RFP Bid _ 26_002 Comprehensive Plan Update.pdf

City of Powder Springs, Georgia RFP No. 26-002 — Comprehensive Plan Update

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Comprehensive Plan Update

Professional Planning Consulting Services

RFP No. 26-002

Issue Date: July 31, 2026

Proposals Due: August 31, 2026 at 12:00 PM noon, EDT

City of Powder Springs

4483 Pineview Drive

Powder Springs, Georgia 30127

Table of Contents

A. Introduction

B. Background

C. Scope of Work

D. Schedule of Events and Project Schedule

E. Proposal Response Format

F. Evaluation Procedure

G. Award of Contract

H. Restriction of Communication; Questions and Clarifications

I. Addenda

J. Right to Cancel or Change the RFP

K. Expenses of Preparing Responses

L. Open Records

M. Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance

N. Insurance

O. Terms and Conditions

Attachment A — Scope of Work

Attachment B — Required Forms and Certifications

A. Introduction

The City of Powder Springs, Georgia (the "City") is soliciting competitive sealed proposals from qualified consulting firms to prepare a full update of the City's Comprehensive Plan. The resulting document will replace the Springs in Motion Comprehensive Plan Update adopted in December 2021 and will guide the

City's growth, development, investment, and service decisions over a twenty-year horizon.

The Comprehensive Plan shall be prepared pursuant to the Rules of the Georgia Department of Community

Affairs, Chapter 110-12-1, Standards and Procedures for Local Comprehensive Planning, also known as the

"Local Planning Requirements." The Local Planning Requirements establish the minimum standard for this engagement. The City expects the selected firm to exceed those minimums in the areas of emphasis identified in Attachment A, particularly community engagement, land use and community character, and the

Community Work Program.

Sealed proposals will be received until August 31, 2026, at 12:00 PM noon, EDT, at the City of Powder Springs

City Hall, 4483 Pineview Drive, Powder Springs, Georgia 30127, sent to the attention of Kelly Axt, City Clerk.

Proposals received after the stated date and time will not be accepted or considered unless the date and/or time is changed as an addendum to this document.

Firms shall submit one (1) original hard copy, (5) additional hard copies, and one (1) electronic copy in PDF format on a USB flash drive.

The deadline for submission of written questions is August 14, 2026, at 12:00 PM noon, EDT. All questions shall be submitted by e-mail to Kelly Axt, City Clerk, at kaxt@powderspringsga.gov. Questions and the City's responses will be posted as Addenda to this RFP on the City's website at www.powderspringsga.gov.

The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive any informality or technicality in the procurement process in order to contract in the best interest of the City.

B. Background

1. The Community

Powder Springs is located in southwest Cobb County, approximately twenty-two miles west of downtown

Atlanta and approximately twelve miles southwest of Marietta. The City encompasses roughly seven square miles and is a member jurisdiction of the ten-county Atlanta Regional Commission ("ARC"). The City's population is currently estimated at approximately 21,000 residents (per U.S. Census Bureau Population

Estimates Program), ranking it among the smaller of Cobb County's seven municipalities by population while simultaneously experiencing sustained residential growth and development pressure.

The City is predominantly characterized by low-density, single-family neighborhoods organized around a historic downtown core. Powder Springs is served by the Silver Comet Trail, one of the region's most heavily used multi-use trail corridors, and has invested substantially in its town center in recent years, including

Thurman Springs Park, the downtown amphitheater, the brand new Powder Springs Dog Park, and a new City

Hall. The City places a high value on transparency in local government and on accessible public participation in municipal decision-making.

2. Planning Context

The City maintains an active hand in its local planning efforts. Documents that form the immediate context for this update include, but are not limited to, the following. City documents can be accessed via the City’s webpage at https://www.powderspringsga.gov/669/Planning-Documents. The selected firm will be expected to review each and reconcile its recommendations with them.

• Springs in Motion Comprehensive Plan Update (2021) — the plan being replaced

• Springs in Motion Livable Centers Initiative Plan (2016) and the Livable Centers Initiative Major Update

(adopted May 18, 2026).

• City of Powder Springs Unified Development Code

• City of Powder Springs Downtown Area Traffic Analysis (2021)

• Capital Improvements Element and Short Term Work Program/Plan (last updated February 2, 2026)

• Cobb County Comprehensive Plan and Cobb Forward Comprehensive Transportation Plan

• Atlanta Regional Commission Regional Plan and applicable Regional Water Plan

The 2021 Springs in Motion Comprehensive Plan Update was organized around a community assessment, a community priorities and outreach section, a community vision addressing land use, economic development, housing, transportation, open space and natural resources, and annexation, and an implementation section containing a short term work program/plan. It also included a report of accomplishments, a fiscal impact case study, and public engagement documentation as appendices. The selected firm should treat the 2021 plan as the point of departure for this update rather than as a template to be reproduced.

