The City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts seeks a consultant to effectively plan, finance, and implement capital improvements by revisiting its current Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) process. The objective is to establish a robust framework for decision-making concerning the construction and maintenance of municipal infrastructure and equipment. Key elements include coordinating capital needs with operating budgets, enhancing credit ratings, controlling tax rates, preventing unexpected changes in debt service requirements, and promoting transparency with the public about upcoming projects.

The consultant will be responsible for reviewing the City's capital assets through on-site evaluations using an agreed methodology. This task involves developing cost estimates and compiling an asset inventory. Basic services include facilities evaluation (municipal buildings, HVAC systems, roofing, accessibility, identification of deferred maintenance, calculating life cycle costs, and assessing risk of failure) and evaluating municipal vehicles and equipment across departments. The consultant must compile and summarize these findings into a list of potential projects with estimated costs and annual expenditures.

The process aims to reduce costs by consolidating duplicative expenditures, achieve careful project planning to avoid mistakes, and focus attention on fiscal capacity and objectives. The completed CIP will serve as a transparent guide for future capital needs and investments throughout the City.