Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan

The Valdosta-Lowndes County Parks & Recreation Authority (VLPRA) is requesting proposals for a Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan under ITB 11-27, with proposals due September 10, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. EST at the VLPRA Administrative Office in Valdosta, Georgia. Questions are due August 27, 2026.

VLPRA serves approximately 123,000 residents across Lowndes County and the City of Valdosta and operates 40+ parks and facilities. The scope encompasses development of a strategic 10-year master plan to guide capital investment, programming, land acquisition, and operational decisions. Deliverables include a comprehensive plan document in 10 printed bound copies, electronic PDF and editable versions, and presentation boards; at least six public meetings per region; stakeholder interviews with elected officials and board members; facility assessments; GIS-based inventory mapping; and a final board presentation. Proposals must not exceed 30 pages excluding resumes and appendices, and firms must submit one original, four copies, and one electronic PDF copy.

The fixed contract budget is $120,000, with compensation structured as a fixed fee presented by project phase. Work is expected to commence November 1, 2026, with a final presentation scheduled for September 15, 2027. The Authority Board will formally approve the selected firm on October 21, 2026.

Evaluation criteria are firm qualifications and experience with comparable agencies (20% weight), project team qualifications (15%), quality of community engagement approach (20%), understanding of scope and local context (15%), schedule feasibility (10%), fee proposal and value (15%), and reference strength (5%). Selected firms must maintain professional services liability insurance of at least $1 million per occurrence, general liability of $1 million per occurrence/$2 million aggregate, workers' compensation, and automobile liability of $1 million. The contract is governed by Georgia law with disputes resolved through mediation. VLPRA reserves the right to continue the engagement for future site design and construction management phases resulting from the master plan.