Summary

The City of Royal Oak is soliciting highly qualified consulting firms to submit a statement of qualifications and related information for the preparation of new master plan for the city. The plan serves as the guiding policy document for development within the city and reflects community goals and visions for the future.

Background

The Michigan Planning Enabling Act (Act 33 of 2008), as amended, requires the Royal Oak Planning Commission to review the city's master plan every five years to determine whether to commence procedures to amend the master plan or adopt new master plan.

At its meeting of August 10, 2021, the Royal Oak Planning Commission adopted a resolution electing to proceed forward with a new master and requesting that the Royal Oak City Commission authorize staff to prepare and release a request-for-qualifications to engage a consulting firm to assist in developing a new master plan.

Subsequently, at its meeting of August 23, 2021, the Royal Oak City Commission asserted its right, under the state act, to approve or reject the master plan, concurred with the planning commission, and authorized staff to proceed forward with the development and release of the request-for-qualifications.

Therefore, the city is seeking a highly qualified consulting firm to assist in the development of a new master plan.

RFQ Contents

Responses to this RFQ must include:

• Brief written introduction.
• Firm history, experience, expertise, & current projects.
• Team member years of experience & areas of expertise.
• Summary and hyperlinks to master plans created for other jurisdictions within last 5 years.
• Summary and hyperlinks to recent consultants utilized for local expertise, public engagement, sustainability, data collection and analysis, mapping and graphics, or engineering services.
• Detailed description of available strategies to solicit public engagement.
• Description of firm's experience, or consultants' experience, with each strategy.

Submission

An electronic (pdf format) response shall be submitted via email by no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, January 07, 2021.

Responses shall be emailed to Joseph M. Murphy, Director of Planning. The city will not accept any other means of submittal. A response email will confirm receipt of RFQ submittal.

Email to: joem@romi.gov

Subject: Master Plan RFQ Response

Evaluation & Selection

City staff and members of the planning commission and city commission may evaluate the responses to the RFQ and select a narrowed list of consultants to participate in an interview process. Proposals shall be evaluated based upon prior relevant experience, knowledge and expertise, creativity, methodology, staff capacity, use of partner subcontractors & references.

The City of Royal Oak is not liable for, nor will it pay any cost incurred by responding firms related to the preparation of proposals or the interview process.

Schedule

November 12, 2021 — RFQ released.

December 03, 2021 @ 4:30 p.m. — Deadline for questions.

January 07, 2022 @ 4:30 p.m. — Response deadline (emailed to joem@romi.gov).

January – February 2022 — Local review.

January – February 2022 — Interview of consultants.

February – March 2022 — Selection of consultants qualified to submit an RFP.

About the city

The City of Royal Oak is located in southeast Oakland County, Michigan. The city's 11.83 square miles has a population of approximately 59,277 according to the 2019 US census estimates.

Flanked by I-75 on the east border, I-696 on the south and Woodward Avenue (M-1) on the west side, the city has excellent highway access for residents and visitors alike. Approximately 15 to 20 miles northwest of downtown Detroit, businesses and residents have easy access to the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor tunnel, the busiest international crossings between the United States and Canada.

The City of Royal Oak has operated under the "council manager" form of government since its incorporation on November 8, 1921. This form of government provides that the city commission act as the legislative or policy making body. The city commission is composed of six commissioners and a mayor elected by the city-at-large on a nonpartisan ballot. Three commissioners are elected to four-year terms every two years to ensure experienced legislators at all times. The mayor is elected for a two-year term.

The city commission enacts ordinances, resolutions and regulations governing the city. The city commission also appoints members of various statutory and advisory boards and commissions, and the city manager. The city manager is the city's chief administrative officer and, as such, is held accountable for planning, coordinating, directing, and executing all the city's operations in a manner prescribed by law and conforming to the general policies and specific directives of the commission. The city manager also appoints and supervises most of the heads of departments of the city.