REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
Consulting Services for Economic
Revitalization Strategy – Downtown
Richmond & Macdonald Avenue
Release Date: February 19, 2026
Closing Date and Time: March 31, 2026 at 4 PM PST
Nannette J. Beacham, Economic Development Director
Electronic Submittal: BidsOnline
2 1. Introduction and Background
The City of Richmond seeks proposals from qualified consultants to develop a comprehensive, community-driven Economic Revitalization Strategy for Downtown Richmond and the Macdonald Avenue corridor. The strategy will synthesize prior planning efforts, identify catalytic development opportunities, incorporate housing and financial analyses, evaluate policy tools such as a vacancy tax, and include 3D redevelopment visualizations. The plan must provide actionable implementation steps, design guidelines, and measurable performance outcomes to ensure inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The anticipated term of this contract will be for a period of two years.
The City of Richmond was incorporated in 1905 after the Santa Fe Railroad established its western terminus at Point Richmond in 1899, with ferry service to San Francisco. The City grew significantly at the onset of World War II with the opening of the Kaiser Richmond Shipyards at Richmond’s South Shoreline in 1941 (its population quadrupled from 23,600 in 1940 to over 93,700 in 1943), as tens of thousands of new residents immigrated to the City to work in the shipyards, many of whom were Black. During the decades that followed, major developments such as Marina Bay, the Hilltop Shopping Center, the Knox Freeway, and Richmond Parkway shaped the economy and geography of Richmond. Residential development continued, and thousands of Asian and Pacific Islander and Latino persons immigrated to the community. Today, Richmond is a diverse and growing maritime, industrial, commercial, and residential community, with a population of over 116,000. The City is located on a peninsula 16 miles northeast of San Francisco, directly across the San Francisco Bay, and has a total area of 56 square miles, of which 33.7 are land area and 22.3 are water area.
Downtown Richmond is supported by an actively managed Property and Business Improvement District (PBID), led by the Richmond Main Street Initiative (RMSI).
RMSI works to strengthen local businesses and organizes events and activities that drive engagement and economic vitality in the district. The Downtown Richmond Multi-Modal Transit Station offers exceptional connectivity, providing access to BART, Amtrak, and AC Transit lines that link Richmond residents to the greater Bay Area and beyond.
3 Downtown Richmond CA
Recent developments have further energized the area, including the opening of a new café, a food hall, and CoBiz Richmond—a collaborative co-working space designed for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and the creative freelance workforce.
These additions have transformed previously underutilized space on the ground floor of the BART garage into a vibrant hub of activity.
The city-sponsored program, The Lot: Downtown Richmond Food Court, along with outdoor concerts and festivals, adds to the diverse array of events that attract visitors to the district.
On July 2, 2024, the Richmond City Council adopted an ordinance adding new Chapter 7.42 Sidewalk Vending regulations to the Richmond Municipal Code consistent with state law. The Richmond City Council also directed staff to establish and implement a Mobile Vendor Plaza (MVP) Program, now known as The Lot: Downtown Richmond Food Court aimed at creating opportunities for sidewalk vendors and other interested parties to continue their businesses in a regulated and licensed manner. The program received a California Association for Local Economic Development Award of Merit in May 2025.
• The Lot: Downtown Richmond Food Court is located at:
1401 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond, CA, 94804
Tuesdays & Thursdays: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM (Hours May Vary)
4 Rebrand from MVP to The Lot
Major anchor institutions such as Kaiser Permanente, the U.S. Social Security Administration, Contra Costa County offices, and the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts bring approximately 6,600 daily visitors, complementing the more than 10,000 residents who call Downtown Richmond home.
The East Bay Center for Performing Arts, was recently named the “Best Longstanding Performing Arts Education Venue” by the East Bay Express. The East Bay Center for Performing Arts is a cultural and civic hub recognized for its contribution to training youth and young adults in the performing arts. Located Downtown on Macdonald Avenue in a renovated Beaux Arts building, the Center features a glowing new ground-floor performance space, two new theaters and an additional 5,000 square feet of space for practice rooms and teaching labs.
