City of Mableton Sustainability and Greenspace Master Plan

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Request for Proposal RFP 27-03

Procurement Schedule of Events

Event Date Time RFP Issued 08.13.2026 01:00 PM EST Questions Due 08.27.2026 01:00 PM EST Addendum Issued (if any) 09.03.2026 01:00 PM EST Proposals Due: 09.24.2026 01:00 PM EST Evaluation Deadline: 10.15.2026 01:00 PM EST Interviews/BAFO, if requested TBD TBD Notice of Intent to Award (NOIA) TBD TBD Mayor Council Consideration TBD TBD

Notice to Proposers The following schedule of events is provided for informational purposes only and is subject to change at the sole discretion of the City of Mableton. Respondents shall not contact elected officials, evaluators, or other City personnel regarding this solicitation unless specifically authorized in writing. Any revisions to this solicitation shall be made by written addendum and posted on the Georgia Procurement Registry (GPR). Final contract award is subject to approval by the Mayor and City Council.

The City of Mableton is seeking a highly qualified, multidisciplinary consulting firm to lead the development of the City’s first Sustainability and Greenspace Master Plan. As one of Georgia’s newest municipalities, Mableton has a unique opportunity to establish a forward-looking framework that protects natural resources, strengthens community resilience, expands access to quality greenspaces, and guides responsible growth for years to come. The planning process

The schedule below establishes the City’s anticipated procurement sequence. The City may revise the schedule by a written addendum. Respondents are responsible for monitoring the Georgia Procurement Registry (GPR) for updates.

Page 2 | 30 must be inclusive, data-informed, and responsive to the needs of Mableton’s diverse neighborhoods, residents, businesses, institutions, and community partners.

The Master Plan will establish a coordinated vision for environmental sustainability and greenspace preservation while translating that vision into practical and achievable actions.

The completed Plan must include clearly defined goals, policy recommendations, priority projects, implementation strategies, responsible parties, potential funding sources, estimated resource requirements, performance measures, and short-, medium-, and long-term milestones. Recommendations should be structured for implementation over a five- to ten-year period and aligned with the City’s broader goal of fostering a vibrant, healthy, equitable, and environmentally responsible community through innovative leadership and sustainable municipal practices.

The project’s purpose is to produce an actionable, community-centered plan that strengthens environmental stewardship and resilience across City operations, public policies, land-use decisions, capital investments, and community programs. The selected consultant will evaluate current conditions, identify environmental and greenspace needs, assess recreational and public use of existing greenspaces, examine opportunities to preserve and expand natural areas, and evaluate the City’s capacity to implement recommended initiatives.

The assessment should consider access, connectivity, equity, environmental conditions, maintenance needs, community benefits, operational feasibility, and long-term sustainability.

Meaningful public participation will be central to the planning process. The selected consultant will design and facilitate an inclusive engagement strategy that gathers input from residents, elected officials, City staff, boards and commissions, businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, regional partners, and other stakeholders.

Engagement findings must be documented and clearly connected to the Plan’s goals, priorities, and recommendations so the community can understand how its input influenced the outcome.

The consultant will use the findings from technical analysis, community engagement, benchmarking, and stakeholder coordination to identify strategic priorities and develop a phased implementation roadmap. The roadmap should distinguish immediate actions and “quick wins” from longer-term programs, policies, capital projects, partnerships, and future studies. It should also identify implementation responsibilities, anticipated costs, staffing and maintenance considerations, funding opportunities, dependencies, potential risks, and measurable indicators of progress.

Upon completion, the Sustainability and Greenspace Master Plan will serve as a foundational decision-making tool for the City. It will guide capital improvement planning, annual budgeting, policy development, grant seeking, intergovernmental coordination, land stewardship, and future investments in parks, trails, natural habitats, green infrastructure, and other environmental resources. The final Plan must be practical, adaptable, and supported by implementation and monitoring tools that allow the City to measure progress, communicate results, and update priorities as community needs, funding conditions, and environmental

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Intent to Submit a Proposal Interested firms intending to submit a proposal in response to this Request for Proposals (RFP) shall notify the City of their intent by sending an email to purchasing@mableton.gov. The email shall advise the Procurement Manager of the firm's intent to submit a proposal for this solicitation.

Upon receipt of the notification, the Purchasing Division will acknowledge the firm's intent and provide the official RFP package and any applicable procurement information within twenty-four (24) business hours.

Only firms that have notified the Purchasing Division of their intent to submit a proposal and have received the official solicitation package from the City of Mableton Purchasing Division will be eligible to submit a proposal.

Proposal Submission Requirements All proposals and Addendums shall be submitted electronically on a USB flash drive (Jump Drive). Electronic files must be searchable, unencrypted, and free of password protection.

Respondents must also acknowledge all issued addenda in the completed Proposal Letter and Certification. Paper proposals will NOT be accepted. Email submissions will NOT be accepted under any circumstances.

