The City of Birmingham (the City) is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for professional services to conduct a comprehensive urban agricultural land use suitability analysis.

Birmingham faces significant challenges in providing access to healthy, affordable food, with nearly 70% of residents living in areas lacking quality fresh food options. To address this, the City aims to expand its food access strategy beyond grocery store recruitment by promoting urban agriculture and creating opportunities for local growers. With funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production initiative, the City seeks to identify and evaluate suitable locations for urban agriculture. The goal is to develop a tool that prioritizes sites based on ecological, environmental, social, economic, and regulatory factors. This analysis will be crucial in identifying and mapping ideal locations for urban agriculture. It will guide policymakers, planners, community organizations, and investors in making informed decisions that promote sustainable food production and a more resilient urban environment.

The primary objectives of this project are:

• Identify and map suitable land for urban agriculture within the city of Birmingham, considering various factors that contribute to successful and sustainable urban agriculture models.
• Develop a user-friendly, GIS-based site selection tool that allows users to evaluate potential sites based on their specific needs and priorities, incorporating different urban agriculture models, including traditional growing methods, as well as indoor farming models.
• Provide insight and recommendations for policy and planning interventions to facilitate urban agriculture development within the city.

The selected firm will work closely with the City of Birmingham's Office of Resilience and Sustainability and the contracted Food Systems Development Manager, resulting in a comprehensive report by, SEPTEMBER 2025.

Full details of expected deliverables are in the full RFP which can be found at: https://www.birminghamal.gov/work/bidding-opportunities