Request for Proposals (RFP)
To create a Quality of Life Plan
For the <name of target area> community in <city, state.>
Issue Date: <Date>
Due Date: <Date>
Goal: The <name of organization> requests proposals from planning consultants to facilitate and establish a
community quality of life plan. The plan will be established through a 5-month participatory planning process
that engages residents, business owners, institutions and other stakeholders. It will address the community in a
comprehensive manner, including housing, community safety, industrial and commercial development,
community facilities, education, youth and recreation.
<Insert background of organization and community. For example: Founded in 1939, the Back of the Yards
Neighborhood Council (BYNC) is one of the country’s oldest non-profit community organizations. During its
earliest years, the neighborhood was home to the Union Stockyards and was an active and bustling
meatpacking industry. At the same time the region was dealing with juvenile delinquency, poor residents,
housing issues and social disorganization as chronicled in Upton Sinclair’s famous novel, The Jungle. These
many challenges, multiplied by the Great Depression, gave rise to the BYNC. BYNC was formed to be a unified
voice for the neighborhood to improve the quality of life for residents and businesses alike through advocacy
and program development. The organization’s motto, conceived during the formation of the BYNC, continues
to inspire and motivate the community, “We the people will work out our own destiny.”
The BYNC is a community organization whose mission is to enhance the general welfare of all residents,
organizations, and businesses in our service area by integrating social service and economic development
programs. Some of these programs include the Ballet Folklorico, a free senior citizen shuttle bus, a public
computer lab with computer literacy training, GED classes taught in Spanish, an After School Tutoring program,
job readiness and linkage services, an Industrial Retention program, the organization of the annual Fiesta Back
of the Yards, technical assistance to small businesses, and the administration of four Special Service Areas.
Back of the Yards was chosen to participate in LISC Chicago's Great Neighborhoods Focus Program (GNF)
program in the fall of 2010. The lead agency coordinating the program is the BYNC. GNF provides long-term
financial and technical assistance to BYNC and its partners in support of comprehensive community development
planning and project implementation.>
<Name of organization> takes a comprehensive approach to community development – in addition to physical
improvements, a good community includes good schools, parks, health care and child care, safety, social
services and opportunities for economic advancement. Further, quality of life planning is a central tool for
improving the neighborhood by bringing together residents, leaders and community development experts, a
community can set goals for its future, decide on priorities and make positive changes.
Overall responsibilities
The consultant will be responsible for coordinating a quality of life planning process in cooperation with the
<name of organization> and a planning Task Force. The <name of organization> will organize the Task Force,
and will be responsible for communications, outreach, scheduling, and preparing bilingual materials, where
needed. <Name of organization> will serve as the overall coordinator of the plan, and will be responsible for
monitoring, planning and implementation, although other community partners may have a major role in
implementing areas of the plan. In addition, <name of organization> or its partners will be responsible for
implementing early action projects, hosting a Celebratory event to launch the plan, and for production and
distribution of the final plan.
The role of the Task Force is to advise <name of organization> and the consultant, participate in meetings,
provide feedback on findings, speak at planning meetings and coordinate the implementation of the plan.
A scribe or editor may also be assigned to this project in the interest in providing a user-friendly final document.
Role of the Consultant
The consultant will be responsible for establishing planning methodologies, data analysis, facilitating meetings,
preparing meeting materials, documenting meetings, and mapping. The products from the process and
meetings with stakeholders will include, at a minimum:
1. A data book containing community maps and secondary data: i.e. demographics, facilities, City-owned
properties, building conditions, land use, housing, crime, etc.
2. Strengths/assets of neighborhood; list of proposed projects; barriers/weakness/challenges of
community.
3. Vision statement, list of issues areas, goals, strategies, priorities and early action projects.
4. Detailed information on each action issue by priority or goal, including timeline, needed resources, and
parties responsible for implementation.
5. Final plan.
Specific consultant responsibilities include:
1. PRELIMINARY PREPARATION. Identify plan methodologies, products, schedules and means of
coordination and communication. Prepare base map and map of community assets (schools, non-profit
organizations, shopping, transportation, parks, etc and proposed projects), assist in establishment of
community boundaries and assess secondary data collected by <name of organization>.
2. RESOURCE REVIEW. Review planning handbook, sample quality of life plans, roll-out strategies and
other resources collected from Building Sustainable Communities target areas that have initiated,
completed and/or implemented quality of life plans. These materials are available at
http://www.instituteccd.org/-How-To-Do-It-.html. Review resources available from LISC National
Programs and other organizations providing best practices related to community safety, family wealth,
and other relevant issue areas. (An overview of National LISC programs will be provided to the selected
consultant.)
3. PLANNING PROCESS. Prepare outreach materials and overall schedule (including visioning session, Task
Force meetings, and other key meeting dates, as well as key tasks to be completed at each meeting.)
Plan, facilitate and document all planning meetings. Work with Task Force, key partners, and/or
subcommittees to develop specific strategies and projects. Identify and draw upon expertise, as
needed, to develop creative strategies and well-grounded projects which can be successfully
implemented. Prepare draft final plan, review with Task Force, and revise as needed to establish final
plan in digital format and a plan summary document in digital and hard copy format.
4. Provide materials and presenter for a Celebratory event planned and marketed by <name of
organization> and Task Force members.
Proposals
<Name of contact person>, is the contact for this project. He/she can be reached at:
<full contact info for contact person.>
If your firm intends to submit a proposal for this project, please send an email to <name of contact person> by
<date> with the name of your firm and contact information.
To be considered for this project, consultants must submit a proposal of no more than 6 pages that outlines the
scope of work for the project, a detailed project budget, a project schedule, description of community planning
experience, 2-3 references, knowledge of the <name of community>, and expertise of key staff that will be
assigned to the project. In addition, please include an outline of the firm’s fee structure, including hourly costs.
An appendix may include examples of community plans, history of agency, writing samples and resumes.
Proposals must be submitted electronically no later than <date> to <name of contact person>.
The planning consultant will be selected based on the following criteria:
 Experience working with community organizations and neighborhoods.
 Experience facilitating large and small group meetings of diverse stakeholders.
 Experience working with groups to develop long and short-term plans.
Any questions regarding the RFP must be addressed in writing by email to <name of contact person.>
Two to three finalists will be interviewed. The selected firm will begin work on the project within 30 days.
<Name of organization> is committed to working with Minority/Women/Disadvantaged Businesses, and
encourages proposals from these businesses or consortiums of such businesses.