Knoxville-Knox County Planning is soliciting proposals from qualified firms for assistance in creating a comprehensive plan for the City of Knoxville (COK).

Request for Proposals 

Submissions

Proposals are due Wednesday, January 21, 2026 by 4:30 pm EST. Detailed instructions are outlined in the RFP linked above.

Interviews

Knoxville-Knox County Planning will invite firms with the highest ranked proposals to interview. Those dates are TBD. 

Questions

1. Is there an anticipated budget range or a not-to-exceed amount that you could share?
   
   We have not included a budget or not to exceed amount. We want to see what different consultant teams propose in terms of schedule, work flow, process elements, and deliverables. It is recognized that although there will be considerable in-house resources targeted towards the Comprehensive Plan, this effort will require significant resources to be provided by a multi-disciplinary consultant team.

2. The submission requirements do not appear to include a cost proposal. Should proposers include a budget, or is this a qualifications- and approach-based selection with budget to be negotiated later?

   While budget will be an important consideration, this is a qualifications and approach-based selection process. A consultant fee will be negotiated for this project after consultant qualifications are evaluated and ranked based on the criteria listed in the RFP.

3. Has a project budget or not-to-exceed amount been established for this effort, or should teams propose a scope of work and fee they believe is appropriate to meet the City’s goals?

   We have not included a budget or not to exceed amount. We want to see what different consultant teams propose in terms of schedule, workflow, process elements, and deliverables. It is recognized that although there will be considerable in-house resources targeted towards the Comprehensive Plan, this effort will require significant resources to be provided by a multi-disciplinary consultant team.

4. Can you clarify the expected scope and level of detail for the transportation element of the comprehensive plan? Specifically, should this be a high-level policy and framework document, or is the City expecting corridor-level analysis, mode-specific recommendations, or project prioritization?

   The project team will work with the selected consultant group to analyze recent plans and studies related to transportation and corridor analysis, building off recent work to identify the best approach for integrating transportation and land use elements within the plan. 

5. Can the City clarify its expectations regarding the breadth and depth of community engagement activities? For example, how many and what types of in-person events are anticipated; will there be a formal advisory committee or steering group; and does the City have existing digital engagement platforms or tools it would like the consultant team to utilize?

   The project team recognizes the importance of community involvement and input and this project is expected to include a thorough engagement process. A stakeholder group will be identified, and the project team is open to involvement of other specific groups. Knoxville-Knox County Planning often uses custom-built digital engagement platforms but is open to exploring other options as recommended by the selected consultant team. Additionally, the project team encourages proposals to make recommendations and identify best practices that will support meaningful engagement throughout the process.

6. What level of involvement does Knoxville County anticipate having in the comprehensive plan process?

   This plan is for the City of Knoxville. It does not include unincorporated areas of Knox County and the Town of Farragut. Both jurisdictions have their own long-range plans. Knoxville-Knox County Planning will manage the full project team and dedicate considerable staff and other resources to the development of the plan. The City of Knoxville will be involved in the project leadership team. 

7. Will final deliverables need to meet any accessibility standards?

   Yes, final deliverables must be compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA.

8.  

   How will proposals be ranked and selected for interviews?

   Following the RFP evaluation process, a Review Committee will make a final ranking of the Proposals in order of preference. The Review Committee reserves the right to request interviews and/or additional information from all submitters or a shortlist. Knoxville-Knox County Planning will negotiate with the most qualified firms in rank order until a budget can be agreed upon and a successful execution of a contract for the project is completed.