REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING
CONSULTING SERVICES
RFP Opening Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
RFP Closing Date: Monday, March 2, 2026
CITY OF ST. LOUIS
PLANNING & URBAN DESIGN AGENCY
1520 Market Street, Suite 2000
St. Louis, MO 63103
CITY OF ST. LOUIS
PLANNING & URBAN DESIGN AGENCY
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (“RFP”)
NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING CONSULTING SERVICES
1. PURPOSE
The City of St. Louis Planning & Urban Design Agency (“The City”) is seeking proposals from
qualified and innovative planning consultants with demonstrated experience in community-based
planning to co-create actionable, visionary neighborhood plans that reflect the aspirations of the
residents and others within our community. The following neighborhoods, each possessing a
unique character and rich history, are poised to capitalize on the City’s numerous opportunities for
employment, education, and community development:
● Plan Area VII – Benton Park West, Dutchtown, Gravois Park, Marine Villa, Mount
Pleasant
This Request for Proposals (“RFP”) invites consultants with experience in city planning,
community engagement, and economic development to collaborate with the city and its residents
to create neighborhood plans that reflect the aspirations and needs of our diverse community.
Consulting firms are expected to have extensive experience in data analysis, scenario planning,
strategic planning, goals and objective setting, and coordinating for implementation, for various
topics including housing, transportation, historic preservation, architecture, urban design, market
and land use analysis, and community assets. The selected firm or team chosen is expected to
bring expertise in industrial planning, including logistics, advanced manufacturing, and
infrastructure as there are portions within the study area with industrial land uses. The City
anticipates awarding one (1) contract for this scope of services.
Community members and City staff are expected to leverage the expertise of the selected team to
create a community plan in line with the City’s standards for plan adoption, neighborhood needs,
and ongoing projects. The selected firm or team will work collaboratively with the City led by the
Planning and Urban Design Agency to carry out the process with the community. The selected
firm or team would provide content and manage the website, PlanSTL.com. The firm or team will
be responsible for coordinating engagements, meetings, and other activities during the planning
process. The firm would be responsible for managing the Neighborhood Planning Committee and
Ambassadors. Additionally, the consultant will provide neighborhood education and training to
community members, equipping them with a clear understanding of the planning process and its
impact. The firm or team will assist with preparation and adoption of the plan with the City’s
Planning Commission.
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This Request for Proposals for the Plan Area 7 Neighborhood Plan is issued in coordination with
two companion Requests for Proposals: (1) Multilingual Engagement Services and (2) Pop-Up
Demonstration Activation Services. Together, these procurements are intended to support and
enhance the work of the primary neighborhood planning consultant.
Plan Area 7 is home to one of the most diverse populations in the city. To strengthen participation
and more fully represent the needs and priorities of residents with limited English proficiency and
culturally diverse backgrounds, the City will engage a specialized multilingual engagement firm.
This firm will work in close coordination with the City and the primary planning consultant to
expand outreach, improve accessibility, and support inclusive engagement throughout the planning
process.
Similarly, the Pop-Up Demonstration Activation RFP is designed to complement, rather than
replace, the work of the primary planning consultant. In previous plan areas (Areas 1–5), pop-up
demonstrations were delivered directly by the planning consultant. While these efforts were
successful, the City has determined that a dedicated pop-up and activation consultant will allow
for deeper investment in more durable, community-organized, and neighborhood-managed
activations that sustain use of vacant or underutilized sites over time, rather than reverting to
inactivity after short-term demonstrations conclude.
The pop-up and activation consultant will support Plan Area 7 and may also assist additional
neighborhoods citywide. The primary planning consultant is expected to coordinate closely with
the selected pop-up consultant to align demonstrations and activations with emerging plan goals,
neighborhood priorities, and implementation strategies.
All consultant teams are expected to collaborate regularly with one another and with City staff.
Some City-led consultant check-ins may take the form of joint meetings and collaborative learning
sessions to support alignment, shared understanding, and cross-disciplinary coordination.
Respondents are encouraged to review the companion RFPs for Multilingual Engagement Services
and Pop-Up Demonstration Activation (see links below) to fully understand the integrated
approach for Plan Area 7.
https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/procurement/index.cfm#rfp.
Professional services are expected to begin in 2026, with the final neighborhood plan anticipated
for formal adoption by the City’s Planning Commission no later than the end of year 2027.
Background
The City of St. Louis is a city celebrated for its neighborhoods, robust economic opportunities,
world-class educational and medical institutions, and dynamic cultural and sporting assets. With a
thriving workforce, renowned universities, trade schools, and professional programs, the city
offers its residents access to diverse career paths, academic growth, and quality of life. Saint
Louis’s investments in innovation, geospatial, and technology has spurred Saint Louis as a growing
hub for opportunity. St. Louis boasts a strong network of parks and recreation, including America’s
best park, Forest Park. Some of the nation’s oldest and architecturally significant buildings can be
explored throughout our historic neighborhoods.
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These neighborhoods, rich in history and culture, encompass a variety of residential, commercial,
and recreational assets. However, they also face challenges such as aging housing stock,
infrastructure needs, and gaps in access to quality services. Each neighborhood represents a unique
opportunity for growth and revitalization, with the potential for infill development, rehabilitation
of existing structures, and the strengthening of community assets.
The Economic Development Sales Tax passed by the voters of the City of St. Louis in 2017,
presented the City's Planning & Urban Design Agency with a unique opportunity to plan for
community revitalization. The Planning & Urban Design Agency developed a Neighborhood
Planning Program with the goal to create and adopt neighborhood plans for all 79 neighborhoods
as supplements to the City of St. Louis Comprehensive Plan which would provide guidance and
direction for land use decisions, policies, investments and development. Background data
collection, information-sharing, research, and engagement with residents and community members
that represent their blocks, neighborhoods, businesses, organizations have led to today’s Plan STL
Neighborhood Planning Program and strategy. Further background information can be viewed
online including Neighborhood Planning Strategy 3-part Report (https://www.stlouis-
mo.gov/government/departments/planning/planning/planning-commission/upload/2021-06-04-
Neighborhood-Planning-Overview.pdf) and subsequent Roadshow Report (https://www.stlouis-
mo.gov/government/departments/planning/planning/planning-commission/upload/NPS-
feedback-Summary_2021_08_24.pdf) which further modified the strategy based on community
feedback.
The Planning Commission is the responsible legal body for the adoption and amending of plans in
the City of St. Louis. The Planning Commission sets forth the City’s Minimum Submittal
Requirements for Plan Adoption which provides direction for plans to be considered for adoption,
including engagement standards, topics, and geographies boundaries, and coordination. The
Minimum Submittal Requirements may be viewed online. https://www.stlouis-
mo.gov/government/departments/planning/documents/minimum-submittal-requirements.cfm,
In 2024, the Planning and Urban Design Agency began administering the PlanSTL program to
adopt a neighborhood plan for all neighborhoods. Please view the map below for all Plan Areas
and other adopted plans.
The City utilizes a six phase neighborhood planning process: (1) Introductions, (2) Current
Conditions, (3) Visioning & Goal Setting, (4) Plan Development, (5) Plan Review and (6)
Adoption. These phases can overlap. Selected Consultants under this Request for Proposals are
expected to carry out the planning process in the subject neighborhoods.
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Website
PlanSTL.com is neighborhood planning website, built on the ESRI platform ArcGIS Online and
the Hub Site. Surveys, polls, and interactive maps are on ESRI platform tools such as Story Map,
Experience Builder and Survey 123, and other services for consideration. Consultants are expected
to manage the www.planstl.com site and provide content updates for the planning process.
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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.