Each USB flash drive shall be enclosed in a sealed package clearly labeled with:

● Firm Name

● Firm Address

● Solicitation Number: (RFP 27-03)

● Project Title: City of Mableton Sustainability and Greenspace Master Plan

Proposals shall be mailed to:

City of Mableton – Procurement Division Finance Department P.O Box #104 5284 Floyd RD SW Mableton, GA 30126

Proposal Due Date: September 24, 2026 Time: 12:00 PM Eastern Time

Late proposals will not be accepted. Extensions will not be honored.

mailto:purchasing@mableton.gov

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Questions Regarding Solicitation To ensure a fair and transparent procurement process, telephone calls regarding this solicitation will not be accepted. All questions, requests for clarification, or interpretation of the solicitation documents must be submitted during the designated Question and Answer (Q&A) period identified in the procurement schedule. Proposers are strongly encouraged to submit all questions during the Q&A period to ensure they have a complete understanding of the City's requirements. Responses to questions, interpretations, clarifications, and any modifications to the solicitation shall be issued only through written addenda.

▪ Addenda: All solicitation updates, clarifications, corrections, and addenda will be posted on the Georgia Procurement Registry (GPR). It is the sole responsibility of each proposer to monitor the Georgia Procurement Registry for updates prior to submitting a proposal.

Proposal Deadline No proposal submission extensions will be granted. Proposers are solely responsible for ensuring their proposal is received by the Purchasing Division prior to the stated deadline.

Business License Requirements Respondents are NOT required to possess a City of Mableton business license at the time of proposal submission. A current business license issued by another municipality, county, or state is acceptable for purposes of submitting a proposal. If awarded a contract, the successful proposer shall comply with all applicable City of Mableton licensing and registration requirements prior to contract execution, if required by law or City ordinance.

Vendor Registration and Required Documents Prospective vendors are encouraged to review the City's vendor requirements by visiting:

www.mableton.gov. Navigate to: Finance → Procurement → How to Become a Vendor. This webpage provides detailed information regarding the documents and forms that may be required if your firm is selected for award, including, but not limited to:

▪ Vendor Registration Forms

▪ W-9

▪ Certificate of Insurance (COI)

▪ E-Verify Affidavit (where applicable)

▪ O.C.G.A. § 50-36-1 Contractor Affidavit (where applicable)

▪ Business License Documentation

▪ Other required compliance documents

Submission of these documents is generally required only from the successful proposer(s) prior to contract execution unless otherwise stated in the solicitation.

http://www.mableton.gov/

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PROPOSAL LETTER

We propose to furnish and deliver all the deliverables and services named in the attached Request for Proposal (RFP). The price or prices offered herein shall apply for the period stated in the RFP. We further agree to strictly abide by all the terms and conditions contained in the City of Mableton Vendor Manual as modified by any attached special terms and conditions, all of which are made a part hereof. Any exceptions are noted in writing and included with this bid.

It is understood and agreed that this statement of Proposal and proposal constitutes an offer, which when accepted in writing by the Purchasing Division, City of Mableton, and subject to the terms and conditions of such acceptance, will constitute a valid and binding contract between the undersigned and the City of Mableton.

It is understood and agreed that we have read the City’s specifications shown or referenced in the RFP and that this statement is made by the provisions of such specifications. By our written signature on this proposal, we guarantee and certify that all items included in this statement meet or exceed all such City specifications. We further agree, if you awarded a contract, to deliver goods and services which meet or exceed the specifications. The City of Mableton reserves the right to reject any or all offers, waive technicalities, and informalities, and to make an award in the best interest of the city.

It is understood and agreed that this statement of Proposal and proposal shall be valid and held open for a period of sixty (60) days from the opening date.

Additionally, the proposer certifies compliance with the applicable provisions of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) Title 13, which governs public contracts, and Title 50, Chapter 5, which addresses procurement and bidding processes for public entities in the State of Georgia. The proposer acknowledges that any violation of these statutes may result in disqualification from future contracts and potential legal penalties.

Furthermore, the proposer acknowledges compliance with O.C.G.A. § 45-10-20 et seq., which prohibits conflicts of interest in public contracting and ensures that no public officer or employee has a direct financial interest in the contract. The proposer also certifies adherence to Georgia’s Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011 (O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91), confirming that the proposer and all subcontractors have registered and participated in the federal E-Verify program to verify employment eligibility.

PROPOSAL SIGNATURE AND CERTIFICATION

(Proposer to sign and return) I certify that this offer is made without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a proposal for the same materials, supplies, equipment, or services and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. I understand collusive bidding is a violation of State and Federal Law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage

Page 6 | 30 awards. I agree to abide by all conditions of the proposal and certify that I am authorized to sign this proposal for the proposer.

I further certify that the provisions of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Sections 45-10- 20 et seq. have not been violated and will not be violated in any respect throughout the contract.

