The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk

Request for Proposals | Master Planning

I. Overview

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk (“the Aquarium” or “TMA”), invites qualified consulting teams to submit proposals to develop a comprehensive, ten-year master plan. The master plan will align with the unique aspects of TMA’s ten-year strategic plan, An Aquarium Without Walls, including delivering on the Aquarium’s vision, mission, and values, through four main strategic pillars:

1. Reimagine the Aquarium Experience by promoting empathy and unity with Long Island Sound and the ocean through immersive and unique multidisciplinary experiences.

2. Foster Lifelong Learning and Environmental Stewards by inspiring curiosity and innovation through the motivating power of live animals and the wonders of the marine world.

3. Protect Wildlife and Natural Habitats of Long Island Sound by creating a resilient Long Island Sound ecosystem where species and habitats are protected, restored, and prioritized while serving as a model for conservation efforts elsewhere in the nation and the world.

4. Engage Community Near and Far by serving as a cornerstone, resource, and inspiration to bring members of the community together for the common purpose of enriching lives through a connection to the natural world.

The mission of the Aquarium is to ignite a connection to Long Island Sound and the ocean to enrich the lives of all people and inspire action to protect our blue planet. The goal of enriching the lives of all people is tantamount to the goal of ocean and environmental protection.

The vision is simple: “Ocean protected. Lives connected.” As an overall framing guide, the strategic plan looks to create an “aquarium without walls,” by which we seek to break down two different sets of barriers:

The Maritime Aquarium – Master Plan RFP / 2

(1) Physical barriers between our guests and exhibits, as well as between our community members/audiences and the natural world, by emphasizing meaningful opportunities to touch and interact with animals through immersive exhibits, programming, and increased access and engagement with natural spaces including the Norwalk River alongside our building and on the water in the Sound/ocean.

(2) Conceptual barriers that define a conventional aquarium as focused on living exhibits and interpretation relating to marine life and conservation, such that we want to become a community resource, expanding the ways we introduce our audiences to the ocean, through art, sculpture, natural history, live performance, culture, food, literature, history, etc.

A successful master plan will take this strategic direction to heart, and will guide the Aquarium’s future capital investments, mission impact, and financial sustainability.

The selected consultant will provide a phased, financially viable roadmap aligned with the organization’s mission and growth objectives.

II. Organizational background

Established in 1988 to anchor a major effort to revitalize South Norwalk (SoNo), the Aquarium has grown to be Connecticut’s second most popular family attraction, and SoNo is one of the most popular and thriving urban neighborhoods in all of Connecticut. In 2025, TMA welcomed more than 500,000 visitors, with a $15+ million operating budget. An economic impact analysis commissioned by the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency in 2023 estimated the Aquarium’s annual economic impact at $56 million to Norwalk and $89 million to the state ($61 million and $97 million, respectively, in today’s dollars). The Aquarium’s quality and reputation of its work have been recognized nationally, by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA), with award-winning programs in education, volunteer engagement, diversity, and community science. The Aquarium has maintained continuous accreditation by the AZA since 2013, thus maintaining the highest standards of operational excellence, education, animal care and welfare, and conservation impact.

The Aquarium is a blend of old and new, and a product of necessity and opportunity. It is housed in a brick building dating to 1867 that served as an ironworks factory. In its early years after opening in 1988, the Aquarium featured boatbuilding and maritime heritage. Over time, TMA prioritized live animals, recognizing the unique opportunity within aquariums to connect people to the natural world. TMA currently cares for approximately 7,500 animals representing 300 species housed within 75 habitats ranging from small tanks to a signature 160,000-gallon habitat for harbor and grey seals known as Pinniped Cove. The total footprint of TMA is approximately 140,000 square feet, with about 450,000 gallons of total water volume. The Aquarium’s approach to visitor engagement is to focus on exhibits and experiences that are interactive, immersive, and intimate to visitors.

