STATEMENT OF NEED

The City of Shawnee, Oklahoma, is the county seat for Pottawatomie County. The settlement was established in 1907, and the first known structure was a little log house. Later, the structure was turned into a mission to serve the Shawnee people, after which the city was named.

The railroad arrived in 1895, and the city prospered with the oil boom of 1920. The Santa Fe Depot was built in 1903 to serve the busy railroad traffic. The architectural style of the structure is Romanesque Revival, specific to Gothic elements integrated with Roman forms.

The property has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since June 05, 1974, with the area of significance noted as Transportation and Architecture. The structure was being utilized for some time as a museum. Repurposing the historic building and offering alternative uses are in the best interest of Shawnee to solicit Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from design professionals and/or developers to accomplish this goal.

The City is looking to enhance the economic opportunities in the area through this revitalization project.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Listed below are the dates and times by which stated actions must be taken or completed. All listed times are applicable local times for Shawnee, Oklahoma.

November 6, 2025: Advertising of Request for Proposals

February 4, 2026: Last day and time to submit written questions at 3:00 pm

February 18, 2026: Responses to submitted questions posted online

March 4, 2026: Pre-submittal meeting (at least one team representative required to attend) at 10:00 am

March 12, 2026: RFP responses due no later than 3:00 p.m. (CST)

April 30, 2026: Selection Committee evaluation of Proposals

May 18, 2026: Award recommendation to City Commission

June 1, 2026: Document execution / Notice to Proceed

The City of Shawnee Board of City Commissioners may, in their discretion, after hearing the award recommendation of City staff and the RFP Respondents, elect to approve or deny any Proposal if deemed in the best interests of the City of Shawnee. Accordingly, representatives of the Respondents are encouraged to attend the City Commission meeting to answer any questions the Board of City Commissioners may have, and to present evidence and argument in support of approval of the Proposal, if necessary.

Neither a Respondent nor members of the public shall communicate, directly or indirectly, with the City Commission regarding a Proposal under consideration by the City of Shawnee, except upon notice and opportunity for all parties to participate.

Project Scope:

Background and Experience

The City of Shawnee is seeking Proposals from qualified Respondents to propose and design alternative uses for the Santa Fe Railroad Depot in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The space is ideal for multiple activities at once and should serve as a communal hub for residents. The project shall abide by all requirements of the National Register for Historic Places.

Qualified Respondents must have experience with similar projects for adaptive reuse and have worked in the past with the National Park Service standards for historic preservation, as well as the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO

Key qualifiers of the Respondent should include, but not be limited to:

1. Demonstrated experience with Historic Preservation properties.
2. Demonstrated the ability to maintain compliance with the latest iteration of the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code/International Residential Building Code.
3. Experience repurposing similar historical properties in cooperation with municipal governments of comparable size.
4. Demonstrated organizational and staff expertise directly related to the type of proposed adaptive reuse.
5. Knowledge and expertise to find and navigate grants and other alternative funding for project completion.
6. Demonstrated experience with adaptive reuse of historical properties to boost the economic revitalization of the surrounding area.

Required Information and Documentation

1. License to do business in the State of Oklahoma.
2. Documentation and delineation of the names and job titles of all staff responsible for the proposed development and their areas of responsibility.
3. Respondent's disclosure of partnerships and description of all partners, both financial and non-financial, clearly identifying the extent and nature of their contribution to the proposed development.
4. Respondents' financial statements for the current year and the two preceding years.

The Respondent shall produce the following:

1. Full adaptation of the interior spaces, keeping the historical connection.
2. Full adaptation of the remaining exterior spaces (windows, tuckpointing, plaza area).
3. Suggestions for rehabilitating the adjacent log cabin immediately north of the depot. This item is optional.
4. Provide full specifications for proposed materials, colors, textures, etc., to meet the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) requirements.
5. Propose adaptive uses of the interior and exterior of the Railroad Depot to enhance the community's social and economic life. The proposed uses could include, but are not limited to, art establishments, craft studios with retail, community classes/training, summer school engagements, community events, renting for private events such as weddings, graduations, personal celebrations, exhibitions, eating/drinking establishments, etc.
6. Plan for the renovated depot fits into the local economic development strategy for the Railroad Depot, including how it fits into the community overall.
7. Proposed agreement for operations upon completion of construction.
8. Funding- the respondent is required to identify funding opportunities through grants or other alternative sources for improvements to the existing structure. Proposals with funding options and an implementation plan will be given preference.

Responsibilities of the City

1. The city will assist in assembling the available census and other relevant data that can be made available for the preparation of the Reuse Revitalization Plan.
2. Access to the City's necessary records and maps.

