Background

Smart Growth America, in collaboration with the Housing Multiplier Project and the Greater Ohio Policy Center (the "Team"), is soliciting proposals from qualified architects and team members (the "Architect") to prepare architectural plans for four (4) residential "missing middle" housing types. Plans must include submission-ready construction documents for each. Each housing type will include a plan set for (a) site-built construction and (b) modular construction. These plans will be licensed for use anywhere within Ohio and may be used multiple times by multiple builders. The plans will be made available to the public at low or no cost through a publicly accessible website promoted by Greater Ohio Policy Center, the state’s leading resource for pre-approved plans. The Team will work with the three Ohio cities (“3-Cities”) with the goal of pre-reviewing (or “pre-approving”) the plans for use. The 3-Cities include Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland. Additional cities may engage in pre-approval post contract period. The Team will convene a committee (“Technical Advisors”) that will include the 3-Cities, builders, lenders, realtors, and community member representatives that will inform the design. The Housing Multiplier Project (HMP) will be the main point of contact for the Architect. Greater Ohio Policy Center will lead coordination with the Technical Advisors and regional and city engagement. Download a PDF version of the RFP.

Project Goals

• Provide more housing choice in Ohio, especially in high-demand infill locations, by encouraging the development of a more diverse range of housing options and price points.
• Reduce construction and development costs of new missing middle homes in Ohio.
• Reduce long-term utility costs and increase the resilience of new missing middle homes in Ohio.
• Expedite permitting by providing construction documents to the public that have been pre-approved by 3-Cities for adherence to the Ohio Building Code and local requirements.
• Expand the pool of builders, small developers, and modular builders building quality missing middle homes in Ohio.
• Reduce development costs and close the appraisal gap (the difference between construction costs and a home's appraised value)
• Create designs that are more affordable to build (through location, building materials, fabrication/modular construction, energy efficiency, site impact, and flood/heat resilience).
• Contribute to a process which could inform other states looking to establish pre-approved plan pathways to achieve housing goals.

Architectural Design Budget

Time and materials not to exceed $275,000; payment via monthly progress billings.

Proposal Submission Deadline

October 6, 2026

Scope

Develop a statewide, construction-ready plan set (the "plan set") of four (4) missing middle housing designs, stamped by the Architect and licensed for use throughout the state but specific to 3-Cities in architectural style and building code requirements. GOPC will coordinate with a partner to make the plans available to the public at low or no cost. In the spirit of creation, the Architect should expect a certain amount of design variation and iteration to be built into the design process

Provide permit-ready construction documents for each housing type that have been reviewed by the 3-Cities and Technical Advisors:

• Two-family
• Three-plex
• Four-plex
• Six-plex

For each of the missing middle housing designs, the plan set will include:

• Conventional site-built wood platform framing
• Hybrid, panelized, or modular construction
• Builder-grade and improved aesthetic elevations

For each housing type, recommend to the Team the program, including but not limited to unit mix, square footage, and number of bedrooms, before design commences. The Team will approve the final unit mix, square footage, and number of bedrooms before design commences. Conduct the following to inform recommendations:

• Each of the 3-Cities will provide a neighborhood parcel inventory of sample sites where missing middle housing could be built. The Architect will use this parcel inventory, to provide design fit and infill analysis that should vary in terms of lot size configuration, and general characteristics (frontage, slope, etc).
• Conduct engagement with the Team, Technical Advisors, and 3-Cities on housing needs.
  • Engagement will include an early conversation with the Technical Advisors about the price points and construction costs this project is aiming for, so the Architect knows before designs are even started.
  • Further input from the Technical Advisors and 3-Cities will be facilitated by the Team. The format and cadence of further engagement will be mutually agreed upon by the Architect and Team.
• Design the homes to fit the most commonly available lot sizes in the 3-Cities, so the plans can be used in neighborhoods throughout Ohio. The Architect is required to assess lot opportunities, as described below. The Architect will design the homes to fit into and complement the local architectural vernacular within the 3-Cities. Architects who do not have proven experience designing projects within any of the 3-Cities will be expected to visit neighborhoods in the 3-Cities and provide photo documentation of existing vernacular architecture. More detail on lot sizes will be available at project kickoff. For reference, Cincinnati’s lot sizes for common small multiplexes were published on page 11 of the BuildReady Design Competition Brief.
• Work with the Team, the 3-Cities, and the Technical Advisors to create context-sensitive missing middle home designs, calibrate them for real-world construction scenarios, and meet local needs.
• Optimize plans for cost-effective construction and energy efficiency. Design the plan set to be economical, with construction costs that meet current real estate market conditions.
• Participate in a stakeholder engagement process and acquire input for context-sensitive plan design. Engagement will include the Team, the 3-Cities, and Technical Advisors.

