As-needed Real Estate & Design Consulting Services

The City of Santa Monica is soliciting proposals through a Request for Proposals (RFP) for as-needed professional consulting services organized into three distinct scopes of work: Strategic Urban Planning, Urban Design & Architectural Services; Real Estate Advisory and Financial Analysis Services; and Economic Development Services. Qualified consultants may propose for one, two, or all three scopes and will be selected to establish a pool of as-needed consultants engaged on individual projects as defined during assignment. Under Scope 1, the City requires expertise in land use planning, urban design analysis, architectural design and visualization, city planning initiatives, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) environmental analysis, transportation and circulation planning, sustainability strategies, and community engagement processes to support economic revitalization and public space activation. Scope 2 encompasses real estate advisory services including highest and best use analysis, appraisal services, financial modeling, affordable housing finance, public-private partnership structuring, and negotiation support, as well as public land strategy services encompassing asset evaluation, property disposition, and Surplus Lands Act assessment. Scope 3 covers economic development strategy services including industry cluster analysis, downtown revitalization strategies, market data analysis, demographic forecasting, and key performance indicator monitoring to inform policy considerations related to economic and fiscal vitality. Minimum vendor requirements include a demonstrated 15 years of experience with prior municipal or public entity work preferred, designation of a Lead Principal/Project Director for each scope, California Secretary of State registration in good standing, and successful completion of at least three comparable assignments within the past ten years for a public agency or governmental entity. Proposals are limited to five double-sided pages and must include a cover letter, scope of work checklist, project team composition, up to three relevant projects per scope, up to three references per scope, and fully burdened hourly rates for all anticipated job classifications. The RFP was released on March 24, 2026, with a deadline for questions on April 2, 2026, and a proposal submission deadline of April 15, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Evaluation will be weighted 80 points for qualifications and experience, 15 points for cost, and 5 points for methodology.

The contract will be for an initial term of three years with two optional one-year renewal periods at the City's sole discretion, with no minimum hours guaranteed; the City will pay only for hours of service actually received. Proposers must comply with the Living Wage Ordinance if the contract exceeds $54,200 and maintain City of Santa Monica business licenses if physically located in or conducting business within the city. All contractors must procure and maintain comprehensive insurance coverage throughout the contract duration, including Commercial General Liability with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence, Automobile Liability with $1,000,000 per accident limits, Workers' Compensation insurance with statutory limits and Employers' Liability coverage of at least $1,000,000 per accident, and Professional Liability with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate for service providers. The City of Santa Monica must be named as an additional insured on applicable policies, and contractors must comply with all applicable state and federal laws and City ordinances, including prevailing wage requirements for applicable public works projects. Contractors must submit various certifications including the Oaks Initiative Disclosure Form and non-discrimination and non-collusion declarations. The RFP documentation does not specify set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, incumbent vendors, or specific award values or budget ranges; the City reserves the right to select multiple qualified vendors and award contracts to one or more consultants based on the evaluation criteria outlined in the RFP.