Further, the Aquarium owns and operates two maritime vessels – a 64-foot battery-powered, hybrid electric catamaran, the R/V Spirit of the Sound, and a 46-foot Chesapeake Deadrise, the R/V Sound Explorer – that are used for educational and research purposes, including Long Island Sound tours.

The Maritime Aquarium – Master Plan RFP / 3

While the Aquarium presently docks these vessels a 10-minute walk away, the expectation is that the Aquarium will regain dock access directly adjacent to the Aquarium on the Norwalk River in 2031 (see item (III.3) below).

Following the appointment of a President and CEO, Jason Patlis, at the end of 2019, and after fully emerging from the pandemic in 2022, the Aquarium undertook the development of its new strategic plan, An Aquarium Without Walls. The strategic plan, unveiled in the beginning of 2024, was followed by a $20 million fundraising campaign, Create Your Connection, launched in 2025 and nearing completion, followed by a new brand identity approved by the Board in March 2026 and to be unveiled later this year. The master plan must provide a road map for execution of these initiatives.

III. Purpose of the master plan

There are three major components to be addressed in the development of the master plan, and in the master plan itself. Each component represents a different physical space, and a different timeframe, but all components must relate to each other and serve to define a unified, and unifying, vision for the Aquarium. The master plan assesses organizational needs to determine the most effective use of each space, and the prioritization of projects.

These three components are:

1. The current facility. The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk serves as the primary activation point for people to access animals, and engage in experiences, which contribute to advancing our mission. As we explore the potential to expand to other sites, this would remain the main campus of the Aquarium. The current facility, as described above, is in great need of an update and even an overhaul, to align with, and fulfill, the goals of the strategic plan. While there are some critical projects already underway or nearing completion – for example, a new exhibit Seabirds Between Worlds just opened in June 2026, and the river otter exhibit to be expanded in order to address welfare needs – for the most part, there is an immediate need to consider how the current facility could better serve the vision, mission and goals of the new strategic plan. And, as described in (3) below, the master plan for the current facility should account for the long-term opportunity presented by access to the Norwalk River that is expected to become available in 2031.

Aspects of the master plan relating to the current facility should include:

a. exhibits that are state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary, multicultural, multigenerational, interactive, immersive, dynamic, inclusive and accessible, reflect modern zoological practices, and that both individually and collectively serve to connect audiences to Long Island Sound and the ocean;

b. improved cohesiveness and harmony throughout the facility, by addressing circulation, flow, services, animal encounters etc., especially looking at the complete visitor experience including parking, ticketing, cafés, gift shop, elevators, restrooms, wayfinding, back of house tours where appropriate, etc.;

c. infrastructure and keeper spaces, addressing outdated/failing exhibits or exhibits that are near the end of their life expectancy, animal care and welfare, animal presentation space, dive space, and life support systems, including holding and

The Maritime Aquarium – Master Plan RFP / 4 quarantine space, veterinary treatment, and opportunities to meet welfare, conservation, research, and visitor engagement needs;

d. the Aquarium’s overall commitment to financial and operational sustainability, including its commitment made in 2022 to become carbon-neutral by 2035;

e. emergency power and back-up systems, saltwater production and storage, freshwater treatment, heating and chilling capability for tanks and support areas, storage, energy consumption and sustainability, etc.;

f. interpretive spaces to engage and inspire visitors with interactive experiences on the Aquarium floor and educational spaces and classrooms to teach school, scout and camp groups as well as hold birthday parties and public programs;

g. administrative and programmatic requirements in office space, event space, research space, storage, etc.; and,

h. connectivity to the dock for our vessel programs.

