RFP No. 256104 Comprehensive Park System Planning

The City of Salem, Oregon is soliciting proposals through RFP No. 256104 for professional and technical services to support comprehensive park system planning on a continuing basis through Consultant of Record (COR) contracts. The procurement encompasses three service categories: Category A (Park Data, GIS & Performance Analytic Services), Category B (Community Engagement), and Category C (Park System Planning, Policy & Implementation Strategy), with proposers able to submit bids for any combination of these categories. Key deliverables and objectives include data analysis and GIS mapping services, community engagement and stakeholder coordination, and the development of park system planning policies and implementation strategies. Qualified consultants must demonstrate expertise through evaluation criteria weighted as follows: firm qualifications and experience (25 points), key team member qualifications (15 points), work product quality and approach (25 points), resource allocation and staffing efficiency (15 points), and relevant references (20 points). Required qualifications include commercial general liability insurance of $2,000,000 per occurrence and Errors and Omissions coverage of $2,000,000. The solicitation opened January 26, 2026, with proposals due February 27, 2026 at 4:00 PM local time via electronic submission through Equity Hub's Bid Locker. The City anticipates issuing a Notice of Intent to Award in March 2026, with an Agreement Award by April 2026 and a Notice to Proceed by May 1, 2026. Proposals must not exceed 20 pages excluding cover letter, references, and resumes.

The RFP does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types eligible to respond. Compensation is structured on negotiated hourly rates subject to annual Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) increases capped at the published rate, with reimbursable expenses limited to documented third-party costs including reproductions, printing, travel at IRS mileage rates outside a 70-mile radius of Salem Civic Center, meals for overnight travel, and lodging. The City will select up to five qualified consultants as Consultants of Record, though it reserves discretion to select fewer or more based on proposal quality, with no guarantee regarding the volume or amount of work assigned. Individual project assignments under $250,000 are subject to direct appointment, those between $250,000 and $500,000 subject to informal RFP processes, and those exceeding category limits subject to formal RFP processes outside this COR arrangement. The initial contract term runs through June 30, 2027, with options for four additional one-year renewal periods. The annual contract maximum is $1,000,000 with individual project maximums of $500,000, though no incumbent vendors or existing technology integration requirements are referenced in the solicitation documents.