Authorized Signature Date

Name Company Name Here

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Table of Contents

RFP # 27-03 and Procurement Schedule of Events Page 1

Notice to Proposers Page 2

Intent to Submit Proposal instructions Page 3

Proposal Requirements Page 3

Questions Regarding Solicitation Page 4

Proposal Letter Page 5-6

Purpose and Background Page 8

Project Objectives and Guiding Principles Page 9

Scope of Services Page 10

Deliverables and Acceptance Page 14

Project Governance and Responsibilities Page 15

Schedule and Contract Term Page 16

Proposal Submission Requirements Page 17

Evaluation and Selection Page 18

Cost Proposal Page 20

Contractual and Regulatory Requirements Page 20

Reservations, Public Records, and Protests Page 21

Exhibit A — E-Verify Affidavits Page 23

Exhibit B — Subcontractor Affidavit Page 24

Exhibit C — Drug-Free Workplace Certification Page 25

Exhibit D — Cost Schedule Page 26

Exhibit E — Submission Checklist Page 27

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City of Mableton

Request for Proposal (RFP) 27-03

City of Mableton Sustainability and Greenspace Master Plan

RFP No. 27-03

Section: Purpose and Background

1.1 Purpose

The City of Mableton (“City”) invites qualified planning, sustainability, environmental, engineering, parks, landscape architecture, and community engagement consulting firms or multidisciplinary teams to submit proposals to prepare the City’s first Sustainability and Greenspace Master Plan (“Plan”). The selected consultant will deliver an implementable, data-informed framework that aligns land stewardship, community resilience, waste reduction, resource efficiency, and equitable access to greenspace with the City’s fiscal and operational capacity.

The Plan will translate community priorities into measurable goals, prioritized projects, policy recommendations, implementation responsibilities, funding pathways, and a five- to ten-year work program. The City expects a practical decision-making document not solely a vision document with clear ownership, sequencing, costs, performance measures, and annual reporting tools.

1.2 Community Context

The City of Mableton was established in 2023 and encompasses approximately 36.5 square miles with an estimated population of approximately 80,000 residents. As a newly formed municipality, the City is establishing its policy, capital planning, service-delivery, and performance-management systems while coordinating with regional and state partners.

The Mableton 2045 Comprehensive Plan and other adopted or in-progress City plans will provide an important policy foundation. The consultant shall verify all baseline data, adopted policies, boundaries, and plan references at project initiation and shall document the source and date of each material dataset used.

1.3 Desired Outcome

✦ A shared community vision for sustainability, resilience, and greenspace.

✦ A defensible inventory of existing conditions and needs assessment supported by maps, data, and stakeholder input.

✦ A prioritized portfolio of projects, programs, partnerships, and policy actions.

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✦ A realistic implementation roadmap with responsibilities, estimated costs, funding opportunities, dependencies, and performance measures.

✦ Practical tools that City staff can update annually without specialized consultant support.

2. Project Objectives and Guiding Principles

2.1 Objectives

✦ Assess existing conditions, gaps, risks, and opportunities across municipal sustainability and greenspace systems.

✦ Define measurable short-, medium-, and long-term goals that are appropriate for a newly formed municipality.

✦ Advance equitable access to parks, trails, natural areas, tree canopy, and environmental benefits across neighborhoods.

✦ Identify feasible waste reduction, recycling, organics, energy, water, mobility, climate resilience, and municipal-operations strategies.

✦ Build public trust through inclusive, transparent, and accessible engagement.

✦ Integrate projects into capital planning, operating budgets, grant strategies, development regulations, and intergovernmental partnerships.

✦ Create a monitoring framework with baseline values, targets, data owners, reporting cadence, and corrective-action procedures.

2.2 Guiding Principles

Principle Application

Actionable Recommendations must identify owner, timing, resources, dependencies, and next decision.

Data-informed

Conclusions must cite reliable sources, document assumptions, and distinguish verified facts from estimates.

Where local historical data is limited, workable estimates supported by subject matter expertise and regional benchmarks are encouraged.

Equitable Engagement and recommendations must account for geographic, demographic, economic, linguistic, age, and ability differences.

Fiscally responsible Options must reflect lifecycle costs, staffing needs, operating impacts, and realistic funding capacity.

Collaborative The process must coordinate residents, boards, businesses, nonprofits, institutions, utilities, and government partners.

Adaptable The Plan must remain useful as the City’s organization, services, and data maturity evolve.

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3. Scope of Services The following scope establishes minimum requirements. Respondents may recommend refinements that improve the approach, provided that all required outcomes and deliverables are addressed. The selected consultant shall manage all labor, facilitation, analysis, graphics, mapping, travel, supplies, and coordination necessary to complete the work.

3.1 Task 0: Project Initiation and Management

✦ Conduct a kickoff meeting to confirm scope, decision structure, points of contact, assumptions, schedule, and communication protocols.

✦ Prepare a project management plan that includes a work breakdown structure, detailed schedule, meeting calendar, deliverable review cycle, quality-control process, decision log, issue/risk register, and data request list.

✦ Provide concise monthly progress reports showing work completed, work planned, percent complete, budget status, decisions needed, risks, and mitigation actions.

✦ Maintain a secure project repository and an organized source-file structure; provide editable files to the City at each major milestone.