5 East Bay Center for the Performing Arts
The City of Richmond is committed to revitalizing its historic downtown area and ensuring inclusive economic growth. Building on previous planning efforts— including the Richmond Livable Corridors’ Macdonald Avenue charrettes—and ongoing capital improvement projects, the City seeks a qualified consultant or consultant team to develop a comprehensive Economic Revitalization Strategy for Downtown Richmond.
In addition, the strategy must include specific recommendations to transform Macdonald Avenue into a vibrant, walkable, and economically resilient corridor that supports local business incubation, incremental infill, and streetscape enhancements. Specific attention should be paid to achieving and aligning with other City Council goals related to historic preservation.
2. Project Objectives
The primary objectives of this project are to:
• Review and synthesize existing planning efforts, current projects, and community input.
• Identify key economic opportunities, catalytic sites, and gaps in the current development landscape.
6 • Develop a comprehensive economic revitalization plan featuring 3D visualizations and architectural renderings that clearly convey a redevelopment vision for the project area. The plan should include a strategic framework outlining short-, mid-, and long-term initiatives tailored to both Downtown Richmond (23rd Street to 8th Street) and Macdonald Avenue (from 23rd Street to Richmond Parkway/Barrett Avenue and Bissell Avenue).
• Additionally, the plan should incorporate an analysis of multiple economic impact streams—such as projected sales tax revenue, workforce development, and other relevant indicators—to demonstrate the economic viability and long-term sustainability of the proposed initiatives. • Evaluate the impacts and feasibility of implementing a vacancy tax as a tool to activate underutilized properties.
• Examine development opportunities that include both vacant lots, underutilized ("reduced") properties, and adjacent properties to create destination anchors for economic development in Downtown. • Include a plan that identifies a minimum target number of new housing units (to be coordinated with the Community Development Department and Housing Element targets).
• Provide financial analysis of existing vacant lots and potential lots, including their current financial status and carrying costs.
• Engage community stakeholders and ensure equitable input in the revitalization strategy.
• Ensure a structured community feedback phase on the six-month draft, including at least two public workshops and an online survey, followed by a comprehensive memo summarizing input and how it was incorporated into the final strategy.
• Provide actionable implementation steps, design guidelines, and performance metrics for City staff and stakeholders.
3. Scope of Services
The selected consultant will be responsible for completing the following tasks:
Task 1: Review and Analysis
• Literature and Data Review:
7 o Analyze previous planning efforts, including Downtown Mixed-Use Master Plan, form-based codes, and Macdonald charrette
recommendations.
o Review current capital improvement projects, zoning initiatives, and development proposals.
o Assess historical development proposals (e.g., Perkins & Will Downtown analysis) and synthesize lessons learned.
• Existing Conditions Assessment:
o Develop an inventory of existing assets, constraints, and opportunities for both Downtown Richmond and Macdonald Avenue. Inventory should include any and all types of properties that exist within the areas which include public, private, and mixed use or owned locations.
o Existing Conditions Assessment: Financial condition analysis (ownership, liens, tax delinquency, carrying costs), infrastructure assessment (utilities, streetscape, public realm), and environmental contamination screening (Phase I ESA-level scan and DTSC sites). o Produce a mapping sub-section specifically highlighting Macdonald’s physical conditions, vacancy profiles, pedestrian counts, and business mix.
o Historic preservation overlay map for Downtown, comparative cost scenarios for historic buildings (renovate vs. tear down vs. rebuild), and scenario-based fiscal impacts including projected sales and property tax revenues.
Deliverable:
A detailed Existing Conditions & Opportunities Memo, including maps, charts, and an analytical summary (with a distinct section on Macdonald Avenue).
Task 2: Community and Stakeholder Engagement
• Engagement Strategy Development:
o Create a comprehensive community engagement plan incorporating town hall meetings, focus groups, charrettes, walking tours, and online outreach.
o Ensure inclusive processes that gather views from local business owners, residents (including historically underrepresented groups), and neighborhood organizations.
