City of Leawood Strategic Plan Consulting Services RFQ

Agency:	City of Leawood
State:	Kansas
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Posted:	Feb 2, 2024
Due:	Feb 19, 2024
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)

Purpose of RFQ:

Strategic Plan Development Consultant Services

RFQ Description:

The City requests consulting services to assist with the

development of a strategic plan.

Department:

City Administrator's Office

Contacts:

Diane Stoddard, City Administrator

email: dstoddard@leawood.org

Phone: (913) 663-9102

Copy Requirements: One electronic copy via email

Due Date & Time:

Monday, February 19, 2024 (5:00 p.m. CST)

Request for Qualifications

Strategic Plan Development Consultant Services

The City of Leawood, Kansas

Purpose/Invitation to Submit

The City of Leawood requests the assistance of a consultant to assist with the

development of a strategic plan. The City does not have a current strategic plan.

Specifically, the City is seeking assistance in creating a two to four-year strategic plan

framework, to include:

• Creation of organizational vision, mission and core values

• Environmental scan and analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and

threats

• Development and prioritization of strategic goals

• Establishment of measurable goals and objectives

Context and Scope

The City of Leawood is a vibrant community of nearly 34,000 residents in Johnson

County, Kansas. The City operates under a mayor-council-administrator form of

government and offers a variety of services to its residents and businesses. The

Governing Body is comprised of the Mayor and an eight-member city council, with two

Councilmembers serving from each of the four wards.

In January 2023, a new City Administrator was hired. In January 2024, a new Mayor

and three new Councilmembers were sworn in after a November 2023 election. The

former Mayor and former Council members had served the community for a very lengthy

period and decided to retire from public service. The former Mayor had served 31 years

and the three Councilmembers had served 25, 18 and 14 years respectively. A priority

for the new Mayor and City Administrator is the development of a strategic plan.

The City's goal is to develop a starting point to focus decisions and investments over

the next two to four years. The City of Leawood does not have a mission statement,

vision statement, or identified core values. This will be the first official strategic plan for

the City. Strategic plan input will primarily come from elected officials, department

heads, and other key staff and stakeholders. The City is currently working with ETC on

its first Resident Satisfaction Survey. We expect the survey results in early April 2024.

The survey will gather residents' opinions and feedback on city programs and services.

Results will be used to improve existing programs to meet the needs of residents and

can serve as a key input for the strategic plan. There may be opportunities for public

engagement through Leawood's civic clubs (Rotary, Lions) or from a cross-section of

volunteers who serve on one of Leawood's many boards and commissions. City staff

could assist with any of this public engagement.

About Leawood

Leawood, Kansas, a suburban community in the Kansas City Metropolitan area, is

located in Johnson County, approximately 10 miles southwest of downtown Kansas

City, MO. It covers 14.7 square miles and resembles an elongated rectangle running

north/south. Interstate 435 crosses through the City and is just north of the center of the

community. The City is bordered on three sides by the cities of Overland Park and

Prairie Village, Kansas, and on the fourth by Kansas City, Missouri. The City's land area

is approximately 75% developed and growth is expected to continue in the future. More

information about the City can be found on the city's website (https://leawood.org/about-

leawood/).

The Consultant

The consultant will be required to skillfully guide organized discussions among

members of the Governing Body that will lead to a final strategic plan. The consultant

will be expected to provide expertise and advice and work with the City on the format

and process for strategic plan development. The consultant will be expected to develop

the framework and text of the strategic plan (including organizational mission, vision,

and values), along with the assistance of City staff as needed. The strategic plan

framework will result in measurable goals and objectives upon which staff can provide

follow-up and reporting on an ongoing basis. The consultant is expected to be hired in

March, with the project being completed in the summer of 2024.

The following resources may provide additional context for interested consultants:

• City of Leawood website

• 2023 Govern ing Body Goals and Objectives (approved on March 20, 2023)

• Other strategic and masterplans

Submittal Requirements

Consultants are asked to submit a Statement of Qualifications for this project. This RFQ

is intentionally loosely structured to enable the consultant the discretion to determine

the best information to submit to be responsive to the project. However, please be sure

to include the following:

1. Provide background information on your practice and your work with strategic

planning. Identify the project manager and other key personnel who will work on

the project with the City.

2. Explain your general approach to strategic planning and particularly how you

work with the City elected officials and staff during the process.

3. Provide contact references from other local government strategic planning clients

starting with the most recent project first. Provide a brief description of the

projects executed for each of these clients. Samples of work with web links, and

links to presentations made during strategic plan facilitation will be particularly

helpful.

4. Indicate ability to meet project schedule, specifically the ability to work with the

City to complete the strategic plan by the summer of 2024.

5. Given the schedule, please provide your thoughts on the approach to conducting

the environmental scan.

6. Provide a reasonable range of costs and range of scope based on your expertise

with strategic planning in like-sized communities. The actual scope of the project

will be negotiated between the successful consultant and the City.

Consultation Clarification

Consultants are asked to direct all questions regarding this RFQ to Diane Stoddard, City

Administrator, at dstoddard@leawood.org or (913) 663-9102.

Selection Process

A Selection Committee involving the City Administrator, Assistant City Administrator, a

department director, and an elected official will review submittals to develop a

consensus of the best firm to complete the project. The consensus will be based upon

relevant project experience, statements of availability and interest, approach to the

project, commentary of references and demonstrated competence. Cost will be a factor,

but not the only decision factor.

Interviews

The City may conduct interviews with the shortlisted firms for the project. Team

members should be prepared to discuss, among other things, their approaches to

strategic plan development, availability for the project, and experience with other similar

projects.

Submittal Schedule*

• Week of Monday, January 29, 2024 - Invitation to Submit

o Invitations will be distributed electronically by the City of Leawood to

selected consultants and posted on the city website. Others may request a

copy of the RFQ at any time prior to the submission date.

• Monday, February 19, 2024-Submission Deadline (5:00 p.m. CST}

o Submittal Instructions: Submit one electronic PDF of your Statement of

Qualifications to Diane Stoddard via e-mail (dstoddard@leawood.org).

Consultants are responsible for ensuring electronic delivery by receiving

confirmation of receipt from the City of Leawood.

• Friday, February 23, 2024 (on or before) - Shortlist Notified

o The City will notify selected firms by phone or email to schedule

interviews. All unsuccessful firms will be notified by email.

• Week of February 26, March 4 or March 11 - Virtual Interviews

o Interviews will be conducted via Zoom or Teams. Interview schedules may

change depending on the number of submittals received and the number

of firms interviewed.

• Monday, March 18, 2024-Agreement considered by the Governing Body

o All purchases/contracts over $15,000.00 must be considered and

approved by the Governing Body. The Governing Body meetings are on

the first and third Monday of each month. This date may change

depending on the number of submittals received, the number of firms

interviewed, and contract negotiations.

*schedule subject to change as deemed necessary by the City

Timeframe for services

It would be ideal to have the strategic plan completed by June 2024, however, this

timeframe can be negotiated.

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