✦ Attend routine project team check-in meetings (virtual) and key milestone briefings/presentations with City leadership, boards/commissions, and Mayor and Council (in-person). For proposal budgeting purposes, respondents shall assume a minimum of 6 to 8 total in-person trip days on-site. Consultants are expected to combine/batch community workshops, pop-up events, and leadership briefings during these site visits to maximize efficiency.

3.2 Phase 1: Needs Assessment and Existing Conditions

A. Policy, plan, and program review

✦ Review relevant City, county, regional, state, utility, and partner plans, regulations, programs, capital projects, service agreements, and available performance data.

✦ Prepare an alignment matrix that cross-references City priorities with county, regional, state, and utility plans to identify overlapping goals, regulatory requirements, potential conflicts, policy gaps, and opportunities for coordinated implementation.

B. Data and geospatial analysis

✦ Compile and validate demographic, land-use, transportation, environmental, tree canopy, flood/heat exposure, parks/greenspace, waste, infrastructure, and municipal-operations information available to the project.

✦ Develop a greenspace and sustainability baseline using reproducible methods. Identify data limitations and recommend future data collection where defensible analysis is not currently possible.

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✦ Inventory publicly controlled and strategically relevant parcels and evaluate suitability for conservation, recreation, trails, green infrastructure, urban forestry, community amenities, or other Plan objectives. Ownership and title shall not be assumed without verification.

o Conduct a citywide, GIS-based spatial assessment to evaluate overall greenspace distribution, identify greenspace-deficient neighborhoods, and pinpoint priority opportunity corridors for green infrastructure and conservation.

o Perform a detailed suitability analysis for up to 10 to 15 City-owned or designated high-priority parcels to assess potential for greenspace, outdoor recreation, trails, urban forestry, or community amenities. Ownership and title verification shall be limited to these specific prioritized parcels.

C. Benchmarking and organizational readiness

✦ Benchmark a representative set of comparable Georgia and peer communities, emphasizing implementable practices, staffing models, funding approaches, ordinances, partnerships, and performance measures.

✦ Assess the City’s current governance, staffing, contracting, data, budgeting, communications, and interdepartmental capacity to implement recommendations.

D. Initial stakeholder discovery

✦ Conduct structured interviews or focus groups with City staff, elected leadership, boards/commissions, service partners, institutional stakeholders, businesses, nonprofits, and community representatives.

o The proposal cost in Exhibit E shall be based on the following minimum engagement parameters:

▪ Elected Leadership & Executive Staff: Up to 10 1-on-1 interviews (Virtual or In-Person).

▪ Technical & Regional Partners: Up to 5 small-group sessions with utility, county, and regional representatives (Virtual).

▪ Community & Stakeholder Focus Groups: 3 to 4 facilitated sessions (In- Person) targeting local businesses, boards/commissions, and community leaders.

✦ Summarize themes without attributing comments to individuals unless expressly authorized.

Phase 1 Deliverable: Existing Conditions and Needs Assessment, including executive summary, methodology, data inventory, plan-alignment matrix, maps, baseline indicators, findings, opportunity areas, data gaps, and source list.

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3.3 Phase 2: Community Visioning and Engagement

A. Engagement strategy

✦ Prepare an engagement plan identifying audiences, objectives, methods, schedule, accessibility measures, language needs, responsibilities, and measures of participation quality, not only attendance counts.

✦ Use a mix of in-person and digital methods that may include public workshops, pop-up events, surveys, mapping activities, stakeholder roundtables, youth/family engagement, business outreach, and board or commission sessions.

o Proposals shall budget for a minimum of [2] public town halls, [3] community pop-ups, [2] stakeholder roundtables, and [1] citywide survey with an interactive feedback map. Consultants must batch all in-person events within the 6 to 8 on-site trip days specified in Task 0. All digital materials and survey tools must be accessible and web-ready for City hosting.

✦ Provide plain language materials, accessible digital content, reasonable accommodation, and methods to reduce barriers to participation.

B. Vision, principles, and decision criteria

✦ Facilitate the development of a draft vision statement and guiding principles that reflect community priorities and the City’s implementation capacity.

✦ Establish transparent criteria for evaluating recommendations, such as community benefit, equity, environmental impact, feasibility, cost, readiness, partnership potential, maintenance burden, and risk reduction.

C. Engagement documentation

✦ Maintain an engagement log, summarize participation by method and geography where feasible, identify underrepresented audiences, and adjust outreach methods as needed.

✦ Prepare a “what we heard / how it influenced the Plan” summary suitable for public distribution.

3.4 Phase 3: Plan Development and Recommendations

A. Goal and strategy framework

✦ Organize Plan goals, objectives, strategies, actions, and measures into a clear hierarchy with traceable links to needs-assessment findings and community input.

Establish baseline and target values where reliable data exist; where they do not, use workable estimates and define the method and responsible party for establishing a true baseline.

Phase 2 Deliverable: Community Vision and Engagement Summary, including engagement plan, materials, participation summary, key themes, draft vision and principles, evaluation criteria, and response to input narrative.

