INTRODUCTION

The City of Hickory is requesting qualified professional planning firms to submit a statement of qualifications to provide services for the creation of a comprehensive plan and land development ordinance.

BACKGROUND

Hickory is a city where life is well crafted. Nestled at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Hickory blends natural beauty with modern amenities, creating a vibrant community for residents and visitors alike. Since 2014, the City has invested more than $115 million in projects that elevate quality of life, including an 11-mile urban trail system, inviting streetscapes, and gateways that celebrate Hickory's character. A three-time All-America City, Hickory offers a dynamic cultural scene, excellent schools, and a strong sense of community supported by robust infrastructure and a growing economy. It's the perfect place to live, work, and thrive.

The current comprehensive plan and development ordinance were adopted in 2011, with a projected time horizon of 2030. Growth, stemming from robust public and private investment, have altered the economic, demographic and development patterns of the City. The current Many of the assumptions made in the prior planning process did not anticipate these pattern shifts.

The intent of a new comprehensive plan is to gather community input and create citizen ownership of a plan to carry the City forward over the next ten to twenty years.

OBJECTIVES

The City intends to hire a professional planning firm to lead a comprehensive planning process with a focus on accomplishing the following objectives:

• Engage citizens, organizations and businesses express their vision for the City's future.
• Prepare and coordinate workshops with stakeholders and communities.
• Hold stakeholder and community workshops to aid in the refinement of identified visions.
• Develop and refine clear strategies for achieving identified visions.
• Prepare final comprehensive plan outlining visions and strategies for accomplishing goals to guide land use, housing, transportation, economic development, and other identified topics.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The selected consultant should be prepared to meet the Liability Insurance requirements of the City. Project scope, duration, and terms shall be negotiated with the selected consultant. The City may elect to expand the scope of the contract to allow for additional work at the site during or at the conclusion of the project.

CONTENTS OF RESPONSE

This Request for Qualifications is intended to provide consultants with an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to perform the required tasks. The content of the response should respond to information presented in this Request for Qualifications. The City will require electronic submittal of responses from all interested firms. All responses shall not exceed 20 (8½" x 11") pages of text and must contain the following information:

1. Cover.
2. Cover Letter.
3. Table of Contents.
4. Background information about the Consultant Firm.
5. A proposed project schedule identifying length of time required for each phase of the work.
6. A description of the background, experience, and qualifications of the project team including identification of the project manager, project engineer, and other key team members. Include an organizational chart showing the proposed project personnel and office location.
7. Similar projects completed by the firm.
8. Other similar projects.
9. References.
10. Resumes of Key Team Members.

The Cover, Cover Letter, Table of Contents, and Resumes of Team Members will not be counted within the page limit. Responses are to be less than 20 megabytes in size or need to be hosted on an outside file sharing service. It is the engineering firm's responsibility to confirm that the outside file sharing service was received.

METHOD OF SELECTION

Responses will be reviewed by City staff for the purpose of identifying and recommending, to the City Council, those individuals offering, in total, the highest qualifications and experience with this type of project. The individuals or firms recommended may also be interviewed by members of the evaluation team for the express intention of recommending a final short list of individuals or firms, however, such is not required.

The responses will be evaluated on various criteria including, but not limited to the following:

1. Qualifications, background, and prior experience of the firm and the proposed project team in executing similar projects.
2. Management ability.
3. Ability to meet proposed schedule.
4. Previous experience with similar projects.
5. Team member roles, experience, and office location.
6. Content, technical approach and understanding of the scope of the project.
7. Other items contained within the RFQ.

SUBMITTAL

Please submit your qualifications in hardcopy or electronic submittal, to be received by the City no later than 5:00 PM, Wednesday, July 8, 2026 to the attention of:

Brian Frazier, Planning Director
bfrazier@hickorync.gov / 828-323-7422
P.O. Box 398 Hickory, NC 28603
76 North Center Street, Hickory, NC 28601

In the interest of fairness to all submitting firms, proposals received after the scheduled receipt time stated above will not be accepted and will be marked "LATE". All submittals received become the property of the City and will not be returned. Faxed documents will not be accepted. Early submission of Qualifications is welcome and appreciated.