RFP-Northampton Preservation Plan-2022-03.03-PDFHistoric Preservation Plan RFP (03/03/22) 1
Request for Proposals for Consulting Services
City of Northampton Historic Preservation Plan
The City of Northampton, acting through its Office of Planning and Sustainability and in
cooperation with its Historical Commission and Planning Board, is seeking proposals for a new
Historic Preservation Plan (HPP) element of the City’s existing Sustainable
Northampton Comprehensive Plan (Sustainable Northampton) (amended through 2021).
The city has a rich cultural history, a wealth of historic resources, a local historic district and
several national/state historic districts, and previous cultural and other related plans. The City
seeks a dedicated HPP element to assess these buildings, objects, and landscapes of historic
significance, and guide future actions and priorities. That current plan has historic preservation
discussions sprinkled throughout, but those sections are very limited and not especially current.
Estimated total value of the contract is $70,000
Proposals are due at 12:00 PM, Thursday April 7, 2022 as an electronic PDF file(s) (no hard
copies) to WFeiden@NorthamptonMA.gov.
Questions may directed to Sarah LaValley at SLaValley@NorthamptonMA.gov
No specific format is required so long as the proposal explains how the proposal addresses these
criteria, provides a budget, timeline, and qualifications. This is a performance based contract
with a fixed fee for the work.
The city may ask follow‐up questions and may invite semi‐finalist for an interview. The
contractor agrees that their proposal is good for 60 days. We hope to sign a contract within 30
days, but reserve the 60 day period if needed. We will use a standard city contract specifying
compliance with this RFP and the proposal and requiring appropriate liability and workers
compensation insurance. The city will own all work products and may use in anyway it chooses.
This procurement is exempt from the terms of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Uniform
Procurement Act (M.G.L. c. 30B), and hence, will not be subject to its terms (M.G.L. c 30B,
section 1(b) paragraph 32A: “architects and engineers and related professionals”).
Overview
The HPP should focus on identifying and preserving the city’s historic and cultural resources,
and provide a means of integrating preservation of these resources into municipal planning
efforts. The HPP must provide a coherent overall planning framework with goals and action
steps for implementation.
The HPP is not expected to replace or update the land use or climate resilience and regeneration
sections of Sustainable Northampton that focus more broadly on where and how the city is
encouraging and discouraging development.
Integration into Sustainable Northampton
In the context of the historic preservation element being integrated into the Sustainable
Northampton, the selected consultant will:
1. Design an element with a ten-year action plan and a conceptual twenty year planning
horizon. We hope that the preservation element will be updated every decade or so.
Historic Preservation Plan RFP (03/03/22) 2
2. Ensure that the HPP’s voice and approach is consistent with Sustainable Northampton’s
goals and resiliency efforts, while accepting that Sustainable Northampton is made up of
diverse elements and purposes, each with their own voice and approach.
3. Mine existing Sustainable Northampton preservation recommendations and sections and
suggest which of those can be deleted or revised with the adoption of a new plan.
4. Develop a lively, readable plan document that can be accessed easily by city officials, staff,
permit applicants and committee members and by residents of the City of Northampton.
5. Once the historic preservation element is approved by the City, take the Sustainable
Northampton InDesign files and bring the new element into those same files.
Objectives
The historic preservation plan should address the following elements:
Physical Preservation: protect historic buildings and heritage and cultural landscapes to
prevent the loss of important historic resources and to preserve those resources in the
future.
Documentation: complete, improve, and increase public access to the city’s inventory of
historic resources.
Regulation: amend and improve city ordinances, regulations, policies and incentives, and
permitting procedures to protect and enhance historic resources during the development
process.
Outreach and Advocacy: increase community knowledge of and access to these historic and
cultural resources.
Specific project objectives include:
Assess Northampton’s historic and cultural resources, (including buildings, structures,
objects, areas, landscapes, burial grounds and sites), including their current level of
identification and general state of preservation, and identification of areas that may require
additional inventory. The historic preservation plan is not expected nor budgeted to be
include a detailed inventory of all historic properties.
Identify issues and opportunities pertinent to preservation of the city’s historic and cultural
resources.
Assess the status of historic preservation in the community, including existing preservation
mechanisms, and the present integration of historic preservation activities into the city’s
broader planning, environmental, social, economic, and sustainability goals and procedures.
Identify historic preservation priorities and develop of an action plan to ensure
implementation of priority historic preservation goals.
