Resource

Through this Request for Proposals (RFP), Smart Growth America (SGA) is seeking proposals from qualified firms or individuals to provide technical expertise on designing and implementing quick-build street safety demonstration projects. Services will run from fall 2025 to June 2026 and include workshop facilitation, technical advice, and design services. The deadline to submit is August 22, 2025, at 5 p.m. Eastern.

Want to know more about this work or the program you would be supporting? Learn more here!

Background

Smart Growth America helps create healthy, prosperous, and resilient places to live for all people through research, advocacy, and direct community support. Our work spans housing and land use, transportation, and economic development to find solutions to communities’ most pressing needs. The Thriving Communities team advances this vision by supporting communities as they tackle issues related to transportation, public health, and equity. One strategy available to achieve this is through quick-build demonstrations, temporary installations to test new street designs that improve safety and accessibility.

In 2025, Smart Growth America, with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, will bring together three communities to repair damage from divisive infrastructure. This program will build on SGA’s previous Community Connectors program and the organization’s experience with the Complete Streets Leadership Academy. The program consists of virtual capacity-building sessions, a 2-day in-person workshop, and community support as participants work together to design and implement a quick-build demonstration to improve safety and reconnect divided neighborhoods. Making tangible changes to streets, even if temporary, is a powerful way to demonstrate that people’s lives matter and that solving the crisis of traffic fatalities and severe injuries needs creativity, immediate action, and commitment.

Project goals and scope of services

Smart Growth America will launch this effort in the fall of 2025, with three participating communities selected through a competitive application process. The successful technical expert will be expected to participate in and support the virtual capacity-building sessions, a 2-day in-person workshop, and coaching of the individual communities as they come together to successfully implement a quick-build demonstration.

Essential responsibilities for this role include the following tasks and deliverables:

• Participate in planning calls with the local points of contact throughout the program, as well as internal planning calls with SGA.
• Work closely with SGA to refine the overall workshop curriculum.
• Develop, present, and facilitate trainings within virtual sessions on specific topics identified in collaboration with SGA.
• Travel to one of the participating communities for a 2-day workshop and serve as a co-facilitator of the workshop with Smart Growth America.
• Attend up to six 2-hour virtual workshop sessions and other meetings as needed (whether presenting or not) to support the facilitation of breakout exercises.
• Provide occasional direct support and guidance to the participating community teams on an as-needed basis as they plan the quick-build projects.
• Provide design and technical services, including providing concept drawings and/or reviewing design plans, advising on design standards, sharing research and existing specs for multimodal treatments/infrastructure, and other design services as requested by the client. Proposals should include the rate and number of hours available within the budget for these services.
• Review written deliverables (project case studies and brief recommendations) produced by SGA at the conclusion of the program.

Budget

Work is planned to begin upon selection and conclude by June 15, 2026. The budget for the technical experts for this project is between $50,000 and $70,000 for the consultant to develop and implement the project deliverables. Consultant travel, lodging, and meals to participate in the in-person workshop must be included in the maximum budget. Outside of the in-person workshop, it is expected that all work will be completed remotely. Payment will occur on a monthly basis upon receipt of invoices submitted for payment and reimbursement. The budget should include a breakdown of costs demonstrating the amount requested for support for the full cohort (i.e. virtual session facilitation) and support for individual teams (i.e. time for individual design support).

SGA will kick off a second year of the program in July 2026 with at least 3 more cities. SGA and the selected technical expert may discuss extending the existing agreement into year two based on how the first year goes.

Evaluation criteria

SGA is seeking a diverse pool of proposals. Black, Indigenous, and people of color-led and women-owned companies are encouraged to apply. Applicants will be selected based on the following desired criteria:

• Substantial experience and thought leadership around topics related to Complete Streets and quick-build demonstrations, including designing for activity-friendly routes, community engagement, data collection, and advancing projects through all stages from development to installation;
• Meaningful experience working in and with transportation agencies (experience with state departments of transportation preferred);
• Experience working and trust-building in and/or with community-based organizations and advocates working to advance Complete Streets and activity-friendly routes;
• Proposed budget.

Proposal submission

Interested applicants should submit their proposal via email to Heidi Simon ([email protected]) by August 22, 2025, at 5 p.m. Eastern.

Proposals should be formatted as a single PDF and include:

• Overview: A letter of interest of no more than one page, describing your interest and relevant experience in this opportunity.
• Background: Brief biographies of key staff, descriptions of three past projects relevant to this RFP and Smart Growth America that have been completed in the past five (5) years, and other knowledge the organization should have in the selection process.
• Proposed budget and rates: Proposers are encouraged to submit a proposed budget at their best terms, including hourly rate(s) and the estimated cost breakdown to produce the tasks and deliverables described above. Actual contract hours will be determined in collaboration with SGA after selection.
• References: A list of three professional references. At least one reference should be a current/former client.

Anticipated selection timeline

If interviews are necessary, the shortlisted firms or individuals will be invited to participate in an interview process with an evaluation committee, to be scheduled during the week of September 1, 2025 (tentative). SGA reserves the right to award this contract based on initial proposals received without formal interviews and to award all or part of this project to one or more firms.

SGA will make a selection by the week of September 12, 2025, and will notify candidates after selection is complete. Questions regarding the RFP should be sent to Heidi Simon ([email protected]) by August 15, 2025.