RFQ-26-226 Partnership Development & Implementation Management Services for Yuma Innovation District

The City of Yuma, Arizona is issuing Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 26-226 to procure Partnership Development & Implementation Management Services for the Yuma Innovation District, a city-led initiative designed to accelerate downtown reinvestment through organized planning, partnerships, and market activity. The selected firm will provide comprehensive services including innovation district strategy and governance, public-private partnership (P3) development and deal structuring, tenant and anchor recruitment, ecosystem building, and developer and investor engagement with implementation management. Key deliverables include a district implementation plan, a P3 opportunity pipeline with concept-level term sheets, a tenant recruitment strategy with prospect pipeline management, site readiness frameworks, investor marketing materials, and governance and sustainability recommendations. The selected contractor must translate the City's EPA-funded "Brownfields to Innovation District" planning effort into an actionable implementation program focused on the Old Town South area of Downtown Yuma, a 20-40 acre mixed-use development zone within a 640-acre study area containing approximately 76 acres of vacant land. Required qualifications include demonstrated minimum experience in innovation district or place-based economic development, multi-workstream program and project management, P3 and partnership development, tenant/anchor/investor recruitment, and financial feasibility analysis, with preferred experience in brownfields redevelopment readiness, downtown mixed-use development coordination, higher education and workforce partnerships, and cross-border or Tribal Nations collaboration. The required team must include a Project Director/Principal-in-Charge, Program Manager, P3/Real Estate Partnership Lead, Tenant/Investor Recruitment Lead, Communications/Marketing Support, and Financial/Analyst Support. Statements of Qualifications, limited to one cover letter page and a maximum of 25 searchable PDF pages (excluding required attachments) with 11-point minimum font, must be submitted through the City's Procurement Portal by 11:00 a.m. MST on March 26, 2026, with public opening via Microsoft Teams at 11:10 a.m. MST the same day. Written questions must be submitted by March 5, 2026, with addenda responses issued by March 10, 2026. Evaluation criteria include understanding of the project and guiding plan (20 points), approach and work plan implementation readiness (25 points), P3 and deal development capability (20 points), tenant/anchor recruitment and ecosystem building (15 points), governance and sustainability planning (10 points), and team qualifications and capacity (10 points). Notification of finalists and request for fee proposals is estimated for April 9, 2026, with target City Council approval on June 3, 2026, and fully executed contract by June 15, 2026.

The RFQ does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting responses to particular organization types or disadvantaged enterprises; however, all responding firms must comply with federal compliance requirements under 2 CFR Section 200, Arizona immigration laws (A.R.S. 41-4401 and A.R.S. 23-214), and possess applicable licensing including Arizona Transaction Privilege Tax License, Arizona Contractor License, Arizona Registrant License, and City of Yuma Business License. Contractors must also comply with multiple federal compliance mandates including termination for cause or convenience rights, equal employment opportunity requirements, Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage requirements for construction contracts exceeding $2,000, Copeland Anti-Kickback Act compliance, Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act requirements, Clean Air Act and Federal Water Pollution Act compliance for contracts exceeding $250,000, debarment and suspension certification, and Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment certification for contracts exceeding $100,000. The City requires certification of non-discrimination in employment, authorization for release of performance information, and certification of insurability as part of the submission package. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents. The RFQ does not establish a specific contract amount or pricing in the qualifications phase; fee proposals will be negotiated with the highest-ranked firm after Statement of Qualifications evaluation, and the City reserves the right to terminate the contract with 30 days' written notice. All work product becomes City property upon completion, and the contract requires a practical approach that delivers measurable progress while minimizing reliance on public subsidy and advancing downtown reinvestment, innovation-led economic diversification, and workforce development for Southwest Arizona.