REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ISSUED:

September 1, 2017

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS:

September 25, 2017

12:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO:

Terri Porter, Director
Planning & Transportation Department

porteti@bloomington.in.gov

GENERAL INFORMATION AND SUMMARY

Organization Requesting Proposals:

City of Bloomington
Planning and Transportation Department
401 N. Morton St, Suite 130
Bloomington, IN 47404

Contact:

Scott Robinson, AICP
Planning Services Manager
robinsos@bloomington.in.gov
812-349-3423

Summary of Request:

The City of Bloomington (the City) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to select a consultant (or team of consultants) to assist in the assessment of public parking assets within the downtown Bloomington area. The assessment will include the management, regulatory, and fiscal aspects of the public parking system, including structures, surface lots, meters and on-street parking, and make recommendations on anticipated near-term and longer-term needs. Analysis of private development parking standards, adjacent neighborhood parking controls and inventory, as well as private and other public agency parking assets should also be considered as part of near-term and longer-term strategies. The City will soon initiate an update to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) which includes details for private parking requirements on new development proposals.  The timing of this request is complimentary to the update of the UDO with regards to only the parking standards within the downtown area. Completing a thorough assessment of current downtown parking assets and the management of those assets will better assist the City and community on meeting current, near-term, and longer-term parking needs. Interested parties must submit proposals electronically by Monday, September 25, at 12:00 PM local time (EDT).

Please access the complete RFP at: https://bloomington.in.gov/planning/bids 

Process Schedule:

*Dates indicated are tentative and subject to change as needed

PROJECT DETAILS

Overview:

The City has completed two prior parking studies for the Downtown area (2007 and 2012). The purpose of this study is to provide a continuum of best management strategies to consider for the greater Downtown Bloomington area in regards to the many aspects of public parking. The study must consider key aspects of a new comprehensive plan that is expected to be approved later this year.  The Comprehensive Plan provides additional guidance on the growth, development, and services within the Downtown. The City and Monroe County are both actively pursuing economic development initiatives within the Trades District and the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention Center, respectively. Parking is an important element for these initiatives, requiring collaboration and coordination on parking management strategies.  Finally, the City has established a Parking Commission that is charged with, amongst other duties, producing an annual report on the City’s parking system. Their first report is expected this October.  This study must provide overall consistency in the assessment of these aspects and the objectives listed below with both short-term and long-term strategies and recommendations to consider.  

Objectives:

The following objectives should be considered as part of this downtown parking study:

• Assess the public parking capacity (City parking garages and lots, on-street parking, zones 4, 5, 8, 9, and 10), and projected near-term and longer-term needs. The study will include one month of occupancy counts during peak business hours, afternoon and evening.

• Assess fiscal revenues and expenditures and provide strategies that sustain the fiscal stability of the public parking system. Provide multiple rate and fee structures and display, by line, the effect of each rate and fee band on revenues and projected growth/decrease in usage of parking services..

• Assess the ongoing maintenance of the parking system and key long-term investment needs to sustain the parking system.

• Assess the enforcement and education of the parking systems and strategies to optimize effective enforcement and education activities of the parking system.

• Assess parking permits (types, fees, etc.) and strategies to optimize efficient permit utilization rates.

• Assess garage transient parking rate and fee structure and provide multiple recommendations, by line, the effect of each rate band change on revenues and projected growth/decrease in usage of parking services

• Assess standardization methods for payments, times, and other functions to  improve efficiency, understanding, and enforcement of all parking facilities.

• Assess all parking zones and strategies consistent with best practices for university/college towns/cities.

• Identify interim strategies, such as public-private partnerships or shared parking agreements, that can augment the supply of public parking within the Downtown.

• Assess the Trades District and the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention Center and identify key performance indicators for strategic implementation of public parking investments.    

• Provide recommendations that promote a multi-modal transportation system.

• Provide recommendations that promote a sustainable built and natural environment.

• Provide recommendations that promote the incorporation of public spaces and art in public parking facilities.

• Provide recommendations that help preserve the character of adjacent downtown neighborhoods and historic districts.

The City would like to complete the parking study in approximately three months. The process should involve public participation, stakeholders, data collection, data and policy analysis, and other tasks identified by the proposal necessary to complete the study.  A draft report must be presented to the Parking Commission by the firm with the purpose of feedback so key items identified can be further considered before a final report is submitted to the City.    

This RFP is open to any individual/firm wishing to submit a proposal.

Proposed Budget Requirements:

Proposals shall provide a detailed budget proposal for core or essential tasks identified. Any additional services that can be provided as optional services must be explicitly labeled, as optional services, and may be proposed.  The proposed budget will provide information on cost effective approaches for the City to consider. The proposed budget is one of several factors used in the evaluation and selection of consultants submitting proposals and may be used when negotiating a contract.   

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS:

Please access the complete RFP at https://bloomington.in.gov/planning/bids