Advisory board recommends Redevelopment Management Associates for Midtown redevelopment plan update RFP

The Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) advisory board recommended Redevelopment Management Associates (RMA) to the City Commission to perform the Midtown Redevelopment Plan update under RFP 287.

Jonathan Rodriguez, project manager, summarized the procurement: the Midtown redevelopment plan dates to 2001 and the RFP sought firms to perform a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) analysis, finding of necessity, gap analysis, a historic resources survey for Midtown, and robust public engagement. Rodriguez told the board the city received five submittals, shortlisted three firms, and ultimately interviewed two finalists who presented on Dec. 11; the selection committee met Dec. 12 to finalize rankings.

Nut graf: The selection committee's raw scoring favored Redevelopment Management Associates (RMA) with 864 points versus Kimley‑Horn & Associates' 854 raw points, but staff then applied the city's local preference scoring (42.7 additional points for the local firm), which produced a final top rank for Kimley‑Horn on the published score sheet. The advisory board heard arguments from members who favored RMA's proposed public‑engagement approach and lower fee and ultimately moved to recommend RMA to the City Commission for final selection.

Several advisory board members said RMA's proposal felt more tailored to Midtown and placed greater emphasis on boots‑on‑the‑ground public engagement. One board member who served on the selection committee said, "I saw the sensitivity. I saw the, just that they came in very they came in. They did a a great assessment of the entire area." Board members and staff discussed that the local preference points were applied after individual raw scoring; Alex (staff) said the local preference policy does not bind the commission and that the City Commission can consider qualifications, fees and the board's recommendation when making a final contract award.

Staff asked the advisory board to make a single recommendation to the City Commission acting as the CRA at its upcoming agenda meeting; after discussion a board member moved to recommend Redevelopment Management Associates and the motion carried.

Ending: Staff said the selected firm will perform the TIF and necessity analyses needed to evaluate potential extension or boundary changes of the Midtown CRA district, and that the Midtown update is the first of three planned redevelopment plan updates (Midtown, Dixieland and downtown). The recommendation now goes to the City Commission for final approval; the advisory board noted commission members will have access to the full proposals and evaluation materials.