Planning On-Call Services

The City of Palo Alto invites proposals from qualified vendors to provide on-call services for its Planning and Development Services Department. This solicitation is for a contract period of four years, with the possibility of two additional one-year extensions. The scope of services of each contract can include one or more of the following areas:

1. Current Planning Development Review
2. Long-Range Planning Policy and Strategies
3. Historic Preservation
4. Wireless Policy and Standards
5. Community Development Block Grant
6. Land Use Economics
7. Environmental Review

Interested parties are requested to submit a response letter specifying the service area(s) they are applying for (e.g., 1, 5, and 7). The City is seeking firms that can provide consulting services for multiple areas listed above, as well as those that may specialize or have unique expertise in as few as one specific area. The submission should detail your firm's qualifications including a portfolio of projects with other municipalities, curriculum vitae of principal staff, and any other supporting documents that demonstrate your expertise in the required service areas. Firms should have five or more years of professional planning work experience in the public sector. Additionally, please provide a rate sheet for the year 2025, listing job titles and their corresponding hourly billing rates.

The City aims to award multiple contracts, sharing a combined not to exceed contract authority. Proposals should include anticipated rate adjustments for all billable services, with the understanding that annual increases will not exceed 5% or the current year's Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase for the San Francisco Bay Area, whichever is lower. Additionally, please provide a rate sheet for the year 2025, listing job titles and their corresponding hourly billing rates. Please upload separately.

All vendors engaging directly with project applicants must complete a Form 700, Statement of Economic Interests, in alignment with the City of Palo Alto’s Conflict of Interest Code and the California Political Reform Act. The form is available at http://www.fppc.ca.gov/Form700.html .

We encourage potential vendors to thoroughly review all related documents, including the sample Professional Services Agreement Contract, accompanying this Request for Proposals (RFP). Should there be any queries or points of clarification needed regarding the agreement's terms, please address them within your response letter.

The City expects that consultants will be able to:

• Write well-organized reports regarding complex planning issues, professionally facilitate meetings, attend, and gives presentations at meetings with applicants, consultants, and the public as needed, including public hearings.
• Make professional presentations to the Council, City Commissions, and Boards.

• Coordinate with Planning staff and staff of other City departments, consultants, and outside agencies during project reviews and processing; and responds to public inquiries.

• Work independently, follow direction, seek clarification prior to completion of work assignment, analyze quantitative data and qualitative information, and think creatively and critically.