REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PROFESSIONAL PLANNING CONSULTANTS

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

The Board of Lake County, Ohio Commissioners are soliciting proposals for a professional consulting firm for "LAKE COUNTY, OHIO: VISION 2050". The plan should address in detail a planning directive for 2026–2036 and provide tools to guide growth while considering observations and challenges for a planning horizon through the year 2050.

Once a contract has been approved by the Board, Planning and Community Development personnel will, along with the County Administrator, will provide project management/oversight for the county and will be available for input, consultation, inquiry, and review of all aspects of the planning effort; but it is envisioned that Planning staff will not be directly responsible for any work elements other than those specifically described herein.

The respondent shall submit a proposed general process for the project using past experience and best practices in similar communities.

RFP Contact

If you have any questions, all inquiries must be directed to the following individual via email:

Individual Name:

David Radachy, Director

Department:

Lake County Office of Planning and Community Development

Address:

105 Main Street, Suite B401
Painesville, Ohio 44077

Email Address:

David.radachy@lakecountyohio.gov

Copy to:

Individual Name:

Jason W. Boyd, County Administrator

Business Address:

Lake County, Ohio Board of Commissioners
105 Main St., Suite A513
Painesville, Ohio 44077

Email Address

Jason.Boyd@lakecountyohio.gov

RFP Guidelines

1. The County reserves the right to issue addenda to the RFP at any time.
2. Multiple proposal submissions from a provider for the same service will be considered non-compliant and will be rejected.
3. The County is not liable for any costs incurred by the firm in the preparation and presentation of proposals submitted in response to the RFP.
4. All materials submitted become property of the County. Selection or rejection of a response does not affect this right. Submitted materials will not be returned.
5. The County reserves the right to refrain from contracting with any firm. The release of this RFP does not compel the County to proceed to contract.
6. Once the contract is awarded, all documents submitted to the County as part of the proposals become public information. The County does not encourage the submission of confidential/proprietary information in response to this RFP. However, written requests for confidentiality may be submitted to the RFP contact. A proposal in its entirety (including pricing information therein) will not be considered confidential or proprietary. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 149.43, the County will make a determination of application for disclosure on an ad hoc basis. For confidential financial statements that may be required to be submitted, please place in a separate envelope clearly marked "CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS."

RFP Inspection

Firms should carefully review this RFP for defects and questionable or objectionable material. Comments concerning defects and objectionable material shall be made in writing and received by the RFP contact at least ten (10) days before proposal opening. Protests based on any omission or error, or on the content of the solicitation, will be disallowed if these faults have not been brought to the attention of the RFP contact at least ten (10) days before the proposal opening.

Proposal Submission

1. Proposals must be submitted via email to the individuals identified in Part 1.A and delivered via hard copy (includes courier/package delivery services) or delivered by mail to the ISSUING DEPARTMENT by the date and time listed above. Any proposal received after this date and time may be accepted at the County's sole discretion.
2. Firms assume the risk of the method of dispatch. The County assumes no responsibility for delays caused by any delivery service. Postmarking by the due date is not acceptable.
3. Proposals may not be delivered by facsimile transmission.
4. Mailed or hand-delivered proposals may be delivered only Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays observed by the County.

Proposal Opening

The Lake County Board of Commissioners will not open the proposal publicly.

Rejection – The County reserves the right and discretion to reject any or all proposals for any reason or all proposals for no reason at all without incurring liability.

Withdrawal – Firms may withdraw a submitted proposal any time up to the closing date and time by submitting a written request to the RFP contact listed above.

RFP Review

The County will rank those firms based on each firm's qualifications and the qualifications and experience of the particular individuals identified as the firm's proposed team for the Project. After evaluating the responses, the Owner will select a short list of no fewer than three candidates that it considers to be the most qualified, except if the Owner determines that fewer than three firms are qualified, it will only select the qualified firms.

Interviews

After submitting responses to the RFP, firms may be short-listed to be interviewed by the County's Selection Committee. The purpose of the interview is to allow each short-listed firm an opportunity to clarify and respond to questions related to its proposal. The County will call each short-listed firm to schedule individual times for the interviews.

Ranking and Negotiations

The County's Selection Committee shall rank the firms based on the qualifications and pricing proposals and will negotiate a contract with the best value firm. Upon failure to negotiate a contract with the highest ranked firm, the County shall inform the firm in writing of the termination of negotiations and enter into negotiations with the next ranked firm. If negotiations again fail, the same procedure shall be followed, in order of ranking, until a contract is negotiated or until the County determines not to enter into a contract, at the County's sole discretion. Selection of the Insurance Broker and execution of a contract is contingent upon approval by the Board of Commissioners.

Selection Schedule

Below is the County's anticipated schedule for selection of the firm:

1. RFP Proposals Due: December 4, 2024
2. Interviews (if any): December 16-20
3. Selection/Notification: December 30, 2024

Proposal Clarifications and Corrections

The County may request clarifications from any firm during the evaluation process. The County may also provide the firm an opportunity to correct defects in its proposals if the County determines it will not result in an unfair advantage for the firm and it is in the County's best interest. Any clarification or correction that is broader than the scope of the County's request may result in the firm's proposal being disqualified.

Proposal Format

The proposal should be submitted in compliance with the following specifications:

1. 1. Proposals must be submitted with one (1) electronic PDF by email, one (1) original and ten (10) hard copies. There must be an original of every document with signature, including the cover letter and attached forms.
2. 2. Proposals are required to be submitted, by the designated date and time, in a sealed package and labeled as: "[Firm Name] – 2024-02 – Proposal for the Lake County, Ohio: VISION 2050."

Submission Requirements

1. Cover Letter. Cover letter must include: (a) name, address and phone number of the office where the personnel assigned to the Project will be based, and (b) name, title and phone number of the principal contact person.
2. Firm Profile. The firm profile must include: (a) years of existence; (b) legal form of firm, (c) location of home office; and (d) general firm history. If the proposed form of entity is a joint venture, please identify each company and their respective percentage of participation.
3. Summary. Provide a summary, on one page or less, describing why your firm/team is the most- qualified for the Project.
4. Bonding/Insurance. Where applicable, provide evidence of capacity to provide bonding and a copy of the firm's certificate of insurance showing the firm's current limits of liability for commercial general liability, employer's liability, business automobile liability, and professional liability.
5. Similar Experience. Relevant projects of similar nature. Include: (a) description of the project and the services your firm provided for the project; (b) start and completion dates for each project; and (c) name, title, email and telephone number of four client contacts most familiar with your services on the project.
6. Personnel/Staffing. Provide an organizational chart containing the names and titles of the proposed staff for the Project. At a minimum, the chart should include at least three (3) officers or senior employees (e.g., Project executive, Principal-in-charge, Project Manager or Project Superintendent or similar designation) who will be available for work on the Project. For every person listed on the chart, provide a one-page resume highlighting relevant experience and identify the phase(s) of the Project to which the individual will be assigned and the percentage of that individual's time to be devoted to the Project.
7. Management Systems. Describe the record keeping, reporting, mapping, public input methodology and other information management systems that the firm would propose to use for the Project.