COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The 2020 census indicated a Muskogee population of 36,878. Since 2010 Muskogee's population has decreased from 39,223.

The City has recently began to show a trend of reinvestment in the city. This does not match historical data as the number of housing units and jobs has shown a downward trend over the last decade.

The City is served by north-south and east-west highways, providing access to each section of the City. The city is adjacent to the port of Muskogee a major employer and area of economic development.

SCOPE OF WORK

The Selected Planning Consultant is expected to prepare an Existing Conditions report.

A Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, selected by the City Council, will represent a cross-section of City residents, key stakeholder, professional groups, members of various City committees, and professional staff. The steering committee will provide direction to the Selected Consultant

The City is looking for an experienced firm willing to incorporate new, innovative and a state of the art approach to development of the Comprehensive Plan. Demonstrated use of technology to outreach and regularly communicate with the community is extremely important. The final Comprehensive Plan should include a phased and prioritized implementation strategy.

City staff will finalize the scope of work with the selected consultant prior to contract authorization. The City is open to suggestions other than those items listed which the consultant believes will be of value in producing a viable

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TASKS

• Develop a Community Existing Conditions report that will serve as baseline data for the new Comprehensive Plan.
• Review the current Comprehensive Plan.
  • https://cms1files.revize.com/revize/muskogeeok/document_center/Planning/ComprehensivePlan_AdoptedJune4_2012.pdf
• Conduct visioning sessions with City Council, Planning Council, and municipal staff.
• Provide a broad‐based participation plan to solicit input throughout the update process. The City desires a website format for public engagement. This website should have, at minimum, the following functionality: Online Survey, Interactive Mapping, Existing Conditions Mapping, Public Notice of Meetings.
• Conduct at least one public meeting in each of the 4 wards and a city wide meeting.
• Conduct a public opinion survey and report. Design and provide results of a statistically significant mailed and/or electronic public opinion survey and provide a summary report.
• Plan for future development within the City with a special emphasis on existing commercial, office, industrial, and multi-family development.
• Identify strategies that would preserve the character of the City's downtown commercial core with focuses on walkability and identifying infrastructure limitations.
• Identify strategies that would calm, vehicular traffic and create an improved streetscape, enhanced building façades, and pedestrian infrastructure in the downtown corridor.
• Identify strategies that would repurpose/revitalize industrial zoned land to ensure their continued viability.
• Consider the impacts of demographic and economic trends in the region and the City as identified in the Existing Conditions Report and public outreach sessions. An analysis of the sustainability of the City's tax base is a key component of this subject area.
• Discuss methods to preserve existing large open spaces within the City and recruiting and developing additional spaces [golf clubs, membership clubs, corporate headquarters, and research institutions].
• Evaluate any resources that may have significant natural resource value to the City. Major study areas include air quality issues, water quality issues, wetlands protection, impervious surfaces, steep slope protection and tree preservation. Discuss existing regulations and evaluate whether additional protection of these resources are warranted.
• Identify viable redevelopment areas within the City and determine redevelopment strategies to initiate the process. Discuss whether a mixed use development overlay zone with increased permitted density and height would be appropriate for areas with existing infrastructure.
• A chapter focusing on each of the 4 wards in the City of Muskogee and a chapter focused on the downtown corridor.
• Provide a housing element consisting of standards, plans, and principles to be followed in the provision of housing for existing residents and anticipated population growth. The element should discuss existing affordable housing, and the potential for expanded affordable housing options. Emphasis shall be placed on identifying suitable locations for future multifamily housing development.
• Evaluate parking within all wards. Identify locations for municipal parking lot construction. Propose strategies to increase the amount of off-street parking as well as evaluate the viability of establishing a “fee in-lieu” of providing on-site parking. In addition, analyze existing and future parking demand within the residential areas. Propose strategies to increase the amount of off-street and on-street parking in downtown.
• Analyze pedestrian and bicycle circulation. Increased pedestrian and bicycle activity and its accommodation is to be encouraged and planned for future consideration. The consultant is expected to identify areas of concern and potential future study areas and recommendations.
• Incorporate current planning documents into the update including the, Muskogee County Hazard Mitigation Plan, Muskogee Historic Preservation Planning Document, and the Code of the City of Muskogee.
  • https://www.muskogeeonline.org/departments/planning/historic_preservation.php
  • https://library.municode.com/ok/muskogee/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CIMUCOOR
  • https://www.muskogeeonline.org/departments/planning/index.php
• Define a clear direction of how and where development should occur over the next 10, 15, and 20 years. Determine an implementation plan for short‐ and long‐term development.
• Identify potential shared services opportunities and intergovernmental coordination.
• Identify the need for quality of life ward enhancements such as trees, sidewalks, street lights, public art, and other improvements.
• Discuss whether there is a need to update the City's regulations with respect to home occupations given the changing nature of where and how residents work.
• Evaluate and discuss an adoption for Accessory Dwelling Units in certain zoning districts within the city.

IDENTIFY LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM ACTION ITEMS

The Selected Planning Consultant is expected to provide a Comprehensive Plan that has practical implications and be results-oriented. The Final Report should include prioritized implementation items, projects and programs based upon its findings. The Selected Planning Consultant should specifically identify and make specific recommendations for any zoning amendments, with any sample legislation, if available. A narrative and time-line showing a phased-implementation of any recommendations shall be provided in the Final Report.

