Multi-Disciplinary Planning Consultant Firm for Comprehensive Plan Update

The Town of Bristol, Rhode Island, is seeking a multi-disciplinary planning consultant firm to update its Comprehensive Plan through a sealed bid procurement (Bid #1071). The project involves a complete ten-year update to the town's existing Comprehensive Plan, which was last approved in 2017, with the goal of achieving state approval by early 2027. The selected consultant will be responsible for preparing a comprehensive plan update following Rhode Island Comprehensive Planning and Land Use Regulation Act guidelines, including extensive public outreach and drafting detailed chapters covering economic development, transportation, community services, natural resources, and land use. Key deliverables include a user-friendly, graphics-rich document with an executive summary, digital and print versions of the plan, and all associated mapping data. The procurement timeline includes a non-mandatory pre-bid conference scheduled for September 4, 2025, with bid submissions due by September 10, 2025. The contract will be a professional services agreement with an approximate 12-month duration, requiring the consultant to coordinate closely with town staff, the Planning Board, and Town Council throughout the process.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned in the procurement documents. The contract will require the selected consultant to maintain Workman's Compensation and Comprehensive General Liability Insurance with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000. Bidders must submit detailed documentation, including a non-collusion affidavit, insurance coverage statement, and a statement of relevant experience. The procurement will involve holding back an agreed-upon percentage of the total consultant fee pending state plan approval. While a specific budget range was not disclosed, the comprehensive nature of the project suggests a substantial professional services contract. The town's primary evaluation criteria will likely focus on the consultant's experience in comprehensive planning, understanding of local and state planning requirements, and ability to create a plan that effectively guides the town's physical development while reflecting the community's vision and meeting state planning standards.