EDA approves $18,000 public‑engagement add‑on for Crawford Bay waterfront RFQ
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Summary
The Development Authority authorized an $18,000 contract add‑on for AECOM to deliver two public workshops, outreach and a six‑month microsite to support RFQ development for the Crawford Bay waterfront; the measure passed 6–1 amid questions about the microsite cost and requests for an itemized breakdown.
The Portsmouth Development Authority on Nov. 18 authorized an $18,000 add‑on to AECOM’s consulting contract to fund two public engagement workshops, advertising, surveys and a six‑month project microsite to support solicitation for the Crawford Bay waterfront.
The vote, 6–1, will raise AECOM’s contract from $169,610 to $187,610 if the board’s direction is implemented. Staff said the add‑on was proposed to broaden public engagement beyond council and stakeholder meetings and to support RFQ development and solicitation work scheduled for early 2026.
Why it matters: Staff told commissioners the RFQ is targeted for issuance in February 2026 with developer selection later in 2026; the outreach package is intended to increase public awareness and capture community input that will inform the solicitation and the cooperation agreement staff plans to present to city council on Dec. 8.
Board discussion centered on the scope and price of the proposed microsite and outreach package. One attendee told commissioners, “That’s grossly overpriced for microsite,” and asked for an itemized breakdown showing how hosting, design, maintenance and outreach activities are allocated within the $18,000 price. Staff replied the microsite would be maintained for the six‑month solicitation period, would host custom surveys and post‑meeting content and that elements beyond a single landing page — including embedded survey functionality, promotional banners and post‑meeting visual recaps — were part of the scope.
Staff also flagged key dates: a stakeholder engagement session for commissioners and project team members is scheduled Dec. 1, and staff expects to brief the city council at a Dec. 8 work session ahead of formal action in January. The RFQ and solicitation timeline remain on track, staff said, and the additional public engagement is intended to support that schedule.
The board approved the add‑on but directed staff to provide a clearer cost breakdown and timeline; Commissioner Brown recorded the lone dissenting vote. The item is now expected to move forward to contract amendment if the requested clarifications are supplied.
Next steps: Staff will provide the requested line‑item breakdown of microsite and outreach costs before final contracting and proceed with scheduled stakeholder and public workshops in the Dec.–Jan. timeframe.