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PUBLIC MEETINGS

The Selected Planning Consultant would meet with a Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, consisting of approximately 9 (nine) members that are representatives of the City of Muskogee. For budgetary purposes, the Consultant should anticipate that this committee would meet every 4 weeks in a public meeting. In addition, approximately 5 public visioning sessions should be included in the total cost to prepare the Comprehensive Plan, as well as a Final Report at a City Council meeting. The Selected Planning Consultant's primary point of contact will be the Muskogee Director of Planning, who will coordinate the meetings with the Committee Chair and distribute any Consultant-provided information to committee members. The Selected Planning Consultant would be responsible for providing information and facilitating any public meetings, deciding on meeting content, preparing the public meeting agendas, preparing documents for distribution, and preparing draft and final meeting minutes.

QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD

In order to facilitate understanding of the RFP requirements and submittals, a Question and Answer period will be conducted during the submittal process. Questions regarding RFP requirements or submittals may be directed to Roy Tucker, City Attorney. Contact information is provided below.

PRODUCTS AND DELIVERABLES

• Preliminary reports and project updates prepared at all milestones
• One digital copy in Microsoft Word format and PDF format, print‐ready graphics included in each preliminary report, 30 color copies of final plan draft for comments, final plan copies to include 30 bound color copies, one digital Microsoft Word format and one digital PDF format.
• Maps in ArcGIS (ArcPro) format referenced to City GIS
• Presentation graphics for public meetings to be determined prior to meeting

PROPOSAL AND CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

• Submittal address: Planning Department, 229 W. Okmulgee Muskogee, OK 74401
• Proposal submittal deadline: June 24th, 2022
• Contact Person: Roy Tucker, rtucker@muskogeeonline.org
• Number of proposal copies: 12 bound and 1 digital PDF
• Evaluation Period: July 2022
• Interview Period: July 2022

RESPONSE TO THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL IS TO BE PROVIDED IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT:

• Letter of Interest: Cover letter indicating interest in the project and identifying the firm's ability to provide services needed.
• Introduction: A brief description of the firm including the number of years the firm has been in existence, range of professional services, office locations, and staff size.
• Work Program: In the project overview, describe the general project approach and process to be employed, describe a process approach that was used in the past to successfully complete a similar project, describe the proposed project schedule including timeline of major milestones, deliverables, and completion.
• Experience and Qualifications: Brief documentation of the firm's prior work relevant to this RFP including the name, address, and phone numbers of client references and the primary contact persons.
• Submission of a completed sample Comprehensive Plan and submission of the total cost for the preparation of that document.
• Consultant Personnel: Identify individuals from the firm's professionals and others who will work on the project. Include all sub-consultants.
• A List of Clients: Provide a list of comparable clients for which similar services have been provided in addition to contact information.
• Timeframe: Submit a document with estimated project timeframe for meeting important project targets.
• Estimated Costs: Submit cost estimates for Comprehensive Plan Tasks. The Proposal shall include a lump sum fee as well as a detailed budget. The budget must include an hourly rate schedule and estimated number of hours to be performed by each staff members assigned to the project. If any work is to be subcontracted, the Proposal should reference the specific areas and costs. Any reimbursable expenses must be clearly indicated and an estimate provided. For budgeting purposes, a fee schedule shall be provided that includes an anticipated start date.

CONSULTANT SELECTION PROCESS

All proposals received by the City will be reviewed to determine whether they are responsive to the requisites of the RFP. Proposals which are determined to be non-responsive will be rejected. The comprehensive plan steering committee will review the proposals based on the criteria outlined below. The City reserves the right to require oral presentations and conduct interviews with those proposers whose proposals are deemed to be viable. In the event that a proposer is requested to give an oral presentation, it may be advised in advance of the aspects of its proposal which need to be supported, demonstrated or clarified. The presentation will include time for questions regarding the proposal. The date, time and location of the oral presentation will be announced at a later date.

Although discussions may be conducted with proposers submitting acceptable proposals, the City reserves the right to award contracts on the basis on initial proposals received, without discussions; therefore, the proposer's initial proposal should contain its best technical and price terms.

The committee will develop a list of firms in order of preference of the firms considered most highly qualified to perform the services that will be submitted to the City Council. The City reserves the right to reject any submittal and to waive minor irregularities. The City may request additional information for qualifications. The City retains the right to select a consultant within our budget or reject all consultants.

The committee reserves the right to reject all proposals and resolicit proposals. The city will not be responsible for any cost to develop a proposal. The city reserves all rights until a contract has been agreed to and signed by both parties.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Consultant order will be based on the following criteria (100 points maximum):

1. Project Understanding, original approach and familiarity with innovative comprehensive planning concepts, while being responsive to terms, conditions and the time frame presented (25 points)
2. Capabilities and previous experience in comparable projects and specialized experience and technical competence of the consultant (15 points)
3. Ability to produce a complete and thorough document that answers all questions presented in through this RFP (20 points)
4. Demonstrated ability to utilize public engagement in development of plans (15 points)
5. Personnel assigned to the project demonstrating the consultant's capacity to complete the requested service on time and within budget (15 points)
6. Logistics and familiarity with the project area (10 points)