The City of Springfield is seeking qualified professionals to help prepare a vision and master plan for the redevelopment of the Lake Springfield area. Details are posted online at www.lakesgfmasterplan.com under the RFQ tab.

The City received a one-time grant from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the US Department of Commerce to fund hydrological and environmental evaluations of the James River and Lake Springfield, and develop, with public engagement conducted by City staff, a plan for the reuse of the power plant, lake, and surrounding acreage. The consultant team will be required to comply with any and all terms and conditions associated with the EDA Federal Assistance Award.

Lake Springfield was formed when the James River in southeast Springfield was constrained in conjunction with the construction of a coal-fired power plant for City Utilities of Springfield. Over its 65-year life, the power plant and approximately 1,000 acres around it have served the public well. With the plant being decommissioned, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity exists for the community to reimagine its future.

Qualified teams will have subject matter experts in areas including, but not limited to, hydrology, dam safety, water resource management, local transportation, brownfields redevelopment, economic vitality, community planning and community recreation. Teams shall demonstrate a track record of planning for innovation, environmental and financial sustainability/resiliency, social equity, and community support. The selected team will be led by a professional with exceptional project management and technical experience in undertaking and delivering studies and plans according to federal agency regulations, timeframes, and funding agreements.

Statements of qualifications (SOQs) will be received in .pdf format until 3 p.m., CST, Friday, June 3, 2022. SOQs should be concise, yet include a broad overview of prior experience. Profiles of proposed team members with their specific expertise and recent experience should be included. Experience with similar projects is expected, and multiple examples completed by the proposed team members should be included with the submittal. Inquiries about the project, the RFQ and the consultant selection process shall be forwarded to [email protected], which will also be the address for receiving SOQs.

The City of Springfield affirmatively ensures that businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals will be afforded full opportunity to submit qualifications in response to this request for qualifications and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, ancestry, or national origin in consideration for an award.

The consultant selection team consists of City of Springfield and City Utilities of Springfield staff. It is anticipated that consultant selection and a request for proposal will occur within 30 days following the SOQ submission deadline. Additional information about the project, the EDA grant, selection process FAQs, and other information can be found at the project website, www.LakeSGFMasterPlan.com.

For more information, contact Cora Scott, Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement, at 417-380-3352 or [email protected].