Downtown Cartersville Streetscape RFP_10_29_2.pdf

Downtown Cartersville, Bartow County, Georgia

Request for Proposals for

Streetscape Plan

Downtown Cartersville

Bartow County, Georgia

Issue Date: October 29, 2025

Inquiries and Proposals may be addressed to:

Downtown Cartersville c/o Lillie Read, Executive Director 1 Friendship Plaza, Cartersville, Georgia 30120

(770) 607-3480

Email: lread@downtowncartersville.org

Submittal Deadline Wednesday, December 3rd @ 4:00PM EST mailto:lread@downtowncartersville.org

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SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

Downtown Cartersville is located in Bartow County, Georgia, halfway between Atlanta and Chattanooga. The city has a population of more than 25,000 residents and encompasses approximately 28 square miles in area. Cartersville provides full government services including Police, Fire, Utilities, Planning, Zoning, Economic Development, Parks, and Road Maintenance.

The City of Cartersville is looking to contract with a qualified vendor for a comprehensive downtown streetscape plan, including community gateway and wayfinding design guidelines, as well as associated implementation schedules and processes, as outlined in the specifications of this Request for Proposal (RFP).

Background The City of Cartersville sees value in evaluating current best practices affecting streetscape design as well as opportunities to enhance downtown streetscapes to support and improve the community’s sense of place.

The implementation of a comprehensive Streetscape Plan, alongside the continued growth and development of the downtown district, will be a critical part of the city’s marketing and branding.

Furthermore, it will help the city solidify an image and identity which is representative of the city’s history and uniquely shaped to further guide the community into the future.

Future Land Use and Current Environment Appendix A of this document is Cartersville’s Future Land Use Map approved in 2020 as part of the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The map has been modified to highlight the city’s major roadways and thoroughfares, as well as major intersections, and roundabouts. In addition to the City’s Comprehensive Plan, there is also a recently completed Downtown Master Plan which should serve as a foundation for the requested Streetscape Plan.

SECTION 2 – PURPOSE

Recognizing the changing landscape of the community, there are opportunities to address high traffic and key areas of the downtown district, which are central to the community and future development initiatives.

Downtown Cartersville is seeking a consultant to develop a Streetscape Plan which includes enhancement and implementation guidelines. The purpose of this is to bolster our community’s marketing and branding by evaluating public infrastructure and possible improvements based on the following:

• Creating new designs for wayfinding and gateway signage.

• Recommendations for new seasonal street banners.

• Upgrades to existing decorative street lighting, and recommendations for areas which would benefit from having more street lighting.

• Creating attractive, welcoming, and accessible public areas that serve as public gathering spaces and complement the diversity of surrounding land uses and the city and downtown’s vision for future development.

• Streetscape and public space design that promotes increased pedestrian activity and serves a variety of uses including retail, office, entertainment, dining, nightlife, public parks, etc.

• Streetscape that promotes and preserves the unique qualities of the downtown district.

• A streetscape plan that incorporates various amenities and building materials that are easily maintained, including simplicity of associated materials, and that can be kept clean and in like-new condition, capable of withstanding routine maintenance and services.

• A comprehensive plan that can be implemented in a cost-effective manner, and in phases if necessary.

• ADA accessibility.

The preparation of the design for the Streetscape Plan includes, but is not limited in scope to, the following:

• Identify guidelines for GDOT acceptable gateway enhancement to I-75 and SR-113 overpasses/interchanges within the city which assists in establishing the community’s identity and image.

• Identify improvements to strengthen the streetscape and community branding within the downtown district and across the city.

• Identify other critical corridors within the city which would improve the overall appearance of the downtown and help establish a more cohesive image of the community.

• Provide goals and objectives for the streetscape enhancement to primary and secondary roadway connections along main thoroughfares.

SECTION 3 – SCOPE AND TIMELINE

Scope The scope of work will be finalized between the city and the selected consultant prior to contract authorization. Items to be included within the scope of work performed by the consultant may include, but are not limited to, the ‘Services’ listed below.

• The successful bidder will provide a Streetscape Plan outlining the project’s vision, goals and objectives, definitions, design standards and other applicable roadway enhancement items, as required, for main thoroughfare and entryway points within the community.

• Format and publish the Streetscape Plan in an appealing and professional.

o The successful bidder will ensure the document is compatible for viewing in a digital format.

o The document will be owned and editable by the City of Cartersville for any future updates or amendments.

