PlanSourceP R O F E S S I O N A L P L A N N I N G S E R V I C E S

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The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is a regional council of governments operating under the laws of the State of Texas and governed by a board comprised of local elected officials.

You are ready for PlanSource

• A cooperative procurement program for planning services.

• An expedited procurement process with competitively priced contracts.

• Pre-qualified local, national and international planning firms.

What Is plansource?

• Saves time and money.

• Offers competitive rates.

• Addresses immediate planning needs with quick turnaround time.

• Provides an excellent way to “test drive” consultants.

• Is perfect for small projects.

Why Use plansource?

Is plansource right for you?

• Would you like professional assistance to plan for growth?

• Would you like to work with top planning firms at competitive rates?

• Would you like to save time and money on your consultant procurement process?

• Is your community growing?

• Could you use an organization, with decades of experience qualifying top consultants, to assist with your planning needs?

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Work Smarter - Plan BetterCOOPERATIVE PURCHASING

PlanSource is H-GAC’s national cooperative purchasing program for planning services. Governments have been procuring products and services through H-GAC for over 30 years.

FIND THE RIGHT CONSULTANTS

PlanSource helps local governments connect with qualified planning consultants to plan for growth in their communities with qualified top state, national, and international planning firms.

RIGOROUS PROCESS

Qualified firms have already undergone a rigorous procurement process, and contracts have been awarded through a competitive public procurement process compliant with State of Texas statutes. Most states have cooperative procurement sanctions that allow participation in PlanSource.

REDUCE COSTS - STREAMLINE YOUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS

H-GAC has created an efficient procurement process with qualified firms contracted for services. As a result, users reduce costs and streamline their procurement processes.

The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is a regional council of governments operating under the laws of the State of Texas and governed by a board comprised of local elected officials.

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• Municipalities, Cities, Counties, State Agencies

• Councils of Government

• Schools, School Districts, Colleges, Universities

• Hospitals and Hospital Districts

• Emergency Medical Services and Service Districts

• Volunteer Fire Departments and Rural Fire Prevention Districts

• Special Law Enforcement Jurisdictions

• Judicial Courts and Districts

• Emergency Communications and Utility Districts (MUDs, WCIDs, Irrigation, etc.)

• Special Districts/Authorities (Airport, Port, River, Water, Toll Road, etc.)

• Non-Profit Corporations 501(c)(3) providing government functions and services

Who can Use PlanSource?

1. Find the service you need at www.theplansource.org.

2. Submit your scope of work.

3. Choose a PlanSource consultant.

4. Receive a PlanSource order confirmation.

5. Issue your purchase order.

6. Move forward with your project.

(H-GAC charges an administrative fee of 2% based on the final project cost.)

Using PlanSource is Easy

Governments can easily join PlanSource by executing an Interlocal Contract (ILC) with H-GAC found on www.theplansource.org.

How to Join PlanSource

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PlanSource has:

• Developed specifications for each planning service.

• Solicited consultant participation through broad variety of media and encouraging minority- and women-owned businesses.

• Conducted pre-proposal meeting.

• Evaluated firms against standard scoring criterion.

• Issued consultant contracts for specific scopes of services.

• Certified contract validity.

• Handled contracts administration.

(All documents are available for end-user review)

PlanSource Handled the Procurement

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Architectural and Engineering Services fall under a different set of procurement rules and are not offered by PlanSource. If you are unclear if your project qualifies for PlanSource services, contact us for assistance.

PLANNING

• Comprehensive Planning

• Land Use Planning

• Parks and Trails Planning

• Strategic Planning

• Sustainable Development Planning

• Transportation Planning

IMPLEMENTATION AND REGULATION

• Financing Strategies and Economic Development Tools

• Land Development and Regulations

• Site Planning

• Urban Design

STUDIES AND ADDITIONAL SERVICES

• Design Visualization

• Feasibility Studies

• Public Involvement

• Special Area Studies

• Visioning

PlanSource Services

Find a full list of planning services at www.theplansource.org under the “Types of Services” tab.

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Find a full list of planning services at www.theplansource.org under the “Types of Services” tab.

PlanSource Works

HARNESSING HUNTSVILLE’S POTENTIAL - THE CITY OF HUNTSVILLE

• A study outlining a strategy to capitalize on development opportunities and promote positive city-wide branding, including recommendations for improving sidewalk and bikeway connections and providing additional greenspace.

• Received the American Planning Association (APA) Small Town and Rural Planning (STaR) Division’s National Merit Award for an Outstanding Small Town or Rural Plan (2015) and the APA Texas Long Range Planning Award (2013).

URBAN HOUSTON FRAMEWORK - THE CITY OF HOUSTON

• A study providing tools and policy recommendations for creating or redeveloping walkable urban places while preserving the character of existing neighborhoods.

• Received the APA Texas Current Planning Award (2013).

Numerous local governments and agencies have completed projects, large and small, using PlanSource. These include award-winning planning studies such as Harnessing Huntsville’s Potential and Urban Houston Framework.

www.theplansource.org contact: Amanda Thorin amanda.thorin@h-gac.com 713.993.4587

H-GAC P.O. Box 22777 Houston, TX 77227-2777 www.h-gac.com

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