1. Introduction

The Village of Arlington Heights (“Village”) is requesting proposals from qualified professional urban planning firms (“Consultant”) to provide services for the preparation and adoption of an update to the Village of Arlington Heights Downtown Master Plan (see attached 2007 Downtown Master Plan).

The Village is located in the northwest suburban area of Chicago. According to the 2020 census, the Village has a population of 77,676 residents. The Village occupies a land area of approximately 16 square miles and is served by the Metra via the Union Pacific NW railway. The Village is a "home-rule" community as provided under the State of Illinois Constitution. The Village is an upper middle-class community, with a strong complement of business and industrial development. The Village currently has four Tax Increment Financing (“TIF”) Districts in various stages of redevelopment.

The Village also has an award-winning, vibrant downtown that has been comprehensively planned for several decades. The first Downtown Master Plan was completed in 1987 and served as the guide and vision for the redevelopment of the downtown. The Master Plan was updated again in 2007 to build on the significant growth and success of the downtown over twenty years. Since 2007, the area has continued to redevelop and the Downtown Master Plan needs an update to plan future growth and consider significant redevelopment opportunities to the west of the downtown that may influence its future.

2. Project Overview & Scope of Services

The goal of the project is to build on the success of the original Downtown Master Plan. Since the adoption of the 2007 Plan, the Village has seen significant redevelopment of properties within the Downtown, including the construction of several mixed-use high-rise multi-family buildings. The Village also implemented the annual Arlington Alfresco program, during which we close 4 blocks of the downtown to vehicular traffic. This, combined with various events and programs held in the Downtown, brings over 300,000 visitors annually. This update to the Downtown Master Plan is to identify needs, priorities and plan for the future of Downtown Arlington Heights. The update to the Plan is to be informed through comprehensive data collection that will include robust public input from residents and businesses with analysis and recommendations advised by a steering committee and potential subject matter tasks forces. Some of the topics to be considered in the update include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Redevelopment goals and potential development opportunities
• Traffic and parking management
• Signage and wayfinding
• Placemaking opportunities
• Programming opportunities, both municipal and private
• Pedestrian and multi-modal access and amenities
• Implementation and financing strategies
• Additional themes and priorities identified by the public and steering committee

The selected Consultant will be responsible for:

• Project Management
  • Preparing a detailed schedule for project milestones, goals and objectives. The anticipated project schedule will begin in Q3 2026 and be finalized in Q4 2027.
  • Organize regular coordinate meetings with the Village staff and any other working groups or steering committee meetings as needed.

• Data Collection / Existing Conditions Report
  • Provide an analysis of the existing conditions of the downtown including, but not limited to, commercial trends, placemaking, walkability, livability, parking, and wayfinding.
  • Identify completed or successful implementation and action items from the original 2007 Downtown Master Plan.

• Downtown Master Plan Steering Committee
  • Make recommendations of key stakeholders to create a Downtown Master Plan Steering Committee to advise the project.
  • Coordinate with the Steering Committee throughout the process and facilitate discussions with the Committee on key aspects of the Downtown and of the Plan progress.  

• Public Outreach
  • Organize a comprehensive public outreach plan involving community residents, businesses, and other key stakeholders.
  • Schedule and facilitate public outreach efforts to gather input from those stake-holders on a variety of topics and themes.

• Downtown Master Plan Preparation & Adoption
  • Coordinate with Village Staff and the Downtown Master Plan Task Force to provide analysis of data and existing conditions, synthesize public input and make recommendations for the Plan.
  • Prepare a regulatory and code audit to identify any regulatory barriers to the proposed Downtown Master Plan.
  • Draft the Downtown Master Plan.
  • Present the Downtown Master Plan to the Village Board.

3. Submission Requirements & Schedule

Requirements - Respondents must include the following in their submission:

• Cover Letter: A brief overview of the firm, including a statement of interest.

• Experience and Qualifications: Provide relevant experience of the consultant and any sub-consultant(s) in providing services on equivalent projects.

• • Qualifications and resumés for the project manager and key individuals participating from the consultant or sub-consultant(s) team.
  • Up to five (5) projects may be submitted along with references for the projects.

