NOVA Parks Strategic Plan Development

Agency:	Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
State:	Virginia
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541611 - Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
Posted Date:	Apr 2, 2026
Due Date:	May 1, 2026
Original Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Strategic Plan Development

5400 Ox Road

Fairfax Station, Virginia 22039

April 2, 2026

NOTICE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Strategic Plan Development

April 2, 2026

• The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NOVA Parks) is requesting

proposals to assist in the development of a 5-year Strategic Plan to guide the

agency’s growth and development.

• Sealed proposals for services can be mailed or submitted in person to NOVA Parks,

5400 Ox Road, Fairfax Station, VA 22039 and must be received no later than 5p.m. on

Friday, May 1, 2026. Proposals must be clearly marked “RFP – Strategic Plan

Development.” Proposals may also be e-mailed to ExecutiveOffice@nvrpa.org by the

same date and time listed above.

• Any questions about the request for proposals must be submitted in writing by

e-mail to Executive Director Justin Wilson at ExecutiveOffice@nvrpa.org. All

questions must be submitted no later than April 24, 2026.

Proposal Timeline

RFP Release

Questions Due

Final Proposals Due

Interview Schedule (If Necessary)

Agreement Finalized

Work to Begin

April 2, 2026

April 24, 2026

May 1, 2026, 5 p.m.

Week of May 18, 2026

End of May 2026

June 1, 2026

Introduction and Background

The next strategic plan for NOVA Parks (Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority) will lead us into our

8th decade of service to the region. We require an experienced partner to assist in crafting an aggressive

vision for unique visitor experiences, entrepreneurial growth, and fostering a supportive and high-

performing culture for our team.

NOVA Parks is a governmental agency supported by six political subdivisions. In the late 1950s, the

Northern Virginia Planning District Commission and a group of residents from several local jurisdictions

came together to protect Northern Virginia's rich heritage of woods, meadows, lakes and streams from

the threat of suburban sprawl. These residents, working with their local governments, Fairfax County,

Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, organized under the Virginia Park Authorities Act in 1959

as the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.

With a dual mission of providing unique experiences and advancing land conservation, NOVA Parks is an

agency with a legacy of innovation. With 37 parks across more than 12,500 acres in the suburbs of

Northern Virginia, NOVA Parks operates public parks in the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun

and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax.

We innovate to advance our dual mission, both through expansion and enhancement. NOVA Parks

generates 89% of our operating funds from entrepreneurial park operations, drawing on a culture rarely

found in a public-sector agency. The culture is supported by an annual performance bonus system that

is tied to quantitative goals. The bonus pool derives from net revenue (profit) from the previous year’s

annual performance and is awarded to full- and part-time staff. In this way, NOVA Parks, while it is

governmental, operates as an employee-owned company.

A few noteworthy characteristics of NOVA Parks include:

• A $43M annual operating budget and $57M (5-year) Capital Budget

• Full-time staff of 152, year-round part-time staff of 202 (FTE), and peak summer employment of

over 1,000

• Led by a 12-person Board of Directors appointed by each of our 6 member jurisdictions

• A capital endowment that supports major investments and strategic growth initiatives

• The 45-mile W&OD Trail is one of the most popular trails in the US, with between 2-3 million

visits a year

• Three holiday light shows visited by 500,000 users a year

• Four event venues that host 500 receptions a year, with internal catering operations

• A 3-story ropes course unique to the Mid-Atlantic region

• Five Waterparks

• Five Civil War Battlefields

• Five waterfront/marina parks

• Three golf courses

• A botanical garden and a botanical preserve

• 15 miles of shoreline on the Potomac River and 25 miles of shoreline along the Bull

Run/Occoquan Rivers

• A nascent mitigation-banking program that has generated new revenues across our parks

Summary of Project

NOVA Parks invites proposals from qualified individuals or organizations to assist its Board of Directors

and staff in the creation of a new 5-year strategic plan that will define this next era of our organizational

evolution. This process will assimilate input from our Board of Directors, staff, customers, and

jurisdictional partners to craft a plan and a set of specific, measurable objectives that will realize the

strategic direction.

This plan will incorporate organizational vision, mission and values, including analysis of organizational

strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and a definition of key performance indicators.

We desire a plan that incorporates the input of our staff and Board to ensure the organic support that

will help drive implementation. Engagement with the NOVA Parks Board of Directors and full-time staff

will occur with on-site and virtual sessions. We expect the new strategic plan to be adopted by our

Board of Directors in the spring of 2027.

NOVA Parks has grown through effective strategic planning. Our previous plan periods were 2007-2012,

2012-2017, 2017-2022 and now 2023-2027. Through these four plans, the agency has grown its

revenues exponentially and added thousands of acres of new parkland.

Reference resources:

• 2023-2027 Strategic Plan

• 2025 Annual Report to the Community

• 6-month Comparison Performance Scorecard

Strategic Planning Scope of Services

• The Consultant is expected to work closely with NOVA Parks leadership, facilitating the entire

process and providing expertise and advice throughout including:

o Developing a work plan to guide project activities and communication.

o Meetings with the NOVA Parks Board two to three times during the process, including

leading a strategic planning retreat infall 2026.

o Conducting (4) strategic planning sessions to take place at NOVA Parks locations with

sub-groups of staff (approximately 12 total meeting hours).

o Conducting (10) stakeholder interviews with elected officials, appointed officials and

organizational partners.

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

NOVA Parks Strategic Plan Development

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