Downtown Redevelopment Master Plan - RFQ
| Location: | Kansas |
|---|---|
| Posted: | Dec 11, 2025 |
| Due: | Jan 30, 2026 |
| Agency: | Liberal city |
| Type of Government: | State & Local |
| Category: |
|
| Publication URL: | To access bid details, please log in. |
| Bid Title: |
Downtown Redevelopment Master Plan - RFQ
|
| Category: | City Projects |
| Status: | Open |
| Bid Recipient: | Q |
|
Attachment Preview
DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT PLAN
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
ISSUED DECEMBER 11, 2025
General Information & Overview
The City of Liberal is seeking qualified planning, urban design and/or economic development consulting firms to create a
Downtown Redevelopment Master Plan. The community of Liberal envisions a vibrant, mixed-use downtown corridor that is the
economic and social heart of the community. The Plan will develop a well-defined future vision for Downtown Liberal, with an
executable strategy ensuring its sustainability and success for future generations. As part of the planning activities, the
consultant shall develop and implement a plan to engage the community and downtown stakeholders and incorporate their
feedback into the Plan meaningfully, equitably and regularly. The Plan will consider and evaluate past efforts and studies in
order to produce a Master Plan which assesses current economic and market data; identifies market opportunities for additional
retail, office, civic, and residential uses; and provides visual design depictions for transportation systems, infrastructure,
streetscape, and public space components which support redevelopment goals. The final plan will be utilized by the City,
developers, and Downtown stakeholders as a guide towards achieving the future vision. The City of Liberal; hereinafter referred
to as the City, will accept requests for qualifications in the Administrative offices at City Hall, 324 N. Kansas Ave., Liberal,
Kansas, until 11:00 a.m. CDT, January 30, 2026.
City/Downtown Background
The City of Liberal was founded in 1888 and is home to nearly 20,000 residents. The city is located in Seward County at the
intersection of Highway 54 and Highway 83 in Southwest Kansas. There are approximately 6,386 households in our community
with 11.4 square miles of land within city limits. Our population is young, with a median age of 30.9 years. The 2023 median
household income was $61,875. Liberal is a culturally diverse community, with more than 29% of our population being born
outside of the country. More than 68% of residents in our community are Hispanic/Latino. The largest employer in the city is a
beef processing and packing plant. Liberal High School is classified as a 6A school with nearly 1,400 students enrolled. Seward
County Community College serves as a critical postsecondary education institution with a variety of programs, including several
technical trades, healthcare occupations, business, education agriculture, and more. The primary economic drivers in our
community consist of agricultural, transportation, and light manufacturing industries.
Downtown Liberal is home to numerous historical buildings and locally owned retail shops, eateries, and service-based
businesses. A Core Commercial District delineates the Downtown zone as the area north of the Union Pacific rail-line from Trail
Street to 6th Street between Grant Ave. and Pennsylvania Ave. Kansas Avenue serves as Liberal’s “main street” and is a heavily
traveled arterial road and former highway. Significant infrastructure improvements and business revitalization has occurred on
Second Street in this district in recent years. The historic cornerstone of our Downtown district includes the side-by-side Grier
House and Depot buildings, which are registered historic sites. These buildings served travelers along the Rock Island Railroad
and were a welcoming space for newcomers to our city. Both buildings are owned and maintained by the City of Liberal. A map
of the Core Commercial District has been provided as a related document. The City desires to have the Consultant use
community feedback and studies to define the boundaries and identify which areas should be included in our Downtown
Redevelopment project.
Current Plans
Downtown redevelopment needs were identified in the “Launch Liberal 2035 Comprehensive Plan which was adopted in 2025.
A copy of this plan is available at www.cityofliberal.org/launchliberal. The City wishes to incorporate many of the goals and
action items identified in this plan to guide the Downtown Redevelopment vision.
Steering Committee
A steering committee may be formed with Downtown stakeholders for feedback on the development of the Plan. The composition
or role of the steering committee may be determined by the consultant, in coordination with the City of Liberal.
Project Management Team
City Administration staff will be assigned to managing the City’s role in this project and assisting the Consultant with gathering
local data and coordinating with the Steering Committee and Stakeholders.
Scope of Services
The objective of this process is to prepare a comprehensive Downtown Redevelopment Master Plan which creates a vision for
Downtown Liberal and includes a detailed strategic implementation program with prioritized actions. The final Plan will be used
as a guide by the City and other stakeholders to promote redevelopment, enhance the downtown retail market, increase
business opportunities, improve pedestrian and bicycle accessibility and safety, and ensure consistency in development and
design standards to create a distinct downtown identity that is unique to Liberal. With oversight from City staff as well as guidance
from a project steering committee, the selected Consultant team will lead the planning process and develop project deliverables
as outlined within this RFQ. The intent of the Scope of Services provided below is to serve as a framework, which consultants
can use to develop a more detailed qualification profile and scope of services based on their professional expertise and
knowledge. The City asks Consultants to present an efficient, effective scope of services, which ensures the project objectives
are met. The final scope of services and costs will be negotiated with the selected Consultants in conjunction with City staff prior
to contract approval. The anticipated budget range for services performed is between $70,000 to $95,000. The Consultant is
expected to provide interpretation and identification of deliverables or milestones it believes are integral to the project in the
submitted proposal. The following Scope of Services are provided as a general framework and are to be incorporated into the
Consultant’s proposed scope of work. However, the proposed scope of work is not limited to these elements.