• Field Engagement Specific to Macdonald Avenue:
8 o Organize on-site engagements and pop-up events along Macdonald to capture local insights, ideas for storefront activation, public art/gateway concepts, and temporary or incubator space needs. • Design and Develop a Project Webpage and Project Related Social Media Posts
o Develop, design, and update regularly a bi-lingual (English and Spanish) project webpage with resources, updates, and
outcomes/accomplishments for the project, including a list-serv sign- up. City will host webpage on its website and make posts using its social media account(s).
Deliverable:
A Community Engagement Summary Report with documentation of meetings, key themes, recommendations, and visual records from field activities.
Task 3: Market and Opportunity Analysis
• Economic Assessment:
o Conduct a market study focusing on key retail, commercial, housing, and employment trends in the downtown area.
o Include a micro-analysis of Macdonald Avenue to assess local business climate, opportunity sectors (e.g., food, arts, co-op retail), and infrastructure constraints.
• Opportunity Mapping:
o Identify catalytic sites and areas with the potential for near-term and long-term redevelopment, including infill opportunities and public space enhancements.
Deliverable:
A Market and Economic Opportunity Analysis Report with a site-specific action map for Macdonald Avenue.
Task 4: Strategy Development
• Strategic Framework Formulation:
o Develop a comprehensive revitalization strategy organized into:
Short-term (0–2 years): Pilot projects (e.g., temporary market halls, storefront activation initiatives), tactical public space installations, and business incubators.
Mid-term (2–5 years): Infrastructure improvements (sidewalk widening, lighting upgrades), zoning and policy refinements, 9 public-private partnerships, targeted infill housing strategies, and a plan that identifies a minimum target number of new housing units (to be coordinated with the Community
Development Department and Housing Element targets).
Long-term (5+ years): Redevelopment of key sites into dense, mixed-use districts with a cohesive regional identity.
o Incorporate cross-cutting themes on equity, sustainability, walkability, public health, and arts & culture, including historic preservation. o Detail specific measures and design recommendations for the Macdonald Avenue right-of-way, including gateway design, use of chicanes and vertical elements, and activation of vacant storefronts. o Develop 3D visuals and architectural rendering of various buildout scenarios, including redevelopment of vacant and underutilized sites.
Deliverable:
A Draft Economic Revitalization Strategy Report including:
• A clear set of initiatives with an implementation timeline, responsibility parties, and major milestones to be achieved.
• Visuals, including 3D and architectural rendering, and a roadmap for implementation tasks, and recommended design guidelines, particularly for Downtown and Macdonald Avenue.
• Performance metrics and evaluation criteria to measure outcomes and accomplishments.
After review, the consultant will update and submit a Final Strategy Report that incorporates stakeholder and City feedback.
Task 5: Presentation and Implementation Support
• Presentation to City Officials:
o Prepare and present draft and final strategy documents to City Council, the Planning Commission, and other key stakeholders. • Toolkit Development:
o Develop clear, user-friendly materials and toolkits (e.g., one-pager summary documents, implementation guides, Macdonald Avenue Highlight Sheets) to facilitate the adoption and execution of the strategy.
• Staff Training:
10 o Conduct sessions for City staff to navigate the strategy, understand implementation steps, and apply recommendations at the operational level.
Deliverable:
A series of professional presentation materials, summary brochures, and an Implementation Toolkit focused on Macdonald Avenue.
4. Consultant Qualifications
Proposals will be evaluated based on, but not limited to:
• Relevant Experience (Criteria A, C, and E):
o Proven experience in urban economic development, downtown revitalization, and mixed-use planning.
o Prior work on projects involving community engagement and economic strategies that incorporate form-based codes or placemaking components.
• Technical Expertise (Criteria B and C):
o Demonstrated analytical capabilities in market studies and spatial analysis.
o Familiarity with best practices in community participation, especially in urban and diverse communities similar to Richmond, CA contexts. • Project Management (Criteria B and D):
o Ability to deliver projects on time and within budget, with clear milestones and deliverables.
• Team Composition (Criteria B and C):
o Qualifications of team members, including urban planners, economic development specialists, public engagement experts, and design consultants.
• Downtown Revitalization Experience (Criteria C and E):
o Experience or demonstrated research on downtown revitalization efforts with similar urban contexts, from a design and economic perspective.
Applicants should include resumes, portfolio examples of relevant projects, and at least three references from comparable projects.
