City of Gardiner, Maine

Request for Proposals Capital Improvement Plan Development

Issued: April 21, 2026

Proposals Due: May 11, 2026

Project Overview

The City of Gardiner is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to develop a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to guide municipal infrastructure investments over the next 8–10 years. The CIP will evaluate the condition, criticality, and resilience of municipal assets; prioritize capital investments; and support long-term financial planning.

The plan will incorporate climate resilience considerations and be informed through engagement with City staff, elected officials, and community members. The City intends for this Capital Improvement Plan to serve as a living document that integrates climate resilience, infrastructure management, and financial planning to guide municipal investments over the coming decade.

The selected consultant will develop a user-friendly asset management tool/database that allows City staff to update and maintain the CIP annually. This project will rely on existing data and prior assessments, supplemented by planning-level analysis, rather than detailed engineering evaluations.

The City anticipates a project budget of approximately $65,000 for this work. Proposals should be scoped to align with this budget; however, the City may consider alternative approaches or expanded scopes that provide additional value, including proposals that exceed this amount if justified. Proposers may identify any optional or supplemental services that could enhance the project outcomes.

Community Background

The City of Gardiner (population ~6,100) is a historic service center community located in Kennebec County at the confluence of the Kennebec River and Cobbossee Stream. The City maintains a diverse range of municipal assets, including public buildings, transportation infrastructure, stormwater systems, parks, and waterfront infrastructure. Recent increases in flooding and severe weather events have highlighted the need for proactive, resilience-focused infrastructure planning. Many municipal assets are aging and require strategic investment.

The City is currently completing a Climate Vulnerability Assessment and updating its Comprehensive Plan. The CIP will build upon these efforts to align infrastructure investment with long-term community goals and climate adaptation needs. The City has recently completed facility assessments for its combined City Hall and Public Safety Building, as well as its Public Works facility. These assessments identified significant deficiencies, indicating that major reinvestment, substantial upgrades, or full replacement of these facilities will be required.

The City is evaluating the long-term need for a new, standalone public safety facility and a separate City Hall, which may involve new locations. While site selection and facility planning are outside the scope of this project, the scale and financial impact of these potential capital investments must be incorporated into the CIP.

The City of Gardiner also operates enterprise-funded services for wastewater treatment and ambulance services, both of which serve residents beyond City boundaries. These systems function with independent revenue structures and require consideration within long-term capital planning.

Project Objectives

The selected consultant will support the City in:

• Developing a prioritized, multi-year capital investment strategy (8–10 years)
• Aligning infrastructure investments with financial capacity and community priorities
• Integrating climate resilience into capital planning decisions
• Identifying funding strategies, including grants, bonding, and other financing tools
• Building internal capacity through development of a maintainable asset management tool

Scope of Work

The selected consultant will work collaboratively with City staff to complete the following:

A. Asset Inventory and Assessment

• Review existing asset inventories, prior reports, and available condition assessments
• Conduct site visits as needed to support a general understanding of assets
• Develop a high-level inventory of municipal assets, including buildings, roads, drainage systems, utilities, parks, and waterfront infrastructure
• Identify planning-level lifecycle stage, general condition, and anticipated replacement or major rehabilitation needs
• Incorporate findings from the City's Climate Vulnerability Assessment Detailed engineering assessments are not expected as part of this project.

B. Stakeholder and Community Engagement

• Facilitate meetings with City staff and elected officials
• Conduct a minimum of two public engagement opportunities
• Support understanding of project priorities and build community awareness

C. Data Analysis and Project Prioritization

• Develop and apply objective prioritization criteria
• Evaluate assets based on condition, risk, criticality, service level, and climate resilience
• Produce a prioritized list of capital projects

D. Capital Improvement Plan Development

The consultant will prepare a comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan that incorporates known and anticipated major capital needs, including significant reinvestment or potential replacement of key municipal facilities such as City Hall, public safety, and public works buildings. While facility siting and design are outside the scope of this project, these high-cost investments must be accounted for within the City's long-term financial planning framework.

The CIP will include:

• Project descriptions
• Planning-level cost estimates
• Implementation timelines
• Funding sources and strategies
• Consideration of lifecycle costs

E. Financial Forecasting and Funding Strategy

• Provide a framework for long-term capital planning
• Identify funding strategies, including grants and financing options
• Differentiate between general municipal and enterprise-funded assets, including wastewater and ambulance services

F. Asset Management Tool Development

• Develop a user-friendly asset management tool/database
• Support knowledge transfer to City staff to ensure long-term usability for annual updates by City staff
• Provide documentation and basic training

G. Presentations

• Present draft findings to City staff and stakeholders
• Present the final CIP at a City Council meeting

Deliverables

The consultant will provide:

• Asset inventory and assessment summary
• Prioritized capital project list
• Cost estimates and timelines
• Funding strategy recommendations
• Functional asset management tool/database
• Draft and final Capital Improvement Plan document
• Final presentation to City Council

Project Timeline

The anticipated project duration is 10 months, beginning in April 2026. The project must be completed by February 14, 2027.

Phase Timeline

RFP Issued April 21, 2026

Proposals Due May 11, 2026

Consultant Selection May 2026

Project Kickoff April/May 2026

Assessment & Engagement Summer 2026

Draft CIP Development Summer–Fall 2026

Final Plan Adoption Late 2026 / Early 2027

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should include:

• Firm overview and qualifications
• Relevant project experience
• Project approach and methodology
• Proposed project team
• Project schedule
• Cost proposal, including a breakdown by project task or phase
• At least three examples of similar municipal CIP or asset management projects
• References – Contact information for at least three recent municipal clients

Proposal length:

Maximum 10 pages (excluding bios/resumes)

Selection Criteria

Criteria Weight

Relevant Experience 25%

Project Approach & Methodology 25%

Climate Resilience & Infrastructure Understanding 15%

Asset Management Tool Approach & Usability 15%

Cost & Value 10%

Collaboration, Communication, Outreach 10%

Total 100%

Procurement and Submission Information

This RFP is issued in accordance with the City of Gardiner's purchasing policy.

Proposals Due: May 11, 2026

Submit proposals electronically in PDF format to:

Melissa Lindley, City of Gardiner Economic Development Director mlindley@gardinermaine.com

Proposals may be mailed or delivered to:

Gardiner City Hall, 6 Church Street, Gardiner, ME 04345

Questions and Clarifications

Questions regarding this RFP shall be submitted by May 6, 2026 via email to:

Melissa Lindley, City of Gardiner Economic Development Director mlindley@gardinermaine.com

Responses to questions will be compiled and shared with all interested parties as an addendum to this RFP posted on the City of Gardiner's website at www.gardinermaine.gov.

The City may, at its discretion, invite a shortlist of qualified firms to participate in interviews. Interviews will be used to clarify project approach, scope, and team qualifications prior to final selection.

The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, reopen the RFP process, and to accept the proposal deemed in the best interest of the City.