City Council Strategic Plan

The City of Watsonville is seeking a qualified consulting firm to facilitate the development of a two‑year City Council Strategic Plan (2025‑2027). The consultant will conduct a background review and environmental scan, engage city staff and council through surveys and workshops, draft priorities, strategies, and department‑level workplans, and deliver a final strategic plan with tracking tools. Optional services include preparing council adoption materials and proposing new work‑plan tracking software. The effort requires expertise in public‑sector strategic planning, workshop facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and deliverable production within a tight schedule (questions due Sept 11, proposals due Sept 25, plan development to be completed within the two‑year horizon). • Scope: environmental scan, executive team workshop (Jan‑Feb), council retreat (Feb‑Mar), draft priorities/strategies, department workplans, tracking system, final plan delivery. • Deliverables: Draft and final strategic plan documents, work‑plan tracking system (leveraging Microsoft 365), optional presentation materials. • Timeline: Questions by Sept 11 2026; proposal submission by Sept 25 2026; contract award TBD; work to span roughly 12‑18 months to support the 2025‑2027 plan cycle. • Required qualifications: prior experience with municipal strategic planning, ability to facilitate workshops, knowledge of public‑sector budgeting and reporting, insurance compliance.