Comprehensive Plan Drafting & Design
| Location: | North Carolina |
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| Posted: | Mar 3, 2026 |
| Due: | Mar 20, 2026 |
| Agency: | State Government of North Carolina |
| Type of Government: | State & Local |
| Category: |
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| Solicitation No: | 274-Planning-2026-3R |
| Publication URL: | To access bid details, please log in. |
| Solicitation Number: | 274-Planning-2026-3R |
| Project Title: | Comprehensive Plan Drafting & Design |
| Description: | Staff is seeking professional services from one or more firms to: 1) Work with staff to establish an organizational framework for the plan based on emerging community priorities and policy recommendations identified in phases 1 and 2 of the project. 2) Prepare an executive summary and introductory content for each of the next comprehensive plan chapters. 3) Work with city staff to create an online hub site for the final plan document and associated materials including interactive maps, data visualizations, and images. 4) Coordinate with our staff and yours to ensure the Comprehensive Plan product deliverables ensure a high-quality user experience. |
| Opening Date: | 3/20/2026 5:00 PM |
| Posted Date: | 3/4/2026 |
| Status: | Open |
| Department: | CITY OF RALEIGH |
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Solicitation Number
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274-Planning-2026-3R
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Department
CITY OF RALEIGH
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Status Reason
Open
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Opening Date
2026-03-20T17:00:00.0000000
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Posted Date
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2026-03-03T21:53:50.0000000Z
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Primary Commodity Code
Urban development
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Mandatory Conference/Site Visit
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—
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Special Instructions
Sarah Shaughnessy Planning Principal Email: Sarah.Shaughnessy@raleighnc.gov
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Solicitation Type
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Select RFP IFB RFI
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Owner
Nikolai Merza
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Description
Staff is seeking professional services from one or more firms to: 1) Work with staff to establish an organizational framework for the plan based on emerging community priorities and policy recommendations identified in phases 1 and 2 of the project. 2) Prepare an executive summary and introductory content for each of the next comprehensive plan chapters. 3) Work with city staff to create an online hub site for the final plan document and associated materials including interactive maps, data visualizations, and images. 4) Coordinate with our staff and yours to ensure the Comprehensive Plan product deliverables ensure a high-quality user experience.
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Attachment Preview
Request for Proposals # 274-Planning-2026-3
Title: Comprehensive Plan Drafting & Design
Issue Date: February 13, 2026
Due Date: February 27, 2026 no later than 5:00PM EST
*LATE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED*
Issuing Department: Planning & Development
Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:
Sarah Shaughnessy
Planning Principal
Email: Sarah.Shaughnessy@raleighnc.gov
(v.09/15/25)
Table of Contents
1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 2
1.1 Purpose ............................................................................................. 2
1.2 Background........................................................................................ 2
1.3 RFP Timeline ..................................................................................... 3
1.4 Pre-Proposal Conference .................................................................. 3
1.5 Proposal Question ............................................................................. 3
1.6 Proposal Submission Requirements & Contact Information .............. 4
1.7 Business Engagement & Opportunities ............................................. 5
1.8 Rights to Submitted Material.............................................................. 5
1.9 Communications ................................................................................ 6
1.10 Lobbying ............................................................................................ 6
1.11 Conflicts of Interest ............................................................................ 6
1.12 Proposer Expenses ........................................................................... 7
1.13 Proposer Acceptance ........................................................................ 7
2. Proposals ................................................................................................. 7
2.1 Request for Proposals Required Document Format .......................... 8
2.2 RFP Documents .............................................................................. 10
3. Proposal Evaluation .............................................................................. 10
3.1 Proposal Evaluation Criteria (Stage 1)............................................. 10
3.2 Interview/Demonstration (Stage 2) .................................................. 11
3.3 Final Selection ................................................................................. 11
3.4 Notice to Proposers Regarding RFP Terms & Conditions ............... 12
3.5 Contract Term…………………………………………………………….12
4. Scope of Services .................................................................................. 12
Appendix I – Proposal Cost Form ................................................................... 13
Appendix II – Proposer Questionnaire ........................................................... 14
Appendix III – Reference Questionnaire (Instructions) ................................. 15
Appendix III – Reference Questionnaire Form ............................................... 16
Appendix IV – Sample Contract ...................................................................... 18
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose
The City’s Comprehensive Plan is a foundational planning document that helps guide
the growth and development of the city. The current plan is the 2030 Comprehensive
Plan, which was adopted in 2009 and updated in 2019. Raleigh has initiated the
process of writing a new Comprehensive Plan to guide growth and development
through 2050.
Staff is seeking professional services from one or more firms to:
1) Work with staff to establish an organizational framework for the plan based on
emerging community priorities and policy recommendations identified in phases
1 and 2 of the project.
2) Prepare an executive summary and introductory content for each of the next
comprehensive plan chapters.
3) Work with city staff to create an online hub site for the final plan document and
associated materials including interactive maps, data visualizations, and images.
4) Coordinate with our staff and yours to ensure the Comprehensive Plan product
deliverables ensure a high-quality user experience.
A detailed scope of services is provided in Section 4 of this document.