• Evaluate Site Requirements – including but not limited to, restrictions related to vehicular and pedestrian circulation, parking, drainage, placement of amenities, governmental regulations, and other opportunities and/or considerations

• Develop multiple conceptual layouts to accommodate for the following:

o Street/Light Pole Banners o Gateway / Entryway Signage o Crosswalks – enhanced signals, new midblock crosswalks, bump outs o Roundabouts – landscape, hardscape, art, or other visual improvements to the interior of roundabouts o Landscaping – street trees, bio-swales, landscape beds o Street Furniture – benches, public art, trash/recycling bins, planters and regulatory sign standards o Street Lighting – fixture and foot-candle analysis for light distribution and installation o Bike Amenities – bike rack, repair stations, enhanced usability o Other Suggestions – the city welcomes the applicant to review the city existing plans and implementation goals to suggest other low- hanging fruit that may be easily implemented in the coming year.

o Coordination with city, Bartow County, and GDOT – Provide continuous and effective cooperation with the city staff and if necessary, present to Zoning Commission or City Council.

• Provide powerful visualization graphics to support and effectively describe any proposed alternatives.

• Prepare an estimate of the probable cost for each Streetscape concept.

• Assist the city with identification of potential funding sources and grant opportunities.

• The document will be reviewed by the city’s legal representation (Archer and Lovell, PC) for compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Process Timeline Date Time Task

November 12, 2025 4:00PM EST Deadline to Submit Questions

November 19, 2025 4:00PM EST Answers will be Posted

December 3, 2025 4:00PM EST Deadline for RFP Submission

December 15-18, 2025 Interview Top Applicants

January 6, 2026 Contract Approval – City Council

SECTION 4 – QUALIFICATIONS AND SUBMISSION CRITERIA

All proposals should include, but is not limited to, the following the information:

1. Letter of Interest

a. Briefly describe the firm, provide a summary of the respondent’s understanding of the scope of services and an overview of the respondent’s proposed approach to the scope of services. This letter should indicate distinguishing features, skills, and services provided by the firm, and a statement of why your firm believes it is best qualified to perform these services. Describe the firm’s management style and philosophy, and its approach to working with public sector clients like Downtown Cartersville.

2. Project Team Composition

a. Identify one Project Manager who will be the main point of contact throughout the project and principal staff, along with their designated roles. Provide the name, email, and phone number for this person.

i. The city expects that the principal staff and Project Manager will remain unchanged and follow through the entirety of the contracted project.

b. Provide resumes of all principal staff that will be assigned to the project, including background on applicable skill sets that may benefit the project.

c. Please disclose any potential conflicts of interest that the city should be made aware of, if a conflict were to arise.

3. Subcontractors

a. Any work intended to be completed by a subcontractor must be disclosed, including the name of the subcontractor and specific tasks that will be completed.

4. Firm Experience and References

a. Outline the experience of the firm and other relevant credentials.

b. Identify contracts the firm is currently or has recently undertaken in the recent past

(five (5) years, that are of a similar nature.

c. Provide a minimum of three (3) references for services comparable to this project

(similar size, scope, and community size). Include a contact person, title, address, phone number, and e-mail address. Also provide dates of the referenced projects and a description of services rendered.

5. Litigation

a. Please list any litigation the company has been involved with in the last five (5) years related to:

i. Termination for default.

ii. Litigation by or against your firm.

iii. Judgments entered for or against your firm.

6. Proposed Fee & Timeline

a. Provide the fee for completing the Streetscape Plan, inclusive of all meetings, presentations, sub-consultant fees, etc.

b. Provide the proposed timeline for completing the Streetscape Plan, inclusive of all meetings, presentations, etc.

SECTION 5 – SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS AND RESPONSE

Proposal Submittal Vendors will prepare proposals in compliance with all instructions outlined in the RFP/RFQ above. Partial or incomplete proposals will not be considered. An official for the bidder with the legal authority to bind the bidder must sign the proposal in ink. All proposals must be firm for acceptance for 180 days following the proposal period. Each submittal shall include three (3) hard copies of the proposal and one (1) .pdf copy.

Proposals shall be submitted in a sealed envelope entitled “Downtown Cartersville Streetscape Plan”. Please mail to:

Downtown Cartersville c/o Lillie Read, Executive Director

1 Friendship Plaza, Cartersville, Georgia 30120

(770) 607-3480 Email: lread@downtowncartersville.org

Any questions regarding the Request for Proposals should be submitted by email to Lillie Read at lread@downtowncartersville.org. The deadline for questions is Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at 4:00PM. All questions will be answered to all respondents by Wednesday November 19, 2025. Deadline for submittal is Wednesday 12/ 3, 2025 at 4:00PM.