5. Proposal Submission Requirements
Proposals must include the following components:
11 • Cover Letter: Summary of the firm’s understanding of the project scope and rationale for the proposal.
• Technical Proposal:
o Detailed methodology addressing all tasks (Tasks 1–5). o Project work plan, timeline with key milestones, and quality control measures.
o Approach for engaging community and stakeholders with special attention to Macdonald Avenue.
• Staffing Plan: Resumes and roles of key team members. • Budget Proposal: Detailed cost breakdown, including travel, overheads, and any anticipated contingencies. The City has budgeted $350,000 for this work. Respondents should consider this budget limit in their proposal. For any tasks exceeding that amount, they should be noted as optional tasks. • Relevant Experience and References:
o Examples of similar projects, including visual and analytical outputs. o Contact information for at least three professional references. o Real estate development experience and funding/financing expertise (including tax districts, CLTs, and public financing tools). o Demonstrated experience structuring public-private partnerships for downtown/mixed-use redevelopment.
• Additional Materials: Any supplemental information supporting the proposal (e.g., case studies, published reports).
6. Proposal Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following:
• Criteria A
Understanding of Project Scope: (30 Points) Clarity in addressing Downtown Richmond and Macdonald Avenue challenges.
• Criteria B
Approach and Methodology: (30 Points) Innovation, feasibility, and comprehensiveness of the strategy and community engagement plan. • Criteria C
Team Qualifications & Experience: (20 Points) Expertise and past performance on similar urban revitalization projects, including historic downtowns.
• Criteria D
Cost Effectiveness: (10 Points) Reasonableness and transparency of the proposed budget.
12 • Criteria E
References & Past Work: (10 Points) Quality of past projects and endorsements from references.
7. Timeline
TASK DATE*
RFP Release Date: February 19, 2026
Questions Submittal Deadline: March 4, 2026 at 4 PM PST Proposal Submission to
BidsOnLine Deadline:
March 31, 2026 at 4 PM PST
Evaluation Period: April 1, 2026 to April 30, 2026
Interviews/Presentations (if held): May 2026
Award Notification: June 2026
Project Kick-Off: July 1, 2026
Six-month Draft Strategy Report January 1, 2027
Community Feedback Window January 1, 2027 to January 31, 2027 Final Deliverable Submission: July 1, 2027
*Dates are subject to change at the sole discretion of the City of Richmond. If the dates for written Question or Proposals Due change, the change will be published via an Addendum to the RFP .
8. Submission Instructions & Inquiries
• Proposals must be submitted electronically to BidsOnLine no later than March 31, 2026 at 4 PM PST to:
https://vendors.planetbids.com/portal/14590/portal-home • All submissions should be in PDF format.
• For questions or clarifications regarding the RFP, you must submit via BidsOnline’s Questions tab by the deadline specified above. Questions will be responded to by March 18, 2026.
• Late submissions will not be accepted. Proposals should be formatted, complete, and adhere to the guidelines described above. 13 • Consultants MUST register on the City’s Online Bidding System powered by BidsOnline to ensure that they receive any addendums to this RFP and are notified of future RFPs and RFQs.
• Any Consultant submitting a response to this RFP shall not contact or lobby any City Council member, City official, employee (except those specified for contact), or agent regarding this RFP. Any party attempting to influence or circumvent the RFP, qualifications submittal, and review process may have their qualifications rejected for violating this provision of the RFP.
9. Interviews, and Final Selection
The City of Richmond will evaluate written proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in this RFP. Following completion of the written proposal evaluation, the City will identify the top-ranked proposers and invite them to participate in oral interviews and/or presentations.
After completion of interviews, the City will re-evaluate and re-rank proposers based on interview performance, demonstrated understanding of the scope of work, qualifications, and overall ability to meet the City’s needs. Interview results may confirm or change the initial rankings based on written proposals.
The proposer ranked highest after completion of the interview process will be recommended for award, subject to successful contract negotiations, verification of proposer responsibility, and approval by the City as required. Participation in interviews does not guarantee selection or award of a contract.
The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive informalities, and to take any action deemed to be in the best interest of the City.
