IFB/DCP/DPR/2609-1270095/Urban Forest Master Plan (UFMP)

The City of Atlanta's Department of City Planning and Department of Parks & Recreation are requesting proposals for a consultant to develop a comprehensive 15-year Urban Forest Master Plan, with proposals due October 21, 2026 and project completion required by April 30, 2029. The scope is a strategic plan to increase Atlanta's tree canopy to 50%, addressing protection, management, expansion, equitable access, and long-term governance through 2042.

The consultant must demonstrate ten years of urban forestry-related experience and have completed three urban forest master plans or management plans since January 2016 for cities exceeding 300,000 population or 75 square miles. The project team must collectively provide expertise in urban forestry and arboriculture, urban forest assessment and data analysis, GIS and spatial analysis, natural area management, municipal policy, community engagement, survey development, strategic planning, graphic design, and technical communication. Required staff disciplines include professional arborists, GIS professionals, urban forestry specialists, natural resource specialists, community engagement professionals, data analysts, policy and planning professionals, and technical writers.

The deliverables include a comprehensive final plan document with 3- to 5-year achievable benchmarks, specific goals, policies, funding strategies, implementation timelines, responsible parties, and performance measures. The consultant must conduct urban forest data and condition assessments, policy and practice reviews, and staffing and resource evaluations. Community and stakeholder engagement is a major component: a minimum 180-day public survey in multiple languages, six in-person public meetings, presentations to 25 Neighborhood Planning Units, at least four focus group workshops, at least three advisory group meetings, at least fifteen stakeholder interviews, and a neighborhood ambassador program with 35–45 ambassadors compensated at $25 per hour (not to exceed $25,000 total). Final deliverables include a PDF, editable Word document, and twenty-five printed bound copies, plus all electronic files, modeling, maps, and layouts. Project start is Spring 2027, funded through a USFS Inflation Reduction Act grant. The City will provide tree canopy analyses, upcoming Smart Tree Inventory results, forest age and natural area assessments, and access to relevant codes and prior studies. The City review and revision process allows at least seven business days at three feedback stages, limited to three final revision rounds.