The full RFP is available at http://www.carlislema.gov/bids.aspx.

Carlisle seeks to develop a comprehensive long-range master plan that addresses both short-term needs and long-term goals for the town. The master plan, developed through a community process, will inform town policy, guide decision makers, and inspire members of the community to participate in Carlisle's ongoing improvement as a sustainable community. The Master Plan Steering Committee (MPSC) has prepared the following Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure a planning consultant to work with MPSC and the community to develop a comprehensive and integrated master plan.

The Town of Carlisle is a predominantly residential community located approximately 22 miles northwest of Boston in Middlesex County. Carlisle has a population of 5,074 residents (U.S. Census 2015) and a land area of 15.5 square miles. Once called "...city of the woods..." by Henry David Thoreau, Carlisle is a rural community with over 30% of the land under some form of conservation restriction. Carlisle residents enjoy the charm of a New England farming community with historic rural character, unspoiled woods and an extensive network of trails, including those of the Great Brook Farm State Park.

Carlisle has a compact town center within walking distance of the Town Hall, the Gleason Public Library, the Carlisle Public School, three churches and a few small businesses, including a country store and an ATM. The Carlisle Public School serves students in grades K-8, with the majority of students in grades 9-12 attending Concord-Carlisle High School, a regional school, located in Concord, MA. Both schools are noted for their consistently high-performance ranking within the state.

Carlisle is at a crossroads. Like many towns in New England, Carlisle's population is aging, and school enrollment is declining while income and housing values have not kept pace with a rising tax burden and cost of living. Every year, the Town faces tough decisions about how to allocate its $30M budget without over escalating the tax rate.

The tax base is nearly 100% residential. Town-owned assets include public buildings (Town Hall, Police Station, Library, Fire Station, School), parkland and several historic structures. Carlisle has an open town meeting form of government with numerous volunteer, elected and appointed boards and committees, each responsible for specific areas of town governance. The last official master plan update, an all-volunteer "study plan", was prepared in 1995. The town requires an integrated, comprehensive plan to address opportunities and challenges moving forward. The Carlisle Master Plan should facilitate coordinated planning and guide future investments and decision-making by the Town's volunteer, elected and appointed leaders.

Timeline

Pre-Proposal Briefing Session — June 4, 2019

Questions Submitted by June 11, 2019

Answers Provided by June 17, 2019

Proposals Due — June 28, 2019, 2 PM EDT

Proposer Interviews — Week of July 15, 2019

Candidates Notified — August 12, 2019

Contract Signed — August 26, 2019

Contract End — October 2020

Respondents will be notified in a timely manner if dates change.

Proposal Instructions

Proposals must be complete and delivered on time. The proposals must include the following:

• Letter of Transmittal with contact person information
• Cover Letter
• Team overview including prime-consultant and sub-consultant firm descriptions and organizational structure
• Personnel Resume's information including the level of expertise and work experience for all key personnel working on the master plan project.
• 3 references including contact information
• Relevant project experience — at least five relevant projects
• Project Understanding and Master Plan Approach, including a description of the anticipated community engagement strategy
• Scope of Work and Timeline including phases of work, meetings, and deliverables. Note and explain any recommended variations from the RFP.
• Fee Proposal including a breakdown of hours by personnel and percent time available, fee by task, and hourly rates
• Proof of Insurance detailing the candidate is covered by professional liability insurance (liability or other appropriate product) in the amount of $1 million from an insurer qualified to do business in Massachusetts. Respondents shall submit a certificate of insurance evidencing such coverage.
• Signed addenda if any were issued to change the original scope of services or provide additional information.
• Statement indicating that the Consultant, if selected for the award, will accept all terms and conditions as outlined in the attached sample contract.

The MPSC will review proposal submissions and create a short list. Short-listed consultant teams will be invited to an interview. The MPSC will evaluate proposals based on the evaluation criteria outlined in Section 4 below. The contract is subject to execution by the Town Administrator and ratified by the Board of Selectmen. The Consultant will work under the direction of the Master Plan Steering Committee and the Planning Board. The contract is anticipated to be signed in August 2019 and end by September 2020 at which time the selected candidate will provide a Master Plan in accordance with the scope of work detailed in this Request for Proposal.

The project contact is Tim Goddard. Inquiries must be made via email to:

Tim Goddard, Town Administrator
Town of Carlisle
Email: townhall@carlislema.gov

Pre-proposal Meeting

An optional pre-proposal briefing session will be held at 10:00 AM on June 4, 2019, in the Clark Room at the Carlisle Town Hall at 66 Westford Street, Carlisle, MA. An addendum with answers to questions will be emailed to all consultants who requested the RFP or attended the pre-proposal session.

Proposal Submittal

Respondents must acknowledge all addenda and enclose with their proposals. The deadline for proposals is Friday, June 28, 2019, at 2:00 PM EST, at which time all proposals will be acknowledged in the presence of witnesses, and a Register of Proposals will be prepared. Proposals must be delivered in PDF format via email to townhall@carlislema.org.