2025_PL_001_City of Newport_Comprehensive Plan Update RFQ _ Bid Doc.pdf

CITY OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND

PURCHASING DIVISION

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

SEALED BIDS

RFP# 2025-PL-001

Sealed proposals are being requested to provide City of Newport’s Comprehensive Plan Update, in accordance with all terms and specifications contained herein, will be received in the Purchasing Office, City Hall, 43 Broadway, Newport, R. I., until:

Two (2) O'clock PM, local time

Friday, April 4th, 2025

This is not a public Opening

If you have any questions about this project, please contact the City Planner, Rebeccah Trefethen at rtrefethen@cityofnewport.com. All such written questions or suggestions must be received by the City Planner no later than Friday, March 21st at 4:30 PM, EST. Earlier submissions of questions or are encouraged.

Proposals must be submitted in sealed envelopes addressed to the Purchasing Office, City Hall, 43 Broadway, Newport, RI.

02840, and shall be plainly marked in the lower left-hand corner “City of Newport Comprehensive Plan Update– RFP# 2025-PL-001". Please include one (1) original and two (2) copies of your proposal.

Note: RFP Tabulations will be posted on the BidNet bidding website, https://www.bidnetdirect.com, generally within twenty-four (24) hours of the closing date.

It is the bidder’s responsibility to see that the bid is delivered within the time and at the place prescribed. Bids received prior to the time of opening will be securely kept, unopened. Bids may be withdrawn on written request (on the letterhead of the bidder and signed by the person signing the bid) which must be received prior to the time fixed for opening. Bids may be modified in the same manner. No bid or modification thereof received after the time set for opening will be considered, even if it is determined by the City that such non- arrival before the time set for opening was due solely to the delay in the mails for which the bidder is not responsible.

Any bidder taking exception to, or questioning any of the provisions, procedures, conditions or specifications herein stated should make such exceptions known to the undersigned, in writing, not less than five (5) days before the bid opening.

Any change or interpretation made as a result thereof will be published in an addendum and mailed to all prospective bidders.

Should a bidder still not be satisfied, he may, in the bid, set out and stipulate the exception, with enough explanation to be understood by the City and, within the stipulation, the INCREASE or DECREASE in the bid price because of the exception shall be stated. The City may, at its discretion, accept or reject any or all exceptions.

Federal Excise Taxes and/or Rhode Island Use Taxes are not to be included in the bid. The City will execute exemption certificates if furnished by the bidder when submitting his invoice.

The bidder will state the approximate delivery date in the bid, or the time required to make delivery after notification of award. The right is reserved, as the interest of the City may require, to reject any or all bid proposals, to waive any technical defect or informality in bids received, and to accept or reject any bid or portion thereof. The City of Newport reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to accept any proposals deemed to be for the best interest of the City.

Note: All bidders are responsible for ensuring that no addenda have been made to the original bid package.

mailto:rtrefethen@cityofnewport.com.

http://www.bidnetdirect.com/

Prevailing Wage - Any construction over $ 1,000.00 is required by state law to pay state prevailing wage. A current copy of the most recent Prevailing Wage scale is obtained from the State of Rhode Island, Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation or at the Davis-Bacon Wage Determination link. It is also by request for each construction bid document. All vendors supplying construction services must submit certified payrolls from any contractor and sub-contractor who work on the project. No payments are made until all payrolls are up to date, and correct.

Prevailing Wages also applies to ALL other (Non-Construction) Requirements. If the City's requirement is sealed bid, the DAVIS-BACON Wage Determination applies.

CITY OF NEWPORT, RHODE

ISLAND

Alessandro Casagrande, Acting Purchasing Agent

GENERAL CONDITIONS

1. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to waive any informality, to request interviews of

Service Providers prior to award and to select and negotiate the Service Provider services in the best interest of the City.

2. The Service Provider shall guarantee to perform the services offered and the total price of the proposal for a period of not less than 60 days from the deadline for submission of proposals.

