The Town of Canton, Connecticut is requesting proposals from qualified professional planning consultants to assist with a update of the Town’s Plan of Conservation and Development pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes § 8-23. Proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m. local time on September 3, 2026.

The selected consultant will work with Town staff and the Plan of Conservation and Development Update Committee through a collaborative, multi-phase planning process. The work will include reviewing the existing POCD and related Town, regional, and state plans; updating demographic, housing, economic, environmental, infrastructure, transportation, land-use, fiscal, and other community-planning information; assessing trends, opportunities, constraints, and future conservation and development patterns; plus preparing mapping, graphics, and supporting analysis.

A substantial public-engagement program will be required. The consultant will be expected to conduct community meetings, workshops, listening sessions, stakeholder discussions, surveys, and other outreach activities. The process must be inclusive and accessible, engage a broad range of residents and community interests, and use clear visual materials to explain planning, growth, housing, conservation, infrastructure, mobility, and community-character issues.

The consultant will assist the Town in translating technical analysis and public input into updated community values, goals, policies, strategies, and practical implementation actions. Work will include preparing draft plan elements, coordinating strategic and implementation components, identifying priorities and responsible parties, supporting committee and public review, preparing a working draft for municipal review, and assisting with the final statutory adoption process. The project will also include recommendations for improving the Town’s ongoing POCD implementation and monitoring process.

Expected deliverables include an updated community data profile, existing-conditions analysis, public-engagement materials, summaries of public input, updated strategic and implementation elements, maps and graphics, a future build-out analysis, visual examples and renderings, a working draft POCD, a revised public-review draft, and a final draft suitable for adoption. The work program must be structured to produce a proposed draft for referral to the Board of Selectmen no later than February 2029.

The Town is seeking consultants with substantial recent experience preparing municipal POCDs, familiarity with Connecticut planning requirements, strong public-engagement and facilitation skills, professional writing and presentation ability, GIS and data-analysis capacity, broad planning expertise, sound project-management practices, and sufficient staff availability to complete the assignment. The Town is seeking an action-oriented plan that places particular emphasis on realistic implementation.

Proposals must include the information and materials specified in the RFP, including the consultant’s project understanding and technical approach, detailed fee proposal, proposed schedule, staff resumes, project-management approach, public-engagement qualifications, references, examples of similar work, and required insurance documentation. One printed copy and one digital copy on a USB drive must be submitted in accordance with the RFP instructions.

Questions concerning the RFP must be submitted by email to Neil S. Pade, AICP, Director of Planning and Community Development, at npade@townofcantonct.org, no later than 6:00 p.m. on August 26, 2026. Respondents are responsible for checking the Town website for addenda and other changes.

This posting is only a summary. Every person or firm considering a response must review the entire RFP, including all submission requirements, qualifications, contractual provisions, insurance requirements, deadlines, and any issued addenda. The complete RFP is available on the Town of Canton website at https://www.townofcantonct.gov/.