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B. Technical focus areas

✦ Greenspace preservation and acquisition, conservation, stewardship, environmental education, programming, connectivity, and nature-based recreation

✦ Tree canopy, habitat, biodiversity, watersheds, green infrastructure, flood mitigation, and urban heat.

✦ Residential solid waste management, waste prevention, recycling, organics, bulky/hard-to-recycle materials, litter, and circular economy opportunities.

✦ Municipal energy and water efficiency, fleet/facility practices, sustainable procurement, and operations.

✦ Resilience, emergency preparedness, climate risks, and protection of vulnerable populations and assets.

✦ Land use, development standards, incentives, ordinances, and intergovernmental coordination.

✦ Education, communications, community partnerships, and voluntary business/institution initiatives.

C. Project, program, and policy analysis

✦ Develop a comprehensive list of potential sustainability strategies, policies, programs, operational initiatives, and capital projects (“candidate actions”). Evaluate and screen each candidate action using City approved criteria, such as anticipated impact, feasibility, cost, equity, regulatory alignment, implementation timeframe, and measurable benefits, to develop a prioritized set of recommended actions.

✦ For major capital or operational concepts including organics collection, recycling expansion, and a hard-to-recycle materials center prepare planning-level operational, logistical, sitting, market, regulatory, staffing, financial, partnership, and risk analyses appropriate to the decision stage.

✦ Identify required legal, technical, financial, or community due diligence before implementation. Recommendations must not imply final feasibility where additional study is required.

✦ Differentiate quick wins, foundational actions, pilot projects, policy changes, capital projects, ongoing programs, and future studies.

D. Draft Plan

✦ Prepare a graphically clear draft Plan with an executive summary, baseline, engagement findings, vision, goals, recommendations, implementation roadmap, monitoring framework, maps, and appendices.

✦ Present the draft in-person to City staff and Mayor and Council and support a public review period. Maintain a comment-response matrix documenting disposition of substantive comments.

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3.5 Phase 4: Implementation Roadmap

✦ Prioritize actions using transparent criteria and group them into immediate (0–1 year), near-term (2–3 years), mid-term (4–5 years), and long-term (6–10 years) horizons.

✦ For each action, identify a lead owner, supporting partners, prerequisites, estimated order-of-magnitude capital and operating costs, staffing implications, potential funding sources, procurement or policy steps, equity considerations, risk level, and target completion window.

✦ Identify grant, philanthropic, private, utility, regional, and intergovernmental funding pathways; clearly distinguish confirmed funds from prospective opportunities.

✦ Prepare a first-year launch plan and five- and ten-year work programs that align with annual budgeting and capital planning cycles.

✦ Provide a communications framework for reporting progress to the public and maintaining stakeholder participation during implementation.

3.6 Phase 5: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Final Plan

✦ Create a performance framework that distinguishes community outcomes, service outputs, implementation milestones, and organizational capacity measures.

✦ For each key performance indicator, define the metric, rationale, baseline, target, formula, data source, data owner, collection frequency, reporting frequency, limitations, and corrective-action trigger.

✦ Provide an editable implementation tracking matrix, an annual progress report template, and dashboard-ready data structure.

✦ Recommend an annual review process, responsible body, public reporting approach, and a formal update cycle. Include procedures for changing priorities when funding, conditions, data, or law change.

✦ Incorporate City comments, complete quality control, verify citations and maps, and deliver a final accessible Plan and all source files.

Phase 3 Deliverable: Draft Sustainability and Greenspace Master Plan; Recommendations and Feasibility Report; public review materials; Mayor and Council presentation; and comment response matrix.

Phase 4 Deliverable: Prioritized Implementation Roadmap and Work Program with action-level details, dependencies, planning-level costs, funding pathways, ownership, timing, and decision gates.

Phase 5 Deliverable: Final Sustainability and Greenspace Master Plan; Monitoring and Evaluation Framework; implementation tracker; annual report template; final presentation; and complete editable source file archive.

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4. Deliverables and Acceptance

4.1 Minimum Deliverables

Deliverable Minimum Content Required Format

Project Management Plan Detailed schedule, meetings, QA/QC, risk and decision logs, data request.

Searchable PDF and editable source

Existing Conditions and Needs Assessment Baseline, methods, maps, inventory, benchmarking, findings, data gaps, sources.

Accessible PDF; Word;

GIS/data files

Engagement Plan and Summary Audiences, methods, materials, participation, findings, influence on Plan.

Accessible PDF; editable materials; raw data where permitted

Draft Plan Complete draft with executive summary, goals, actions, roadmap, monitoring, and maps.

Accessible PDF and Word/design source

Recommendations and Feasibility Report Screening results and planning-level analysis for priority projects/programs/policies.

Accessible PDF and editable source

Implementation Roadmap Priorities, ownership, timing, costs, funding, dependencies, risks, decision gates.

Accessible PDF; Excel tracker

Monitoring Framework KPIs, baselines, targets, data owners, frequency, reporting, and update procedures.

Accessible PDF; Excel tracker/template

Final Plan Package Final Plan, executive summary, presentations, response matrix, all source files.

