RFP Retail & Commercial Advisory Services

Background
The City of Seaside is seeking qualified firms to submit proposals for Retail and Commercial Advisory Services to support its economic development goals. The selected firm will act as an extension of City staff, focusing on strategic retail recruitment, market analysis, and property activation efforts aimed at strengthening the commercial corridors of Seaside and expanding sales tax revenues. The City aims to engage a firm with proven experience in California municipal settings and the retail real estate industry. A three-year professional services agreement will be established with one consultant or firm.

Work Details
The scope of work includes several tasks:

1) Market Research & Trade Area Analysis - defining trade areas, conducting retail leakage and surplus analysis, delivering psychographic segmentation, and peer community benchmarking;

2) Real Estate Assessment & Site Activation - cataloging priority commercial properties, engaging local brokers for vacancies, assessing site visibility and readiness;

3) Retail Strategy & Target Recruitment - preparing a comprehensive recruitment strategy with at least 30 targeted brands and creating a marketing guide;

4) Business Attraction & Community Representation - representing the City at industry conferences, managing outreach to brands, facilitating site visits;

5) Communication, Reporting, and Support - providing quarterly progress reports and maintaining shared access to project documentation.

Period of Performance
The contract is intended to last for three years from the date of execution.

Place of Performance
The services will be performed within the City of Seaside, California.

Bidder Requirements
Proposers must demonstrate a minimum of 5 years' experience in retail recruitment and outreach to property owners, brokers, developers, retailers, and restaurants. They must show active participation in ICSC and Retail Live events. Additionally, vendors must have at least 10 staff members with current Real Estate Licenses and provide examples of previous deliverables related to retail recruitment efforts.