The March 4 Comprehensive Plan Public Forum gave Austinites an opportunity to suggest questions for City Council to ask the three finalist teams who are vying to be the consultant for the New Comprehensive Plan. This presentation introduced the evening by providing background on the Comprehensive Plan and the Request for Qualifications process. For more information on Austin's new Comprehensive Plan, please visit http://www.cityofaustin.org/compplan .

1. Austin Comprehensive Plan
Comprehensive Plan Public Forum
Town Lake Center
March 4, 2009

2. Background
December 2007 - Council passed a resolution
authorizing the following
Complete an interim update based on existing adopted
policies to update current, antiquated plan (COMPLETED)
Begin to focus on preparing a new Comprehensive Plan to
address long-range planning issues
Budget authorized for new Comprehensive Plan in
2008-2009
RFQ process to hire consultant initiated in
September 2008
Consultant Finalists presented to City Council on
February 12, 2009
Item continued until April 23, 2009 City Council
meeting to allow time for additional input on
consultants
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3. What is a Comprehensive Plan?
A document adopted by
Council Ordinance that:
Establishes a vision to
guide future
development within the
entire City and its ETJ
Contains the City
Council’s policies and
plans for growth and
development
Sets up an ongoing
process to implement,
review, and update the
plan
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4. Preparing to Plan—November 2007
to September 2008
City Charter grants Planning Commission responsibility
to review and make recommendations regarding the
comprehensive plan
7 Planning Commission Comprehensive Plan Committee
meetings—Nov. 2007 through May 2008
Extensive email notification of meetings
Examined the Austin City Charter requirements
Researched best practices from other communities
Examined past Austin planning efforts
Participated in a facilitated workshop on March 26, 2007
Entire Planning Commission supported forwarding a proposal to
Council to create a new Comprehensive Plan
Council was presented overview of RFQ scope before it
was issued
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5. Key RFQ Requirements
Creatively and actively engage all of Austin’s
citizens in development of the plan
Address current issues facing Austin, such
as:
Population growth
Environmental protection
Neighborhoods
Mobility
Affordable housing
Sustainability / climate change
Focus on plan implementation
Complete plan in a timely fashion
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6. Four-Step Planning Process
Step One—Define the Vision and
Framework
Step Two—Preliminary Draft Plan
Step Three—Refine the Plan
Step Four—Plan Adoption
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7. Anticipated Plan Components
Vision and Policy Framework
Lays out the vision for the community and
incorporates and integrates key themes to
respond to the question “Where are we
going?”
Ten City Charter-Required
Components
Addresses the question “How do we get
there?”
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8. Ten Charter-Required Elements
Future land use element
Traffic circulation and transit element
Wastewater, solid waste, drainage and potable
water element
Conservation and environmental resources
element
Recreation and open space element
Housing element
Public services and facilities element that includes
but not be limited to a capital improvement
program
Public buildings and related facilities element
Economic element for commercial and industrial
development and redevelopment
Health and human services element
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9. Austin Comprehensive Plan
RFQ Solicitation Process
March 4, 2009

10. Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
Solicitation method used for the
Comprehensive Plan
Why an RFQ?
Project may include “Professional
Services” as defined by Tx. Statute
Provides for selection of the most highly
qualified firm to perform services
Determined to be most effective method
for procurement of planning services
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11. Qualification Based Selection (QBS)
Objective: Select the most highly qualified
consultant for scope of work
Qualification and experience of respondents
is the key consideration
Price/cost of services is not a part of the
evaluation process
Evaluation based upon established criteria
used to determine qualifications experience
Evaluation panel: qualified city staff
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12. Key Considerations for RFQ Process
COA Anti-Lobbying Ordinance
No-Contact Period for active solicitations
All questions regarding solicitation must go
through the Authorized Contact Person
Maintain integrity of process
Avoid conflicts of interest – staff and respondents
Confidentiality where necessary
Evaluation panel membership
Proprietary information of respondents
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13. RFQ Selection Process
Standard RFQ Process
Phase I: Request for Qualifications
Process and Scoring (COMPLETE)
Phase II: Panel interviews and
Presentations (COMPLETE)
Phase III: Finalist Presentations to
Council (February 12 -- COMPLETE)
Phase IV: Council Award (Scheduled –
April 23, 2009)
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14. RFQ Process Results to Date
RFQ Released: September 30, 2008
Invitation Letters Sent to Prospective
Firms: 255
Number of RFQ packets picked up by
interested parties: 82
Number of Attendees at the RFQ Pre-
Response Meeting: 54
Proposals Received and Evaluated: 5
Short Listed for Interview Phase through
Evaluation Process: 3
Results of Phase I and II: 3 finalists
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15. Response Rates for Prior COA
Planning Initiatives
The number of responses received that
met solicitation requirements were:
The Waller Creek Master Plan – 5 submittals
East Riverside Corridor Study – 2 submittals
I.H. 35 Makeover between East 6th and East
8th Streets – 1 submittal
Downtown Master Plan – 7 submittals
The Comprehensive Plan Solicitation had
5 submittals that met requirements.
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16. Finalists
HNTB Corporation
ACP Visioning + Planning
Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC
Finalist presentations to Council are
available on the City of Austin web
site
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17. About the Finalists
All finalists have vast experience
providing comprehensive plan services
All are nationally recognized firms with
substantial experience completing regional and
city comprehensive plans
Strong teams of subconsultants have
been proposed to effectively execute the
work
Full complement of expertise to provide the
breadth of technical knowledge that is required
by the 10 City Charter Elements
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18. Additional Information
Additional information is available at
the City of Austin web site:
www.ci.austin.tx.us/zoning/com_plan.htm
RFQ documents
RFQ process
Finalist presentations
Evaluation criteria and scoring matrix
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