Fayetteville officials hope to find a qualified applicant to operate a working urban farm near the historic Woolsey farmstead.

A request for proposals was issued this week seeking potential tenants for the 5-acre, city-owned plot on Broyles Avenue.

The project is part of a longterm plan to restore the 170-year-old farmstead that sits south of the Woolsey Wet Prairie and the city’s West Side Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Individuals, businesses or nonprofit organizations who would like to develop an urban farm on all or a portion of the property will need to demonstrate that the working farm will provide a significant community benefit.

Application requirements include:

• A narrative description of the proposed agricultural use of the property
• Design drawings of the working farm.
• A business plan, including an objective, a market assessment of the community’s unmet need, a description of the farm management team and a marketing strategy for selling and distributing products.
• A community benefit plan, such as education programming and outreach, mentorship or apprenticeship opportunities and product donation percentages.

A selection committee will evaluate each proposal received and recommend a contract to the City Council for approval. It is preferred that the contract be net neutral to the city and could be renewed for up to a five-year lease on the property. The city reserves the right to negotiate with the highest-ranked proposer.

The full request for proposals document, including submission requirements, contract requirements, evaluation criteria and selection methodology, scope of work and project conditions, history of the Woolsey farmstead, and anticipated timeline, can be found at fayetteville-ar.gov.

RFP Timeline

Monday, Oct. 23 – 8 a.m.: RFP available and advertised
Wednesday, Nov. 15 – 10 a.m.: Deadline for vendor questions
Friday, Nov. 17 – by 2 p.m.: City to issue final addendum, if applicable
Wednesday, Nov. 29 – before 2 p.m.: Deadline to submit sealed response to city