The city of Long Beach, Calif., is looking to partner with a “qualified” organization to support its new Smart City Initiative program, the Long Beach Collaboratory (LB Co-Lab). The new initiative seeks to provide technology solutions that address neighborhood challenges sourced by community participants from four Long Beach neighborhoods.
According to the city, the LB Co-Lab engages local Long Beach stakeholders in a collaborative community engagement process to scope and implement a pilot technology project. Additionally, the city noted that program participants are taught technology skills to help them succeed in a “smart” economy. The goal of the program is to ensure that the city invests in technology enhancements based on community-identified needs for Ramona Park, Hamilton, Westside, and Wilmore neighborhoods.
As part of the program, the city is issuing four challenge-based Requests for Proposals (RFPs). As part of the RFP process, the city of Long Beach said it is looking to partner with a wide variety of highly skilled and innovative organizations to support the city’s technological enhancements without the city prescribing a detailed scope of work and requirements.
To support this effort, the city has launched the following four challenge-based RFPs:
- Connectivity in the Ramona Park Neighborhood: Ramona Park is seeking an accessible, technology-based solution to provide efficient and reliable internet connectivity across the neighborhood’s public spaces for the community’s residents, businesses, and visitors.
- Pedestrian Safety in the Hamilton Neighborhood: Hamilton is seeking a technology-based street improvement solution to promote pedestrian safety, enhance visibility, and encourage positive neighborhood experiences for community stakeholders such as residents, businesses, and students.
- Park Utilization and Safety in the Westside Neighborhood: Westside is seeking a secure, accessible, and community-building technology-based solution to propel park utilization and improve safety at Silverado Park for neighborhood residents, businesses, and visitors.
- Safe Streets in the Willmore Neighborhood: Willmore is seeking a human-scale, accessible, simple, and non-threatening technology-based solution to promote pedestrian and cyclist safety and create a sense of community well-being for the Willmore neighborhood.
