Connect SoCal Exploratory Scenario Planning

The purpose of the Exploratory Scenario Planning (XSP) project is to engage a diverse and representative group of key SCAG stakeholders in identifying the major trends and potential uncertain futures facing the region. These stakeholders, along with input from staff and leadership from SCAG’s Policy Committees and Regional Council, will then inform the policy and strategy priorities for the next RTP/SCS and beyond. Outcomes from the project include but are not limited to: • Identification of key major trends facing the region to provide background and context for scenario development and to aid the identification of driving forces • Four (4) unique, illustrative, and plausible scenarios • List of policy and strategy priorities that are robust across the scenarios and address the greatest threats or capitalize on the greatest opportunities (for Connect SoCal 2028) o Associated performance metrics that may be carried forward into Connect SoCal • List of research needed to further understand policies or strategies needed To support this XSP exercise, SCAG seeks a highly qualified, creative, and innovative Consultant (or Consultant team) to help shape and facilitate scenario planning activities. In partnership with SCAG staff, the successful Consultant will develop a limited number of plausible futures based on today’s best understanding of the most important trends, opportunities, and threats anticipated to shape the future of Southern California. These plausible futures will inform key components of the next iteration of the RTP/SCS and help SCAG to create a framework to think more broadly about how to organize in the face of an uncertain future. The successful Consultant should possess a robust range of demonstrated experience such as: • Exploratory Scenario Planning: Understanding of processes and best practices to approach planning for uncertainty and communicating complexity. Demonstrating specialties in systematically exploring plausible, imaginative futures and creatively packaging futuristic narratives for collaborative discussion among diverse stakeholders—which will be highly relevant for Tasks 2, 3, and 4. • Regional Planning: Understanding of land use planning principles and how they integrate with transportation infrastructure at the regional scale. The Consultant team should have land use scenario planning experience and be familiar with land use and scenario modeling processes. • Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration: Experience in facilitating public workshops, conducting surveys, and engaging diverse stakeholders such as but not limited to local governments, Tribal governments, community-based organizations, advocacy groups, and interagency coordination. • Policy Development: Ability to develop policies and recommend policy priorities that align with federal, state, and local regulations and goals related to mobility, the environment, communities, equity, and climate resiliency. • Data Analysis and Modeling: High proficiency in data analysis (both qualitative and quantitative), land use analysis and Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to develop potential growth scenarios.