Accessible PDF; editable native files; print ready files

4.2 Review and Acceptance Procedure

✦ The consultant submits a complete draft in the agreed format and provides written notice that internal quality control is complete.

✦ The City reviews the draft within the review period established at kickoff and returns one consolidated set of comments, when practicable.

✦ The consultant provides a comment-response matrix and revises delivery by the agreed date. Revisions required to meet the approved scope are included in the contract price.

✦ A deliverable is accepted only through written confirmation by the City’s authorized project manager. Meeting attendance, invoice payment, or informal use does not constitute acceptance.

✦ Acceptance does not waive latent defects, errors, unsupported conclusions, or the consultant’s obligation to correct work that does not conform to the contract.

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4.3 Deliverable Standards

✦ Use plain language, consistent terminology, numbered figures/tables, complete citations, legends, scale bars, north arrows where applicable, and documented methods.

✦ Digital documents shall be searchable and reasonably accessible, including headings, reading order, alt text, meaningful links, and sufficient color contrast, consistent with applicable accessibility requirements.

✦ Maps and datasets shall use agreed coordinate systems, metadata, field definitions, and source/date documentation. Provide editable GIS and tabular files without proprietary passwords.

✦ All photographs, graphics, fonts, and third-party materials must be licensed for the City’s intended public use or clearly identified with applicable restrictions.

5. Project Governance and Responsibilities

5.1 Consultant Responsibilities

✦ Designate one project manager with authority to commit the team and coordinate subcontractors.

✦ Provide qualified personnel proposed in the response; obtain written City approval before replacing key staff.

✦ Coordinate meetings, agendas, materials, minutes, action items, and follow-up.

✦ Verify data and assumptions; promptly disclose conflicts, gaps, delays, cost risks, or material changes.

✦ Maintain confidentiality of protected information while complying with public records obligations applicable to City-held records.

✦ Secure all permissions and releases necessary for consultant-created materials and public engagement activities.

5.2 City Responsibilities

✦ Designate a project manager and executive sponsor.

✦ Provide available plans, datasets, contacts, and background documents without warranting that they are complete or error-free.

✦ Coordinate reasonable access to City staff, elected leadership, facilities, boards, and public communication channels.

✦ Provide consolidated comments and decisions within agreed review periods.

✦ Approve engagement materials before public release and authorize formal statements on behalf of the City.

✦ Process accepted invoices in accordance with the executed agreement and applicable City procedures.

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5.3 Governance and Decision Rights

The kickoff meeting will establish the project team, steering or advisory roles, approval authority, escalation process, and communication protocol. The consultant shall distinguish recommendations requiring staff action, administrative approval, board or commission input, Mayor and Council action, intergovernmental agreement, budget appropriation, procurement, permitting, or further technical/legal review.

6. Schedule and Contract Term

6.1 Anticipated Duration

The City anticipates completion within six (6) to ten (10) months after notice to proceed.

Respondents may propose an alternate schedule that demonstrates a clear advantage while preserving meaningful engagement and City review periods. The proposed schedule must identify the critical path and assumptions concerning data availability, public meetings, board calendars, and Mayor and Council consideration.

6.2 Minimum Milestones

Milestone Target from Notice to Proceed

Kickoff and project management plan Within 10 business days Existing conditions / needs assessment Consultant to propose Vision and engagement findings Consultant to propose Draft Plan and recommendations Consultant to propose

6.3 Contract Term

The initial term will extend from the effective date through final acceptance and completion of closeout obligations. Any renewal, extension, additional service, or change in scope must be authorized in writing by the City in accordance with the executed agreement and available appropriations. The City makes no guarantee of follow-on work.

7. Proposal Submission Requirements

7.1 General Instructions

✦ Submit a complete, concise, and responsive proposal in the order listed below. Marketing material should be limited to information directly relevant to the evaluation criteria.

✦ Clearly identify confidential or proprietary material; blanket designations are discouraged and do not control the City’s obligations under the Georgia Open Records Act.

✦ Use the legal name of the contracting entity consistently. Identify all proposed subcontractors and the work each will perform.

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✦ Proposals must remain valid for at least 120 calendar days after the due date unless the final solicitation states a different period.

7.2 Required Proposal Organization

Section Required Content

1. Proposal Letter and Certification Signed by an authorized representative;

acknowledge addenda; identify legal entity and primary contact.

2. Executive Summary and Project Understanding Describe the City’s opportunity, key risks, proposed value, and distinguishing approach.

3. Firm and Team Qualifications

History, legal structure, office locations, relevant licenses/certifications, organization chart, key personnel, availability, and subcontractors.

4. Comparable Experience

At least three relevant municipal or public-sector projects, preferably completed within the last five (5) years, with scope, dates, value, outcomes, and client contact.

5. Technical Approach

Detailed methods for every task and phase, including data, GIS, engagement, feasibility analysis, prioritization, implementation, monitoring, QA/QC, and accessibility.

6. Public Engagement Plan Proposed audiences, methods, accessibility, participation measures, documentation, and response to underrepresentation.