• Project Management – The Consultant will take the lead in managing their time, staff, resources, budget, and related
activities to ensure that the project objectives are met. The Consultant will be in close communication with assigned
City staff throughout the life of the project. City staff will provide general oversight of the Consultant and will help to
facilitate interactions with City staff, board/committee members, the general public, and project stakeholders.
• Public & Stakeholder Participation – The Consultant shall be responsible for developing and implementing a
comprehensive public and stakeholder participation strategy that is best suited to meet project objectives. Special
arrangements will need to be included to facilitate multilingual outreach for our Spanish-speaking residents and
stakeholders. The Consultant should facilitate conversation amongst all stakeholders in order to build consensus and
clarity around preferred strategy and associated action steps necessary to strengthen Downtown Liberal. The City will
assist in establishing a project steering committee, which should be incorporated into the proposed engagement
process. The project engagement strategy should be geared towards successful plan implementation, and not just
Plan creation.
• Market Analysis, Existing Conditions, & Data Analysis – The Consultant will work to understand the market
conditions, context, trends, and related information applicable to the Downtown area in relation to the larger community.
This information and data will be used to inform the study and to ground the study in objectivity.
• Vision & Goal Setting – The Consultant will work with the City and project stakeholders to develop a broadly supported
and achievable vision and related goals for Downtown Liberal. The vision and goals shall build upon the “Launch Liberal
2035” Comprehensive Plan goals and related action items.
• Plan Focus Areas – While other focus areas may be identified during the planning process, the City desires for the
Master Plan to focus on the following interrelated topics areas:
o Placemaking (including Urban Design, Activity, & Public Art): The City desires to integrate placemaking
efforts as part of the larger Downtown planning effort. It is anticipated that placemaking (in its many forms)
will blend seamlessly with all elements of the project scope, including the other focus areas listed below.
o Business & Economic Development: In recent years, the City has seen some success in the redevelopment
of Downtown through implementation of new policies to activate public events, façade improvement grants
awarded, and rebuilding infrastructure (street, sidewalk, and curb replacements) in pockets of the Downtown
area. The City is interested in exploring the market dynamics affecting current and future downtown business
and development, and in working to maximize the effectiveness of its economic development incentive
programs being offered. The City is also interested in exploring new policy concepts which can help reduce
the number of inactive storefronts in Downtown Liberal.
o Parking & Mobility: Lack of safe and convenient parking has been cited as a deterrent to visitors and potential
developers alike. Kansas Avenue is a four-lane main arterial road through the city with an at-grade railroad
crossing located at the Southern boundary of the Downtown area. The City is interested in exploring traffic
data studies in the plan which show the impact of possible parking and transportation configurations on vehicle
traffic in the Downtown area. Safe, ADA accessible pedestrian access and alternative modes of transportation
should also be explored in conjunction with parking and street configuration options.
o Streetscape/Infrastructure: A very important part of the Downtown Master Plan will be to develop a visually
appealing style for Downtown Liberal which features unique spaces that build community pride. The Plan
must include a proposed aesthetic design scheme for unique and long-lasting streetscape components
including hardscape elements, light fixtures, seating, litter receptacles, bike racks, public art, and landscape
plantings which create a cohesive and distinct space. Another component of this is to enhance crosswalks,
pedestrian refuge islands, and sidewalks to improve downtown’s walkability as well as visual appeal. New
paving, seating, and pedestrian scale lighting will improve the sense of safety and facilitate use.
• Plan Development – The Consultant shall document the planning process and outcomes within a final report. The
final report will include an executive summary (or similarly concise overview) in addition to all other relevant information
necessary to effectively convey relative project information.
• Action Plan/Detailed Implementation Strategy – The Consultant will develop a practical action plan for long- and
short-term implementation strategies to achieve study goals and project objectives. The Consultant will be innovative
and proactive in their approach to implementation, in order to ensure the highest chance for success.
• Presentations & Communications – The Consultant will present the final plan and implementation strategy to the
Planning & Zoning Board, Seward County Economic Development Board, the Liberal City Commission, and other
applicable committees as requested. Additionally, the Consultant will work with staff to communicate with project
stakeholders throughout the process, and to present intermediate deliverables and related information to help keep the
community informed.
