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Geneva councilors discuss issuing RFP to update comprehensive plan
Summary
City councilors discussed issuing a request for proposals to hire a consultant to update Geneva’s comprehensive plan, debated scope (keeping the plan general vs. a master plan), and reviewed timing and evaluation criteria; no formal action was taken.
At a recent Geneva City Council meeting, councilors discussed issuing a request for proposals to hire a consultant to update the city’s comprehensive plan and reviewed a draft RFP framework and evaluation criteria.
Councilors and staff emphasized keeping the comprehensive plan general rather than converting it into a prescriptive master plan; they discussed the practical timeline for an RFP and for bringing a consultant onboard. Staff said a typical procurement window would give firms three weeks to prepare proposals, with one month to six weeks commonly required to select and onboard a consultant. Council members noted the council could require a final product within roughly a year from contract start to avoid tying an incoming council to immediate implementation decisions.
The conversation covered scope and coordination: participants suggested the city consider overlapping work with neighboring jurisdictions’ planning efforts and possibly select a consultant familiar with waterfront and lakefront planning documents the city already has. Councilors pushed for an RFP that allows creativity from proposers rather than a line-item, cookie‑cutter approach; several also recommended adding an interview stage to the selection process so applicants can demonstrate how past projects translated into implemented outcomes.
On evaluation criteria, the draft emphasized approach and methodology as the top factor, followed by experience and expertise, budget and cost-effectiveness, and timeline; references and past-project lists were described as useful but lower-weight items. Staff indicated the city would serve as the contact for the procurement and would post the RFP once council direction is confirmed.
No formal motion or vote to issue the RFP was recorded in the transcript. Councilors asked staff to refine the draft RFP language, evaluation criteria, and timeline for a future meeting so the council can decide whether to publish and when to require a final product.