All information related to this solicitation, including any addenda, will be posted to the
North Carolina electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) at https://evp.nc.gov/.
All questions related to this solicitation must be submitted in writing (via email) to the
following individual – questions submitted via telephone will not be answered:
Contact Name
Sarah Shaughnessy
Email Address
Sarah.Shaughnessy@raleighnc.gov
1.2 Background
The City of Raleigh, the Capital City of North Carolina, remains one of the fastest growing
areas in the country. A great economy, top educational institutions, and exceptional health
care facilities are some of the characteristics that attract people to the triangle area. The
mild climate, diverse work force and proximity to Research Triangle Park combine to make
Raleigh a great place to live.
Raleigh is a 21st Century City of Innovation focusing on environmental, cultural, and
economic sustainability. The City conserves and protects our environmental resources
through best practice and cutting-edge conservation and stewardship, land use,
infrastructure and building technologies. The City welcomes growth and diversity through
policies and programs that will protect and enhance Raleigh’s existing neighborhoods,
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natural amenities, history, and cultural and human resources for future generations. The
City leads to improve quality of life for neighborhoods and standard of living for all citizens.
The City works with universities, colleges, citizens, and local partners to promote new
technology, create new job opportunities, and encourage local businesses and
entrepreneurs. The City enlists and prepares 21st Century staff with the skill sets to carry
out the duties of the City through transparent civic engagement and by providing the very
best customer service to our citizens.
The 2030 Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2009 after a two-year process involving
City staff, elected officials, and community input. The current plan was last fully updated
in 2019 and provides guidance on Raleigh’s growth into 2030. The 600+ page document
is organized into 18 chapters and includes six Vision Themes that influence policy,
actions, and implementation recommendations. In addition to policy and recommended
actions, the plan also includes the City’s Future Land Use Map, Growth Framework, Urban
Form Map, and Street Plan.
Raleigh has experienced continued growth since 2009. Demographic changes, as well as
broader regulatory changes and evolution in City policy, necessitate the development of
a new plan that better serves the needs of Raleigh’s current and future community
members.
Reflecting Raleigh, the process for creating the City’s next Comprehensive Plan, is
anticipated to unfold over five phases across 2.5 years. Phase 1 focused on collecting
public input through a series of community conversations and other engagement activities;
and an assessment of existing conditions and emerging trends.
In Phase 2, currently underway, a series of technical teams and a broadly representative
Civic Assembly of Raleigh residents will use the information to produce more detailed
policy recommendations.
Planning and Development staff is seeking a consultant to join the project team at the end
of Phase 2, in the spring 2026 and support the drafting and development of the plan’s
various components in Phase 3 of the project, between June 2026 and January 2027.
The current 2030 Plan is accessible primarily, online in a “flipping book” format complete
with a table of contents with links to each chapter, as well as a keyword search function.
Users can download the pdf version as well. Additional descriptive content about area
planning projects and the process for amending the plan is available to the public on the
City’s website.
For the next Comprehensive Plan, staff would like to explore options for hosting the plan
online, with explicit consideration for how the plan’s components integrate with existing
communications technology, and the overall user experience. The selected consultant will
work with City staff from IT, Communications, and Planning to develop a user-friendly hub
site for the Next Comprehensive Plan. The final product should be easily accessible on a
desktop or mobile device, have advanced searching for keywords and concepts, be ADA
accessible, and easy to update.
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The final plan will provide practical land use policies, actions, and metrics for guiding
Raleigh’s growth over the next 20 years. It will include policies around land use, housing
and neighborhoods, natural resources, transportation, and infrastructure and services. A
successful plan will include relevant policies, measurable actions, metric and
implementation resources, interactive dashboards and visualizations, and overarching
vision themes/goals. Other elements will include chapter summarizations, a defined list of
key terms or glossary, an overview of the 2030 Plan, and a summarization of the
Reflecting Raleigh process.
1.3 Request for Proposal (RFP) Timeline
Provided below is a list of the anticipated schedule of events related to this solicitation.
The City of Raleigh reserves the right to modify and/or adjust the following schedule to
meet the needs of the service. All times shown are Eastern Time (EST):
RFP Process
Date and Time
RFP Date
February 13, 2026
Pre-Proposal Meeting/Site-Visit
(if required)
N/A
Deadline for Written Questions
February 18, 2026
City Response to Questions
(anticipated)
February 20, 2026
Proposal Due Date and Time
February 27, 2026, 5:00 PM
Evaluation Meeting
(anticipated)
Interviews
Week of March 2, 2026
Week of March 16, 2026
Selection Announced
(tentative)
Week of March 23, 2026
1.4 Pre-Proposal Conference
If the City of Raleigh elects to conduct a Pre-Proposal Conference or Site Visit, attendance
by prospective proposers is strongly encouraged but is not mandatory. Prospective
Proposers are encouraged to submit written questions in advance. Date, time, and
location of pre-proposal conference is shown above in the RFP Timeline (Section 1.3).
1.5 Proposal Questions
Requests for clarification and questions to this RFP must be received by the City not later
than the date shown above in the RFP Timeline (Section 1.3) for the submittal of written
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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.
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