• Study Approach: Provide a detailed description of the overall work plan, and how it meets the goals of the Downtown Master Plan Update as described in Section II. The work plan should include, but not be limited to, the following:
  • Include a project start date and completion date to be consistent with the Project Overview & Scope and Services.
  • Provide any deviations or alternatives which the firm believes would better meet the overall goals of the proposal should be identified, quantified and justified.
  • Provide the time required by the consultant or sub-consultant for each task along with the role of the Village staff.
  • Schedule for project tasks, deliverables, and major milestones, such as public meetings, for each project task. Provide a detailed strategy for all public outreach with local development community, business owners and residents.
  • Identify any and all resources to be supplied by the Village.

• Fee Schedule: Provide the total cost of the proposal along with a cost of each element of the scope of work. Provide detailed breakdown of the consultant and sub-consultant total hours, hourly rates and any applicable fees and costs should also be included.

• Insurance: A representation that the proposer, if selected, will be able to meet the Village’s insurance requirements (see below); however, only the successful proposer will need to provide insurance certificates.

Submission and Schedule

• Submission: All proposals must be submitted no later than July 10, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. to:

Dan Osoba, Planner II

Village of Arlington Heights

Attn: Department of Planning & Community Development

33 S. Arlington Heights Road

Arlington Heights, IL 60005

dosoba@vah.com

847-368-5215

• One (1) electronic copy (.pdf) of the proposal is required and must be signed by an authorized official of the firm submitting such proposal.

• Seven (7) paper copies of the proposal are required and must be signed by an authorized official of the firm submitting such proposal.

• Schedule:
  • Distribute RFP:                                                                        June 12, 2026
  • Intent to Submit & Questions/Clarifications Due          June 24, 2026
  • Responses to Questions/Clarifications Provided           July 1, 2026
  • Deadlines to Submit Proposals:                                          July 10, 2026

• Questions/Clarifications: All questions and requests for clarification regarding this RFP should be submitted in writing to Dan Osoba at dosoba@vah.com by June 24, 2026.

4. Qualifications & Selection

A review and selection committee ("Selection Committee") consisting of representatives of the Village will review and evaluate all proposals.  As part of the selection process, the Selection Committee may interview none, some, or all of the proposers for the Agreement. The Selection Committee will then make a recommendation to the Village Board as to which proposer should be awarded the Agreement.

The following criteria will aid the Selection Committee in recommending which proposer should be awarded:

• Project Approach: The Consultant’s understanding of the Services to be performed.

• Experience & Qualifications: The Consultant’s demonstrated expertise and experience in providing similar planning and zoning review services.

• Team Composition: The reputation and qualifications of staff to be assigned to provide the Services.

• Cost Proposal: The competitiveness and clarity of fee structure.

• References: Feedback from past clients.

5. Terms and Conditions

1. The Village reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to terminate this process at any time, or reject any and all proposals without penalty, prior to the execution of the Agreement. Following the review by the Village the final selection, if any, will be based on the proposal which best meets the requirements set forth in the RFP and is in the best interest of the Village.
2. The Village reserves the right to award the Agreement to the next most qualified firm if the successful firm does not execute a contract within 30 days after the award of the proposal.
3. The Village reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted and to request additional information of one or more proposers.
4. Any proposal may be withdrawn up until the date and time set above for the opening of proposals by written request to Dan Osoba at dosoba@vah.com.  Any proposals not so withdrawn will constitute an irrevocable offer, for a period of 90 days, to provide the Village the Services, or until one or more of the proposals have been approved by the Village, whichever occurs first.
5. Proposals submitted are offers only, and the decision to accept or reject is a function of quality, reliability, capability, reputation, and expertise of the firm submitting proposals. Issuance of this RFP does not obligate the Village to pay any costs incurred by a respondent in its submission of a proposal or making any necessary studies or designs for the preparation of that proposal, or for procuring or contracting for the services to be furnished under this RFP.
6. The Village reserves the right to accept the proposal that is, in its judgment, the best and most favorable to the interests of the Village and to the public; to reject the low price proposal; to accept any item of any proposal; to reject any and all proposals; and to waive irregularities and informalities in any proposal submitted or in the RFP process; provided, however, that the waiver of any prior defect or informality will not be considered a waiver of any future or similar defect or informality. Firms should not rely upon, or anticipate, such waivers in submitting their proposal.
7. The Village reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and use any idea in a proposal regardless of whether the proposal is selected.

6. Insurance Requirements

The Consultant shall not commence work until the Consultant has obtained all insurance required by the Village. Insurance requirements do not need to be submitted with the proposal; however, the selected Consultant shall secure and maintain the types of insurance required by the Village. For detailed insurance requirements, please contact dosoba@vah.com.