3. The City reserves the right to accept all or part of any proposal, and to negotiate a contract for services and cost with the selected Service Provider.

4. The Service Provider shall provide all necessary personnel, materials and equipment to perform and complete all work under this proposal.

5. All original documents and drawings shall become the property of the City after completion of the Service Provider’s work.

6. The City of Newport intends to recommend award of a contract to the City Council for the requested services within one (1) month of receipt of the proposals. The Service Provider shall be prepared to commence work immediately upon execution of a contract with the City.

7. Awards will not be made to any person, firm or company in default of a contract with the City, the State of Rhode Island or the Federal Government.

8. The Service Provider hereby agrees that it will assign to the City of Newport all cause of action that it may acquire under the anti-trust laws of Rhode Island and the United States as the result of conspiracies, combination of contracts in restraint of trade which affect the price of goods or services obtained by the City under this contract if requested by the City of Newport.

9. Unless otherwise stated, invoices are to be submitted (to Accounting Office) in duplicate upon delivery of service to the City. The invoice must include an itemization of all services provided, including unit list price, net price, extensions and total amount(s) due.

10. Unless otherwise stated, payment will be made within thirty (30) days of the completion of the service, in an acceptable fashion, to the City and receipt of invoice, whichever is later.

11. City is exempt from all sales and Federal excise taxes. Our exemption number is 05-6000260. Please bill less these taxes.

12. The City of Newport’s obligations to pay any amount due under a contract are contingent upon availability and continuation of funds for the purpose. The City may terminate the contract, for non-appropriation of funds, and all payment obligations of the City cease on the date of termination.

13. None of the services covered by the contract shall be assigned in full or in part, or sub-contracted without the prior approval of the City.

14. This contract will be for the services described within; however, this agreement should not be considered exclusive. As deemed necessary, the City reserves the right to obtain these services from any other vendor.

15. Unless otherwise specified all costs listed are firm for the term of the contract.

16. Neither party shall be liable for any inability to perform its’ obligations under any subsequent agreement due to war, riot, insurrection, civil commotion, fire, flood, earthquake, storm or other act of God.

17. Notification of the parties shall be considered to have been constructively received when it is mailed via the

United States Postal Service or delivered in hand to the parties as stated in thecontract.

18. If any of the GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS is held to be invalid or unenforceable, it will be construed to have the broadest interpretation which would make it valid and enforceable under such holding. Invalidity or unenforceability of a term or condition will not affect any of the other GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

19. Each and every provision and clause required by law to be inserted in any subsequent Contract shall be deemed to be inserted herein and the Contract shall be read and enforced as though it were included herein, and if through mistake or otherwise any such provision is not inserted, or is not correctly inserted, then upon the application of either party, the Contract shall forthwith be physically amended to make such insertion or correction.

20. Proposal shall also mean quotation, bid, offer, qualification/experience statement, and services. Proposers shall also mean vendors, offerors, bidders, or any person or firm responding to a Request for Proposals.

21. All contracts entered into by the City of Newport shall be governed by the Laws of the State of Rhode Island.

Any disputes shall be resolved within the venue of the State of Rhode Island and Newport County.

22. The Service Provider selected for this project shall procure and maintain the following types of insurance:

□ Statutory Workers Compensation and Employer’s Liability Insurance

□ Professional Services Liability Insurance for errors and omissions ($1,000,000.00 minimum)

□ Liability and Property Damage Insurance (a) Bodily injury liability: $500,000 each person, $1,000,000 each occurrence; (b) Property damage liability: $500,000 each occurrence, $1,000,000 aggregate.