Identify ways to further integrate current historic preservation activities with broader
planning, environmental, social, economic, and sustainability goals and procedures.
Encourage activities that identify, document, preserve and promote historic and cultural
resources associated with diverse minority, ethnic, social and cultural groups who have
played a role in the history of the city of Northampton and Massachusetts.
Encourage communication and cooperation between existing groups engaged in historic
preservation activities and the community at large.
Identify how the city can encourage and support cooperation among existing historic
preservation organizations, and ways that preservation activity will involve a representative
cross-section of the Northampton population
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HPP Format and Anticipated Table of Contents
The organization of the historic preservation plan is anticipated to include the following items,
guided by tasks outlined in each phase. The city is open to considering, however, other formats
and to working with the selected consultant as opportunities arise to adjust this format to focus
on the issues most relevant to Northampton, and combine elements as needed.
1. Executive Summary
2. Introduction
Historic Preservation Planning
Historic Context and Major Themes in History of the City of Northampton
History of Historic Preservation Planning in Northampton
Annotated List of Preservation Partners and Stakeholders in Northampton
3. Investigation & Analysis
An Overview of Historic Preservation Issues and Challenges in Northampton
Historic Properties Inventory – Analysis of Existing Documentation
National Register of Historic Places and Local Historic District Analysis of Existing
Listings and Eligibility
Local Public Awareness and Engagement Analysis
Analysis of Existing Municipal Ordinances, Regulations, Tools, Municipal Policy,
Management and Capital Improvements Analysis
4. Recommendations
The Historic Properties Inventory – Survey Priorities
National Register of Historic Places and Local Historic District Priorities
Priorities for Preservation, Levels of Need
Public Awareness
Municipal Ordinances, Policy, Management and Capital Improvements Regulations and
Other Tools
Mechanisms to Protect Public Investment in Private Historic Properties
5. Action Plan
Historic Properties Inventory – Survey Action Plan
National Register of Historic Places and Local Historic Districts
Public Awareness
Municipal Ordinances, Regulations, and Other Tools
Municipal Policy, Management and Capital Improvements
6. Bibliography and References
Phase I: Background Scope of Work
Tasks:
Meet with Planning and Sustainability staff to review project goals, scope of work, schedule
and protocols.
Review three (3) to five (5) recent historic preservation plans from comparable communities
both in and outside Massachusetts that have advanced, progressive and successful
preservation programs.
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Prepare introductory text explaining why historic preservation planning is and why it is
important, and what a historic preservation plan is.
Meet with the Historical Commission or its subcommittee for brainstorming and concept
tests
Develop a list of all preservation partners and stakeholders with a role in historic
preservation. Prepare a brief description of the role of each partner or stakeholder.
Review the historical development of the community and its neighborhoods, including
settlement patterns, architecture, demography, neighborhoods, transportation, industry,
housing, and commerce, and what remains extant in today’s built environment. Prepare a
statement of historic contexts and major themes in the history of Northampton’s built
environment and cultural landscapes that encompasses pre-contact to present day periods.
The introduction shall include a description of how historic contexts can inform good
preservation planning.
Review previous planning documents, including Sustainable Northampton and its open
space, resiliency and transportation elements, Housing Plans, Regional Plans, Heritage
Landscape Plans, Community Preservation Plan, along with other existing preservation
reports, maps and recommendations (archaeological, architectural, historical and cultural).
Prepare a chronological narrative that includes plans, reports, major projects and events
related to historic preservation.
Review existing historic inventory. Undertake a wide-view reconnaissance to assess
inventory coverage Citywide and identify gaps. Prepare an analysis of the current status of
the inventory. Preparation of new inventory forms is not part of this project, but will be
utilized to inform future survey efforts
Prepare an analysis of current designations, including properties listed in the National
Register of Historic Places, identified as NR-eligible as indicated in records of the
Massachusetts Historical Commission, and listed in the State Register of Historic Places.
The analysis should include information on which properties are protected from alteration
or demolition by local designation, preservation restrictions, or other means.
Review existing Ordinances and regulations that could impact historic properties and
resources, including at a minimum, zoning, building codes, incentives, design review,
demolition delay, scenic roads, and wetlands.
Review the status of all historic City-owned properties, objects and sites, and those on which
the City has a financial or legal interest
Assess current City capabilities and staffing as related to preservation.
Meet with Planning and Sustainability staff to review Phase I activities and products.
