PROFESSIONAL STRATEGIC PLANNING SERVICES - RFQ

CITY OF ADRIAN

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

PROFESSIONAL STRATEGIC PLANNING SERVICES

CITY-WIDE FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN (2026–2031)
AND PARKS MASTER PLAN (2026–2031)

Issue Date	April 15, 2026
Statements of Qualifications Due	May 15, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time

I. INVITATION

The City of Adrian, Michigan, invites qualified professional consulting firms to submit Statements of Qualifications to provide strategic planning services for the preparation of two coordinated planning documents:

1. City-Wide Five-Year Strategic Plan (2026–2031)

2. Parks Master Plan (2026–2031)

The City intends for these planning efforts to proceed concurrently and in coordination with one another, while remaining separate and distinct final documents. The City seeks a qualified consultant with demonstrated municipal planning experience, public facilitation capability, and the ability to produce practical, implementation-oriented plans grounded in fiscal realities and measurable outcomes.

This is a qualifications-based selection process. The City will evaluate firms based on demonstrated competence, experience, and suitability for the project, and will negotiate final scope and compensation with the selected firm.

II. PROJECT PURPOSE

The purpose of this engagement is to assist the City in developing coordinated planning documents that provide a clear vision, practical direction, and measurable implementation strategies for the next five years.

The City seeks planning documents that will support:

1. A clear municipal vision and organizational direction

2. Measurable redevelopment and blight reduction priorities

3. Infrastructure and asset lifecycle alignment

4. Parks system stewardship and sustainability

5. Structured evaluation of aquatics sustainability, including Bohn Pool

6. Trail maintenance and funding sustainability

7. Partnership clarity with Adrian Public Schools and other stakeholders

8. An integrated implementation and reporting framework

The City is not seeking a purely aspirational product. The final plans must be operational, measurable, and aligned with the City’s service responsibilities, governance structure, and fiscal conditions.

III. SCOPE OF SERVICES

A. City-Wide Five-Year Strategic Plan

The selected consultant shall facilitate and prepare a City-Wide Five-Year Strategic Plan addressing, at a minimum, the following:

1. Municipal vision and organizational priorities

2. Redevelopment and corridor investment strategy

3. Blight prevention and neighborhood stabilization

4. Infrastructure reinvestment and asset lifecycle planning

5. Fiscal alignment and long-term sustainability considerations

6. Governance, accountability, and performance measurement standards

The Strategic Plan shall include a clear implementation matrix assigning responsibilities, identifying timelines, and establishing measurable benchmarks. The final document shall also articulate a defined Vision, Mission, and Values framework and provide practical implementation and reporting mechanisms consistent with professional municipal standards.

B. Parks Master Plan

The selected consultant shall facilitate and prepare a Parks Master Plan for the City of Adrian covering the 2026–2031 planning period. The final Parks Master Plan must satisfy the applicable requirements of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

The Parks Master Plan shall address, at a minimum, the following:

1. Parks asset inventory and condition framework

2. Maintenance standards and sustainability strategy

3. Trail system stewardship and funding analysis

4. Evaluation of Bohn Pool, including capital needs, operational sustainability, and partnership options

5. Recreation partnership alignment with Adrian Public Schools

6. Identification of low-cost, high-impact recreation improvements, including court conversions and pickleball opportunities where appropriate

7. Accessibility assessment and implementation considerations

8. County-wide recreation inventory and contextual analysis

The Parks Master Plan shall include capital prioritization recommendations and potential funding strategy considerations.

C. Coordination of Planning Documents

Although the City-Wide Strategic Plan and Parks Master Plan shall remain distinct final documents, they must be developed in a coordinated manner. At a minimum, the consultant shall ensure that both plans:

1. Are developed concurrently

2. Reflect consistent financial and operational assumptions

3. Align, where appropriate, with City capital planning priorities

4. Include coordinated implementation metrics where beneficial

5. Maintain structural clarity for governance, adoption, and administration

IV. DELIVERABLES

The selected consultant shall provide, at a minimum, the following deliverables:

1. Detailed project work plan and proposed schedule

2. Stakeholder and public engagement summary

3. Draft City-Wide Five-Year Strategic Plan

4. Draft Parks Master Plan

5. Aquatics evaluation summary or report

6. Five-year implementation matrix

7. Performance measurement framework

8. Executive summary suitable for public distribution

9. Formal presentation to the City Commission

10. Final deliverables in both editable electronic format and PDF format

V. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Firms responding to this RFQ must demonstrate qualifications and experience in the following areas:

1. Preparation of strategic plans for municipalities, preferably in Michigan

2. Redevelopment, neighborhood stabilization, and blight strategy

3. Infrastructure and asset lifecycle planning

4. Parks master planning

5. Aquatics or recreation facility evaluation

6. Public and stakeholder facilitation

7. Development of implementation-focused plans with measurable outcomes

VI. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Each Statement of Qualifications shall include the following:

1. Cover letter signed by an authorized representative of the firm

2. Firm overview, history, and office location(s)

3. Description of relevant municipal experience, including at least three comparable projects

4. Identification of the proposed project team and key personnel

5. Description of the firm’s proposed project approach and methodology

6. Examples or samples of comparable strategic planning or parks planning work

7. At least three municipal client references

8. Statement confirming the firm’s capacity to complete the project within approximately six to eight months from contract execution

Fee proposals are not required at this stage. The City intends to request and negotiate scope and compensation with the selected firm following qualifications review and, if applicable, interviews.

VII. EVALUATION AND SELECTION

Statements of Qualifications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. Relevant municipal experience

2. Technical competence and subject-matter expertise

3. Demonstrated ability to prepare practical, implementation-oriented plans

4. Public facilitation and stakeholder engagement capability

5. Understanding of municipal governance and the relationship between city-wide strategy and parks planning

6. Capacity to complete the work within the City’s anticipated timeframe

The City may, at its discretion, invite one or more firms to participate in interviews. Following review of qualifications and any interviews conducted, the City intends to select the firm determined to be most qualified and to enter into scope and fee negotiations. Any final agreement shall be subject to approval by the Adrian City Commission.

VIII. ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE

RFQ Issued: April 15, 2026

Statements of Qualifications Due: May 15, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time

Interviews, if conducted: May 26–29, 2026

Selection of Preferred Firm: July 1, 2026

Project Initiation: July 15, 2026

Target Completion and Plan Adoption: Within approximately six months of contract execution

IX. GENERAL CONDITIONS

The City of Adrian reserves the right to:

1. Reject any or all submissions

2. Waive informalities or irregularities in any submission

3. Request clarifying or supplemental information from any respondent

4. Conduct interviews with selected firms

5. Negotiate scope, schedule, and compensation prior to contract execution

6. Cancel or amend this RFQ at any time if determined to be in the best interests of the City

The selected firm shall be required to comply with the City of Adrian’s contract, insurance, and related requirements. All work products developed under this engagement shall become the property of the City of Adrian.

X. QUESTIONS

Questions regarding this RFQ may be directed to:

Chad Baugh
City Administrator
cbaugh@adrianmi.gov

XI. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Statements of Qualifications shall be submitted electronically to:

Steve Krause
Assistant Finance Director
skrause@adrianmi.gov

Submissions shall clearly identify the respondent’s firm name and contact information.

XII. RESPONDENT INFORMATION

Name of Company
Address
City, State, ZIP
Authorized Representative
Title
Telephone
Email

Date: ______________________________