Special DistrictNC
Posted
Nov 9, 2026
Dec 9, 2026
Recreation Master Plan Town of Canton, North Carolina
Community Development Block Grant - Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG-NR) Point of Contact This RFP is being administered by the Southwestern Commission Council of Governments on behalf of the Town of Canton. All information, questions, clarifications, and correspondence regarding this RFP shall be directed exclusively to the Southwestern Commission contact identified below. Anne Wade Senior Project Manager Southwestern Commission Council of Governments 125 Bonnie Lane, Sylva, NC 28779 Phone: 828-586-1962 Email: anne@southwesterncommission.org Schedule Summary Milestone Date RFP Issued: 11/09/2026 Notification to Submit: 11/09/2026 Last Day for Questions: 12/09/2026 5:00 PM EST Proposals Due: 12/09/2026 5:00 PM EST Award / Contract Execution: 01/08/2027 Project Deadline: 12/31/2027 General Information The schedule above has been established for the proposal and selection process. Every effort will be made to adhere to this schedule, but the Southwestern Commission, on behalf of the Town of Canton, reserves the right to adjust dates as circumstances require. Consultant selection will be decided by the Town of Canton staff and their representatives. Questions All questions must be submitted in writing via email to the Southwestern Commission contact identified above by the Last Day for Questions deadline noted in the Schedule Summary. Questions must include the subject line: "CDBG Recreation Master Plan RFP Question - Town of Canton" Interpretations or clarifications considered necessary in response to submitted questions will be issued in writing by the Southwestern Commission via email to all firms that have registered their interest to respond. Oral comments, statements, or instructions provided at any time by any party are without legal effect. Addenda may be issued to clarify or modify RFP documents as deemed necessary. Firms shall acknowledge receipt of any addenda in the transmittal letter of their proposal. Proposal Submission Deadline Proposals must be submitted electronically as a single PDF document to the Southwestern Commission contact via email by the Proposals Due deadline noted in the Schedule Summary, with the subject line: "CDBG Recreation Master Plan Proposal - Town of Canton" The designated contact for each firm will receive an email confirmation of receipt. Late proposals, regardless of cause, will not be considered and will be automatically disqualified. It is the firm's sole responsibility to ensure timely submission. Withdrawal of Proposals A proposal may be withdrawn prior to the submission deadline, provided that a written withdrawal request is submitted to the Southwestern Commission contact by email before the deadline. Withdrawal does not prejudice the right to resubmit prior to the deadline. Rejection of Proposals and Disclaimer The Town of Canton reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received in response to this RFP, to cancel this RFP, or to terminate the selection process at any time if it determines such action is in the Town's best interest. This RFP does not commit the Town to award a contract or to reimburse any costs incurred in the preparation of proposals. The Town reserves the right to eliminate the need for the selected firm to complete one or more project tasks pending the outcome of related work or the availability of funding. All proposals become the property of the Town. Award of Contract Following evaluation and selection, the Southwestern Commission, on behalf of the Town, will notify the selected firm in writing that it is the preferred candidate. Upon notification, the selected firm will be asked to submit a definitive fee schedule for the project. The Town of Canton and the selected firm will then negotiate and execute a Project Contract consistent with the terms of this RFP. If the Town and the selected firm do not reach agreement on contract terms, the Town reserves the right to terminate negotiations and proceed to the next ranked firm. Before commencement of any work, the Town of Canton and the selected firm will enter into a contract stating all applicable terms, including the fee schedule and any applicable federal CDBG-NR requirements. Role of the Southwestern Commission The Southwestern Commission Council of Governments is serving as the procurement administrator for this RFP on behalf of the Town of Canton. While the Southwestern Commission is managing the RFP process and firm selection, the Town of Canton is the contracting party and client for all work performed under this project. The selected firm will work directly with Town of Canton staff, including the Planning Director, throughout the duration of the engagement. 