Council expands city planning RFQ approvals to top 10 after debate on urban‑design expertise

Council members questioned why the RFQ initially shortlisted five firms while staff recommended adding more — ultimately the council moved to approve the top 10 qualified candidates. Staff explained the RFQ was intentionally broad (planning, traffic, stormwater, urban design) and that adding continuing‑service firms including DPZ could give staff a broader range of expertise for upcoming projects. One member said she worried the council was "moving the goalposts," while others argued having multiple on‑call firms improves responsiveness and competition.

Outcome: Council approved awarding the top 10 qualified candidates for continuing planning and urban‑design services in a 3–2 vote.

Ending: Procurement will finalize the contracts and staff said it prefers a range of 5–10 firms for flexibility over multi‑year contracts.