3. Purpose of this Update

This procurement is intended to produce a full plan update rather than a minimum-compliance refresh. The

City seeks a plan that is concise, visually compelling, written in plain language for a general audience, and structured so that City staff, the Planning Commission, and the Mayor and City Council can use it routinely in day-to-day decision-making. Specific objectives include:

• Maintaining the City's Qualified Local Government certification and its continued eligibility for state funding and permitting programs

• Reassessing the City's land use and community character framework in light of the growth, annexation activity, and development that have occurred since 2021

• Reviewing, evaluating, and providing recommendations on the City’s draft Community Work Program to improve compliance, feasibility, implementation effectiveness, and alignment with community goals and planning best practices.

• Coordinating the Comprehensive Plan with the 2026 Livable Centers Initiative Update so that the two documents reinforce rather than duplicate one another

• Broadening participation in the planning process beyond the residents who typically attend public meetings https://www.powderspringsga.gov/669/Planning-Documents

4. Applicable Planning Requirements

The City is a Qualified Local Government that administers zoning and land development regulations subject to the Zoning Procedures Law, lies within the Atlanta metropolitan planning organization area, and charges development impact fees for park and recreation and public safety facilities. Based on these conditions and on the Local Planning Requirements, the plan update is expected to include, at minimum:

• Community Goals

• Needs and Opportunities

• Broadband Services Element

• Community Work Program

• Land Use Element

• Transportation Element

• Capital Improvements Element, prepared to satisfy the Development Impact Fee Compliance

Requirements at DCA Rules 110-12-2

The City also intends to include Housing and Economic Development elements, together with a natural and cultural resources discussion, as locally elected optional elements. The selected firm shall confirm the City's required elements and recertification deadline against the recertification schedule maintained by the

Department of Community Affairs at the outset of the engagement and shall promptly advise the City of any discrepancy between that schedule and the scope described in Attachment A.

C. Scope of Work

The complete scope of work is set out in Attachment A and is incorporated into this RFP by reference. The work is organized into the following tasks:

Task Description

1 Project Initiation, Management, and Coordination

2 Review of Existing Plans and Existing Conditions Assessment

3 Report of Accomplishments

4 Community Engagement and Public Participation Program

5 Community Goals and Vision

6 Needs and Opportunities

7 Land Use and Community Character Element

8 Transportation Element

9 Housing Element

10 Economic Development Element

Task Description

11 Broadband Services Element

12 Capital Improvements Element Coordination

13 Community Work Program

14 Public Hearings, Transmittal, Regional and State Review, and Adoption

15 Final Deliverables

The selected firm shall furnish all labor, materials, software, data, travel, and services required to complete the scope of work, including the services of any sub-consultants. The firm shall be responsible for all resources necessary to perform the work, including computers, survey instruments, engagement platforms, and third-party data.

The City will provide reasonable staff support, access to available City data and GIS layers, meeting space in

City facilities, assistance with public notice through City communication channels, and timely review of draft materials. The City will not prepare content, produce graphics, or perform analysis on the firm's behalf.

Proposers may recommend modifications to the scope of work where their professional experience suggests a more effective approach. Proposed modifications must be clearly identified as such, explained, and priced separately so that the City can evaluate them on a comparable basis.

D. Schedule of Events and Project Schedule

1. Procurement Schedule

The following schedule is anticipated. The City reserves the right to modify any date by Addendum.

Event Date

RFP Issued and First Advertisement July 31, 2026

Second Advertisement August 7, 2026

Third Advertisement August 14, 2026

Deadline for Submission of Questions August 14, 2026, at 12:00 PM EDT

Final Addendum with Responses Posted August 19, 2026

Proposals Due August 31, 2026 at 12:00 PM EDT

Evaluation / Interviews (if held) September 1 — September 16, 2026

Final Selection Approved by Mayor and City Council September 21, 2026

Estimated Contract Execution and Notice to Proceed September 30, 2026

2. Project Schedule

The City's objective is to complete the planning process, secure Department of Community Affairs approval, and have the Mayor and City Council adopt the plan by October 4, 2027, consistent with the City's recertification deadline (October 31, 2027). Proposers shall build their schedules backward from that date and must account for the statutory review periods described below, over which neither the City nor the firm has control:

• Transmittal of the draft plan to the Atlanta Regional Commission, which immediately forwards it to the

Department of Community Affairs

• Department of Community Affairs review, with findings transmitted to the ARC within thirty-five days after submittal

• ARC report of findings and recommendations transmitted to the City within forty days after submittal

• Any revision and resubmittal cycles required to resolve identified deficiencies

• Local adoption and final transmittal to Department of Community Affairs, October 4, 2027.

Proposals shall include a schedule sufficient to absorb at least one revision and resubmittal cycle without jeopardizing the adoption date.