Design and Review Process Requirements

• At each of the following stages of design development, involve the Team, the Technical Advisors, and the 3-Cities in review and feedback, and revise the plans accordingly. Each of the 3-cities will retain final authority to determine whether the plans can be represented as pre-approved for use in their cities.
  • Program
  • Schematic design plans and elevations for the four housing types
  • Design development drawings for the four housing types
  • Construction documents for the four housing types
• Submit construction documents to each of the 3-Cities' building departments (or equivalent) for review, feedback, and approval, so the plans can be pre-approved in each city. The Team will assist in getting the documents to the building departments.
• Per feedback, revise the construction documents.
• Produce final stamped construction documents for the four housing types.
• (Optional) online crowd-sources visual preference survey

Home Specifications

• All homes must meet applicable Building Code requirements for each building type. This includes the state of Ohio’s residential and commercial building codes, as applicable, and each city’s specific building codes.
• Meet local resilience needs as determined during programming (e.g., FORTIFIED, flooding, extreme heat, etc.).
• Energy efficiency:
  • HERS rating in the low 40s or below, not including onsite solar; or alternative path verification showing compliance with PHIUS or PHPP
  • All electric with heat pump for space heating, cooling, and domestic hot water
  • Appliances with demand management capabilities
  • Solar-ready
• Where parking is provided, EV-ready capacity and conduit pathways should be evaluated
• Meet Cleveland Green Building Standard.
• Encouraged to use low embodied carbon materials. Architect is encouraged to use RESNET 1550 to assess the embodied carbon of plans and identify opportunities to reduce embodied carbon.
• Prioritize single stair circulation where possible.

Energy Efficiency Technical Assistance

A building scientist will be available to provide technical assistance on a limited basis to the Architect to support low cost energy efficiency design. The Architect will be responsible for their own energy modeling and developing specifications that meet energy and thermal efficiency.

Project Deliverables

Provide permit-ready construction documents for each housing type:

• Two-family
• Three-plex
• Four-plex
• Six-plex

For each of the missing middle housing designs, the plan set will include:

• Traditional platform framing
• Hybrid or modular construction

Provide permit-ready construction documents for the four housing types and two construction methods, including, but not limited to:

• Typical site plan for each housing unit type (on standard lot) showing typical lot considerations and elements
• Floor plans (including roof plan and basement/foundation)
• Elevations with two levels of finish (1) builder grade and (2) improved aesthetic (annotated with exterior materials)
• Building sections
• Wall section, wall types, and construction details
• Vertical circulation detailing
• Floor and roof framing
• Energy efficiency plans and modeling, including but not limited to sections, details, and materials list
• Plumbing and HVAC layouts
• Basic electrical and lighting layouts
• Kitchen and bath interior elevations
• Interior finish schedule
• Written specifications on the drawings; three part specifications are not required
• Complete schedules (i.e., window and door, plumbing, lighting, finish, etc.) to ease materials and cost estimating (note: low embodied carbon materials)
• Provide typical details for roof eaves, window and door trim, porch columns & beams, porch railings, energy measures, etc.
• Provide clear dimensions for the details
• Design the details so that they are simple to build
• Use standard size, easily available building materials
• Assembly instructions and diagrams, illustrating step-by-step assembly for offsite modules and products, as well as work to be completed on site after assembly
• Include sidewalks, curb cuts, utility connections, etc.