2. Manresa Wilds. This entails dedicated space for the Aquarium as an off-site annex within Manresa Wilds, a future public park on Manresa Island, an effort being led by the non-profit Manresa Island Corp (MIC). The 125-acre island will transform from the site of a decommissioned coal- and oil-fired power plant, to a world-class public park that will offer a vast array of natural landscapes, recreational experiences, and educational programming for visitors. The Aquarium was named as the first nonprofit partner in the launch of the new park in October 2024, and a formal RESA Partnership has been established to include Wesleyan and Sacred Heart Universities, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and Norwalk Public Schools, in addition to the Aquarium. MIC has invited the Aquarium to establish a dedicated presence on Manresa, and to design and construct a new physical structure within the park. The invitation from MIC is for an on-the-ground footprint of approximately 13,000 square feet, with the potential to build up to three stories, for a total of 39,000 square feet, and while we may build to that maximum, there is no requirement for a large, physical presence, or adherence to the details set forth in early expression of interest details, which are referenced below. What the Aquarium does in this space would be designed, constructed, and funded by the Aquarium, in consultation with MIC. While not a requirement in the design and construction, both Manresa Wilds and the Aquarium place great value in sustainable construction and operation, in order to minimize energy consumption and the carbon footprint of construction and operation of the facility. In addition to this specific space, there is also the opportunity to use the pier to be constructed at Manresa as a destination for Aquarium vessels. In terms of timing, the goal would be to have this annex open when the park itself opens to the public in 2031. More background information on Manresa Wilds can be found at manresawilds.org.

The preliminary components envisioned and proposed to MIC for this space, and that should be evaluated in the context of this effort include:

a. Guest-facing space and experiences in the facility, along with appropriate animal holding;

b. Potential replacement and/or additional space for animal care needs such as off-site quarantine and holding space, including interest in building capacity for rescue and rehabilitation;

c. Classrooms for school, camp and public programs;

d. Administrative space to support the TMA team assigned for programming, based on results of an overall TMA needs assessment, at Manresa.

The Maritime Aquarium – Master Plan RFP / 5

3. Adjacent, riverfront annex and access. While the Aquarium sits alongside the Norwalk

River near its mouth to the Norwalk Harbor, it has never prioritized its riverfront position or access (other than its dock for its vessel operations). And for the moment, it has no accessibility to its riverfront space given a $1.3 billion state/federal project to replace the Walk Bridge, a railway bridge crossing the Norwalk River and running adjacent to the Aquarium. As part of this Walk Bridge Project, the Aquarium lost a number of assets, including the state’s largest IMAX theater, its adjacent dock and connectivity of the dock to bathrooms and facilities, the Aquarium’s original indoor-outdoor seal habitat, and a quasi-permanent tent structure housing a number of exhibits, including its signature Long Island Sound habitat. While the theater and the seal habitat have been replaced with funding provided by the state, other exhibits and assets have not. Once the Walk Bridge Project is completed, expected to be in 2031, the Aquarium will have access to, and the opportunity to build on, this riverfront area in a way that compliments any presence on Manresa.

This may include:

a. A new, seamlessly integrated annex to our existing building (or an expansion of our current building) that would allow us to add to our current exhibits and collection, consider additional animal care/rescue space, and enhance the guest experience; and

b. Use of the riverfront itself, including docking for Maritime Aquarium vessels, and for guests, events and programs.

In addition to a master plan addressing these three components, and how they support and complement one another, the master plan will also need to include the business plan to rationalize the linkages among these spaces and provide a business model for financial sustainability of staffing and operations. This would include: (1) opportunities for the effectiveness and efficiency of serving TMA’s mission offered by each location; (2) clarification of how the distinct spaces support and interact with each other; (3) determination of the distinct audiences best served across spaces;

(3) potential revenue streams and fundraising needs/opportunities across spaces; and (4) staffing requirements across spaces based on programming.

Following the completion of the master plan, the Aquarium will plan to conduct a feasibility study to explore fundraising capacity to implement the recommendations of the master plan.