E. Proposal Response Format

Proposals shall be organized in the order set out below, with each numbered section separated by a labeled tab or divider. Proposals shall be prepared simply and economically; elaborate promotional materials are neither necessary nor desired. Emphasis should be placed on completeness, relevance, and clarity. The City reserves the right to request clarification or additional supporting information from any proposer, and to find non-responsive any proposal that omits information required by this Section E.

1. Title Page

State the RFP title and number, the name of the firm, its address and telephone number, the name and title of the contact person for this proposal, and the date of submission.

2. Letter of Transmittal

A letter, signed by an officer authorized to bind the firm, that makes a positive commitment to perform the work within the time period specified, identifies the individuals authorized to represent the firm and to negotiate on its behalf, and acknowledges receipt of all Addenda issued.

3. Firm Qualifications and Organization

a. The full legal name, address, and telephone number of the firm, the names of its owners or principals, and complete information regarding its corporate structure, including form of ownership, state of incorporation or residency, and number of years in business.

b. The location of the firm's principal place of business for legal purposes and of any subsidiary or branch offices, including which office will perform the work.

c. Confirmation that the firm is registered and authorized to conduct business in the State of Georgia.

d. Identification of all sub-consultants proposed for the engagement, the scope each will perform, and the same organizational information for each.

4. Project Team and Key Personnel

a. Names, titles, and qualifications of all personnel proposed to be assigned to the project, identifying the

Project Manager who will serve as the City's primary point of contact.

b. Curricula vitae for the Project Manager and each key team member with primary responsibility for a task or plan element.

c. An organizational chart showing lines of responsibility between the firm, its sub-consultants, and the

City.

d. The percentage of time each key individual will devote to the project, and the firm's current and projected workload, including all projects contracted for or anticipated during the term of this engagement.

e. A statement that key personnel identified in the proposal will not be substituted without the prior written consent of the City.

5. Relevant Project Experience and References

a. Complete project histories for a minimum of four (4) comparable engagements, at least three (3) of which shall be comprehensive plans or comprehensive plan updates prepared under the Local Planning

Requirements and reviewed by the Department of Community Affairs.

b. For each project: the client, a description of the scope, the firm's specific role, the original and final budget with a narrative explanation of any variance, the original and final schedule with a narrative explanation of any variance, and a link to or digital copy of the final adopted document.

c. Current contact information for a reference for each project, including name, title, organization, telephone number, and e-mail address.

d. One complete final work product from among the projects described, submitted as a representative sample of the firm's work. A digital copy or functioning link satisfies this requirement.

6. Understanding of the Project and Proposed Approach

a. A narrative demonstrating the firm's understanding of the City, the requirements of this solicitation, and the specific challenges of updating the Comprehensive Plan for a community of Powder Springs' size and circumstances.

b. A detailed work plan addressing each task in Attachment A (Scope of Work), describing the specific procedures to be followed, the personnel assigned, and the resulting work product. Specifically for

Scope of Work, Task 4 “Community Engagement and Public Participation Program”, identify the techniques the firm recommends, the audiences each is designed to reach, the anticipated format of events, and the methods proposed for reaching residents who do not typically participate in municipal planning processes.

c. A project schedule presented as a Gantt chart or comparable project management graphic, showing start and completion dates for each task, review periods, and milestones.

d. The firm's quality control and quality assurance procedures, and its approach to identifying and mitigating risks to the schedule.

7. Cost Proposal

Cost data shall not appear in any other section of the proposal. The cost proposal shall contain:

a. A clearly labeled Total Project Cost on the first page. The Total Project Cost is the official proposal amount and will govern in the event of any discrepancy with the detailed breakdown.

b. A breakdown of cost by each task listed in Attachment A, showing estimated hours by personnel classification, hourly billing rates, and direct expenses. Overhead factors and multipliers shall be separately identified.

c. Separately priced costs for each proposed sub-consultant.

d. Costs for any optional or additional services the firm recommends but that are not required by

Attachment A, priced individually so the City may accept or decline each.

e. A proposed schedule of payment tied to deliverables and milestones.

f. A schedule of hourly rates by classification for use in pricing any additional services authorized during the term of the contract.

8. Legal and Disclosure Information

a. A list, stating the exact case name, case number, and court, of all litigation in which the firm or any affiliated firm is or has been involved during the past ten (10) years, together with all settlements and arbitrations during the same period.

b. A statement disclosing any actual or apparent conflict of interest arising from the firm's existing or prospective work, or affirming that none exists. The firm shall promptly disclose to the City any circumstance arising during the engagement that creates or appears to create a conflict of interest.

c. A statement confirming that neither the firm nor any principal is currently suspended or debarred from contracting with any federal, state, or local government agency.

9. Required Forms

All forms listed in Attachment B, completed, executed, and notarized where indicated.