• Test fit plan sets through infill visualizations on actual parcels and sample proformas calibrated to the 3-Cities.
• When designing, take into account typical construction material dimensions in order to reduce construction waste and save costs.
• Provide 3D renderings of all designs.
• Provide construction cost estimates for each unit type. The Team will provide the Architect with the production number for cost estimates.
  • Work in collaboration with developers, contractors, and suppliers to verify that estimated costs reflect current market conditions.
• Provide the following color presentation drawings, for use in marketing brochure, public relations materials, Greater Ohio Policy.
• Center’s website or one that GOPC arranges: Presentation plans and elevations for each housing unit type. Street-level perspective renderings incorporating all four of the housing unit types.
• Provide material tear-off sheets listing the materials and quantities needed for construction cost estimating.
  • Work with Team to establish procedures for collecting legal acknowledgments around plan use. Team may be able to provide the hosting platform and process for collecting legal acknowledgments–this will necessitate a separate contract with the housing provider.
• Participation in project stakeholder engagement led by the Team and city partners.

Draft and Final Deliverables Format

All resources must be drafted and published in a user-friendly format and language for the project audience and readily accessible to first-time and emerging small-scale developers. Heavy reliance on technical planning language is discouraged when possible. Maps, graphics, and other innovative visual aids that encourage broad participation in the plan set are prescribed. The following are expected deliverables:

• Digital copies of all draft and final deliverables in PDF and print- ready Adobe InDesign and Adobe PDF, CAD/Revit, as applicable.

Contract Period

The Architect will propose the schedule, as described below.

The Architect is required to submit the construction documents for review by the 3-Cities by February 15, 2027. Contracts arising from this RFP will be complete no later than April 1, 2027.

Major Milestones

• RFP closes October 5, 2026
• Contract October 20, 2026
• Construction documents for the four housing types submitted to 3-Cities for Review February 15, 2027
• Contract closes April 1, 2027

RFP Response: Submission Format

Architects shall submit proposals consistent with the terms contained in this Request for Proposals. The Proposal should include the following:

• Cover letter describing:
  • Architect’s interest in the project
  • Team composition (Note: It is recommended that the team include traditional and modular builders to inform cost-effective design and pricing.)
  • Relevant firm experience and examples of similar completed projects. (Include actual construction or sale price information on presented housing types if available)
  • Stakeholder engagement concepts and/or plan, which would be supported by and agreed in partnership with the Team
  • Experience with missing middle design typologies and efficient, resilient design
  • Proposed schedule for the scope of work based on the milestones provided above
• Description of the Architect’s firm, including background, size, office locations, and nature of services provided.
• Description of Architect’s consultants, including background, size, and nature of services provided.
• Resumes of the Architect(s), the Architect’s firm leader(s), and other personnel who will be assigned to this project. Note: Personnel listed are expected to be assigned to the project for the duration of the work.
• At least three client references.
• Recommended adjustments to the Project Scope, Project Deliverables, and Schedule of this RFP.
• Proposed fee to complete the work as specified in the Project Scope and Project Deliverables sections of this RFP.
• Provide verification of insurance coverage.
  • Provide minimum professional liability coverage of $1 million per occurrence and $5 million aggregate.

Responses should be submitted electronically to ohiorfp@smartgrowthamerica.org by 11:59 p.m. on October 6. Each respondent, by submitting a proposal, indicates that they have reviewed, understood, and will be bound by the terms set forth in this RFP.

All questions about this RFP should be directed by email to ohiorfp@smartgrowthamerica.org by September 25.

Please note: this RFP is separate from the City of Cincinnati’s BuildReady design competition and RFP for similar services that will be released this fall.

Eligibility

The applicant organization must be incorporated in a State within the United States of America (documented) and duly authorized to engage in business activities in the State of Ohio. Applicants and all members of their team must be in good standing with the relevant business registration and taxation authorities. Architects must be licensed in Ohio.

The Team reserves the absolute right to:

• Modify, waive, or vary terms of the RFP at any time, including but not limited to submission deadlines and proposal requirements
• Reject any and all proposals
• Cancel or withdraw the RFP at any time
• Accept the proposal which best serves the interest of the Team