The City of Charlotte’s Economic Development Department is seeking an experienced and knowledgeable consulting firm to conduct a comprehensive assessment and develop an implementation plan for the small business ecosystem in Charlotte to help increase equitable opportunities and address challenges/gaps in resources. This assessment and implementation plan is to provide an in-depth understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and key factors affecting small businesses in Charlotte.
Small Business Ecosystem Assessment Consulting Services – Cancelled
In April of 2023, Charlotte City Council approved funding from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund for small business and entrepreneurship support. The City of Charlotte’s Economic Development Department is seeking an experienced and knowledgeable consulting firm to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the small business ecosystem in Charlotte to help increase equitable opportunities and address challenges/gaps in resources. The City of Charlotte is committed to supporting the growth and success of local small, minority, and women-owned businesses and is eager to gain insights into the current landscape to inform our future initiatives. This assessment is to provide an in-depth understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and key factors affecting small businesses in Charlotte. The findings will help us develop targeted strategies, programs, and resources to empower and strengthen the local entrepreneurial community.
Strategic Energy Action Plan Consulting Services
The City of Charlotte (“City”) Office of Sustainability and Resilience (OSR) is seeking professional consulting services to update the SEAP five years after adoption to better reflect current trends in Charlotte, updates in available technology, and update science-based targets. The updated plan will need to review its ambitious GHG reduction goals for 2030 and 2050, offering potential revisions, benchmarks, and strategies throughout this work to ensure success. GHG reduction goals are:
- Fuel fleet and facilities by 100% zero-carbon sources by 2030,
- City of Charlotte will be a low-carbon city by 2050.
Non-Profit Support Administrator Services
The City of Charlotte received federal stimulus funding under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State & Local Fiscal Recovery Fund program enacted in 2021. The City has designated up to $3.5 million of ARPA funding to support the local non-profit community. The City is seeking a small number of community partners to serve as Administrators who will serve as the primary representatives for the program and perform all required administrative duties necessary for program implementation, recipient identification, eligibility, and funds distribution related to the program.
Professional Consulting Services – CANCELLED
The City of Charlotte (“City”) will be seeking professional consulting services for strategic planning, research, analysis, and development to advance more streamlined and effective local government operations.
The Consultant(s) shall be established, qualified, and experienced consulting firms capable of providing versatile strategic planning resources, support, and consultation in the local government arena.
The Consultant(s) must be capable of performing various tasks, up to and including, but not limited to:
- Providing strategic planning for various City departments, programs, services, initiatives, and activities;
- Providing expert- and research-based advice on strategic development, capacity building, business strategies, and process improvement;
- Conducting operational analyses, assessments, and audits in an effort to ascertain organizational effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement. Analyses and assessments may involve such areas as operational effectiveness and accountability, organizational structure and performance, resource management and alignment, change management, workforce needs and development, succession planning, and management practices;
- Analyzing, developing, and implementing management strategies, to include but not be limited to, crisis management, protection of the City brand, and reinforcing City relationships;
- Conducting surveys regarding the City’s reputation and perception by residents, employees, customers, local business partners, regional partners, and other stakeholders;
- Conducting market research based on current market trends and best practices among peer cities, at a minimum;
- Facilitating and/or conducting strategic mapping initiatives, to include benchmarking metrics;
- Assisting City staff in testing and implementing strategy map recommendations;
- Facilitating and supporting strategic conversations, meetings, trainings, focus groups, and retreats with internal and external stakeholders; and
- Providing appropriate support as requested for special projects as assigned by the City Manager or designee.
The City is interested in Consultants who have experience in any of the following service areas, at a minimum: diversity and inclusion, economic development, human resources, information technology, public safety, social justice, sustainability and resiliency, and workforce needs and development.
LYNX Silver Line Safety and Security Consultant
The purpose of this PSR is to procure a Safety and Security consultant for the Pre-Project Development and Project Development phase of the LYNX Silver Line. This scope of work is currently in the LYNX Silver Line Design RFQ currently being advertised, however it has been determined that it is in CATS interest to directly contract with the safety and security vendor to ensure there are no conflicts of interest and to ensure continuity with CATS Safety and Security program. Therefore it is recommended to remove this scope from the Silver Line Design RFQ and reassign that scope to this contract.
General Scope of Service
1. Prepare a schedule of all Pre-Project Development and Project Development activities for incorporation into the Project Master Schedule
2. Develop the project Safety and Security Certification Plan (SSCP) using CATS Agency Safety Plan and previous SSCP provided by CATS.
3. Develop the project Safety and Security Management Plan (SSMP) using CATS Agency Safety Plan and SSMP from previous projects provided by CATS.
4. Provide Safety and Security Certification training to project staff as requested by CATS.
5. Perform a Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA)
6. Perform a Threat and Vulnerability Assessment (TVA)
7. Perform Safety and Security Design Reviews for the 30% and 65% design milestones as well as design development workshops, as requested by CATS.
8. Update the Safety and Security Chapter of the current LYNX Blue Line Design Criteria, for the LYNX Silver Line
9. Provide information as requested by the design team in the development of the Safety and Security Chapter of LYNX Silver Line Draft and Final Environmental Impact Statement
10. Participate in preparation and review of other Design Criteria chapters, as requested by CATS
11. Develop Design Criteria Conformance Checklists (DCCC), Safety Critical Items Lists (SCILs) and Certifiable Items List (CIL)
12. Develop and manage a database to track PHA’s, CIL’s, SCILs and OHAs, as requested by CATS.
13. Attend Safety and Security Certification Review Committee (SSRC), Fire Life Safety and Security Committee (FLSC), Project Management Team (PMT), Project Oversight Consultant (PMOC), Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Peer Review meetings, and other meetings requested by CATS.
14. Attend Value Engineering (VE) meetings and provide the Office of Safety & Security updates on risks associated with VE decisions
15. Review pre-revenue test plans, systems integration testing (SIT) plans , operating and safety rules as requested by CATS.
16. Develop safety and security monthly reports for CATS management to submit to NCODT and FTA.
PSR-800