F. Evaluation Procedure

An Evaluation Committee established by the City will review and score all responsive proposals. The City will conduct a comprehensive, fair, and impartial evaluation and will select the proposal that represents the best overall value to the City. Cost will be considered but will not be the sole determining factor.

Proposals will be evaluated against the following criteria:

Criterion Points

Understanding of the project and quality of the proposed approach, including the work plan, schedule, and responsiveness to the scope of work in Attachment A

Demonstrated experience preparing comprehensive plans under the Local Planning

Requirements, and experience with projects comparable in type, size, and complexity

Quality and depth of the proposed community engagement strategy, including methods for reaching populations that do not typically participate

Qualifications, availability, and relevant experience of the Project Manager and assigned staff, including sub-consultants

Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality work, control costs, and meet project schedules, as evidenced by references and past performance

Overall structure, clarity, completeness, and quality of the proposal 5

Cost to complete the project 5

Total 100

After the initial proposal evaluation, the City may, at its sole discretion, shortlist firms and invite them to interview or present to the Evaluation Committee. Selected firms may be interviewed and re-evaluated based upon additional information received in these meetings against criteria stated in this RFP. Firms may be asked to provide the Evaluation Committee supplemental information regarding demonstrated competence and qualifications, feasibility of implementing their proposal, ability to meet schedules, or other factors as appropriate. Any information requested by the Evaluation Committee subsequent to submission of the firm’s proposal will be used to further evaluate the selected firms to determine a rank-order. The City reserves the right to determine that no qualified proposals have been received and to reject all proposals.

G. Award of Contract

The Evaluation Committee will compile a ranking of firms based on the scoring described in Section F and will forward its recommendation of award to the Mayor and City Council, which will make the final decision as to contract award.

Award of this RFP does not constitute a contract. Neither the City nor any proposer is bound unless and until a written agreement, mutually acceptable as to its terms and conditions, is executed by both parties. The City intends to negotiate a final scope, fee, and schedule with the highest-ranked firm. If the City is unable to negotiate a satisfactory agreement at rates it determines to be reasonable, it reserves the right to terminate negotiations and to begin negotiations with the next highest-ranked firm.

H. Restriction of Communication; Questions and Clarifications

A restriction of communication is in effect for this solicitation. From the date this RFP is advertised until the award is made official and announced, firms may not communicate about this solicitation or its scope with any City staff member, the Mayor, or any member of the City Council, except through the City Clerk as provided below or as necessary under an existing work agreement. Violation of this provision is grounds for rejection of the offending firm's proposal.

All questions and requests for clarification regarding this RFP or the project shall be submitted in writing by e-mail to Kelly Axt, City Clerk, at kaxt@powderspringsga.gov, no later than the deadline stated in Section D.

Questions and the City's written responses will be issued as Addenda and posted on the City's website. Oral responses from any source are not binding on the City.

I. Addenda

Addenda may be issued in response to questions received or to changes in this RFP. Each Addendum must be acknowledged by initialing and returning the Addendum with this proposal, as well as signing and returning the Addenda Acknowledgment Form contained in Attachment B with the proposal. Failure to acknowledge any Addendum may result in a determination that the proposal is non-responsive. It is the responsibility of each interested firm to monitor the City's website for Addenda through the proposal due date.

J. Right to Cancel or Change the RFP

The City reserves the right to cancel any and all Requests for Proposals where it determines that doing so is in the best interest of the City. The City further reserves the right to increase, reduce, add to, or delete any item in this RFP as it deems necessary, and to waive any technicality or informality associated with a submittal where it determines that doing so is in the best interest of the City.

K. Expenses of Preparing Responses

All expenses of preparing and submitting a response to this RFP, and of participating in any interview, presentation, or negotiation, are borne exclusively by the responding firm. The City accepts no responsibility for and is not obligated to reimburse any such expense.

L. Open Records

Each Firm should give specific attention to the identification of those portions of the RFP that it considers confidential, proprietary commercial information or trade secrets, and provide justification as to why such materials, upon request, should not be disclosed. Subject to the provisions of the Georgia Open Records Act, the contents of proposals will remain confidential until final award.

M. Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance

In compliance with the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act of 2006 (Act 457), Section 2 of

Senate Bill 529, and O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91 and Georgia Department of Labor Rule 300-10-1, the selected firm and all sub-consultants must affirm that they are registered with and participating in a federal work authorization program. The applicable affidavits are included in Attachment B with this RFP and must be completed, executed, notarized, and submitted with the proposal.

N. Insurance

Prior to execution of a contract, the selected firm shall provide certificates of insurance evidencing coverage in amounts not less than those specified in the City of Powder Springs Purchasing Policy, naming the City of

Powder Springs as an additional insured, and shall maintain such coverage for the duration of the engagement.

