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

The POT is soliciting proposals from firms interested in providing experienced strategic planning consulting to facilitate and develop an update of the Port's 2021-2026 Strategic Plan. The POT anticipates awarding one (1) personal service contract(s). The period of performance of the contract is one year (1) year from the execution of the contract, with options for renewal at the sole discretion of the POT, for a possible total of two (2) years. Scope of Services: The Port is seeking proposals from consultants with expertise in strategic planning for the facilitation and development of an update to the Port's 2021-2026 Strategic Plan. The Port desires meaningful internal and external participation in the preparation of the Strategic Plan update and alignment with the Port's Diversity Equity and Inclusion Plan. The Port's Senior Planning Manager will act as the project manager and primary point of contact responsible for project coordination and soliciting internal review and feedback. The updated Strategic Plan shall include a vision statement for the Port of Tacoma, together with updated foundational goals and strategies. The consultant is expected to perform the following: 1. Project Management a. On-going coordination with the Port Project Manager and other key staff, including biweekly regularly scheduled remote meetings. b. Shared real time access to work in progress documents related to the project. c. Prior notice and coordination on any interviews that may be conducted of stakeholders to inform the Plan. 2. External Engagement The goal of this effort is to gather input from Pierce County residents, businesses and other interested parties on strategic planning options that will help with the creation of an updated Strategic Plan. While the bulk of this work will be performed by Port staff, the consultant will provide support as requested in the development of memos and presentations. a. Partner with Port's communications team to develop and implement a public engagement plan and associated outreach tools needed, including social media, surveys, online engagement and direct public engagement. b. The public engagement plan should be consistent with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and should include a mechanism for reaching out to all communities in Pierce County. 3. Internal Engagement a. Gather input from Port staff on goal, strategy, and vision options that will help inform the creation of an updated Strategic Plan. b. Partner with the Port's communications team to develop and implement an internal engagement plan and associated outreach tools needed, including direct staff engagement. c. Assist in the preparation of content for Commission memos and presentations, with the goal of gathering input from the Commission. d. Attend up to two (2) in-person presentations at Commission meetings. 4. Situational Assessment and Visioning a. Assess the Port's current situation and strategic opportunities to prepare a strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat (SWOT) analysis. b. Strategic opportunities will be guided by the Port's interest in supporting marine cargo operations with an allied interested in growing non-marine cargo opportunities such as in those related to clean energy production and/or storage, wind energy, auto terminal services, boat building and marine vessel repair, workforce development, and tourism with a focus on water related/dependent uses. The Port may also be interested in strategic investments in Pierce County outside the Tideflats. c. With special emphasis, suggest new real estate strategies for development of approximately 50 acres of land that is being remediated or is currently vacant and underutilized in the Tideflats. The potential strategies should explore uses related to port and international trade, the community, feasibility, and funding options, in keeping with the strategic opportunities' guidance noted above. d. Review other seaport strategic plans and suggest options for addressing Port real estate development programmatically. e. Review the Port's transportation priorities and suggest potential strategies that would help the Port advance the projects. f. Prepare a situation assessment report. 5. Draft Strategic Plan a. Develop up to four (4) iterations of a draft plan that reflects Port commission, staff, and public input. b. Note: Graphic design services will be provided by Port staff and are not included in this scope. 6. Final Strategic Plan a. Following Commission study sessions and final internal vetting, produce a final user-friendly Strategic Plan, suitable for printing but with a focus on electronic use. b. The final updated Strategic Plan should include the same general structure as the current version, with the addition of a vision statement. Contact: Axa Turney, Contract and Procurement Analyst Review/Shortlist* October 25, 2024 Oral Presentations (if required) * Week Of November 4, 2024 Final Selection November 20, 2024 Execute Contract December 2024 Question Deadline 10/11/2024 at 2:00 PM PT All communications are to be sent through the RFP Coordinator. Written questions about the meaning or intent of the Solicitation Documents shall only be submitted to the Procurement Department via electronically. Proposers who, relative to this scope of services, contact any individuals or Commission members representing the NWSA or the POT, other than the Procurement Representative listed on the solicitation may be disqualified from consideration. Proposers who may have questions about provisions of these documents are to submit their questions by the date listed on the solicitation. The POT will respond to all written questions submitted by this deadline, and responses will be posted electronically. All proposals submitted shall be valid and binding on the submitting firm for a period of ninety (90) days following the submittal deadline and for any extension of time granted by the submitting firm. EVALUATION AND AWARD PROCESS An evaluation team, using the point method of award, will review each proposal and evaluate all responses received based upon the criteria listed herein. The POT may request clarifications or additional information, if needed. After the evaluation team individually scores each proposal, the scores are tallied, and the firms are ranked based on the scores. A selection may be made based on the proposals and initial evaluation criteria alone. Alternatively, the evaluation team may create a short list of the top ranked firms and invite the short-listed firms in for interview and/or check references. Scores for reference checks and interviews will be tallied and added to the short-listed firm's initial evaluation scores. Final selection will be based on the accumulative score. The POT intends to select the Proposer who represents the best value to the POT. The POT reserves the right to accept or reject any or all information in its entirety or in part and to waive informalities and minor irregularities and to contract as the best interest of the POT may require. The POT reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals submitted as non-responsive or non-responsible. The method of Contractor Selection has not been Determined at this time.