CITY OF SALEM, VIRGINIA
PURCHASING DEPARTMENT
114 NORTH BROAD STREET
P.O. BOX 869
SALEM, VIRGINIA 24153
PHONE: (540) 375-3063
ISSUE DATE: October 27, 2025
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) # 2026-004
FOR
ASSESSMENT OF FIRE-EMS FACILITIES
SEALED PROPOSALS DUE:
December 12, 2025
ON OR BEFORE
3:00 P.M. (Local Time)
ALL INFORMATION AND CLARIFICATION INQUIRIES MUST BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING TO:
BENJAMIN DENTON, PURCHASING MANAGER
AT BKDENTON@SALEMVA.GOV
BY 3:00 P.M. ET ON
DECEMBER 1, 2025
This public body does not discriminate against faith-based organizations in accordance with the Code of Virginia, §
2.2-4343.1 or against a bidder or Offeror because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual
orientation, gender identity, political affiliation, or veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to
discrimination in employment. Faith-based organizations may request that the issuing agency not include
subparagraph 1.f in General Terms and Condition C. Such a request shall be in writing and explain why an exception
should be made in that invitation to bid or request for proposal.
RFP #2026-004
Assessment of Fire-EMS Facilities
The City of Salem is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified Offerors to conduct a comprehensive
assessment and study of the City’s Fire and EMS Department facilities. The City anticipates a phased
approach to this project and intends to award a contract for Phase I, as outlined below. Any subsequent
phases, including Phase II, shall be considered optional and may be negotiated and awarded at the sole
discretion of the City, subject to the availability of funding and a mutual agreement of terms.
The City of Salem, Virginia, and its officers, employees or agents will not be responsible for the opening of
a proposal envelope or package prior to the scheduled opening if that envelope or package is not
appropriately sealed and marked as specified below.
During an active solicitation, all communications (email, phone, text, letter) must be conducted through the
Purchasing Department. The Purchasing Department will coordinate responses to any inquiries, as
necessary. If any vendor involved in a pending solicitation violates this communication protocol, any
submittals from the vendor may be rejected/disqualified at the discretion of the Purchasing Department.
As this is a Request for Proposal, an evaluation committee will be established to review and evaluate all
responses. No information regarding the identity of either the Offerors or the contents will be released until
after the negotiation process. Once an award has been made, all proposals will become public information.
If your proposal contains proprietary information, please make note of such on the form attached (Attachment
B - Proprietary Information Form).
The City reserves the right to cancel this RFP and/or reject any or all proposals, to waive any informalities
or irregularities in any proposal, to award any whole or part of a proposal, and to award to the Offeror whose
proposal is, at the sole discretion of the City of Salem, determined to be in the best interest of the City.
This section must be completed by the Offeror and must be returned with the proposal. In compliance
with this Request for Proposal and to all the terms and conditions imposed herein and hereby
incorporated by reference, the undersigned offers and agrees to furnish the services and/or items in
accordance with the attached signed proposal or as mutually agreed upon by subsequent negotiation.
The Offeror agrees that any prices or terms for such proposal shall remain valid for ninety (90) days after
opening. Notices of proposal withdrawal must be submitted in writing to the Purchasing Department.
OFFEROR DATA/SIGNATURE SHEET
Legal Name and Address:
Date:
By:
(Signature in ink)
Name:
Zip Code
Title:
Phone ( )
Fax ( )
E-mail:
Business License #:
Virginia State Corporation Commission Identification Number:
Page 2 of 17
RFP #2026-004
Assessment of Fire-EMS Facilities
I.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit sealed proposals to establish a contract through
competitive negotiation for the purchase of consulting services to provide an assessment and study of the
City’s Fire and EMS Department facilities. The City anticipates a phased approach and intends to award
a contract for Phase I as outlined below. Any subsequent phases, including Phase II, shall be considered
optional and may be negotiated and awarded at the sole discretion of the City, subject to the availability of
funding and a mutual agreement of terms.
II. BACKGROUND
The City of Salem is an independent city nestled in the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, within
the Roanoke Region. Conveniently located along Interstate 81, Salem is home to approximately 25,346
residents and is part of the larger Roanoke Metropolitan Area, which boasts a population of 313,786.
The City of Salem covers more than 14 square miles and operates three Fire-EMS stations, an annex
storage building, and an administrative building. The Fire-EMS Department owns and maintains over 15
pieces of equipment and employs around 100 full-time and part-time staff members. The Fire-EMS
Department maintains a robust mutual aid program with neighboring localities, including Roanoke
County, Virginia and Roanoke City, Virginia.
Salem is committed to delivering the highest quality of care and service to its residents. This commitment
is reflected not only in its dedicated personnel but also in the investment made in its facilities and
apparatus. Most recently, Fire Station 2 underwent significant renovations to enhance service delivery to
the community and provide improved working conditions for staff. Additional upgrades to the City’s
apparatus and buildings are planned and will be further discussed with the selected Offeror, once
selected.
