REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: VILLAGE OF HAMPSHIRE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

INTRODUCTION

The Village of Hampshire ("Village") is soliciting proposals from qualified consulting firms to prepare a new Comprehensive Plan that will guide the Village's growth, development, and preservation priorities for the next 10–20 years. The current Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2004, with Sub-Area updates completed in 2006 and 2008.

The new Comprehensive Plan must reflect Hampshire's unique character—balancing rural identity and farmland preservation with the realities of rapid residential growth, increased development interest, infrastructure demands, and economic development opportunities.

The Village seeks a consultant team that can produce an actionable, data-driven, visually compelling plan with a clear implementation framework that supports decision-making by the Village Board, Planning & Zoning Commission, Business Development Commission, Village staff, and residents. The current budget for the following deliverables is $125,000.

COMMUNITY BACKGROUND

Hampshire is a non–home rule municipality in Kane and McHenry Counties. Since its incorporation in 1876, the Village has grown from a small rural community to a municipality of 9,425 residents. Hampshire sits approximately 50 miles northwest of Chicago and 40 miles southeast of Rockford and is experiencing significant residential and commercial development pressure, driven in part by proximity to I-90, IL-47, US-20, and regional employment centers.

Hampshire's identity is rooted in its agricultural heritage, open space, and small-town character, and the Village is committed to managing growth in a way that preserves these qualities while meeting evolving housing, infrastructure, and economic needs.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The Comprehensive Plan must:

• Establish a clear vision for the Village's long-term future, approximately 20-year outlook
• Balance residential, commercial, and industrial growth in proportion to services and infrastructure.
• Protect and integrate farmland, natural resources, and open space into future planning.
• Create a Future Land Use Plan and Annexation Framework that specify where growth should occur—and where it should not.
• Address housing diversity, including attainable housing, missing-middle housing, and large-lot rural-edge residential opportunities.
• Provide strategies for economic development throughout the Village, retail positioning, and business attraction.
• Include a robust public engagement strategy, with clear documentation and transparent participation.
• Deliver an implementation matrix that assigns responsibilities (Village Board, PZC, BDC, Village staff), timelines, and funding tools.
• Identify Priority Growth Areas requiring accelerated planning attention prior to completion of the full Comprehensive Plan.
• Provide interim decision-making support guidance for near-term development pressures and edge-area planning influences.

SCOPE OF WORK

The following scope represents the minimum required elements. Firms may provide recommended enhancements.

Community Profile & Existing Conditions

• Demographics, growth trends, and projections
• Housing stock evaluation: unit types, lot sizes, affordability, gaps
• Economic and retail profile, employment trends
• Land use inventory and zoning analysis
• Transportation and mobility conditions
• Infrastructure capacity: water, sewer, utilities, stormwater
• Environmental constraints: floodplains, wetlands, watersheds
• Existing Village policies, codes, and past planning documents

Public Engagement Strategy: Consultant shall design a customized, multi-platform engagement plan including:

• Public workshops (minimum 3)
• Community survey (online and paper)
• Stakeholders focus groups (developers, businesses, farmers/landowners, civic groups)
• Joint meetings with Village Board, Planning & Zoning Commission and Business Development Commission
• Ongoing digital engagement (website, social media graphics, online comment tools)
• Summary report documenting engagement findings

Future Land Use Plan: The plan must include:

• Growth management principles
• Designated residential, mixed-use, commercial, industrial and conservation areas
• Large-lot residential areas for rural-edge living
• Redevelopment opportunities
• Agricultural preservations zones with tools (easements, cluster design, buffers)
• Development intensity, height, and density recommendations
• Full-color, GIS-based Future Land Use Map

Housing Plan

• Gap analysis (ex. workforce housing, missing middle, rental share, large-lot demand) that can separate Hampshire from neighboring communities
• Strategies for diversifying housing stock
• Priority sites for housing development
• Policies that support attainable housing while maintaining Village character

Economic Development Strategy

• Retail and business attraction strategy
• Corridor redevelopment plan (ex. IL Route 72; Big Timber Rd.)
• Identification of niche market opportunities
• Targeted commercial and industrial sites
• Shovel-ready development recommendations

