RFP - Special Event Permitting System

The City of Knoxville has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking a comprehensive e-permitting software system for the Office of Special Events, with the goal of streamlining online permit applications, tracking, payments, and inspections for city events such as Christmas in the City, Concerts on the Square, Mardi Growl, and Rossini Italian Street Fair. The procurement seeks a mobile-friendly, ADA compliant software solution with language translation capabilities that can integrate with existing City permitting processes. Proposals must be electronically submitted by September 16, 2025, at 11:00:00 a.m. Eastern Time, and will be evaluated using a 100-point scoring system. The evaluation criteria includes Project/Technical Approach (35 points), Pricing/Cost (25 points), Qualifications/Experience of Firm (20 points), and Customer Service Support (20 points). The contract term is anticipated to be three years with two optional one-year renewals, and the system must address current administrative challenges such as reducing plan review time and permit issuance time.

The City has established specific diversity goals for fiscal year 2025, targeting 4.3% minority-owned business participation, 10.3% woman-owned business participation, and 34.8% small business participation. While the City cannot engage in preferential bidding practices, it strongly encourages prime contractors to seek out and hire diverse businesses. The procurement does not specify an incumbent vendor or explicit budget range, but the comprehensive nature of the e-permitting system suggests a significant technology investment. The system will need to seamlessly integrate with the City's existing permitting infrastructure and provide robust functionality across multiple event types. Potential respondents should be prepared to demonstrate their technical capabilities, pricing structure, and ability to meet the City's operational requirements for an efficient, user-friendly special event permitting solution.