7. Project Management and Schedule

Work plan, milestones, critical path, meeting assumptions, deliverable review cycles, staffing hours, risk management, and quality control.

8. Deliverable Samples

Representative work products or links that demonstrate comparable analysis, mapping, engagement, implementation planning, and graphic communication.

9. References Three client references with current contact information and permission to contact.

10. Cost Proposal

Completed cost schedule with phase fees, labor, expenses, optional services, assumptions, and total not-to-exceed amount.

11. Exceptions and Conflicts

List all requested contractual exceptions, actual or potential conflicts of interest, claims/litigation material to performance, and any excluded services.

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12. Required Forms

Signed affidavits, certifications, E-Verify documentation, W-9, business-license information, and other items required by the final solicitation.

7.3 Financial and Operational Capacity

The City may request evidence of financial stability, insurance capability, staffing availability, workload, and authority to conduct business. Requested information may include financial statements, a letter from a financial institution, claims history, or other reasonable evidence.

The City may consider failure to provide requested information in determining responsibility.

8. Evaluation and Selection

8.1 Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation Criterion Maximum Points

Project understanding and executive summary 5

Firm and team qualifications / relevant experience 5

Needs assessment and existing conditions approach 15

Community visioning and engagement approach 15

Plan development methodology 15

Project/program/policy analysis and recommendations 10

Implementation roadmap and funding approach 10

Monitoring and evaluation framework 10

Project management, schedule, staffing, and QA/QC 5

Cost proposal and value 5

References and demonstrated performance 5

TOTAL POSSIBLE SCORE: 100

8.2 Evaluation Process and Interviews

The City will review proposals for responsiveness and responsibility. The City may reject submissions that are late, materially incomplete, conditioned, unsigned, or otherwise non-responsive. An evaluation committee will independently score responsive proposals using the stated criteria and may develop a consensus ranking.

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✦ The City may request clarifications, conduct reference checks, verify information, interview one or more respondents, request presentations or demonstrations, and invite best and final offers (BAFOs).

✦ If interviews are held, the City will notify finalists of the agenda and may rescore relevant criteria based on information presented. New commitments must be confirmed in writing.

✦ The City may negotiate scope, schedule, price, terms, and staffing with the highest-ranked respondent. If agreement is not reached, the City may discontinue negotiations and proceed to another respondent.

✦ Selection or notice of intended award does not create a contract. Work may begin only after all required approvals, execution by authorized parties, insurance and compliance review, and written notice to proceed.

8.3 Best Value

Award, if made, will be to the responsible and responsive respondent whose proposal is determined to provide the best value to the City based on the published criteria. The lowest price will not necessarily receive the award. The City may consider realism of cost, completeness of assumptions, staffing commitment, implementation risk, and demonstrated performance.

9. Cost Proposal

9.1 Pricing Instructions

✦ Provide a firm fixed fee or not-to-exceed fee for the base scope, including all labor, overhead, profit, travel, meetings, facilitation, supplies, software, printing, and ordinary reimbursable expenses unless specifically itemized otherwise.

✦ State estimated assumptions for the number and format of meetings, workshops, presentations, revisions, travel, printing, surveys, translation, data acquisition, and specialized technical work.

✦ Identify optional services separately. The City is not obligated to purchase any option.

✦ Provide a labor-hour matrix by task and staff classification and fully burdened hourly rates for authorized additional services.

✦ No charge outside the executed agreement is authorized without prior written approval by the City’s authorized contracting representative.

✦ See [Exhibit E].

10. Contractual and Regulatory Requirements

10.1 Professional Services Agreement

The selected respondent will be required to execute the City’s professional services agreement or other agreement approved by the City. The final agreement will include the accepted scope, schedule, compensation, deliverables, insurance, compliance documents, and negotiated terms.

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Any exceptions must be identified in the proposal. Silence will be understood as a willingness to negotiate in good faith based on the City’s form.

10.2 Compliance

✦ Comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, ordinances, codes, licensing requirements, and lawful City policies.

✦ Maintain required business registrations, licenses, and professional credentials throughout the contract.

✦ Comply with applicable immigration and employment-verification requirements and submit required contractor and subcontractor affidavits.

✦ Maintain a workplace free from unlawful discrimination and harassment and comply with applicable equal-employment and civil-rights requirements.

✦ Disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest promptly and avoid activities that impair independent professional judgment.

✦ Comply with applicable ethics, gratuity, lobbying, and procurement-integrity requirements.

10.3 Insurance

Before contract execution, the selected respondent shall provide certificates of insurance meeting the City’s requirements, which may include commercial general liability, automobile liability, workers’ compensation/employers’ liability, professional liability/errors and omissions, and cyber/privacy coverage when applicable. Final limits, endorsements, additional-insured requirements, notice provisions, and waiver requirements will be stated in the agreement.

Insurance does not limit the consultant’s obligations or liability.

10.4 Ownership and Intellectual Property

Subject to the executed agreement and payment for accepted work, project-specific deliverables and data prepared for the City will become City property. The consultant shall identify pre-existing tools, methodologies, or third-party materials and grant the City sufficient perpetual rights to use, reproduce, modify, publish, and distribute the final deliverables for governmental purposes. The consultant is responsible for securing necessary permissions and indemnifying the City against infringement claims as provided in the agreement.