IV. Scope of Work

Phase 1: Discovery & Assessment

1. Assessment of alignment with ten-year strategic plan to guide phasing of work

2. Market and peer benchmarking

3. Facilities, needs, and site assessments, including federal and state regulations related to coastal building in flood plains

4. Attendance and financial baseline review

5. Comparative review of other aquariums that operate across multiple campuses

The Maritime Aquarium – Master Plan RFP / 6

Phase 2: Visioning & Experience Framework

1. Audience experience vision and guiding principles: Wayfinding, storytelling, innovation;

accessibility, activation of space for visitors; virtual and physical outreach

2. Facility needs: Resource sustainability, efficiency, safety, climate resiliency

3. Physical requirements: Offices, experiential space, storage, animal care and holding, animal hospital, conservation research, rescue and rehabilitation

4. Maximizing strengths: Integrating animal care, conservation, research and education for greater impact and efficiency

Phase 3: Concept Development

1. 3-4 site plan options

2. Preliminary exhibit and experience concepts for Aquarium campus, riverfront, and Manresa site

3. Infrastructure and operational considerations for Aquarium campus, riverfront, and Manresa site

Phase 4: Financial Modeling & Phasing

1. Order-of-magnitude capital cost estimates, separately, for Aquarium campus, riverfront, and

Manresa site locations

2. Multi-year operational expenses during phased planning and construction, and upon completion

3. Attendance and earned revenue projections

4. Contributed revenue strategy

5. Phased implementation strategy

Phase 5: Final Master Plan

1. Preferred master plan

2. Concept renderings and diagrams

3. Implementation roadmap (ten years)

4. Board-ready presentation materials

V. Deliverables

The consultant will provide:

1. Comprehensive Master Plan document (PDF and editable format)

2. Site plans, diagrams, and concept visuals

3. Business plan, including financial models and staffing needs for the different models

4. Phasing and implementation plan

5. Communication materials for staff and community

6. Board presentation deck

The Maritime Aquarium – Master Plan RFP / 7

VI. Proposal Requirements

1. Firm overview and relevant experience

2. Project approach and methodology

3. Proposed team and roles

4. Relevant project examples (3–5)

5. Timeline and work plan, not to exceed 6 - 8 months

6. Fee proposal (by phase), not to exceed $300,000

7. References

VII. Proposal Evaluation Criteria

1. Quality and clarity of approach and process

2. Relevant experience with aquariums, zoos, museums and/or other cultural centers

3. Creativity and vision

4. Team qualifications

5. Cost/value

TMA will review proposals to select finalists for in-person interviews. TMA may develop additional markers for evaluation during the review process as appropriate.

TMA will invite the top two-to-three selected vendors to provide an in-person presentation to members of the Aquarium leadership team. The in-person interview should be complementary to the submitted proposal and provide further insight into the abilities and professionalism of the vendor presenting.

The final selection of a vendor will be made weighing both the selection criteria outlined for the initial proposal along with a further understanding of the abilities of the vendor achieved through the in-person interview.

VIII. Supplementary Materials

Relevant materials to be a reference in development of the master plan include:

1. Strategic Plan, An Aquarium Without Walls 2024-2034

2. Institutional Collection Plan, 2023

3. Conservation Action Plan, 2023

4. DEAI Action Plan, 2024

5. Interpretive Plan, 2022

6. Economic Impact Analysis, 2023

7. TMA Master Plan and Mitigation Plan, 2016

8. Interim Visual Brand Guidelines, 2023 (as noted above, the Aquarium will be unveiling a new brand identity in October 2026, and brand materials will be shared with the successful bidder upon award and contract).

The Maritime Aquarium – Master Plan RFP / 8

IX. Instructions to Participants

See the Timeline in Section X for applicable deadlines. Inquiries and responses must be emailed to Masterplan@maritimeaquarium.org. Proposals must be submitted digitally and by hard copy.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that proposals are submitted and receipt confirmed prior to the submission deadline.