Bidding consultants will not be reimbursed for any expense associated with the preparation or submittal of their proposal.

Failure to provide any of the required submission materials will result in the dismissal of the negligent party’s bid without any further consideration.

Pricing Schedule Responses should include anticipated budget costs for all aspects of work required to produce a successful Downtown Cartersville Streetscape Plan. If, in final negotiation with the potentially successful bidder, pricing offered as part of the proposal cannot be contractually agreed upon by the bidder, the City of Cartersville may enter negotiations with other bidders to award a final contract.

Proposal Evaluation If an award is made as a result of this RFP, it shall be awarded to the bidder whose proposal is most beneficial to the City of Cartersville including, price, experience, and other factors.

All proposals submitted will be subject to State of Georgia public records laws.

This will be an opportunity for the selected consultants to present their proposal to the committee. Staff will select a consultant based on a combination of factors including qualifications of the firm and its staff, reasonableness of cost, related experience, and completeness of response to the RFP.

RFP Evaluation Criteria Scoring/Weight

(100 Total Points)

Qualifications 40

Pricing 30

Miscellaneous Factors 20

Schedule for Completion 10

SECTION 7 – MISCELLANEOUS

False or Misleading Statements Bidders must take great care to ensure sufficient information has been provided to allow the City of Cartersville to evaluate the technical solutions being offered, any options proposed, pricing of all offerings, and all supporting information, technical documentation, references and points of contact, corporate capabilities, etc.

Bidders shall be aware that if, in the opinion of the City of Cartersville, a proposal contains false or misleading information of any kind or does not contain sufficient detail to fully evaluate the technical solution or proposed price, the City of Cartersville reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject the proposal. Bidders also understand that if the information provided does not support a function, attribute, capability or condition as proposed by the bidder, the City of Cartersville may reject the proposal.

Acceptance of Proposal Content Once a potential vendor is identified, the City of Cartersville will enter negotiations with this bidder to finalize a contract. The contents of the RFP response and all pricing, terms and statements contained therein will be binding upon the vendor. Upon acceptance of the Proposal by the City of Cartersville, the selected Proposal, including all terms, conditions, and pricing contained therein, may be incorporated into the awarded contract. Bidders understand that the failure of the potentially successful bidder to finalize a contract may result in the selection of another offer or rejection of the submitted Proposal.

Bidders must take great care to respond to all requirements of this RFP to the maximum extent possible. Bidders must clearly identify any limitations and/or exceptions to the requirements inherent in the proposed system. Bidders further understand that alternative approaches will be given consideration if the proposed approach clearly offers more benefit to Downtown Cartersville.

No Obligation to Buy The City of Cartersville reserves the right to refrain from contracting with any bidder for any reason. The release of this RFP does not obligate the City of Cartersville to enter into any agreement or make any purchase from a bidder. The City of Cartersville is under no obligation to purchase from the lowest bidder and will select a vendor based on multiple factors including, but not limited to, qualifications of the firm and its staff, reasonableness of cost, related experience, and completeness of response to the RFP.

Withdrawal of Proposals Bidders may withdraw a proposal that has been submitted at any time up to the proposal closing date and time. To withdraw, a written request signed by an authorized representative of the respective bidder must be submitted to the RFP Contact stated on the first page of this document.

The vendor may submit another proposal at any time up to the proposal closing date and time.

Vendor Responsibility Unless otherwise stipulated, the selected vendor shall provide and pay for all materials, labor, tools, equipment, transportation, and other facilities necessary for the performance and completion of the work.

Business Compliance Vendor must be in compliance with all local, county, state business licensing, bond and insurance requirements. Proof of such compliance shall be required during final contract negotiations with the potentially successful bidder.

RFP Response The material contained in these responses will be appended to the final negotiated contract, further defining the contractual responsibilities of the vendor. The City of Cartersville shall not reimburse any bidder for the cost of responding to this RFP. All documentation submitted is subject to provisions of Georgia public records law and the City of Cartersville’s public records policy.

SECTION 8 – PROCESS OF SELECTION

Upon staff review, top bidders will be asked to make an in-person presentation to city staff.

Once a potential successful vendor is identified, Downtown Cartersville will enter into final contract negotiations with this vendor. The final contract will be presented at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Cartersville City Council.