[Consultantservices] [Consultant Services] RFP posted Thursday, May 24, 2007, 2:30 p.m.

[Grace Williams]

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The AICP Commission requests that entities soliciting planning
consultants follow a two-part RFQ/RFP selection procedure. Click here to
read a description of such a two-part process in PAS Report 443,
Selecting and Retaining a Planning Consultant: RFPs, RFQs, Contracts,
and Project Management, by Eric Damian Kelly, FAICP. To view more
excerpts from the report, click here.

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Request for Proposals - Consultant Services

Community Planning Services
Perth Amboy Alliance for Community, New Jersey
Submittal Deadline: June 22, 2007

The Perth Amboy Alliance for Community ("PAAC" or "Alliance") is a
growing group of community-based organizations, residents, and other
relevant stakeholders working together to shape and form the "PAAC
Neighborhood Vision", a resident-driven plan to guide the 'human
capital' development for the greater "Budapest" neighborhood of Perth
Amboy, New Jersey.  PAAC seeks the services of a qualified community
planning consultant team with considerable experience in citizen
involvement/participation, visioning, planning, community design, market
analysis, and sustainability to facilitate the community planning
process described herein.  The selected firm will be responsible for
providing specific professional services to support the formulation of
the PAAC Neighborhood Vision (hereinafter referred to as The Plan), as
further described in the RFP.

Project Purpose
The purpose of The Plan is to provide a comprehensive and detailed
analysis that establishes a sustainable long-range implementation plan
for neighborhood stabilization and development, in order to make the
greater Budapest section of Perth Amboy one of the premier neighborhoods
in the City, County, and region to live, work and play.  Although there
are numerous development proposals, plans and studies which currently
exist or are underway within and surrounding the subject area, there
lacks an up to date, publicly responsive and comprehensive plan that
addresses development and stabilization, particularly one driven by the
resident and stakeholder perspective.  PAAC is particularly interested
in 'human capital' development, i.e., a sound 'business plan' to provide
our residents and merchants the tools, resources, and opportunity to
realize social and economic stability and progress.  It should be
stressed that this is a grassroots-driven, neighborhood-based strategy
that will, in great part, utilize the input and perspectives of the
residents, merchants, and stakeholders who live, work, and/or invest in
our subject area as the primary influence in shaping our analysis of
existing conditions and framing our priorities and implementation
strategies.  The Plan needs to establish action-oriented, implementation
strategies driven by this analysis and, more importantly, by stakeholder
input.  It is critical that this Plan is "owned" by stakeholders, and
established in a manner that enables stakeholders to fully articulate
and convey the objectives of the Plan in a collaborative,
grassroots-based context.

Consultant Responsibilities
There is a particularly strong preference for a consultant team that has
a proven track record in effective stakeholder and resident engagement
in a community planning context.  The consultant team should not only be
able to perform and provide the technical analysis, but be able to
understand how to fully integrate community input into the analysis and
the overall Plan, particularly as it relates to the Plan's priorities
and implementation strategies.  More specific consultant deliverables
are: 

*	Background Report of Existing Conditions Analysis  inclusive of,
at minimum the following factors:  

	*	Brief Historical Analysis 
	*	Abbreviated analysis of core infrastructure factors -
Housing; Commercial; Transportation; Land Use; Open Space/Recreation;
and Physical Infrastructure 
	*	Analysis of neighborhood identity and pride 
	*	Regional Context 
	*	Complete asset and resource inventory 
	*	Investment trends in subject area and region 
	*	Relationship with other relevant plans (from local to
federal level)  
	*	Overall Market and Land Use Assessment 

As stated above, it should be re-emphasized that the consultant should
build from existing data collected in valid studies, reference sources,
redevelopment plans, and other pertinent planning exercises and
initiatives.  Additionally, as a byproduct of our commitment to a
community-driven process, it is significant to stress that PAAC intends
to engage our stakeholders in all aspects of the planning process
itself, inclusive of data collection activities.  In describing data
analysis, the consultant should integrate creative and cost-effective
methods to engage community residents and stakeholders, e.g., local
youth taking photos of our neighborhood's 'hot spots'; local residents
being trained to conduct site surveys, usage of graduate-level planning
students in data research; etc.  This will minimize the amount of
consultant costs for basic data collection.

The importance of the "asset and resource inventory" cannot be
overstated.  This inventory should be a broad based compilation and
assessment of the physical, institutional and financial resources
pertinent to our subject area.  It is vital that the Alliance assume an
asset-based approach to community planning. 

*	Summary of community input, inclusive of survey activities,
individual interviews, house meetings, focus groups, and other relevant
community engagement activities.  
*	Written approved Plan inclusive of, at minimum, the following
elements:  

	*	Background Report on Existing Conditions Analysis 
	*	Summary of Community Input 
	*	Implementation Plan & Timeline 
	*	Financial Assumptions & Projections 
	*	Resource Development Options & Plan 
	*	Evaluation Framework to Measure Impact  

In this context, "approved" is defined as meeting the grant requirements
of the Wachovia Regional Foundation's Neighborhood Planning Grant
program and formal approval of the Steering Committee.

Submittal Requirements
Each applicant must demonstrate in their submittal that they have the
professional capabilities and the organizational and administrative
experience needed to accomplish this project.  A copy of the full RFP
can be found on http://www.jrfmed.org/event_foundation.asp
<http://www.jrfmed.org/event_foundation.asp> .  Submittals should be
mailed or delivered to the attention of:

Jorge Cruz
Director of Planning and Development
Jewish Renaissance Foundation 
149 Kearny Avenue - Third Floor
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 
jcruz at jrmc.us <mailto:jcruz at jrmc.us> 

The deadline for submission is 4 p.m. on Friday, June 22, 2007.  Late
submissions will not be accepted.  The Steering Committee reserves the
right to reject all submissions, and reissue or close the RFP process.
An information meeting will be held on Thursday, June 14, 2007 at 10
a.m.  The meeting will be held in the second floor conference room of
JRF offices (address above).  The purpose of the meeting is to allow
potential respondents to issue any technical questions or concerns
relevant to the RFP.  Participation in this meeting is for informational
purposes only and is not a mandatory pre-requisite for RFP submission.
Consultants are also invited to tour the neighborhood prior to or after
this session.  There will not be any other separate informational
meetings, tours, calls, or other similar activities outside of this
meeting.  To RSVP your attendance, please contact Kemisha Kent at
732-293-0135, ext. 116.

Please direct any questions or comments on this RFP in writing to Mr.
Jorge Cruz via email at jcruz at jrmc.us <mailto:jcruz at jrmc.us> ; or via
facsimile at 732-293-0139.  No phone calls please.

JRF is an EEO/AA employer and urges submissions from women- and
minority-owned businesses. 

 

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