In addition to sending proposals to masterplan@maritimeaquarium.org, please also submit proposals electronically in PDF format directly to:

Jason Patlis President and CEO jpatlis@maritimeaquarium.org

Submit 5 hard copies to:

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk Attn: Jason Patlis 10 North Water Street Norwalk CT 06854

X. Timeline for Proposal

Date Activity

June 17, 2026 RFP sent to vendors

June 26, 2026 Participants submit intent to bid by 5pm EST, via email to:

masterplan@maritimeaquarium.org

July 1, 2026 Deadline for vendors to submit questions on RFP by 5pm, via email to:

masterplan@maritimeaquarium.org

July 8, 2026 TMA responds to questions via email by 5pm EST

July 17, 2026 Submission deadline by 5pm EST, via email to masterplan@maritimeaquarium.org

July 24, 2026 Initial response by TMA to vendors

August 3-7, 2026 Vendor presentations onsite at TMA

August 14, 2026 TMA selects vendor

August 28, 2026 Contract Execution mailto:Masterplan@maritimeaquarium.org mailto:masterplan@maritimeaquarium.org mailto:jpatlis@maritimeaquarium.org

The Maritime Aquarium – Master Plan RFP / 9

XI. Additional information

1. REVIEW OF PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, the firm represents that they have read and thoroughly understand the requirements set forth under the information and instructions provided.

By choosing to submit a proposal the firm is indicating they can provide professional quality services to achieve the objectives of TMA.

2. QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD

Questions regarding the RFP must be submitted via email to masterplan@maritimeaquarium.org, and answers by TMA will be submitted, within the timeframe provided in Section X above. TMA may decide to share questions and responses to all firms at its discretion. TMA reserves the right to ignore questions outside of the scope of the RFP.

3. ADDENDA

Should TMA need to issue changes to the RFP, it will be done via addendum, and such information will be provided via email to firms. In the event of an addendum, firms must consider its contents in their final submission.

XII. Proposal Format and Content

1. PROPOSAL SUMMARY

1. Provide an executive summary of the proposal

2. PROJECT SCOPE RESPONSE

Responses to the project must be based on the scope provided. In addition, the following elements must be present in the submission's narrative:

1. A detailed and clear substantive description of the master plan to be developed and how it will achieve the goals provided in this RFP incorporating the strategic plan;

2. A detailed and clear description of the process and steps in developing the master plan;

3. Estimated timeline for phases and completion;

4. Documentation of any exceptions or additions to the project scope;

5. Comprehensive pricing, including service fees, and recommended product costs by phase;

6. 2-3 work samples from similar institutions (logos and other identifying information may be redacted for confidentiality).

3. PERSONNEL

1. Identify team members who will perform the work, along with their qualifications and experience, expertise, and past projects;

2. Provide Federal Tax ID and State License Number;

mailto:masterplan@maritimeaquarium.or

The Maritime Aquarium – Master Plan RFP / 10

3. Describe any third-party with whom your company may partner to be responsible for the work, including name, address, role, a summary of the relationship with the third-party, the nature of the work to be performed by the third-party, and the oversight of the work to be conducted by your company.

4. CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE

A sample certificate of insurance is available as an attachment to this document. Firms must be prepared to provide a certificate of insurance naming The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Inc.

an additional insured, along with the limits outlined in the sample.

5. REFERENCES

Firms must provide references for a minimum of three past clients, along with contact information. Please provide references for clients your company has worked with in the last five years.

XIII. Additional Terms and Conditions

1. COSTS

The RFP does not obligate TMA to pay for any costs incurred in connection with work done in response to this RFP.

2. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

No Respondent shall use any intellectual property of TMA, including logos, registered trademarks, or copyrighted images, without prior written approval by TMA.

3. PARTICIPANT SUBMISSIONS

This RFP and Respondent’s submission shall become property of TMA.

4. LIABILITY

TMA shall not be liable to any Respondent, person or entity for any losses, expenses, costs, claims or damages of any kind either (1) arising out of, by reason of, or attributable to work done in response to this RFP; or (2) as a result of the use of any information, error, or omission contained in this RFP or provided during the RFP process.

5. CONDITION OF AWARD

TMA reviews all new vendors subject to federal and state law, and to our own financial and accounting policies consistent with audit review and compliance. Execution of any contract to be awarded in response to the RFP is contingent upon TMA review and approval. In addition, funding for the award is being provided through a grant provided by the CT Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD), and pursuant to that grant, DECD reserves the right to review professional services contracts prior to finalization.