Delaware-Muncie Comprehensive Plan and City of Muncie Strategic Investment Plan

Request for Proposals

A collaborative effort of the Delaware-Muncie Metropolitan Plan Commission (DMMPC), the Muncie Action Plan, Inc. (MAP), Next Muncie, the City of Muncie and Delaware County to create the next Delaware-Muncie Comprehensive Plan and a Strategic Investment Plan for the City of Muncie to be the next Muncie Action Plan.

Introduction & Background

Delaware County is the regional focal point of East Central Indiana with a current 2019 population estimate of 114,135. It is ranked 15th in the state and is one of the state's 14 urbanized areas due to its county seat, the City of Muncie.

Muncie is a second-class city with an estimated 2019 population of 67,999. It is home to multi-faceted regional facilities including those in, but not limited to, education (Ball State University, Ivy Tech), healthcare (IU-Health Ball Memorial Hospital), employment (First Merchants, Meridian Health Services), arts and culture (Minnetrista, David Owsley Museum of Art), and recreation (Cardinal and White River Greenways, Prairie Creek Reservoir).

The Delaware-Muncie Metropolitan Plan Commission (DMMPC) is a metropolitan advisory plan commission whose jurisdictional area is unincorporated Delaware County and the city of Muncie. The Comprehensive Plan is a blending of urban and rural policies, procedures and regulations used by the DMMPC, the Board of Commissioners and the Muncie City Council for planning and zoning decisions that guide the physical development of the city and the county.

The Muncie Action Plan is considered the voice of the people and reflects community preferences for more than the physical environment. It also deals with actions that focus on societal issues, intangibles and non-physical elements needed to make Muncie "the best that it can be".

A more recent initiative is the formation of an ad-hoc leadership group known as Next Muncie. One of its goals is shared by MAP for its next public input process: Muncie will emerge as a vibrant city that attracts and retains residents and visitors by providing high- quality employment opportunities, revitalizing neighborhoods that offer healthy lifestyle choices, and fostering an innovative culture of entrepreneurship, education, healthcare, arts, entertainment, and recreation.

Mission:

To develop long- and short-range plans that will enrich the economic, physical and social quality of life within the City of Muncie and Delaware County.

Goals and Objectives:

• Develop a long-range comprehensive land use plan for Muncie and Delaware County with a planning horizon of 2045, anticipating an update in 2031 following the next decennial census.
• Create a short-range strategic investment plan for the City of Muncie that articulates a clear and compelling vision for the next 3 to 10 years with established goals, objectives and measurable action/implementation plans aimed at vision attainment.
• Creatively blend the assessments of existing conditions, urban form, socio-economic needs, and diverse and inclusive public input to inform both the short- and long- range plans thereby maximizing the use of community financial resources.

The DMMPC and MAP invites your firm to submit a proposal to develop an updated Comprehensive Land Use Plan for Muncie and Delaware County and an updated Strategic Investment Plan for the City of Muncie.

A Selection Committee will evaluate the proposals and select a firm to perform the updates. Schedule and budget will be negotiated. The DMMPC will enter into a contract with the successful firm. This Request for Proposals (RFP) describes the required scope of services and the information that must be included in each proposal. Failure to submit information in compliance with the RFP's requirements and procedures may lead to disqualification.

Please note: the DMMPC and MAP are interested in a timely completion of this project.

The following background/reference documents are available for review on the Plan Commission's website at www.dmmpc.org (best accessed by using Google Chrome or Firefox):

• 2018-2045 Long Range Transportation Plan
• Delaware-Muncie Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan 2019
• FY 2020-2023 Delaware-Muncie Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
• Muncie-Delaware County Comprehensive Plan 2000
• 2021-2022 Unified Planning Work Program

The Muncie Action Plans have laid out strategic action steps, programs and projects used by the MAP Board of Directors, the Plan Commission and various public, private and nonprofit organizations. The following MAP documents and other activities can be found at www.muncieactionplan.net :

• Muncie Action Plan 2010
• Muncie Action Plan 2013
• Muncie Action Plan 2019

Next Muncie's website (www.nextmuncie.com) can be used to familiarize respondents with its recent work.

Scope of Work (SOW)

1. Project Management and Coordination
   1. Conduct an initial kick-off meeting with the Steering Committee to discuss goals, objectives, and process
   2. Coordinate ongoing project activities with the Steering Committee
   3. Connect with Ball State University's Urban Planning Department, in the College of Architecture and Planning, so as to incorporate and capitalize on the use of the fall 2020 comprehensive plan class and spring 2021 studios and classes
2. Public and Stakeholder Outreach
   1. Conduct novel and creative public outreach to gather input, maximize public participation, and ensure an inclusive process that accurately reflects the demographic profile of Muncie and Delaware County
   2. Connect with key stakeholders to gather input, increase participation, and maximize support
3. Data Collection and Analysis
   1. Use existing datasets from the Delaware County GIS, the Census Bureau/American Community Survey, and other appropriate sources to analyze existing conditions, equity concerns, local and regional trends, etc.
   2. Collect and analyze data from public outreach sessions and stakeholder meetings
   3. Collect and analyze data dealing with housing trends, needs and general housing market assessments
   4. List action items and implementation strategies based on established goals, objectives, funding, and project priorities
4. Completion of Updated Plans
   1. Complete final deliverables in compliance with the requirements specified in this RFP. The consultant will produce and distribute draft plans for review by the project steering committee, DMMPC staff, all stakeholders, and the general public. The consultant will revise the plans based upon the draft review process and deliver the final documents in electronic and hardcopy formats.