O. Terms and Conditions

1. Statement of Agreement

By submitting a proposal, the firm agrees that it has carefully examined this Request for Proposals and that it is the firm's responsibility to request clarification of any provision with which it disagrees or that it does not understand. Failure to raise such matters during the question period or within the proposal will be interpreted to mean that the firm is in full agreement with the terms, conditions, specifications, and requirements set out in this RFP.

2. Substitutions, Alternates, and Exceptions

Exceptions to the requirements of this RFP must be clearly identified in the proposal, with the specific provision at issue and the alternative proposed. Unidentified substitutions or alternates may render a proposal non-responsive.

3. Contract Term and Type

The City anticipates awarding one (1) contract to one (1) firm. The agreement will remain in effect until the

Comprehensive Plan has been adopted by the Mayor and City Council, transmitted as adopted to the Atlanta

Regional Commission and the Department of Community Affairs, and all final deliverables have been accepted by the City. The form of agreement (“Contract”) the City intends to execute with the selected firm is included in this RFP as “Agreement for Vendor/Contractor Services” in Attachment B. Firms are urged to read this Contract carefully prior to submitting a Proposal.

In general, the City is unable to negotiate or revise contract provisions. If a firm believes certain contract provisions are out of date, not applicable or place an undue burden or cost on the firm or the City, the firm shall address these concerns in writing during the pre-submittal questions period. The City review and determine the appropriate response. If the City determines a change is warranted, an addendum will be posted to this RFP. If a firm is unwilling to execute the Contract, whether modified by addendum or not, a

Proposal should not be submitted. Prior to award, the apparent selected Offeror may be required to enter into discussions with the City to resolve any contractual differences before an award is made.

4. Ownership of Work Product

All documents, data, analyses, maps, GIS files, graphics, photographs, and other materials produced under the resulting agreement shall become the property of the City upon payment. The firm shall deliver all such materials in editable native formats. Any third-party licensed content incorporated into a deliverable must be identified, and the license must permit the City's continued use, reproduction, and publication without additional cost.

5. Compliance with Law and Non-Discrimination

The selected firm shall observe and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations relating to the provision of the services, and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis protected by law.

6. Validity of Proposals

All proposals and associated pricing shall remain valid and binding for a period of sixty (60) days from the proposal due date.

7. Independent Contractor

The selected firm will perform the services as an independent contractor and not as an employee or agent of the City. Nothing in the resulting agreement shall be construed to create a partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship.

ATTACHMENT A

Scope of Work

I. General

The City of Powder Springs will prepare a full update of its Comprehensive Plan, replacing the Springs in

Motion Comprehensive Plan Update adopted in 2021. The resulting plan shall be prepared pursuant to the

Rules of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Chapter 110-12-1, Standards and Procedures for

Local Comprehensive Planning (the "Local Planning Requirements"). Those requirements establish the minimum standard for this work; the City expects the plan to exceed them in the areas of emphasis noted below.

The plan shall carry a twenty-year horizon and shall be accompanied by a five-year Community Work

Program. The plan shall be concise, visually compelling, easy to navigate, and written in accessible language for a general audience rather than for planning professionals. Lengthy recitations of background data are discouraged; supporting data belongs in an appendix. The City is open to innovative plan structures and formats and encourages proposers to recommend approaches that improve the plan's usefulness as a working document.

II. Planning Area

The planning area consists of all land within the corporate limits of the City of Powder Springs. Analysis shall extend beyond the corporate limits where necessary to address unincorporated areas within the City's sphere of influence, potential annexation areas, and cross-jurisdictional issues involving Cobb County and adjoining municipalities.

III. Work Tasks

Task 1 — Project Initiation, Management, and Coordination

• Conduct a project kickoff meeting with City staff to confirm scope, schedule, roles, deliverable formats, communication protocols, and data needs.

• Confirm the City's required plan elements and recertification deadline against the recertification schedule maintained by the Department of Community Affairs, and advise the City in writing of any discrepancy with this scope of work.

• Prepare and maintain a project management plan which includes a detailed schedule.

• Conduct project management meetings with City staff at intervals of no less than every two weeks for the duration of the engagement. These may be held virtually.

• Submit monthly progress reports describing work completed, work planned, percentage of budget expended by task, issues requiring City decision, and schedule status against baseline.

Task 2 — Review of Existing Plans and Existing Conditions Assessment

• Review all adopted City plans, studies, ordinances, and regulations listed in Section B of the RFP, together with applicable county, regional, and state plans. Summarize how each informs the update and identify areas of alignment and conflict.

• Prepare a socio-demographic and economic profile of the City analyzing population and household trends, age distribution, race and ethnicity, language spoken and English proficiency, educational attainment, income and poverty, employment by sector, and commuting patterns.

• Evaluate population, household, and employment projections through the planning horizon, using ARC forecasts as the baseline and identifying where local conditions warrant departure from them.

• Compile and map existing land use at the parcel level and analyze acreage and distribution by category.

