Request for Proposal (RFP)
For Professional Services: Comprehensive Review, Update, and Revision of City Ordinances
City of Inkster, Michigan
Date of Issue: June 3, 2025
Proposal Due Date: June 18, 2025, 4:00 PM EDT
1.0 Introduction and Purpose
The City of Inkster, Michigan, is soliciting proposals from qualified legal firms or consulting agencies with expertise in municipal law and ordinance codification to conduct a comprehensive review, update, and revision of its existing City Ordinances (excluding the Zoning Ordinance). The goal of this project is to ensure that the City's ordinances are current, consistent, legally compliant, easily accessible, and reflective of the City's present and future needs.
This Request for Proposal (RFP) outlines the scope of work, proposal requirements, and evaluation criteria for interested and qualified respondents.
2.0 Background
The City of Inkster, located in Wayne County, Michigan, operates under a Charter and a body of ordinances that govern various aspects of municipal operations, public safety, zoning, land use, business regulation, and quality of life for its residents and businesses. Over time, ordinances can become outdated, contradictory, or insufficient to address contemporary challenges and legal requirements.
The City recognizes the critical importance of having a clear, enforceable, and well-organized set of ordinances to effectively govern and serve its community. This project aims to bring the entire ordinance code up to date, streamline regulatory processes, and enhance public understanding and compliance.
3.0 Scope of Work
The selected consultant will be responsible for a comprehensive review, update, and revision of the entire City of Inkster Code of Ordinances. The scope of work shall include, but not be limited to, the following tasks:
3.1 Initial Assessment and Project Planning
- Conduct an initial review of the current City of Inkster Code of Ordinances to understand its structure, content, and identify immediate areas of concern (e.g., obvious conflicts, outdated references).
- Develop a detailed project plan, including timelines, milestones, communication protocols, and a clear methodology for the entire revision process.
- Meet with key City staff to gather input on specific ordinance needs, challenges, and priorities.
3.2 Legal and Regulatory Compliance Review
- Review all existing ordinances for compliance with current federal, state (Michigan), and local laws, statutes, and regulations.
- Identify any ordinances that are inconsistent with the City Charter, state law, or recent court decisions.
- Recommend revisions to ensure legal enforceability and minimize potential legal challenges.
3.3 Content Review and Modernization
- Identify outdated, obsolete, or redundant provisions that should be repealed or consolidated.
- Identify gaps in the current code where new ordinances or amendments are needed to address contemporary issues (e.g., emerging technologies, environmental regulations, public health concerns, short-term rentals, cannabis regulations, etc.).
- Propose language that is clear, concise, unambiguous, and easy to understand for both City staff and the public.
- Ensure consistency in terminology, definitions, and cross-references throughout the entire code.
- Review and update penalty provisions to ensure they are appropriate and enforceable.
3.4 Research and Best Practices
- Conduct research on best practices and model ordinances from comparable municipalities in Michigan and across the U.S. to inform proposed revisions.
- Provide comparative analysis and recommendations based on this research.
3.5 Drafting and Redrafting
- Draft new ordinance language and revise existing language as necessary, incorporating all recommendations from the review phases.
- Prepare ordinances in a format suitable for formal adoption by the City Council. This may include strike-through/underline versions for proposed changes and clean versions for final adoption.
- Provide clear explanations and justifications for all proposed changes.
3.6 Stakeholder Engagement and Public Input (Optional, Proposer to Detail Approach)
- Proposers should outline their proposed approach to stakeholder engagement, which may include:
- Facilitating workshops or meetings with City departments and commissions (e.g., Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals).
- Assisting the City with public information sessions or hearings to gather community feedback on significant proposed changes.
3.7 Codification and Indexing
- Ensure that the revised ordinances are properly codified and integrated into the existing or a new logical structure.
- Develop or update a comprehensive index and table of contents to facilitate easy navigation and reference.
- If the City uses an online codification service, the consultant should coordinate with that service to ensure seamless integration of the updated code.
3.8 Presentation and Adoption Support
- Present proposed revisions to the City Council, Planning Commission, and other relevant bodies as required.
- Provide legal support and advice during the adoption process, including attending meetings as necessary.
- Assist the City Attorney's office with final review and preparation for enactment.
3.9 Final Deliverables
- A complete, revised, and updated digital copy of the City of Inkster Code of Ordinances, suitable for official publication and online access.
- A summary document detailing all significant changes, additions, and repeals.
- Any supporting research, memos, or legal opinions generated during the project.
4.0 Deliverables
The selected consultant will provide the following deliverables:
- Detailed Project Plan and Timeline.
- Regular progress reports (e.g., monthly).
- Draft sections of revised ordinances for review by City staff and legal counsel.