III. STATEMENT OF NEEDS
The City intends to award a multi-phase contract to an Offeror for an assessment and study of the Fire-EMS
Department’s facilities, proposing both short and long-range solutions for the department. The award of Phase
I will be made under this solicitation. Any subsequent phases, including Phase II, shall be considered optional
and may be negotiated and awarded at the sole discretion of the City, subject to the availability of funding and
a mutual agreement of terms. The selected Offeror should have experience completing similar Fire-EMS
Department studies in the past 5 years; have a clear understanding of facility feasibility, an understanding
of structural requirements, and a collaborative mindset.
A. Collaborate with City and Fire-EMS leadership to gather information and assess both current and
future fire station needs.
B. Collect relevant data and information regarding the Fire-EMS Department, the City of Salem,
Virginia, its residents, geographic characteristics, and any other details necessary to support the
completion of this comprehensive review. United States Census data for the City of Salem,
Virginia should be used to ascertain the demographic profile and confirm the population of the
City. The City of Salem, Virginia City Departments of Real Estate and Community Development
can provide the following data:
1. Number and locations of single-family attached units, single-family detached units, multi-
family units, and any additionally relevant data.
2. Housing inventory by unit type and year built.
Page 3 of 17
RFP #2026-004
Assessment of Fire-EMS Facilities
3. Assessed market value information.
4. Residential, Commercial, and Industrial development activities.
5. Other pertinent data as requested.
C. The selected Offeror shall supply the City of Salem the following forecasting models, using data
provided by the United States Census Bureau and data provided by the City of Salem:
1. Projected residential, commercial, and industrial unit changes.
2. Projected population density and growth changes.
D. Based on data collected, the selected Offeror will provide the following assessments and evaluations
to the City of Salem, Virginia:
1. Assess the current locations, ages, and projected useful lifespans of existing Fire-EMS
stations in alignment with industry best practices.
2. Evaluate whether current station locations provide optimal coverage across the service
area.
3. Identify ideal locations—both existing and future—to enhance service delivery to the City.
4. Review existing zoning regulations, land use designations, and related policies that impact
current and potential Fire-EMS station sites.
5. Identify recommended future Fire-EMS station locations, and incorporate a phasing plan for
station development/construction based on, but not limited to the following:
a. Land use
b. Population
c. Density
d. Physical, or other barriers
e. Future residential and/or commercial development
f. Apparatus and equipment deployment
6. Offerors are encouraged to outline any recommended future services or additions to the
scope of work as appropriate. Respondents to this RFP should be prepared to discuss
any additional tasks or services as needed, ensuring flexibility and continued support
throughout the project lifecycle.
E. Identify and provide relevant information regarding applicable federal and state grants which might
apply to any existing, and future fire stations.
F. Prepare and provide a draft report for Fire-EMS leadership and City Management.
G. Prepare, provide, and present a final report to Fire-EMS leadership, City Management, and the
City of Salem, Virginia Council members.
Page 4 of 17
RFP #2026-004
Assessment of Fire-EMS Facilities
H. The timeline for completion will be negotiated in the final contract.
IV. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
A. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Proposals must be received by hand delivery, mail or electronic submission through eVA at
www.eva.virginia.gov no later than 3:00 p.m. (local time) on December 12, 2025.
2. Offerors submitting paper proposals shall provide one (1) original and three (3) electronic
copies on a flash drive (Microsoft Word or PDF) in a sealed envelope clearly marked on the
outside with the company’s name and “Attn: Purchasing Dept. – RFP #2026-004 –
Assessment of Fire-EMS Facilities”.
Paper proposals must be submitted to:
City of Salem
Purchasing Department
Attention: Benjamin Denton
114 North Broad Street
P. O. Box 869
Salem, VA 24153
3. Offerors who choose to submit their proposals electronically must ensure that they are a
registered vendor in eVA. Proposals can be found under the Business Opportunities Tab >
Virginia Business Opportunities (VBO). There is no cost to register. If Offeror encounters any
issues submitting an online proposal through eVA, Offeror shall contact eVA Customer Care
for assistance at 1-866-289-7367 or email them at eVACustomerCare@dgs.virginia.gov.
Note: The City of Salem is not responsible for any delays in submission caused by the eVA
platform, vendor registration, or internet outage. Please ensure you have allotted ample time
to submit your proposal document(s). The Offeror has the sole responsibility to have the
proposal submitted on or before the date and time set for closing.
4. Failure to comply with any requirement of this Request for Proposal may result in rejection of
the proposal.
5. Proposals submitted via facsimile or email will not be accepted.
6. Proposals having any erasures or corrections must be initialed by the Offeror in ink.
Proposals must be signed in ink by an authorized officer of the firm.
7. Late proposals will not be considered and will be marked “Late” and retained unopened in
the procurement file.
Page 5 of 17
This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.