Town of Westlock - Request for Proposal - Commercial & Industrial Gap Analysis

NATURE OF OPPORTUNITY The Town of Westlock (Reference: TOW-ECDEV-2026-0001) is seeking proposals from qualified consulting firms to complete a Commercial and Industrial Gap Analysis. This is a professional services procurement for a research, analysis, and advisory engagement that will inform the Town's investment attraction, land management, and economic development programming under its 2026–2030 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS): https://www.westlock.ca/business-development/doing-business-in-westlock/comprehensive-economic-development-strategy-ceds/ WHAT IS BEING PROCURED The Project comprises two coordinated but distinct components, as detailed in Part 2 of the solicitation document: Part A — Commercial Gap Analysis (Section 2.2): A comprehensive assessment of commercial market conditions in the Town of Westlock and its regional trade area. Scope includes information gathering and market research; a mandatory community/resident consumer survey (200–300 responses, with options for online, telephone, and postal code-targeted mailout distribution); an in-person site visit and market reconnaissance; retail supply and demand analysis; sales productivity benchmarking; and a gap analysis with market positioning recommendations and actionable tenant attraction strategy. The Town retains final approval of all survey questions. Part B — Industrial Gap Analysis (Section 2.3): An assessment of industrial land supply, demand, and capacity with a focused lens on the Town's four priority sectors: Agriculture, Manufacturing, Energy, and Forestry. Scope includes industrial land demand and supply analysis; supply chain capacity and regional context review (including mapping of the regional supply chain ecosystem within approximately 250 km of Westlock, assessment of the Town's role as a logistics-enabled node via Highway 18/44 and CN rail access, and identification of supply chain gaps and unmet regional demand); stakeholder interviews and site visit; policy and regulatory review; and recommendations including a targeted prospect list and recruitment strategy. Proponents may submit for one or both components. The Town's preference is to award the full Project to a single coordinated team (see Part 3). OPTIONS No formal options are being requested. The Town is open to proposals suggesting a modified scope of work, provided the Proponent demonstrates a clear understanding of Project objectives and justifies any changes (Section 2.1). All recommendations must address short-term (1–3 years), medium-term (3–5 years), and long-term (5–10 years) horizons. KEY DELIVERABLES Deliverables are specified in Section 2.4 and include: draft and final reports in PDF and editable Word format; a presentation to Town Administration and/or Council; visual materials (maps, charts, graphs); a concise 2–3 page public summary; consumer survey instrument and raw data; an attraction strategy with targeted prospect list; transfer of all data files and GIS layers to the Town upon completion; and bi-weekly progress updates throughout the project. Estimated timeline is 16–18 weeks from contract execution, with a target completion of 2026 Q3-Q4. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format by email to DPrizgintas@westlock.ca with the subject line "RFP – Commercial & Industrial Gap Analysis" no later than 2026-05-28 at 2:00 p.m. MST (Section 1.3). Late submissions will not be considered. Proposals submitted by any other means will not be accepted. The Town is not responsible for email errors or undelivered submissions. Proposals must include all twelve sections specified in Part 3, including a completed and signed Signature Form (Part 5). Proposals without a signed Signature Form will not be evaluated. Proposals are limited to 30 pages, excluding forms, pricing, resumes, addenda, and appendices, and must remain valid for 90 days following the Closing Date. All written inquiries must be directed to Davis Prizgintas, Economic Development Officer (DPrizgintas@westlock.ca) no later than 2026-05-14 at 4:00 p.m. MST. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. Responses will be circulated to all known Proponents by 2026-05-21. EVALUATION Proposals will be evaluated on four weighted criteria per Section 4.5: Project Team Qualifications & Experience (25%), Understanding of Scope & Proposed Methodology (20%), Representative Work & References (20%), and Project Cost & Timeline (35%). The Town reserves the right to shortlist firms for presentations prior to final selection. Contract award is subject to Council approval, targeted for 2026-06-12. ELIGIBILITY Open to all qualified consulting firms. Mandatory professional requirements are specified in Section 4.2. A minimum of three references from municipal or comparable clients for similar work within the last five years are required (Part 3, item 9). Proponents must be in good standing with the Workers' Compensation Board of Alberta or carry equivalent Employer's Liability Insurance (Section 4.19).