Submittal Requirements

1. Submittal Remittance

Send sealed submittal to:

City of Shawnee
Attn: City Clerk
16 West 9th Street
Shawnee, Oklahoma 74801

Clearly Marked on the Outside Envelope

RFP# 2026-001 Railroad Depot Revitalization

Due Date: Monday, March 12, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. (Central Standard Time)

1. Instructions to Professionals
   1. Respondents are to submit one (1) original complete submittal with signatures in blue ink, and one (1) electronic form (on a USB drive) of the complete submittal package that can be reproduced.
   2. At due date and time, all submittals received by the due date will be opened for the sole purpose of recording the names of the Respondent individuals or firms submitting written responses.
   3. If the submittal is mailed, sufficient time must be allowed to ensure the City of Shawnee's proper receipt of the package by the time specified above. Allow an additional 24 hours for the City of Shawnee's internal mail process. It is the responsibility of the Respondent to ensure that the properly marked and sealed submittal arrives at the City of Shawnee. Submittals received after the due date and time will be returned to the Respondent unopened. In case of inclement weather or any other disruption outside of the control of the City, the same is not obligated to accept late submissions.
   4. Any submittal not prepared and received in accordance with the provisions stated herein will be considered an informal response, and any/all of the submittals may be rejected.
   5. Withdrawal of submittal will be accepted until the submission due date and time above. No submittal may be withdrawn after the deadline. Any Proposals not so withdrawn shall constitute an irrevocable offer, for a period of ninety (90) days, to provide to the City the services set forth in this Request for Proposals, or until one or more of the Proposals have been awarded.
   6. Each Respondent will pay all costs associated with the preparation of the submittal, and, if applicable, subsequent oral presentations if requested by the City of Shawnee.
   7. This file becomes a matter of public record and is open for review by the public upon the full execution of the agreement.
2. Submittal Content: The following information must, but is not limited to, be included in the submittal packet:
   1. Signed Proposal Cover Sheet.
   2. Cover Letter of Interest (one page) Provide a statement indicating your ability to provide timely service and describe the benefits the City will receive from selecting your company. The cover letter is to be signed by a fully authorized official of the Respondent firm.
   3. Company Respondent's Profile:
      1. Clearly indicate the designated team leader for the project, as well as the specific individuals who will be assigned to the work.
      2. List team members and their professional certifications, disciplines, and the primary role of each individual/firm on the team. Provide the percentage of the expected time team members will devote to this project.
3. Project Approach:
   1. Discuss your project strategy to gain public input. Specify the methods of active public engagement to reach hard-to-involve/marginalized public groups. Share successful experiences on similar projects and lessons learned.
   2. Demonstrate creative forms of communication (physical, virtual, electronic) to encourage and enhance active participation from all stakeholder groups, gender, age, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. Address the critical need to reach groups that have been underrepresented in the process- families with young children, young adults and professionals, non-English speakers, citizens lacking mobility and/or transportation, etc.
   3. Demonstrate capabilities from your experience coordinating various stakeholders to build community consensus in a compressed timeframe.
   4. Illustrate experience to prepare recommendations with realistic capital and operating cost estimates.
   5. Develop a plan to outline the milestones for our community to accomplish in reaching the established goals and objectives.
   6. Experience in controlling project budgets and timelines.
   7. Supply interior layout with proposed uses in place. Explain how the proposed uses will benefit the local economy and support the community's needs.

If the Respondent Elects to Subcontract, the Respondent shall identify any and all firms under any subcontract for portions of the proposed work. Respondents shall also acknowledge responsibility for all work performed by any subcontractor. Professional qualifications for all designated subcontractors must be included with references as well.

Respondent Experience and Client References — Provide five relevant projects, within the last 5 years that are of a similar building usage and scale and client references for your company from these projects.

Litigation History — Provide five years of history and any current litigation including a summary of each case. Provide a statement of assurance that any current or pending litigation will not have an adverse financial effect on the performance of the project.

1. Fee Structure:
   1. Provide a chart that breaks down the hourly rates of the individual team members assigned to this project.
   2. Include a non-building estimate of the relative percentage of time anticipated to be spent by each team member for each aspect of the project.
   3. Present separate time and fee sub-total estimates for components of the Railroad Depot Revitalization proposal and include these in your firm's response. Present a total project fee estimate range, inclusive of all components of the Railroad Depot Revitalization proposal. The purpose of this breakdown is to assist the City in determining which components to include in the effort and/or adjust in scope.
   4. Identify any reimbursable expenses and/or other fixed fee items.
2. Client References:
   1. Provide a minimum of five (5) successfully completed historic properties adaptation and reuse projects with a point of contact.
   2. Specify the client, location, and firm members who participated and their role in the project, scope of work, total fee, schedule, and implementation results/status.
   3. Project Completion Schedule:
   4. Provide a detailed schedule for tasks and milestones.
   5. Include a graphic timetable with responsible individuals
3. Attachments
   1. Attachment A: Certification for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements as required by the Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment, 31 U.S.C. 1352
   2. Attachment B: No Proposal Notification, if necessary
   3. Attachment C: Acknowledgement of number and date of addenda received
   4. Attachment D: Non-Collusion Affidavit
   5. Attachment E: Conflict of Interest Certification
   6. Attachment F: Affidavit of Single Submittal

If the Respondent fails to supply all required information, the submission may be deemed non-responsive at the discretion of the City of Shawnee.