Newport Comprehensive Plan 2027 Update

CITY OF NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

Notice to Bidders

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Newport Comprehensive Plan Update

RFQ # 2025-PL-001

INTRODUCTION

The City of Newport is seeking proposals from qualified consulting firms to assist the City with an update to the Newport Comprehensive Plan (the Plan) that builds off of the recent planning efforts and amendments, such as The Housing Chapter (2024), Keep Newport Moving (2023), and the North End Urban Plan (2021). The updated Plan will be prepared following the guidance provided from the Rhode Island Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Regulation Act (the Act) which requires all comprehensive plans to be in conformance with the Act in order to achieve State approval. The Plan will include and be based on input from the Newport community, City staff, and the appointed Newport Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (NCPAC.) Additionally, the plan will be subject to review and approval by Rhode Island Statewide Planning, and adoption by the Newport City Council.

Respondents must demonstrate a minimum of five (5) years of strategic planning experience including experience within the disciplines of urban/regional planning and urban design.

Additionally, experience with natural resource, land use, economic development, climate adaptation, adaptive reuse, tourism, and historic preservation planning is expected. Respondents must also demonstrate a working knowledge of all state and federal laws as well as Rhode Island Statewide Planning’s policies and procedures as they relate to approval and adoption of Comprehensive Land Use Plans.

The consultant will be expected to assist the City in meeting these requirements and to build upon the vision expressed in the 2017 Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan, as amended in 2024. The current plan is available for review on the City’s website at www.cityofnewport.com. Additional resources, such as a Comprehensive Plan Content Completion Checklist, are available at planning.ri.gov.

http://www.cityofnewport.com/ https://planning.ri.gov/planning-areas/local-comprehensive-planning/comprehensive-plan-review-standards-and-guidance

NEWPORT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

2027 UPDATE

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The City of Newport is seeking a Comprehensive Plan Update that reflects our existing climate, and future goals. The City is notably seeking to refine the chapters and sections centered around resiliency, all parts of the water cycle, natural resources and climate adaptation. Other areas of focus include the City’s Future Land Use Map, specifically in regards to updating it to reflect the refined goals of the Comprehensive Plan. Additionally, review and updates for state-mandated chapters would be expected. All work should build upon the existing data and efforts compiled by the City, the community, and our regional partners. It is imperative this process is inclusive, fun, and innovative for community residents, stakeholders, and staff alike.

The City is currently in the process of assembling a multidisciplinary team that will make up the Newport Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (NCPAC). NCPAC, in conjunction with City staff, will be responsible for assisting the consultant with data collection and reviewing content for the Newport Comprehensive Plan. The Advisory Committee may be assembled into sub-committees based on knowledge or expertise in order to complete the work.

SCOPE OF WORK

The following recommended scope of work is meant to provide a guideline. Responses to this RFQ may suggest alternative approaches or tasks in addition to those identified within this RFQ.

The scope of work will include, but will not be limited to, the following tasks:

1. Project Reconnaissance

a. Meet with City staff to review the scope of work and existing information available.

b. Conduct community visits and inventory physical and social conditions.

c. Review City of Newport’s most updated Capital Improvements budget to understand departmental goals and relationships.

d. Review previously completed and ongoing planning studies for various City Departments and regional partners. These should be referenced in the City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan if applicable. They include but are not limited to:

i. Newport Harbor Management Plan (2025) – Harbormasters

ii. Water System Supply Management Plan (ongoing) – Utilities

iii. Eastons Beach Study (ongoing) – Public Works

iv. Aquidneck Island and Naval Station Compatible Use (ongoing) – Connect

Greater Newport

v. Aquidneck Island Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan (ongoing) – Aquidneck

Island Communities

e. Review relevant plans and amendments that must be referenced to the City’s

Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Such plans may include but are not limited to:

i. Newport Tree, Park and Open Space Master Plan (2017)

ii. North End Urban Plan (2021)

iii. Newport Hazard Mitigation Plan (2022)

iv. Keep Newport Moving: Transportation Master Plan (2023)

v. Newport Housing Buildout Analysis (2024)

vi. Newport Housing Chapter (2024)

vii. Newport Heights Redevelopment (ongoing)

2. Project Management

a. The Consultant shall select a Project Manager and team who will serve as the primary point of contact for the duration of the project.

b. The Consultant shall prepare a project management plan.

c. The Consultant shall prepare and submit monthly progress reports, invoices, and billings.

d. The Consultant shall establish, present and maintain a project schedule with key milestones and deliverables. Project schedule should clearly outline public engagement schedule and milestones, or consultant may include this as a complimentary exhibit to the project schedule.

e. The Consultant shall organize and coordinate meetings for review and provide status updates of various elements of the overall project.