• Evaluate recent development activity, permitting trends, pending and approved developments, annexation activity since 2021, and redevelopment potential.

• Assess community facilities and services, including water and sewer capacity, stormwater, parks and recreation, public safety, and solid waste, and the adequacy of each to serve projected growth.

• Inventory natural and cultural resources, including floodplains, wetlands, stream corridors, water supply watersheds and groundwater recharge areas, tree canopy, historic resources, and cemeteries.

• Review the applicable Regional Water Plan and the Rules for Environmental Planning Criteria administered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and determine whether local implementation practices or development regulations require adaptation. Prepare for the Mayor's signature the certification letter documenting this review that must accompany transmittal of the plan to the ARC.

• Deliver high-quality thematic maps suitable for both print and web display.

Task 3 — Report of Accomplishments

• Review the Community Work Program (denoted locally as the “Short Term Work Program/Plan”) adopted with the 2021 plan and subsequent annual updates, and report the current status of every listed activity. Each activity must be accounted for.

• Classify each activity as completed; underway, with a projected completion date; postponed, with an explanation and expected resumption date; or cancelled, with an explanation.

• Ensure that every activity reported as underway or postponed is carried forward into the new

Community Work Program or addressed elsewhere in the plan, as appropriate.

• Produce a public-facing summary of accomplishments suitable for use in early engagement activities to demonstrate progress and build credibility for the process.

Task 4 — Community Engagement and Public Participation Program

The City places a high value on broad participation. This task shall meet the community involvement requirements of the Local Planning Requirements and shall exceed them in reach and creativity. At minimum, the selected firm shall:

• Prepare a written Public Participation Plan at the outset, identifying stakeholders, participation techniques, audiences, and schedule for City review and approval.

• Compile a stakeholder list in coordination with City staff, which must include members of the governing authority, local economic development practitioners, City staff, and a broad cross-section of residents, business owners, property owners, institutions, faith communities, schools, and civic organizations.

• Form and facilitate a Steering Committee that includes members of the governing authority, an economic development practitioner, City staff, and identified stakeholders. Facilitate four to six

Steering Committee meetings, including preparation of agendas, materials, and summaries.

• Conduct up to twenty stakeholder and focus group interviews.

• Design and facilitate three to four in-person public engagement events at major project milestones, using workshop, open house, or charrette formats appropriate to the stage of the process. Some of these should be in the form of pop-up engagement at existing community events, parks, and/or gathering places to reach residents who do not attend traditional public meetings.

• Develop and maintain an interactive project website with tools such as surveys, interactive mapping, idea boards, and polls, coordinated with City communications staff and linked from the City's website.

• Develop a project identity and produce outreach materials — flyers, fact sheets, display boards, presentations, and social media content — in clear, non-technical language, with translation where warranted by the City's demographic profile.

• Take affirmative steps to reduce barriers to participation, which may include meeting times outside business hours, and virtual participation options.

• Document every engagement activity and report after each, summarizing participation, key themes heard, and specifically how the input was carried into the plan.

• Assemble the community involvement appendix required by the Local Planning Requirements, containing the stakeholder list, an overview of participation techniques used, the Steering Committee roster identifying the governing authority and economic development practitioner members, and documentation of activities and events such as sign-in sheets, photographs, survey instruments and results, meeting records, published notices, and social media posts.

• Present to the Mayor and City Council at milestones to be determined with City staff.

Task 5 — Community Goals and Vision

• Develop a general vision statement describing what the community intends to become and the development patterns to be encouraged.

• Develop a list of community goals reflecting the priorities expressed through the engagement process.

• Develop community policies that provide ongoing guidance to City officials in making decisions consistent with the goals, written so that they can be cited directly in staff reports and in rezoning and development review.

• Evaluate the goals and vision carried forward from the 2021 plan, recommending which to retain, revise, or retire, with reasoning.

Task 6 — Needs and Opportunities

• Facilitate a SWOT or comparable analysis with the Steering Committee and stakeholders to develop the locally agreed list of needs and opportunities the City intends to address over the next five years.

• Evaluate the City's current policies, activities, and development patterns against the Department of

Community Affairs Quality Community Objectives and supporting Best Practices, and use that analysis to identify additional needs and opportunities.

• Test the list against the demographic, economic, housing, and transportation analysis prepared under

Task 2, distinguishing needs that data confirms from those raised anecdotally.

• Designate high-priority needs and opportunities, each of which must be matched to a corresponding activity in the Community Work Program.

Task 7 — Land Use and Community Character Element

This element is a principal area of emphasis for the City. The firm shall:

• Evaluate the existing character area framework and defining narratives and recommend refinements to their boundaries, distinctions, and descriptions.

• Prepare a character area map, a future land use map, or both, at the parcel level, using the classification approach agreed with the City and consistent with the Local Planning Requirements.