Pre-Award Negotiations
After the proposals are opened, but prior to award, the City may elect to conduct negotiations with the highest ranked respondent for purposes of:
• Resolving minor differences and information
• Clarifying necessary details and responsibilities
• Emphasizing important issues and points
• Receiving assurances from respondents
• Cost/budget clarifications
14 If the City cannot successfully negotiate a contract with the highest ranked respondent, the City may begin negotiations with the second highest ranked respondent.
10. General Terms & Conditions
• The City of Richmond reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal based on its evaluation.
• The awarded consultant will be required to enter into a formal contract with the City that outlines deliverables, timelines, payment terms, and performance standards.
• All work products and reports produced under this RFP will become the property of the City.
• The consultant is responsible for all travel and expenses unless otherwise negotiated.
• This RFP does not commit the City to award a contract or pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal
11. Compliance Requirements
The selected Consultant shall comply with the following:
1. City of Richmond Ordinance No. 16-12 N.S. Richmond Business Opportunity Ordinance.
2. City of Richmond Ordinance No. 15-10 N.S. Local Employment Ordinance.
3. Compensation shall be consistent with the City of Richmond Ordinance No. 15-17 Minimum Wage Ordinance and State Prevailing Wage Requirements as required by the Department of Industrial Relations.
4. Execute an agreement with the City of Richmond; a copy of which is included in Attachment A. No changes to this agreement will be considered.
5. The City of Richmond requires consultants doing business with it to obtain insurance, as shown in Attachment B. The required insurance certificates must comply with all requirements as shown and must be provided prior to the commencement of any work on the Project.
6. The successful Contractor and all subcontractors used in the work will be required to hold or obtain a City of Richmond Business License. Note that the City will not waive the business license fee.
7. The Richmond Sanctuary City Contracting Ordinance No. 12-18 (Attachment C) prohibits the City from granting and or retaining contracts with any person or entity that provides Data Broker or Extreme Vetting 15 services to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division of the United States Department of Homeland Security (“ICE”). Proposers must submit the attached Sanctuary City Compliance Statement with their Qualification. (Attachment D) All respondents must submit a Sanctuary City Compliance Statement with their qualifications.
8. Resolution No. 86-21 (Attachment E), approved by City Council on July 6, 2021, requires disclosure of the identities of beneficial & responsible owners of Limited Liability Corporations (LLC). Proposers must submit the attached Disclosure Statement of Limited Liability Companies Form with their Qualification. (Attachment F) All respondents must submit the Disclosure Statement of Limited Liability Companies Form with their qualifications.
12. City Disclaimer
The City reserves the right to reject any or all the qualifications, to waive any informality in any qualification, and to select the qualifications that best meet the City needs. The City also reserves the right to reduce or revise elements of the scope of services, or to amend or modify the contractual requirements, or to negotiate with any qualified consultant.
No representation is made that any contract will be awarded pursuant to this RFQ.
In no way shall a contract be viewed as exclusive. The City reserves the right to retain additional consultants as necessary. All costs incurred in the preparation of the qualification, in the submissions of additional information and/or in any other aspect of qualification prior to the award of a written contract will be borne by the proposed firm. All qualifications submitted to the City in response to this RFQ will become the property of the City of Richmond and will not be returned. The “technical” portion of the Qualification will be considered public information.
The City reserves the right to:
1. Reject any or all qualifications.
2. Issue subsequent Requests for qualifications.
3. Remedy technical errors in the Request for qualifications process.
4. Negotiate with any, all, or none of the Respondents.
5. Solicit best and final offers from all or some of the Respondents.
6. Select one or more Respondents.
7. Accept other than the lowest proposed fees.
8. Waive informalities and irregularities in Qualifications. 16 13. Attachments
1. Attachment A: Standard Service Provider Agreement
2. Attachment B: Insurance Requirements
3. Attachment C: Richmond Sanctuary City Contracting Ordinance No. 12-18 N.S.
4. Attachment D: Sanctuary City Compliance Statement
5. Attachment E: Limited Liability Corporations (LLC), Resolution No. 86-21
6. Attachment F: Disclosure Statement of Limited Liability Companies Form