Invitation to Bid – Request for Proposals

The Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District (BptDSSD) is requesting proposals for contracted services in four different disciplines, which will allow the organization to effectively pursue its goals to improve ownership values and the urban appeal of Downtown Bridgeport for the betterment of greater Bridgeport:

Interested parties may download the Request for Proposals from our website at the links above, or request a copy of the RFP by contacting the offices of the BptDSSD: 938 Broad Street, Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604. Call us on (203) 908-3622 or send an email here.

Proposal submissions are due to the BptDSSD by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 16, 2026. A voluntary, optional pre-bid conference will take place on Monday, September 28, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom video conference. Email us here to RSVP and request login details.

Questions are due from bidders by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, October 2 and will be answered via email by Monday, October 5, 2026.

Selection no later than Monday, November 30, 2026.

About Downtown Bridgeport
Downtown Bridgeport is a commercial area that represents and serves a diverse tapestry of the wider Bridgeport community. The independently owned restaurants and shops that populate the street-level spaces in our neighborhood create connection points that foster the sense of community so special to the Downtown and the city. The BptDSSD serves as the business improvement district for the Park City’s central business corridor. We are tasked with promoting the preservation and development of the downtown business district; making the area more attractive and accessible; and enhancing the public perception of Downtown Bridgeport. The BptDSSD exists to support economic development and equitable growth in Bridgeport’s downtown commercial corridor.

To accomplish this charge, the BptDSSD bolsters the sense of culture and community in the heart of Downtown through environmental maintenance, open space beautification, and security services. Furthermore, the BptDSSD – in collaboration with the City of Bridgeport and local/regional cultural organizations – implements special events and also markets downtown businesses, institutions, and cultural events.

The BptDSSD is one type of special taxing district Connecticut law authorizes whereby property owners in a geographical area oversee and fund the maintenance, improvement, and promotion of their commercial district. DSSDs deliver services above and beyond those provided by the City of Bridgeport, all funded by a special assessment paid by property owners within the district. Property owners within the BptDSSD contribute an additional three mills on top of their property tax assessment to pay for programming and services. The BptDSSD’s district includes 171 taxable properties within 30 blocks in the heart-shaped downtown of Bridgeport, Connecticut. There are 130+ culture, dining, shopping, and service businesses enlivening the ground floor spaces within the district.

The BptDSSD is operated under the direction of a thirteen-member Board of Commissioners, nine of whom are property owners and four of whom are leaseholders, in addition to an ex-officio member who is the Mayor of Bridgeport. Because The BptDSSD is a State-authorized agency that receives funding from District property owners and investment from the City of Bridgeport and the local business community, the District may give preference to those companies that are headquartered in or maintain offices in the municipality of Bridgeport. The District’s administrative office also works to hire individuals who reside in Bridgeport.