• For each character area, provide a written description with illustrations making clear the types, forms, styles, and patterns of development to be encouraged; the specific land uses and zoning categories to be allowed; and the implementation measures needed to achieve the desired pattern.

• Coordinate with City staff to produce an update to the Annexation Map contained in Section 3.9 of the

2021 Springs in Motion Comprehensive Plan.

• Address the relationship between the character area/future land use framework and the downtown and Silver Comet Trail corridor recommendations from the 2026 Livable Centers Initiative Update.

• Identify specific amendments to the Unified Development Code and development regulations necessary to implement the recommended land use framework, with suggested regulatory language and a proposed adoption schedule.

• Deliver the character area and/or future land use maps in GIS digital vector format, in shapefile format, to the specifications required by the Local Planning Requirements and in consideration of the City’s chosen coordinate system, with political boundaries reflecting the latest available Census boundaries and any subsequent annexations.

Task 8 — Transportation Element

• Evaluate the adequacy of the road network, including connectivity, signalized intersections, signage, and known safety concerns.

• Evaluate bicycle and pedestrian facilities, transit and other services for residents without automobiles, and identify areas where mode choice is limited. Address connectivity between the Silver Comet Trail, the town center, neighborhoods, schools, and parks.

• Evaluate parking supply and management, including areas of insufficient parking and areas of excess or obsolete surface parking suitable for retrofit or redevelopment.

• Identify rail lines and at-grade crossings and non-rail freight operations and evaluate their impact on the transportation network, incorporating the City's ongoing railroad crossing elimination efforts.

• Address the transportation and land use connection, aligning recommended transportation policies, programs, and projects with the land use framework developed under Task 7.

• Coordinate with adopted Cobb County and ARC transportation plans and identify projects appropriate for regional or state programming. Where analysis from an adopted transportation plan is used in lieu of new analysis, cite it appropriately and integrate the applicable goals, needs and opportunities, and work program items into the Comprehensive Plan.

Task 9 — Housing Element

• Evaluate the adequacy and suitability of the existing housing stock, addressing housing types and mix, condition, occupancy and vacancy, and age.

• Analyze local housing costs, cost-burdened households, and the relationship between housing costs and local incomes.

• Assess the jobs-housing balance and the extent to which residents commute out of the City for employment.

• Assess housing needs of special populations and the availability of housing options across the life cycle, including options for seniors seeking to remain in the community and for first-time buyers.

• Recommend specific policies, programs, and regulatory changes to address identified housing needs, and recommend the City integrates corresponding activities into the Community Work Program.

Task 10 — Economic Development Element

• Identify goals, needs, and opportunities related to economic development, considering the diversity of the local economic base, the quality and skills of the local labor force, and the effectiveness of existing economic development programs and tools.

• Analyze the City's commercial and industrial land supply, occupancy, and market position, and identify constraints on business attraction and retention.

• Address downtown vitality and the economic role of the City's recent public investments in the town center.

• Coordinate with the Development Authority of Powder Springs (DAPS), Powder Springs Downtown

Development Authority (DDA), and applicable county and regional economic development partners.

• Where the regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy or a similar local plan is used in lieu of new analysis, cite it appropriately and explicitly integrate applicable goals, needs and opportunities, and work program items into the Comprehensive Plan.

Task 11 — Broadband Services Element

• Identify areas within the City designated by the Department of Community Affairs as unserved, if applicable.

• Prepare an action plan for promoting the deployment of broadband services by providers into those areas, describing steps toward reasonable and cost-effective access. Identify potential opportunities to leverage Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding in these efforts.

• Evaluate and recommend whether the City should pursue certification as a Broadband Ready

Community or seek designation of specific facilities or developments as Georgia Broadband Ready

Community Sites, and identify any ordinance changes required.

Task 12 — Capital Improvements Element Coordination

The City administers development impact fees for parks and recreation and public safety facilities and maintains a Capital Improvements Element prepared to meet the Development Impact Fee Compliance

Requirements at DCA Rules 110-12-2, which it updates annually. The City will update, adopt, and transmit its updated Capital Improvements Element to the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Department of

Community Affairs before the next scheduled due date of February 28, 2027. The firm shall:

• Coordinate with the City to ensure the Capital Improvements Element and its project lists are consistent with and reflective of the goals, needs and opportunities, land use framework, and

Community Work Program included in this Comprehensive Plan update.

• Ensure that all projects carried in the Capital Improvements Element appear in the new Community

Work Program.

Task 13 — Community Work Program

This element is a principal area of emphasis for the City. The City annually updates its own Community Work

Program (denoted locally as the “Short Term Work Program/Plan”) to meet the Development Impact Fee

Compliance Requirements at DCA Rules 110-12-2. The City will update, adopt, and transmit its updated

Community Work Program to the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Department of Community Affairs before the next scheduled due date of February 28, 2027. The firm shall:

• Review the City’s draft Community Work Program (CWP) and evaluate its effectiveness in addressing identified needs and opportunities, advancing community goals, and supporting implementation of the

Comprehensive Plan through programs, ordinances, studies, administrative systems, and capital projects.

