Planning Board & Zoning Board of Adjustment Consultant

The City of East Orange, New Jersey, through its Department of Business Administration, Division of Procurement, is soliciting proposals for a Planning Board & Zoning Board of Adjustment Consultant. This competitive contract seeks professional services to assist the municipal planning process and support both the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment. The comprehensive scope of work includes providing technical assistance for municipal planning, preparing professional development materials for both boards, reviewing submitted plans and advising on appropriate actions, drafting memoranda for pending projects, and preparing annual board planner’s reports. Furthermore, the consultant will review all referrals, zoning and land use ordinances, and applications for site plan or variance approval. The role also involves assisting the Land Use Administrator with application processing, reviewing Site Plan Advisory Committee minutes, and serving regular office hours every Wednesday from 10 am to 2 pm at East Orange City Hall for site visits and meetings with city staff and Board Chairs, covering any other directed matters by authorized City officials or respective Boards. Prospective contractors must demonstrate significant experience in municipal planning and in drafting planner's reports related to development applications. Mandatory qualifications include possessing a current State of New Jersey Professional Planners license and AICP certification. Additionally, contractors are required to comply with various New Jersey statutes, including N.J.S.A. 10:5-33 et seq. (Affirmative Action), N.J.S.A. 52:32-44 (Business Registration of Public Contractors), and N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2 (Disclosure of Ownership). The successful firm must maintain professional liability insurance with limits of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 in aggregate, along with Workers Compensation, General Liability, and Automobile insurance. Firms should also provide a qualification statement detailing principal activities, personnel, client references for similar services, and key personnel credentials. There are no mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits specified for this solicitation. Proposals are to be submitted in a sealed envelope, clearly marked with the project title "PLANNING BOARD & ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT CONSULTANT" and the bidder's name. Each submission must include one (1) original, four (4) copies, and one (1) compact disk (CD) set. Sealed RFP responses will be received by the Purchasing Agent on Friday, November 20, 2020, at 2:00 P.M. in the City Council Chamber, located at 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018, where they will be publicly opened and read aloud. A non-refundable fee of $25.00 is required for RFP packets picked up on-site, payable to the City of East Orange. All proposals must remain firm for sixty (60) days after the submission deadline. For questions, contact Lisa L. Jackson, Q.P.A., Purchasing Agent, at (973) 266-5162 or via fax at (862) 444-0101.