Deliverables:
Introduction to Historic Preservation Planning
Annotated Listing of Preservation Partners and Stakeholders
Historic Context and History of Historic Preservation Planning
Historic Properties Inventory Analysis
National Register of Historic Places and Local Historic District Analysis
Municipal Ordinances and Regulations Analysis
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Phase II: Outreach
Tasks:
Seek input from board and commission members and City staff, including but not limited to
the Historical Commission, Planning Board and Central Business Architecture Committee,
Office of Planning and Sustainability, Department of Public Works and Central Services
Develop an engagement plan, informed by community context and past experience.
Suggested elements of the plan could include the following, but the consultant is encouraged
to propose engagement strategies that fit the community and the task:
o Seek direct input from local groups and organizations such as neighborhood groups and
property owners of historic residential and/or commercial buildings and properties,
business associations, cultural and historic institutions.
o Convene a Public Forum to seek input and discussion from residents, local groups and
organizations such as neighborhood groups, institutions, historic homeowners, business
and social organizations.
Prepare text explaining the overall historic preservation issues and challenges facing
Northampton. Include a description of the types of historic resources currently found in
Northampton, recent and potential losses, ongoing and anticipated issues and challenges to
protecting and preserving the City’s historical and archaeological resources.
Meet with Planning and Sustainability staff to review Phase II activities and accomplished
tasks/products.
Deliverables:
Municipal Policy, Management and Capital Improvements Analysis
Public Awareness and Engagement Analysis
Overview of Historic Preservation Issues and Challenges
Phase III: Recommendations
Tasks:
Develop Historic Properties Inventory recommendations and National Register of Historic
Places and Local Historic District recommendations, including individual properties and
districts.
Develop public awareness/education recommendations. This may include suggestions to
make information more easily accessible through existing means, such as the assessor’s
maps, Laserfiche, or MACRIS.
Develop municipal ordinances, policy, regulations, management and capital improvements
recommendations.
Develop mechanisms to protect public investment in private historic properties and
mechanisms to protect/maintain city-owned historic properties.
Develop a ten-year preservation action plan that identifies each party responsible for
implementation tasks and a schedule for implementation. Said action plan should consider
priorities in regards to specific properties and heritage and cultural landscapes.
Prepare an illustrated Executive Summary, suitable for distribution as a stand-alone
document.
Present the recommendations of the draft Historic Preservation Plan at a Public Forum.
Prepare a summary report that describes the outreach, attendees and overall discussions at
the public forum, as well as written comments received on the draft Historic Preservation
Plan.
Meet with Planning and Sustainability staff to review Phase III activities and products.
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Products:
Historic Properties Inventory Recommendations
National Register and Local Historic District Recommendations
Public Awareness, Programming and Education Recommendations
Municipal Bylaws and Regulations Recommendations
Municipal Policy, Management and Capital Improvements Recommendations
Recommendations for Mechanisms to Protect Public Investment in Private Historic
Properties and Stewardship of City-Owned Historic Properties and those in which the City
has a legal or financial interest
Action Plan
Executive Summary
Public Forum/Comments Summary Report
Phase IV: Integration into Sustainable Northampton
Task:
Prepare a final version of the Northampton Historic Preservation Plan, incorporating
it into the Sustainable Northampton Comprehensive Plan, as outlined at the top of
this RFP.
Qualifications
The overall proposal must also include:
A. The identity of the individual, partnership, or corporation applying for contract award,
credentials of the personnel who would actually perform the work, as well as their managers,
and the nature of the supervision. State the responsibilities of each of the project personnel.
B. A proposer’s qualifications statement, including professional qualifications and work
experience attesting to capacity to perform the required work program. Include resume(s),
detailing academic and professional work experience attesting to capacity to perform the required
work program. Proposers must include a project manager with a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in
Historic Preservation, Architectural History, History, Art History, Urban Planning, or a closely
related field and at least two (2) years full-time experience in an area relevant to the project or
otherwise provide evidence of necessary qualifications for this project.
C. A detailed explanation of the proposer’s approach to this project: methodology, demonstrated
understanding of the scope of work and completion deadline, and the proposer’s expectations of
assistance and services from the City. A technical work plan and project timeline for
accomplishing the tasks described in the scope of services must be provided.
D. A client reference list, with names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses (if
available) especially for clients for whom the proposer has performed similar services within the
past five (5) years.
E. Sample work products for all personnel.
F. Any other information deemed relevant to the project, and which the proposer believes will
further the competitiveness of the proposal.