• Assess the draft CWP for consistency with Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA) planning requirements, applicable state laws and regulations, and accepted community planning practices.

Provide recommendations to address any deficiencies, inconsistencies, or compliance concerns.

• Review each proposed activity for completeness and clarity, including the adequacy of activity descriptions, implementation timeframes, responsible parties, estimated costs, and identified funding sources. Recommend revisions where additional detail or clarification is warranted.

• Evaluate whether activities are appropriately prioritized and aligned with the City’s realistic staffing, organizational, and fiscal capacity. Recommend additions, deletions, modifications, or re-prioritization of activities to support a practical and implementable work program.

• Review the draft CWP to ensure that general policy statements are appropriately addressed within the

Community Goals element rather than the implementation-focused work program. Provide recommendations for relocating or refining content as needed.

• Identify potential grant, funding, financing, and partnership opportunities that may support implementation of specific activities included in the draft CWP.

• Provide recommendations to strengthen the overall quality, usability, and effectiveness of the

Community Work Program, including opportunities to improve implementation outcomes, track progress, and improve coordination among responsible parties.

• Prepare a summary memorandum documenting review findings, recommended revisions, and best-practice considerations for the City’s consideration prior to final adoption of the Community Work

Program.

Task 14 — Public Hearings, Transmittal, Review, and Adoption

• Prepare materials for and attend the first required public hearing, held at the inception of the planning process, to brief the community on the process to be used, opportunities for participation, and to receive input on the proposed process. Coordination with the City Clerk’s Office will be necessary to ensure public advertisement requirements are met.

• Prepare materials for and attend the second required public hearing, held once the draft plan is available for public review and prior to transmittal, to brief the community on the contents of the plan and receive final suggestions. Coordination with the City Clerk’s Office will be necessary to ensure public advertisement requirements are met.

• Prepare all documentation of the required hearings for inclusion in the community involvement appendix, including published notices and sign-in sheets.

• Prepare the complete transmittal package, including the chief elected official's certification letter regarding the Regional Water Plan and the Rules for Environmental Planning Criteria, and support the

City in transmitting the plan to the Atlanta Regional Commission.

• Respond to all comments, findings, and recommendations from the ARC and the Department of

Community Affairs, and revise and resubmit the plan as necessary until it is found to be in compliance with the Minimum Standards and Procedures. This work is included in the base scope and is not an additional service.

• Prepare the as-adopted version of the plan and support the City in providing the executed adoption resolution and as-adopted plan to the ARC within seven days of adoption.

• Provide the City with materials suitable for publicizing the availability of the adopted plan.

Task 15 — Final Deliverables

Final deliverables shall include, at minimum:

• Ten printed and bound full-color copies of the final adopted plan and appendices.

• A print-ready and a web-optimized PDF of the final plan and each appendix.

• An executive summary formatted both for the web and for print, suitable for distribution to residents and elected officials.

• A summary memorandum documenting Community Work Program review findings, recommended revisions, and best-practice considerations for the City’s consideration prior to final adoption of the

Community Work Program.

• All GIS data developed or modified during the engagement, in ESRI-compatible shapefile format with complete metadata, including the character area and/or future land use layers, delivered in the projection and boundary standards specified in Task 7.

• All native source files, including word processing, spreadsheet, and layout files, together with fonts, licensed or original graphics, photographs, and illustrations, in their original editable formats.

• The community involvement documentation appendix.

• Presentation files and display materials produced during the engagement.

All deliverables become the property of the City upon payment. The firm shall confirm that the City may reproduce, adapt, publish, and post all delivered materials without further cost or permission.

ATTACHMENT B

Required Forms and Certifications

The following forms are enclosed or requested with this RFP and must be completed, executed, and submitted with the proposal. Forms requiring notarization are indicated. Failure to submit a required form may result in a determination that the proposal is non-responsive.

Form Requirement

Contractor Affidavit and Agreement under O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91 Notarized; prime

Subcontractor Affidavit and Agreement under O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91 Notarized; each sub-consultant

Addenda Acknowledgment Form Completed & Signed

Agreement for Vendor/Contractor Services Informational

Certificate of Insurance From carrier or agent

Questions regarding these forms should be submitted through the process described in Section H of this RFP.

CONTRACTOR AFFIDAVIT AND AGREEMENT

By executing this affidavit, the undersigned Contractor verifies its compliance with O.C.G.A. 13-

10-91, stating affirmatively that the individual, firm, or corporation which is contracting with the

City of Powder Springs, Georgia, has registered with and is participating in a federal work authorization program* [any of the electronic verification of work authorization programs operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security or any equivalent…