3. Project Initiation

a. Participate in work sessions with elected officials, NCPAC, the public, and City staff.

b. Establish areas of focus, based on City staff and stakeholder recommendation, in relation to the Plan.

c. Refine prospective goals and objectives for both technical analysis and public involvement components.

4. Public Engagement

a. In coordination with the City’s Communications Department, develop a public engagement process that outlines methods to engage the public, encourage active participation, and foster an environment for idea sharing. It is imperative that the Consultant develop a public engagement process that can engage all segments of the community, including (but not limited to) producing marketing materials in Spanish and English, as well as providing a Spanish translator at community engagement events. The public engagement process must require an online element, such as a website or StroyMap.

b. The Consultant shall prepare a public engagement and public relations campaign and present this plan to the City for approval. The campaign must meet the community engagement goals and vision described above, and the campaign shall include a variety of engagement styles and venues to obtain input from all members of the public. A social media component must be included. This plan should have the ability to evolve as needed, based on initial interactions and public feedback.

c. The consultant must be prepared to work with City staff to present and lead workshops for citizen groups, to be determined based on the content of exhibits and goals of workshop. Workshops should include, but are not limited to; round-table discussions, online surveys, interactive presentations and design charettes. The consultant should be prepared to present the outcomes of these workshops formally to the Planning Board and City Council for public hearings, input, and plan consideration/adoption.

5. Data and Development Analysis

a. The Consultant shall prepare population, economic, and market studies of the community and prepare estimates, projections, and forecasts for ten- and twenty-year planning horizons.

6. Capital Facilities Analysis

a. The Consultant shall prepare an analysis of existing public facilities, and city-owned buildings to determine deficiencies and make recommendations for public improvements that will accommodate projected growth and development.

7. Implementation and Strategies

a. The Consultant shall prepare priorities, goals, and objectives and make recommendations for policies, strategies and actions for plan implementation. The

Consultant should provide an analysis of potential funding mechanisms that can be utilized toward the investment of public and economic improvements. Additionally, the Consultant should suggest responsible parties to achieve implementation.

8. Final Plan

a. The Consultant shall prepare a final Plan complete with results, analyses, conclusions and recommendations for approval by the City. The report should include graphic exhibits in the form of maps, diagrams, photographs, and any other materials the Consultant deems informational. Preparation and publication of the final plan, the Newport Comprehensive Plan, shall be presented to the Newport Planning Board, City Council, and Statewide Planning for approval and/or adoption. The Consultant shall provide three (3) hard copies of the final plan, as well as digital copies of all materials in both Word and PDF formats.

b. In addition to the state-mandated Plan format, the City is also interested in StoryMaps, both as a final product and evolving document that encourages a more innovative planning process.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

The consulting team will provide a broad range of planning services necessary for the completion of the Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Interested consultants should involve a multi-disciplinary team either through their own firm or by sub-consulting or cooperating with other firms. The consulting team must provide knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to undertake the basic and unique aspects of the scope of work paying particular attention to:

Basic Comprehensive Planning – The team must be experienced and skilled in the preparation of basic elements of comprehensive plans as specified in the Rhode Island State Statutes and accepted professional practice with particular attention to: community trends, engaging community stakeholders and the public in visioning, policy building and action/strategy development, and addressing State requirements for comprehensive plans. The consultant should be willing to introduce innovative planning strategies tactfully at a community scale.

Design – The team should be experienced and technically skilled in urban, community, and regional design in order to provide a future vision for the city through both written and graphic articulation.

