Consultant Services for Comprehensive Plan Update (2026) with GIS Services

Forsyth County, Georgia, is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for consultant services to complete a comprehensive update to the County's Comprehensive Plan in accordance with Georgia Department of Community Affairs standards and in coordination with the Atlanta Regional Commission. The procurement seeks qualified planning consultants to develop an actionable, data-driven Comprehensive Plan that aligns future land use with infrastructure capacity, reflects community priorities, and provides implementation guidance for County decision-making. The scope of work encompasses data collection and technical analysis of existing plans, a robust public engagement process including a minimum of three townhall meetings and an interactive WCAG 2.2 Level AA compliant website, establishment of a Steering Committee with specified representation meeting at least three times, and comprehensive GIS services meeting County requirements. Key deliverables include an Existing Conditions/Technical Analysis Memorandum, Needs & Opportunities Report, public engagement summaries following each phase, at least one interim draft Comprehensive Plan, and a final adoption-ready Comprehensive Plan. Proposals will be evaluated on a 100-point scale using the following weightings: Project Approach and Methodology (25%), Public Engagement Strategy (20%), Relevant Experience (20%), Project Team and Qualifications (15%), Project Schedule (10%), and Fee Proposal (10%). The technical proposal shall not exceed 30 pages, with the fee proposal submitted in a separately sealed file. Sealed proposals must be submitted electronically through the County's Euna Procurement portal no later than 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 4, 2026, with firm names to be announced at 2:30 p.m. the same day at Forsyth County Administration in Cumming, Georgia. All questions regarding the solicitation must be submitted through the Euna Procurement portal by 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, with responses issued via written addenda. The County requires a complete draft Comprehensive Plan by August 2027 to allow sufficient time for public hearings and revisions prior to the required October 2027 submittal deadline to ARC.

The RFP documents do not specify set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond, nor do they identify any incumbent vendors or current contractors. However, the selected contractor must comply with E-Verify requirements per O.C.G.A. 13-10-91 and provide notarized affidavits confirming compliance with federal work authorization programs, and is prohibited from employing unauthorized aliens. The contractor must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including statutory workers' compensation, comprehensive general liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, professional liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and cyber liability of $1,000,000 per occurrence, with Forsyth County Board of Commissioners named as additional insured. The agreement term extends for fourteen months from the time of award, with automatic renewal on January 1 of each subsequent calendar year unless the County provides written notice of non-renewal at least five days prior to year-end, and the agreement terminates absolutely on December 31 of each calendar year if it extends beyond fiscal year 2026. Compensation shall be based on the contractor's proposal as detailed in Exhibit "B," with monthly invoices required and payment made within thirty days of invoice approval, though the RFP documents do not specify the total contract value or budget range. All work products developed under the contract shall be owned exclusively by Forsyth County, and all submitted materials become County property subject to the Georgia Open Records Act. Proposals remain valid for 120 days from the submission deadline, and the County reserves the right to conduct interviews and reject any or all proposals at its discretion.