Yuba City Central City Specific Plan Update and Objective Design Standards Consultant Services

The City of Yuba City is seeking qualified consultants to update the Central City Specific Plan and develop Citywide Objective Design Standards aimed at streamlining housing approvals while promoting sustainability, architectural integrity, and community engagement. This initiative involves reviewing existing land use, transportation, and economic conditions; creating urban design concepts focused on placemaking and entertainment uses; amending zoning, general plan, and noise ordinances; and preparing a CEQA-consistent environmental analysis, potentially as an addendum to an existing EIR, including mandatory tribal consultation under SB-18. The consultant will also establish clear, quantifiable design standards for all new multi-family and mixed-use developments citywide. The engagement will be managed by a designated Consultant Project Manager who must coordinate closely with the City, deliver a detailed project schedule, and ensure compliance with professional standards and legal requirements. Proposals are due by June 22, 2026, and must be submitted electronically via Public Purchase in PDF format, not exceeding 20 pages excluding appendices, with the cost proposal submitted as a separate document. The contract is governed by California law with exclusive venue in Sutter County, and disputes must be resolved through mediation before litigation, with the prevailing party entitled to recover litigation expenses. The consultant must operate as an independent contractor, with all deliverables including designs, studies, and reports owned by the City under specified terms. Mandatory insurance requirements are a pass/fail gate—failure to meet them disqualifies a proposal. The award will be based on a 100-point evaluation weighted toward experience in developing objective design standards and multi-family projects (35%), overall proposal strength including cost-effectiveness (25%), community outreach (20%), and approach/schedule (20%). Proposers must be registered on SAM.gov, hold a Unique Entity Identifier, submit a completed W-9 form, and if applicable, provide a Byrd Anti-Lobbying Certification and proof of non-debarment. The contract may last up to three years with two possible one-year extensions, totaling five years, and services may continue month-to-month for up to six months if final work remains pending. Payment is made monthly upon submittal of detailed invoices with progress reports, subject to a 90% payment cap until final acceptance, and all records must be retained for at least three years under GAAP-compliant accounting practices. Federal compliance with Davis-Bacon, Copeland Anti-Kickback, and Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Acts applies due to the use of federal funds