The consultant team should be skilled in conveying complex ideas through simple diagrams, specifically when analyzing current and future land use regulations.

Natural Resources and Water – The consultant team should have experience working with communities that experience waterfront edge and island conditions. Specifically, the team should be equipped to analyze the existing and predicted conditions of Newport’s natural infrastructure, and provide recommendations as needed. These categories may include, but are not limited to;

stormwater retention and mitigation, availability of potable water, rate of coastal erosion, health of ecosystems, wetlands and salt marshes, amount of fertile soil, pervious vs. impervious landcover, and floodplain management. The team will be expected to make policy and development recommendations based on the data gathered, as well as provide design guidelines and methods, such as living shorelines and residential scale implementation.

Economic Development – The team should have experience in providing strategies and methods for improving the City’s ability to retain local business, initiate and maintain public/private partnerships, and attract diverse, year-round employment opportunities that provide training. The team should be prepared to evaluate the City’s economic assets, such as commercial districts, against severe weather events such as tidal flooding and storm surge. The consultant will be expected to analyze the economic risk of commercial and residential districts being located and continuing to develop in flood zones. This analysis may include the tax revenue that would be lost in the event that the commercial districts are incapacitated by a weather even in peak tourist season, and what that would mean for the city’s economic health overall.

Transportation Planning – The consultant team should be experienced in assessing existing transportation systems, specifically in seasonal / historic tourism communities. The consultant team will build upon, and incorporate the Transportation Master Plan: Keep Newport Moving (2023) in the plan. This includes, but is not limited to, providing updated data and recommendations where needed. The policies, goals, and objectives should incorporate a vision toward alternative transportation modes and de-centering parking as a limitation to development by providing alternative, feasible solutions. The transportation element should also engage the local, state, and federal agencies and integrate their respective transportation systems including any long-range plans developed to meet the needs of the network as a whole.

Housing – The team should be experienced in providing solutions for the current and future housing needs of the community, including methods to maximize underutilized property for housing, and increasing density within a historic, heavily regulated architectural fabric. The consultant will be expected to update data in the recently adopted (2024) Housing Chapter where needed, but not to rewrite the chapter. The consultant will be expected to integrate the goals and suggestions of the Housing Chapter and Housing Build Out Analysis into other chapter’s recommendations. Additionally, the consultant team should have familiarity with the state’s recent adaptive reuse policies. The team will be expected to include analysis of the city’s existing and potential adaptive reuse projects.

Demographic Characteristics and Trends – The consulting team should be capable of projecting population, housing, and commercial development trends for a ten- (10) and twenty- (20) year period. The consulting team should be able to provide related, innovative recommendations to the City for accommodating the anticipated housing trends and economic development projections.

Implementation Strategies – The team must be knowledgeable and experienced in development and implementation strategies, which should include recommendations for zoning and subdivision regulations, administrative procedures, development incentives and programs, and identification of potentially available funding. The implementation strategies should clearly articulate short term, medium term, and long-term implementation actions. The proposed Implementation goals should articulate probable funding sources specific to each listed goal.

Coordination of Existing Master Plans – The team must be able to articulate how all existing master plans and studies will be coordinated into the new overall Comprehensive Plan. The team should clearly describe how this will be done and how overall priorities will be set. The consulting team should be able to evaluate the consistency among and between the plans and studies along with the current codes and regulations and make recommendations to bring current local codes and regulations into consistency with the Plan.

Compatibility with Surrounding Municipalities – The team should be experienced in working on regional comprehensive plans. The Plan should address the compatibility between existing and proposed development and plans in contiguous portions of neighboring municipalities. Measures should be established to provide buffers or other transitional devices between disparate uses, such as Gateway Overlay Districts. Additionally, the Plan should identify if existing and proposed development of the municipality is consistent with the objectives and plans of Statewide Planning efforts.