- Redlined (strike-through/underline) and clean versions of all proposed ordinances.
- Legal memoranda or opinions supporting proposed changes, as needed.
- Final, comprehensive, and fully codified digital version of the City of Inkster Code of Ordinances.
- Executive Summary of all major changes and their rationale.
- (Optional, if included in proposal) Materials for public engagement and presentations.
5.0 Proposal Requirements
Interested firms are required to submit a comprehensive proposal that addresses the following sections:
5.1 Firm Qualifications and Experience
- Provide a brief history and overview of your firm, including its legal structure and primary areas of practice.
- Describe your firm's experience in municipal ordinance review, revision, and codification projects, specifically highlighting similar projects for other Michigan municipalities.
- Provide resumes of all key personnel who will be assigned to this project, including their relevant experience, qualifications, and roles. Clearly designate a Project Manager.
- Demonstrate the firm's capacity to undertake a project of this scope and complexity, including available resources and expertise.
5.2 Understanding of the Project and Methodology
- Articulate your understanding of the City of Inkster's needs and the objectives of this RFP.
- Describe your proposed methodology and approach to completing the Scope of Work outlined in Section 3.0. This should include specific steps, techniques, and quality control measures.
- Explain how your firm will ensure legal compliance, consistency, clarity, and practical applicability of the revised ordinances.
- Detail your approach to collaboration with City staff and the City Attorney's office.
5.3 Project Schedule
- Provide a detailed project schedule with key milestones, deliverables, and estimated completion dates for each phase of the project.
- Identify any assumptions made in developing the schedule.
5.4 Cost Proposal
- Provide a detailed fee proposal, clearly itemizing all costs associated with the project. This should include:
- Hourly rates for all personnel involved.
- Estimated hours for each phase/task.
- Total estimated project cost.
- Any anticipated reimbursable expenses (e.g., research subscriptions, travel).
- Indicate whether you are proposing a fixed fee or an hourly rate cap for the entire project or specific phases.
- Specify billing procedures and payment terms.
5.5 References
- Provide at least three (3) professional references from municipal clients for whom your firm has performed similar ordinance review and revision services within the last five (5) years.
- References should include client name, contact person, title, phone number, email address, and a brief description of the services provided.
6.0 Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Firm Qualifications and Experience (30%): Demonstrated expertise in municipal law, ordinance codification, and relevant project history.
- Project Team Qualifications (25%): Experience, qualifications, and availability of key personnel assigned to the project.
- Methodology and Approach (20%): Clarity, comprehensiveness, and effectiveness of the proposed project plan and approach to the scope of work.
- Cost Proposal (15%): Reasonableness and competitiveness of the proposed fees.
- References (10%): Positive feedback from previous clients on similar projects.
The City of Inkster reserves the right to reject all proposals, to waive any informalities or irregularities in the proposals received, and to select the proposal that is deemed most advantageous to the City.
7.0 RFP Timeline
- RFP Issue Date: June 3, 2025
- Deadline for Questions: June 13, 2025, 4:00 PM EDT
- Answers to Questions Posted (Addendum): June 16, 2025
- Proposal Due Date: [Insert Date, e.g., June 18, 2025, 4:00 PM EDT]
- Interviews (if necessary): TBD
- Anticipated Award Date: TBD
- Project Start Date: TBD
Dates are subject to change at the City's discretion.
8.0 Submission Instructions
Proposals must be submitted in www.bidnet.com, electronically by the Proposal Due Date and time.
- Number of Copies: (1) electronic copy (PDF) on www.Bidnet.com.
- Labeling: The outer envelope or subject line of the email (if electronic submission is allowed) must be clearly marked: "RFP: City Ordinance Update and Revision - [Your Firm Name]"
- Late Submissions: Proposals received after the specified due date and time will not be considered.
9.0 Questions and Clarifications
All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing via email to:
Derek Dowdell, Community Development Director, ddowdell@cityofinkster.com
Questions must be received by the "Deadline for Questions" as specified in Section 7.0. Answers to all questions will be compiled and distributed to all known prospective proposers via an addendum. No verbal questions or responses will be binding.
10.0 General Terms and Conditions
- The City of Inkster reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, to waive any informalities or irregularities, and to negotiate with any qualified firm.
- The City reserves the right to award the contract to the firm deemed most advantageous to the City, even if it is not the lowest-cost proposal.
- All costs incurred in the preparation of the proposal shall be borne by the proposer.
- All proposals submitted become the property of the City of Inkster.
- The selected firm will be required to enter into a formal professional services agreement with the City of Inkster, which will incorporate the terms of this RFP and the successful proposal.
- The successful proposer shall maintain all necessary licenses and insurance as required by the City and state law.
End of Request for Proposal
