[Consultantservices] [Consultant Services] RFQ posted Tuesday, September 04, 2007 9:27 AM

[Grace Williams]

AICP has adopted the following policy:

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.

Please send RFPs & RFQs to websitefeedback at planning.org.

Request for Qualifications - Consultant Services

Downtown Strategic Plan
The Village of Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Submittal Deadline: October 1, 2007

Overview
The Village of Glen Ellyn, Illinois is seeking the services of a
qualified consultant or team with expertise in downtown planning and
economic development to assist in the creation of a downtown strategic
plan.  Respondents should have experience in citizen involvement,
visioning, downtown planning, urban design, historic preservation,
economic development and market analysis and should be familiar with the
Village of Glen Ellyn and the surrounding region.  The final product is
expected to be a comprehensive strategic plan for the downtown that can
be implemented over a 10-20 year period.

Background
The Village of Glen Ellyn, is located approximately 25 miles due west of
Chicago and has a population of 27,000.  Glen Ellyn is an attractive and
desirable suburban community noted for its quality residential
neighborhoods, "small-town" atmosphere, historic downtown, and variety
of public and institutional amenities.  Glen Ellyn is primarily a
single-family residential community.  The downtown covers about 72 acres
(.112 square miles), includes approximately 201 parcels, and contains
two zoning districts, the C5A Central Business District Central Retail
Core and the C5B Central Business District Central Service Subdistrict.
The downtown is one of three commercial areas in the Village (the others
include the Roosevelt Road corridor and the Stacy's Corners enclave).
There are a number of historic buildings in the downtown as well as a
handful of more recent developments.  The downtown has recently
experienced increased vacancy rates, which has resulted in a concern
among some merchants, residents and elected officials about the health
of the downtown.  Five different organizations have been dedicating a
variety of efforts to enhance the viability of the downtown including
the Glen Ellyn Economic Development Corporation (glen-ellyn.com/edc),
Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce (glenellynchamber.com), Downtown Glen
Ellyn Alliance, Village of Glen Ellyn (glenellyn.org), and a resident
group called Go Downtown (downtownglenellyn.com).  General economic
development responsibilities throughout the Village are the
responsibility of the Glen Ellyn Economic Development Corporation.

Scope of Work
The selected consultant will be expected to work with Village staff and
a citizens advisory committee to develop a strategic plan for the
downtown.  In preparing the plan, the selected consultant will be
expected to include the following elements in the plan at a minimum:

Background Research:

*	Assess the physical environment of the downtown (i.e. building
conditions, historic assets, streetscape) 
*	Review strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) 
*	Document existing land use and ownership patterns 

Public Input:

*	Solicit a high level of citizen involvement through a citizens
advisory committee and other techniques such as key person interviews,
focus groups with downtown shoppers and merchants,
surveys/questionnaires, and a charrette or other type of visioning
workshop  

Analysis and Study:

*	Evaluate parking issues/needs  
*	Analyze existing development patterns 
*	Inventory/list known historic assets 
*	Design and conduct a market study appropriate for Glen Ellyn 
*	Evaluate the existing infrastructure 
*	Evaluate transportation improvement opportunities 
*	Assess organizational structure and areas of responsibility for
various downtown groups 

Implementation:

*	Set priorities for improvements 
*	Review potential funding sources 

Desired Outcome
The final product should be a plan that includes a multiplicity of
visual aides to clarify suggestions and recommendations and will also be
expected to include the following components:

*	Identification of opportunity areas or sites to support
reinvestment/redevelopment 
*	Suggested marketing strategies including desirable uses that
should be targeted in attraction efforts, suggested locations for
specific uses, and other ideas for branding or promotion 
*	Recommended changes to permitted and/or special uses in the C5A
and C5B downtown zoning districts 
*	Recommendation regarding whether the C5A and C5B zoning district
boundaries should be adjusted 
*	Recommendations for public infrastructure improvements (i.e.
streets, sidewalks, street furniture, signage, etc.) 
*	Recommendation regarding structure and distribution of
responsibilities of various downtown organizations 
*	Opinion regarding whether or not a parking shortage exists in
any areas of the downtown and if so, suggestions about  how to address
this problem which may or may not include a site recommendation for the
construction of a parking garage 
*	Recommendations for procedures to encourage improvements to
existing buildings in the downtown  
*	Identification of opportunities to improve existing
transportation infrastructure 
*	An implementation section including specific action steps and
potential funding mechanisms 

Submission Requirements

*	1-4 page Statement of Qualifications (summarizing the particular
advantages of the team for this RFQ, familiarity with Glen Ellyn and the
surrounding area, specific experience in the preparation of a downtown
plan, and list of enclosed materials) 
*	1-page statement of approach that would be used to complete the
project 
*	Key team member resumes/qualifications and proposed role on the
team 
*	At least three references, with contact information, preferably
from comparable projects  
*	Estimated timeframe needed to complete the project 
*	Estimated total cost and hourly rates for proposed team members 

Inquiries
All inquires should be directed to:

Staci Hulseberg, AICP
Planning and Development Director
Village of Glen Ellyn 
535 Duane Street
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
630-547-5241
shulseberg at glenellyn.org <mailto:shulseberg at glenellyn.org> 

Budget
The Village has included $50,000 in its FY 07-08 budget to be used
toward the development of the downtown plan and anticipates that
additional money will be set aside in the FY 08-09 budget for completion
of the plan.

Deadline
All responses should be submitted to the attention of Planning and
Development Director Staci Hulseberg no later than October 1, 2007.

 

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