10.5 Records, Audit, and Retention

The consultant shall maintain complete project, cost, subcontract, and performance records for the period stated in the agreement and make them available for authorized review or audit.

Records provided to or held by the City may be subject to the Georgia Open Records Act. The consultant shall promptly assist the City in identifying responsive records and lawful exemptions but shall not make final disclosure decisions on the City’s behalf.

10.6 Invoicing and Payment

Invoices shall correspond to accepted progress, identify task and deliverable status, show current and cumulative charges, and include supporting documentation required by the agreement. The

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City will process proper invoices under the executed payment terms and applicable law. Disputed amounts may be withheld pending resolution. Final payment is conditioned on accepted deliverables and complete closeout materials.

10.7 Accessibility and Data Security

The consultant shall use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for City data; collect only information necessary for the project; obtain appropriate consent for surveys or recordings; and promptly report suspected loss or unauthorized disclosure. Public-facing digital deliverables shall conform to the accessibility standards identified in the final agreement.

11. Reservations, Public Records, and Protests

11.1 City Reservations

To the extent permitted by applicable law and City policy, the City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals; waive informalities that do not prejudice competition; request clarification;

verify information; negotiate with one or more respondents; reduce, expand, phase, or cancel the scope; make no award; or reissue the solicitation. Respondents bear all proposal preparation and participation costs.

11.2 Proposal Status and Public Records

Any actual or prospective proposer who believes they have been aggrieved in connection with the solicitation, or the award of a contract may file a written protest with the City of Mableton Procurement Division. To be considered, a protest must be submitted in writing within five (5) business days following the issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award or the occurrence of the action being protested. The written protest must clearly state the specific legal and factual grounds for the protest and the remedy or corrective action requested by the protesting party.

Upon receipt of a timely protest, the City Manager or their designee will review the protest, the procurement record, and any supporting documentation. The City may request additional information from the protesting party or other parties involved, as necessary. A written determination will be issued within ten (10) business days unless additional time is required for review. The decision of the City Manager or their designee shall constitute the final administrative determination of the City of Mableton. The filing of a protest does not automatically stay the procurement process, unless the City determines that a temporary suspension is necessary to protect the integrity of the procurement process or the interests of the City.

11.3 Protests

Any protest must comply with the City’s adopted purchasing policy and the instructions stated in the final solicitation or notice of intended award. A protest should identify the solicitation, protester, factual and legal grounds, supporting documents, and requested relief, and must be filed within the applicable deadline. Filing a protest does not automatically stay procurement activity unless required by policy, law, or written City direction.

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11.4 No Obligation Until Execution

No oral statement, selection notice, negotiation, purchase request, or draft agreement binds the City. The City is obligated only after an agreement is approved and signed by persons with authority, all preconditions are satisfied, funds are lawfully available, and a written notice to proceed is issued.

Procurement Schedule of Events

Event Date Time RFP Issued 08.13.2026 01:00 PM EST Questions Due 08.27.2026 01:00 PM EST Addendum Issued (if any) 09.03.2026 01:00 PM EST Proposals Due: 09.24.2026 01:00 PM EST Evaluation Deadline: 10.15.2026 01:00 PM EST Interviews/BAFO, if requested TBD TBD Notice of Intent to Award (NOIA) TBD TBD Mayor Council Consideration TBD TBD

The following exhibits and required compliance documents shall be submitted only by the successful proposer within three (3) business days following receipt of the City's Notice of Intent to Award or award notification, unless otherwise specified by the City.

The schedule below establishes the City’s anticipated procurement sequence. The City may revise the schedule by written addendum. Respondents are responsible for monitoring the Georgia Procurement Registry (GPR) for updates.

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Contractor(s) Name: Address:

By executing this affidavit, the undersigned individual or entity certifies compliance with O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91 by affirmatively stating that the individual, firm, or corporation is registered with, authorized to participate in, and actively participating in the federal work authorization program commonly known as E-Verify, in accordance with all applicable provisions of Georgia law. The undersigned further certifies that it shall maintain participation in the E-Verify program for the duration of any contract awarded by the City of Mableton and shall contract for the physical performance of services only with subcontractors that are in compliance with O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91.

Prior to any subcontractor performing work under the contract, the Contractor shall obtain a properly executed

Contractor Affidavit from each subcontractor as required by law.

The Contractor further agrees to maintain documentation evidencing such compliance and shall provide copies of all required subcontractor affidavits and verification records to the City of Mableton within three (3) business days of contract award or within three (3) business days of retaining any subcontractor during the term of the contract, whichever occurs later. Failure to comply with these requirements may constitute grounds for contract termination or other remedies available under applicable law and the terms of the contract.

E Verify TM Company Identification Number Date of Authorization

BY: Authorized Officer or Agent Date (Name of Person or Entity)

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN BEFORE ME ON THIS THE

[NOTARY…