The final deliverables for both plans must include the following items

• An Executive Summary that includes key findings and outlines major goals and objectives.
• An Introduction describing the purpose of the plan, vision, goals, and contents.
• A section that includes a discussion of both public and stakeholder involvement in plan development as well as background summaries of existing conditions, demographic profiles, physical/environmental characteristics, etc. (It is understood that much of the information for the City will be the same for both the Comprehensive plan and the Strategic Investment Plan.)

For the Comprehensive Plan, required elements include a land use plan, growth trends, environmental issues (drainage, flood control, conservation), transportation and mass transit, parks and recreation public safety, agricultural preservation, economic development, resilience/sustainability, and preservation/enhancement of neighborhoods.

For the Strategic Investment Plan, required elements include performance indicators, timelines, and key assignments/projects. However, the intent is to allow flexibility in plan content and development to encourage creativity and innovation.
Proposal Submittal Requirements

Proposals should be limited to a maximum of twenty (20) pages (8 ½ by 11 inches). All proposals must address the following:

1. Firm Information: Include the name of the firm, its website URL, and the location of the office from which the work will be completed. Also, provide an organizational chart that identifies the team members assigned to this project, their function and/or responsibility, and their level of involvement in this project. If a team of firms or sub-consultants will be used, identify all included firms, the lead firm, and the general work percentage to be completed by each firm.
2. Qualifications: Include the qualifications of the consultant's staff members who will be involved, along with members of other firms if sub-consultants will be used for the project. Address the evaluation criteria set forth herein, and provide a detailed description of the firm's understanding of the SOW and capabilities to perform such work.
3. Experience: Explain any related and similar projects previously completed by those consultant staff members proposed to complete the project, particularly for the proposed project manager. Demonstrate success on these projects and include contact name, address, and email address for each reference provided in this proposal.
4. Scope of Work: Demonstrate the consultant's understanding of the project, general approach, and plan for working with the steering committee that will provide input to the consultant during the process as well as any unique resources and practices to be applied to the project.
5. Schedule: Prepare a schedule that identifies the overall project timeframe and the timing of all meetings and milestone products. The schedule should be presented as a chart indicating the timetable and milestones. This section should also include a staff availability chart that details the availability of each staff member based on the percentage of time he/she will devote to this project.

Submit one (1) envelope, or package, containing seven (7) hard copies and one (1) digital copy of the proposal to:

Delaware-Muncie Metropolitan Plan Commission
100 W Main St, RM 206
Muncie, In 47305
Attn: Marta Moody

Submittal Deadline: September 10, 2020 by 3:00 p.m. EST

All questions should be submitted by email to Marta Moody at mmoody@co.delaware.in.us. The deadline for questions is September 3, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. EST. All such questions and answers shall be posted on the DMMPC website so that all potential respondents will have access to the same information. If any changes or additions are made to this RFP, they will also be posted on the website by the deadline listed above for submittal of questions.

Proposal Evaluation

Proposal Contents

All proposals must include all required elements as detailed above.

Rejection Conditions

The Selection Committee reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received as a result

of this RFP. A proposal may be rejected for one or more of the following reasons or for any

other reason deemed to be in the best interest of the Project:

1. Failure of the consultant to adhere to one or more provisions of this RFP.
2. Failure of the consultant to submit information required by this RFP
3. Failure of the consultant to follow generally accepted ethical and professional standards during the RFP process

The Selection Committee reserves the right to request and consider the opinions of any previous clients relative to the qualifications, capability and performance of any consulting firms identified in response to this RFP.

Evaluation Criteria

The proposals will be evaluated considering the following criteria:

CRITERIA POINTS

1. Overall qualifications and experience of the firm and the personnel to be assigned to this project. —20
2. Clarity, quality and thoroughness of the proposal in addressing the SOW. — 25
3. Evaluation of the firm's ability to complete the work as proposed in the SOW. 10
4. Evaluation of the creativity and thoroughness in the approach for public outreach and participation. — 35
5. Evaluation of references and comparable projects. — 10

Total — 100

Review and Final Selection Process

Once the proposals are discussed and ranked, the Selection Committee will determine if interviews will be conducted. Upon identification of the highest-ranked firm, the Selection Committee will negotiate the contract with that firm. Should negotiations be unsuccessful, the Selection Committee will proceed to the second- highest ranked firm and so on.

Upon submittal, all proposals become the property of the DMMPC. The cost of preparing, submitting and presenting a proposal is the sole responsibility of the proposing consultant. The Selection Committee reserves the right to reject any and all proposals received as a result of this solicitation, to negotiate with any qualified source, to waive any formality and any technicalities, or to cancel this RFP in part or in its entirety if it is in the best interest of the Project. This solicitation of proposals in no way obligates the DMMPC to award a contract. Federal funds are being used on this project and applicable necessary provisions will be added to the contract language.