1. Introduction The Town of Canton is soliciting proposals from qualified planning firms to develop a comprehensive Recreation Master Plan. This plan is one of five coordinated planning efforts funded through a Community Development Block Grant - Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG-NR) award and must be developed in alignment with the Town's Comprehensive Plan, Capital Improvement Plan, Stormwater Master Plan, and Pigeon River Corridor Plan. Firms responding to this RFP are encouraged to understand how this plan connects to and supports the broader planning ecosystem, and to bring that integrative perspective to their work. The Recreation Master Plan will chart a course for Canton's parks, recreation facilities, greenways, and river access in a community undergoing profound transformation. It must honor the values of Canton's working families while helping the Town capture the economic opportunity presented by the Pigeon River corridor and the former paper mill site redevelopment. The plan must serve existing residents first while creating a recreational network that can attract investment, improve public health, and define Canton's next chapter. 2. Community & Project Background Background information describes the mill closure (Champion/Pactiv Evergreen Paper Mill), recent flood events, demographic and economic context for Canton and Haywood County, and the opportunity represented by the 185-acre former mill site adjacent to downtown along the Pigeon River. New ownership of the mill site (Two Banks Development LLC) and partnerships (Dogwood Health Trust Collaboration and Innovation grant, Haywood Advancement Foundation, Haywood Waterways Association, Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy) are noted as supporting broader corridor transformation. 3. Project Objectives The selected consultant will assist the Town in achieving the following objectives: • Assess existing parks, recreation facilities, greenways, trails, and river access points • Evaluate community recreation needs through robust public engagement, with emphasis on low- and moderate-income (LMI) residents, former mill workers and families, and flood-impacted households • Integrate and build off community feedback from the Comprehensive Planning process slated to be finished in Fall 2026 • Identify gaps in access, equity, and outdoor infrastructure • Develop a vision and priority framework for recreation investment that integrates with the Pigeon River Corridor Plan, mill site redevelopment, Chestnut Mountain Nature Park Master Plan, and floodway acquisitions that have potential for river access development and blueway/greenway alignment • Connect recreation planning to economic development goals, including outdoor recreation economy opportunities along the Pigeon River • Produce actionable, prioritized recommendations with realistic implementation strategies and funding pathways • Align with state requirements for Recreation Plans that qualify projects for NC-Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) and other grant programs 4. Scope of Work The process for creating the Recreation Master Plan must ensure that the final document reflects a clear vision for the Town's Parks and Recreation Department as determined by citizens, developers, landowners, business leaders, public officials, and other key stakeholders through meaningful community participation. The consultant shall provide a full range of recreation planning services, including at minimum: A. Project Initiation & Coordination • Conduct kickoff meeting with Town staff and establish Steering Committee • Develop detailed work plan, schedule, and communication protocols • Coordinate regularly with Town staff, the Town's support team through the Dogwood Health Trust Collaboration & Innovation grant, and other CDBG planning consultants to ensure plan integration B. Existing Conditions Assessment • Inventory and map all parks, recreation facilities, greenways, trails, and river access points - existing & emerging • Evaluate condition, accessibility, and equity of existing assets • Align with ongoing Haywood County Project Development Planning initiative • Review relevant existing plans and reports • Assess recreation assets relative to LMI populations and disadvantaged communities C. Community Engagement • Design and facilitate a meaningful, multi-phase public engagement process with emphasis on reaching LMI residents, former mill workers, flood-impacted households, and youth • Coordinate engagement activities with other CDBG planning processes to reduce community fatigue • Conduct surveys, focus groups, public workshops, and stakeholder interviews • Ensure engagement is accessible including evening/weekend hours, multiple locations, and Spanish-language outreach as appropriate D. Needs Assessment & Gap Analysis • Analyze recreation needs relative to population demographics, income levels, and geographic distribution • Identify underserved populations and areas with limited recreation access • Evaluate opportunities presented by the Pigeon River corridor and former mill site E. Vision, Goals & Recommendations • Develop a community-informed vision and goals framework • Produce prioritized recommendations for new facilities, improvements, greenways, river access, and programming • Address affordability and equity across recommendations • Connect recommendations to place-based economic development, public health, flood resilience, and quality of life goals F. Implementation & Funding Strategy • Develop phased implementation plan with cost estimates for priority projects • Identify funding opportunities such as PARTF, Recreational Trails Program, Land and Water Conservation Fund, NC Land and Water Fund, and provide guidance on how to align these sources for phased implementation • Provide potential solutions and partnerships to support operations and maintenance of recreational asset investments in the long term • Align capital recommendations with the Town's Capital Improvement Plan 5. Deliverables • Draft Recreation Master Plan document for Town review and comment • Final Recreation Master Plan in electronic form • GIS data and maps of recreation assets • Public engagement summary report • Presentations to Planning Board and Town Board • Funding opportunity matrix aligned with priority recommendations • Strategies to address long-term operations and maintenance 6. Proposal Requirements Proposals shall be submitted as a single PDF and shall not exceed 30 pages, excluding transmittal letter, table of contents, covers, tabs, and appendix. Proposals must include the following, in order: A. Transmittal Letter (maximum 2 pages) - Signed by an officer authorized to enter into a contract with the Town. Must acknowledge receipt of any addenda. B. Executive Summary - Firm's understanding of the project, Canton's context, regional context, and overall approach. C. Firm Qualifications - Firm overview; demonstrated experience preparing Recreation Master Plans for municipalities of similar size and context (work samples from past 5 years); experience in post-industrial or disaster-recovery contexts; team organization chart; five professional references. D. Project Approach - Proposed methodology for each scope task; approach to community engagement and integration with other CDBG planning efforts; cost control and schedule management; preliminary schedule. E. Cost Proposal - Itemized, not-to-exceed cost breakdown by task. F. Appendix - Resumes, project summaries for 3 completed Recreation Master Plans, required certifications per Section 9. 7. Evaluation Criteria Weighted criteria: Team Qualifications (25), Technical Merit (30), Community Engagement (20), Schedule & Cost (15), Funding Knowledge (10). Total 100 points. Town may request interviews or presentations prior to final selection. 8. Federal Funding & CDBG-NR Compliance This planning process is funded with CDBG-NR funds administered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce. The selected consultant shall comply with applicable federal, state, and local requirements including 24 CFR Part 570, 2 CFR Part 200, NC Department of Commerce CDBG-NR guidance and Bulletin 10-8, and SAM.gov registration prior to contract execution. Project intended to benefit LMI persons in accordance with HUD national objectives. Required Federal Contract Provisions (2 CFR Part 200, Appendix II) include remedies, termination, equal employment opportunity, Davis-Bacon Act (if applicable), Copeland Anti-Kickback Act (if applicable), Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (if applicable), Clean Air Act/Federal Water Pollution Control Act (if contracts exceed $150,000), Debarment and Suspension, Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment, Access to Records, Record Retention, Section 3 (if applicable), Procurement of Recovered Materials, Energy Efficiency standards. 9. General Terms & Conditions Includes conflict of interest provisions per N.C. statutes and 24 CFR Part 570.489(h); encouragement of Historically Underutilized Businesses; ineligible vendor provisions (investment activities in Iran/boycott of Israel); inadvertent archaeological/historical discoveries protocols; insurance requirements (Commercial General Liability $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate; Business Automobile Liability $1,000,000; Workers Compensation statutory; Employer's Liability $500,000); non-discrimination; confidentiality; governing law (State of North Carolina); payment terms Net 30 after correct invoice or acceptance of deliverables. Force Majeure, Acknowledgement of Credit, and Certifications Force majeure, acknowledgement of funder credit requirements, and required certifications in response to the RFP (authority to transact business in NC for out-of-state firms; no officer convicted of securities violations in last 10 years; compliance with NC use tax; no gift or gratuity to State/Federal employee; E-Verify compliance for firms with more than 25 NC employees; not on NC State Treasurer's Final Divestment List for Iran investment activities).
