This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Independence, Kansas. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

The City of Independence, Kansas (the "City") is announcing a request for proposal ("RFP") from professional planning consultants to update the City's Comprehensive Plan with a new Community Development Plan. The City is the county seat of Montgomery County with an estimated population of 8,600. Independence is located at the intersection of US-75 and US-160, along the Verdigris River south of its confluence with the Elk River. The City is organized under a Commission-Manager form of government. Municipal operations include water, wastewater (sewer), sanitation, police, and fire/EMS services. The existing Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 1982 and thus reflects outdated information. This RFP states the general scope of work to update the Comprehensive Plan with a new Community Development Plan, outlines the requirements for potential consultants, and provides guidelines for preparing and submitting the proposal. The proposal should clearly demonstrate how the firm(s) can best satisfy the City's requirements in this effort. The City shall reserve the right to enter an agreement with the firm(s) presenting the proposal that is most advantageous to the City or to reject all submitted proposals. A major component of the Community Development Plan project is to determine the relevance of the existing Comprehensive Plan, update it accordingly, and create a new path for the future. The Plan shall comply with the requirements found in K.S.A. 12-747. The project should include assembling and analyzing data regarding all of the existing conditions within the City and utilizing that data to develop policies, strategies, actions, and an implementation plan to guide future development and decision making within the community with a 20-year time horizon. The City considers citizen input essential. The Community Development Plan process should be structured to maximize citizen involvement and participation. The consultant is encouraged to propose a process that is both creative and interactive for soliciting input from a diverse citizenry and ensuring an open public dialogue throughout the development of the Plan. Additionally, the selected firm should work with the City to develop an effective communication plan to ensure that citizens can fully participate in and track the process of the Community Development Plan project. All mapping prepared in connection with this project should be compatible with ArcGIS and such mapping data shall become the property of the City. Following the selection of the successful firm, a detailed Scope of Services will be developed by the City and consultant to outline the specific purposes, objectives, and tasks of the Community Development Plan update. Questions concerning the RFP may be directed via email to: Kelly Passauer, City Manager/Zoning Administrator, KellyP@IndependenceKs.gov. • Questions on RFP Due: September 1, 2023 • Responses to Questions on RFP Due: September 8, 2023