic, social, physical, and environmental concerns. Though goals and objectives of comprehensive plans are dynamic as they are created, at the outset the most pressing goals of the plan are:

to promote sustainable economic growth;
to preserve the City's historic heritage, and create ways for growth while maintaining historic structures;
to rebuild neighborhood and regional retail centers to eliminate leakage to outside communities where possible;
to promote employment of full access to a wide variety of commercial goods and services;
to ensure that public improvements can be financed and made available to all citizens of the City;
to preserve and strengthen the City's transportation network, including the investigation of other modes of travel;
to incorporate smart growth policies to encourage the efficient use of resources in a manner that is consistent with their character and adaptability;
to link the City's efforts with broader efforts to improve the economic vitality of the region; and
to review City ordinances to update them, and remove barriers to building and zoning code that prevent other goals from being implemented.

Additionally, there are two special studies required to be prepared along with that normally required of a comprehensive plan. These studies will be integrated parts of the comprehensive plan, but must also serve as stand-alone documents.

The first, a market study to determine the future needs and appropriate locations for various types of residential, retail, commercial and industrial development within Gary. This planning document will be used for decision-makers as well as a tool to encourage private development of unmet needs in the community. The market study will be coordinated with other recent studies conducted for special purposes such as the University Park Plan.

The second, a capital improvement plan for public facilities. The City has made substantial improvements in recent years and this plan will provide guidance for future development of transportation corridors, schools, open space, and underground infrastructure (if necessary). This element will use as resources capital/operations plans for mass transit, the park system, the school system and other public organizations.

The City of Gary encourages public involvement in issues facing the community. Public meetings and other avenues for public input will be utilized. The City maintains a website and the consultant will provide information that will be posted there to inform the public and solicit comments. Proposals shall include an explanation of innovative ways in which public input will be sought, as well as a format for creating a cyberspace portal into the process, and creating a final online version of the Master Plan.

The Empowerment Zone and the Planning and Development Council (PDC) will manage and coordinate this project for the City. Empowerment Zone and City Staff will provide existing data and reports as requested. PDC will review and provide comments for each plan element prior to its submission for approval. PDC will assist with presentations to the Planning Commission, City Commission, other agencies or designated committees, and at public hearings.

II. Firm Requirements
The Consultant's staff performing work under this contract will possess both educational and planning experience. The lead staffer of the consultant team is expected to possess professional planning credentials and must be identified as part of the proposal. Resources of the primary staff members working under this consultant must be included as part of proposal. All outside firms to be used by the consultant must be identified with lead staff and resumes provided.

III. Submission Requirements
The criteria used in the evaluation of proposals is listed below. Each proposal must clearly address each of the six items.

Experience with preparing a comprehensive plan for a community of comparable size
Recent experience preparing comprehensive plans for Indiana cities
Experience with "development anchor" approach to planning
Experience with economic and market analysis plans
Techniques for achieving and incorporating public participation
Multi-disciplinary approach with suitable qualification
Timetables for completion of plan elements
Responsiveness of proposal

The Empowerment Zone must receive all proposals by August 26 at 4:00 PM (CST). Please submit one original and (6) copies of the proposal to:

Venus Cobb, Executive Director
Empowerment Zone
839 Broadway 2nd Floor
Gary, IN 46402

Proposals will not be accepted by fax or email. Inquires may be directed to Venus Cobb, at 219-886-9047.

IV. Schedule
Time is of the essence for this project. Interested firms must submit a proposed work schedule to complete all plans and documents for the project. The consultant must also show its availability and staffing capacity to perform the necessary tasks in a timely manner. Please provide anticipated time lines for different tasks.

V. Selection Process
The selection of the Consultant Firm will follow a qualifications/responsive based selection process. All proposals will be reviewed by the PDC. A short-list of the most responsive and responsible firms may be interviewed. The short-listed firms will also be asked to submit detailed fee proposals for the project. At the interview, if conducted, firms should be prepared to discuss their project approach, staffing, quality control systems, service capabilities, and experience with similar projects, as well as answer questions at the presentation. From the interview results, materials submitted as a part of the proposal package, submitted fee schedule, and subsequent reference checks, the PDC will select a firm for approval of a contract at its earliest convenience. Upon approval, the Empowerment Zone will execute a professional services contract with the winning proposer. This contract will include the details of the work and the final scope of the project as it is negotiated.

The Empowerment Zone and the City of Gary reserves the right to reject all or any proposals, to negotiate changes in the scope of the work or services to be provided, to withhold the award for any reason it may determine and to waive or decline any techniques or irregularities in any proposals.