Transportation & Mobility Plan

• Traffic and transportation network assessment
• Sidewalk, trail, and pedestrian improvements
• Bike network and connectivity planning

Implementation Matrix: A detailed, actionable matrix that includes:

• Strategies, responsible bodies (Board, P&Z, BDC, staff)
• Timeline (1-3 years, 3-7 years, 7+ years)
• Estimated costs and function mechanisms
• Regulatory and policy changes needed
• Benchmarks for success and annual review procedures

PHASED WORK PROGRAM & PRIORITY AREA INTERIM FRAMEWORK

Due to significant near-term growth pressures and pending development decisions affecting areas within and adjacent to the Village, the Comprehensive Plan shall be structured as a phased work program.

Firms shall structure their scope and timeline to include a Phase 1 (Interim Priority Area Framework) and the full Comprehensive Plan.

STRATEGIC INTENT & RATIONALE

The village recognizes that traditional comprehensive planning timelines may not align with the pace of development and annexation pressures currently affecting the Village.

This phased structure is intended to provide early governance clarity, reduce reactive decision-making, and strengthen edge-area planning coordination while maintaining full comprehensive planning integrity.

PHASE 1 – PRIORITY AREA INTERIM FRAMEWORK (60-90 DAYS)

1. Identification and mapping of Village-designated priority areas.
2. Interim land use and development intensity guidance.
3. Annexation and edge-area planning considerations.
4. Near-term implementation actions (0-3 years).

DELIVERABLES

1. Phase 1 – Interim Priority Area Framework Report (GIS + PDF)
2. Existing Conditions Report
3. Public Engagement Summary Report
4. Draft & Final Future Land Use Map (GIS + PDF)
5. Draft & Final Comprehensive Plan
6. Editable GIS files, graphics, and all raw data
7. Implementation Matrix
8. Executive Summary
9. Presentation and materials for all public meetings

PROPOSED SELECTION SCHEDULE

The Village anticipates the following general schedule for its selection process. The Village reserves the right to change this schedule as needed.

1. Request for Proposal (RFP) Advertised — The week of June 1, 2026
2. Submittal Due Date — July 6, 2026 @ 4 P.M. Local Time
3. Interviews of Consultants (as needed) — July 13, 2026 through July 17, 2026
4. Selection Evaluation — July 13, 2026 through July 24, 2026
5. Consultant Selection & Approval — August 6, 2026

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Proposals shall include the following information at minimum. Incomplete proposals may be rejected without consideration by the Village.

1. Cover Letter
2. Technical Experience with similar Comprehensive Plans
3. Proposed Scope of Services
4. Organization/Team Profile and Qualifications
5. Key Personnel Experience (specifically engagement lead & project manager)
6. Itemized Cost Proposal & Optional Tasks
7. Project Timeline
8. Examples of Similar Work
9. References (3 Municipal References Preferred)

SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

Respondents should email Mo Khan at mkhan@hampshireil.org with their proposal. Proposals must be received by 4:00 P.M. local time on Monday, July 6, 2026.

Questions regarding the RFP may be submitted by writing to:

Village of Hampshire
Attn: Mo Khan – Comprehensive Plan RFP
234 S. State St.
P.O. Box 457
Hampshire, IL 60140

Or by e-mail to: mkhan@hampshireil.org.

EVALUATION CRITERIA & SCORING

Complete submittals will be evaluated by the Village using the following criteria and scoring:

Criteria — Max Points

1. Experience in the type of work to be performed — 20
2. Qualifications and experience of key personnel — 20
3. Quality of submittal — 10
4. Familiarity with the general region — 15
5. Ability to deliver project in a timely manner — 15
6. Client References & Interviews — 20

Maximum Total Points — 100

SELECTION

Upon review of the responses to the RFP, Village staff will select a consultant to enter into contract negotiations. Upon completion of contract negotiations with Village staff, Village staff will present the selection to the Village Board at a public meeting of the Village Board for consideration of the recommended consultant selection and respective contract for the project.

If for any reason the Village and the recommended consultant selection are unable to reach agreement on a negotiated contract or the Village Board shall not approve the recommendation and respective contract, the Village may then negotiate with the next most qualified consultant, terminate the RFP process, or may start over with the RFP process.