Request for Proposal (RFP): DowntownDC Business Improvement District Five-Year Renewal Plan Consulting Services
The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (“BID”) invites proposals from qualified firms and individual consultants (“Applicants”) to lead development of its five-year renewal plan for FY2028–2032. The selected consultant (“Consultant”) will help the BID evaluate its accomplishments, assess current conditions, engage a diverse range of stakeholders, set strategic priorities, and produce a compelling, actionable plan. The plan will serve as both the BID’s strategic roadmap and a key document in its formal renewal process with the District of Columbia government.
The BID was established in 1997 and was last renewed for FY2023–FY2027. Its current term expires September 30, 2027. D.C. Code § 2-1215.18 requires BIDs to request renewal every five years. The BID seeks a Consultant who can turn research and stakeholder perspectives into a clear vision, practical priorities, and an achievable implementation framework.
Background
Founded in 1997, the DowntownDC BID was Washington, DC’s first private nonprofit place management organization. It is a 501(c)(6) in which property owners assess themselves to fund services that enhance the neighborhood experience. The BID covers 530 properties across 140 walkable, transit-rich blocks, bounded by Massachusetts Avenue (North, including the Walter E. Washington Convention Center), Constitution Avenue (South), Louisiana Avenue (East), and 16th Street (West).
Mission: To convene business, community, and government to compassionately lead a clean, safe, and vibrant district.
The FY2023–2027 Renewal Plan was organized around five strategic priorities, the “Five Big Moves.” The BID has achieved or made significant progress on many of them, but downtown has changed considerably: office utilization, economic development, tourism, residential growth, public space management, and post-pandemic recovery all create new opportunities and challenges.
The next plan should reflect these conditions while building on the BID’s accomplishments. It should be ambitious, practical, financially informed, and grounded in member and stakeholder perspectives. It should set clear priorities, guide decisions and resource allocation, and give the downtown community shared objectives.
Scope Of Work
Applicants should propose an integrated methodology showing how research, engagement, analysis, and strategic planning will inform the final plan.
1. Assessment of Existing Data and Current Conditions
The Consultant will review and synthesize data, organizational materials, and prior planning efforts to establish a baseline of the BID’s performance, current conditions, opportunities, and challenges. This includes assessing progress on the FY2023–2027 priorities, identifying emerging challenges and opportunities, and evaluating how conditions may shape strategic direction. Applicants may propose additional data collection or analysis to fill gaps. Any original research must be described, justified, and included in the fee proposal.
Expected outcome: A concise assessment of accomplishments, current conditions, key findings, and strategic considerations to inform engagement and plan development.
2. Stakeholder Engagement, Research, and Facilitation
Inclusive stakeholder engagement is central to this project. The Consultant will design and carry out a process combining quantitative and qualitative methods to assess stakeholder perceptions, priorities, and expectations for the BID’s next five years, producing actionable findings on how each group prioritizes BID services, investments, and opportunities.
3. Strategic Planning, Report Development, Writing, and Editing
The Consultant will work closely with the BID’s Chief Strategy Officer to develop the plan. The final report should be professionally written, accessible to a broad audience, and suitable for BID members, public officials, and community stakeholders.
Applicant Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be a legally organized business or individual authorized to do business in the District of Columbia, or able to obtain authorization before contract execution.
- Have completed at least three comparable stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, or public-facing planning projects in the past five years.
- Designate a project lead who will be actively involved throughout.
- Maintain, or be able to obtain before contract execution, the insurance required under Section 5 (see attached file), subject to approved modifications.
- Disclose actual or potential conflicts of interest, including relevant work for property owners, tenants, or other entities with interests that may intersect with this assignment.
- Demonstrate capacity to meet the project timeline.
The BID welcomes proposals from firms of all sizes and strongly encourages participation by local, small, minority-owned, and DC Certified Business Enterprises (CBEs), including teams and partnerships involving them.
Proposal Submission
Email proposals to Karla Ciavarella | karla@downtowndc.org by Friday, November 13, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern Time, with the subject line “Renewal Plan RFP – [Applicant Name].” Late or incomplete proposals will not be accepted.
Submit searchable PDFs with numbered pages or a non-password protected link to proposal. The core proposal may not exceed 20 single-sided pages, excluding resumes, project samples, references, and contract or insurance exceptions. Applicants are encouraged to follow the section headings and order provided in the attached file.
Proposals must remain valid for 90 calendar days after the submission deadline.
Questions & Communications
Submit written questions to Karla Ciavarella | karla@downtowndc.org by email by Friday, October 30, 2026. Responses will be shared by Friday, November 6, 2026, via email.
From RFP release through selection, Applicants may not contact BID Board members or staff about this procurement. All communication regarding this RFP may be made only through the RFP Contact. Violations may result in disqualification.
⬇️ Download the full RFP below to review the complete scope, requirements, and submission instructions
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