Project Deliverables
Although the Consultant and/or City may identify additional intermediate deliverables when the final scope of work is negotiated,
it is anticipated that the Downtown Development Master Plan will result in the following primary deliverables. Within their
proposal, Consultants are encouraged to include any additional or alternative deliverables, and the dates/deadlines they feel
would be achievable based on their professional expertise and knowledge.
Primary deliverable:
• A Downtown Development Master Plan document delivered in PDF file format. The Plan should be delivered as an
engaging document, rich with images conveying exciting case studies, diagrams and renderings. Written and graphic
methods are not limited by this RFP. The Plan must help move Liberal towards community goals as identified through
public engagement and steering committee review. At a minimum, the Plan must include the following sections:
o An executive summary of the plan’s findings.
o An overview of the findings of the public involvement phase.
o A summary of the data collection and analysis phase. This summary must include detailed traffic impact studies.
o Findings from economic development studies conducted.
o Review of redevelopment sites including visual concept plans identifying potential development layouts. The
identification of high priority sites to serve as catalyst sites is required. Potential public private partnership
opportunities, and other potential funding scenarios, should be explored for catalyst sites.
o A proposal of public realm improvements, inclusive of roadway and streetscape design improvements (including
visuals) to be made in Downtown Liberal. Identification of common and/or recommended capital funding sources
and cost impacts on operations and maintenance is also required and should be reflected in the implementation
plan as appropriate.
o A summary of findings, including maps, graphics, charts, and photos identifying a unified vision for Downtown
Liberal. This section shall also include goals, objectives and strategies for achieving the overall vision.
o A detailed implementation plan and schedule with measurable benchmarks split between short-term
implementation strategies (0-5 years) and long-term strategies (5-10 years). The implementation plan should
identify specific action items, the party responsible for implementing them, and estimated cost magnitudes.
The items in this list are intended to be the minimum required. The selected consultant may add more information to this list if
they find it valuable to the overall success of the Plan.
RFQ Requirements
A qualified firm must include the following information with their submitted qualifications profile:
• A resume sampling of personnel to be assigned to the City along with an indication of their roles and responsibilities.
Please highlight leadership personnel information for your firm and any firms that you should team or partner with.
• A description of all services available to the City from the firm.
• At least three (3) professional client references for the firm as a whole. If submitting as a partnership or team, please
include specific work examples and references of where you have worked together.
• A copy of two downtown master plans prepared by, or with the aid of, your firm for communities with similar traits as
Downtown Liberal.
• An example of successful engagement strategies from past projects, including the use of interactive tools.
• Provide your proposed detailed work plan schedule timeline.
• Any additional information that the firm considers pertinent for consideration in the response to this Request for
Qualifications.
• Any and all conflicts of interest or potential conflicts of interest shall be disclosed, including any work being done for
any landowner or developer in Liberal, Kansas.
Submission of Qualifications
Qualification profiles should be submitted to the City of Liberal Administration office no later than January 30, 2026, at 11:00
a.m. (Central Standard Time). The consultant shall prepare one (1) digital file copy of the qualification profile and email it to
City Manager, Scarlette Diseker (scarlette.diseker@cityofliberal.org), by the submission deadline.
All qualification submissions shall become property of the City of Liberal. The City of Liberal is not responsible for any costs
incurred by the respondent in preparation of a profile submitted in response to this RFQ, conduct of a presentation, or any other
activities related to this RFQ. The City reserves to right to approve or deny any and all profiles submitted.
Evaluation of Qualifications
A qualified firm should demonstrate the following minimum qualifications for consideration:
• Significant experience in development of comprehensive downtown master plans.
• Significant experience in surveying downtown property owners, tenants, various downtown citizen groups and
facilitating public information forums and developing tools for citizen participation in the planning process.
• Evidence to demonstrate a depth of knowledge of and experience in developing funding strategies, including local and
national incentive programs.
• Evidence to demonstrate a depth of knowledge of and experience in developing downtown design themes.
• Applicable experience in and knowledge of basic legal issues related to land use planning.
• Experience in landscape architecture and development of landscaping related designs and plans.
• Experience in analysis of traffic flow and parking logistics as it relates to downtown planning.
Contact for Questions Regarding RFQ
All inquiries regarding the RFQ may be directed to:
Keeley Young, Chief Communications Officer
(620) 626-2257
keeley.young@cityofliberal.org
This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.
Daily notification on new contract opportunities
With GovernmentContracts, you can:
- Find more opportunities and win more business
- Receive daily alerts for all new bid opportunities
- Get contract opportunities matched to your business
* Disclaimer: Information regarding bids, requests for proposals (RFPs), or requests for qualifications (RFQs) is provided on this website only for convenience and does not constitute official public notice. Persons wishing to respond to or inquire about bids, RFPs, or RFQs should contact the appropriate government department.