Public Participation – Consistent community engagement will be a major component of this process. The Department of Planning and Development is in the process of assembling a multidisciplinary team that will make up the Newport Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (NCPAC). The consultant will meet at agreed-upon intervals with NCPAC, as well as city staff. The consultant will work in conjunction with City staff to provide marketing materials which the City will utilize to engage the advisory group as well as the general public as the project moves forward.

The consultant will also utilize various social media avenues (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, City Website, survey platforms, etc.) to assist with the collecting of public comment. The consultant should create a project-specific website, Instagram account, or StoryMap, which can be utilized to collect public comment, disseminate information, organize workshops and community events, and act as the hub for public relations/information. The website or account should be accessible autonomously and through a link on the City’s website.

Project Mapping – The team should be experienced and skilled in mapping and illustration to graphically depict the major elements of the plan. The consultant will work with the City of Newport’s GIS Coordinator and other Planning and City staff to develop these images. All report maps will be produced in scales that will reproduce to fit both 8.5” x 11” and 11” x 17” pages and be suitable for posting on the City’s website. Final productions of certain maps and graphics may be produced on 24” x 36” and submitted as PDFs and hardcopies mounted on poster boards to the City at the conclusion of the project. Maps and graphics produced for workshops on 24” x 36” shall be turned into the city at the conclusion of the project for continual display. Any GIS layers created by the consultant should be permanently shared for use on the City’s MapGeo portal for residents.

Familiarity with the City’s Zoning and Subdivision Regulations – The consulting team should have familiarity with the existing local zoning and subdivision regulations, as well as the State requirements as expressed in RIGL §45-23 and §45-24. Following adoption of the Comprehensive Plan, the city has eighteen (18) months to bring the local regulations into conformity with the community’s tenets as expressed within the newly adopted plan.

TIMEFRAME

The City of Newport is targeting state approval of the Plan by February 28, 2027. This would require that the City begins their public hearing process no later than April of 2026 and factor in potential delays that may come along during the adoption process.

The consultant will have approximately one (1) year to complete the public engagement process and finalize revisions to the Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan identified within the scope of work. The City intends to regularly submit draft chapters of the comprehensive plan for review by both RI Statewide Planning staff and the staff of other state agencies prior to Planning Board and City Council approval. Additionally, the City will submit a full, final draft copy of the Plan to Statewide Planning prior to recommending the Plan to City Council for final review and adoption.

Statewide Planning will have 120 days to conduct a full draft review of the Plan. This will ensure the plan is in compliance with State initiatives and reduce final review time and the number of revisions to address state comments.

EVALUATION OF QUALIFICATIONS

Proposals will be examined and technically evaluated based on the categories presented below. It is the responsibility of the consultant to provide information, evidence or exhibits which clearly demonstrate the ability to satisfactorily respond to the project requirements and the categories listed below. Each category will be worth 5 points, requiring the reviewers to score each listed category individually within the range of 0-5 points. The maximum score a proposal can receive is 25 points.

A. Qualifications and Experience 5 points

Specialized experience is required of the company and/or the responsible individual. Proposals must clearly demonstrate full knowledge, understanding, and experience in the methods, techniques, and guidelines required for the performance of the required work.

B. Project Understanding 5 points

The bidder must demonstrate a comprehension of the role and function of this contract in meeting the needs of the City.

1. Response to all elements requested in the RFQ.

2. Clarity of the submittal.

3. Understanding of the project scope of work.

4. Familiarity with the City of Newport.

C. Project Experience and References 5 points

A list of references with similar projects must be provided and include company name, contact name, and telephone number or email.

D. Project Management 5 points

Demonstrated ability to effectively manage multi-faceted projects. Examples from other projects must be provided.

E. Public Workshops and Engagement 5 points

Demonstrated ability to host effective public workshops and conduct successful community education and engagement. Examples from other projects should be provided.

SUBMISSION INFORMATION, DEADLINE & FEES

Submission Instructions:

Proposals will be received by the City of Newport, in the Purchasing Office, City Hall, 43 Broadway, Newport, RI, 02840 until:

2:00 PM, EST

FRIDAY, APRIL 4TH 2025

This is not a public opening.

Proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope addressed Attn: City of Newport Purchasing Agent located in Purchasing Office, City Hall, 43 Broadway, Newport, RI, 02840, and must be plainly marked in the lower left-hand corner, “RFQ # 2025-PL-001 – Newport Comprehensive Plan Update”. Please include (1) original and (2) copies of your proposal. Please submit an electronic copy in PDF format to acasagrande@cityofnewport.com.

If you have any questions about this project, please contact the City Planner - Rebeccah Trefethen, at rtrefethen@cityofnewport.com. All such written questions or suggestions must be received by the City Planner no later than Friday, March 21st at 4:30 PM, EST. Earlier submissions of questions or suggestions are encouraged.

It is the respondent’s responsibility to see that the technical proposal is delivered within the time and at the place prescribed. Technical Proposals received prior to the time of opening will be securely kept, unopened. Technical Proposals may be withdrawn or modified on written request (on the letterhead of the bidder and signed by the person signing the bid) which must be received prior to the time fixed for opening. Technical Proposals received after the time set for opening will be considered if it is determined by the City that such non-arrival before the time set for opening was due solely to the delay in the mails for which the bidder is not responsible.

Any change or interpretation made as a result thereof will be published in an addendum and sent to all prospective bidders. Should a bidder still not be satisfied, they may, in the bid, set out and stipulate the exception, with enough explanation to be understood by the City and, within the stipulation, the INCREASE or DECREASE in the bid price because of the exception shall be stated. The City may, at its discretion, accept or reject any or all exceptions.

Note: All bidders are responsible for ensuring that no addenda have been made to the original bid package. All bid packages and addendums are located at https://www.bidnetdirect.com/rhode-island/cityofnewport, or you can contact the Purchasing Department. RFQ tabulations will be posted on the BidNet website, https://www.bidnetdirect.com, generally within 24 of the closing date.

mailto:acasagrande@cityofnewport.com mailto:rtrefethen@cityofnewport.com.

https://www.bidnetdirect.com/rhode-island/cityofnewport https://www.bidnetdirect.com/rhode-island/cityofnewport http://www.bidnetdirect.com/

Fees:

Although fees will be negotiated after rankings have been completed, please supply in a separate sealed envelope, your fee proposal associated with this project. Please include one (1) original and four (4) copies of the fee schedule for the proposed scope of services. Fee proposals shall include a NOT TO EXCEED fee schedule identifying each distinct task of the scope of services with anticipated hours, labor category, hourly rate, and markup. All printing, travel and other miscellaneous costs shall be identified and included in the total not to exceed fee.

Fee proposals will be kept separate from the proposals by the purchasing agent and will only be opened and utilized as a basis for negotiation with the highest ranking proposal upon completion of the rankings. If negotiations are unsuccessful with the highest rank, a similar process will be followed with the next highest ranked proposal until a successful negotiation is achieved and accepted.

Please review the Notice To Bidders at the beginning of this document for further instructions, courtesy of the Purchasing Department.

SELECTION COMMITTEE / INTERVIEW

A selection committee consisting of City of Newport staff members will review and rank all proposals. It is the intention of the City to create short list of up to three firms. Project teams from the short-listed firms will be asked to interview with the selection committee. A recommendation for an award based on the firms ranking and interview will then be made to the City Council.

The City of Newport reserves the right to accept or reject any or all qualifications received as a result of this request, to negotiate with qualified sources or to cancel in part or in its entirety – the Request for Proposals, if it is in the best interest of the City.

All questions pertaining to this solicitation must be addressed in writing, via email to:

Rebeccah Trefethen

City of Newport, City Planner

(401) 845-5472 / rtrefethen@cityofnewport.com mailto:rtrefethen@cityofnewport.com