ALLEGHENY COUNTY RESIDENTIAL FINANCE AUTHORITY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. Analysis of Housing Markets in Allegheny County

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1 ALLEGHENY COUNTY RESIDENTIAL FINANCE AUTHORITY 1. SECTION ONE. GENERAL INFORMATION 1.1. Purpose of the Request for Proposals. The purpose of this Request for Proposals ( RFP ) is to engage a Proposer to provide the following Services to the Allegheny County Residential Finance Authority (herein referred to as the ACRFA ): Undertake an Analysis of Housing Markets in Allegheny County (herein referred to as the Housing Market Analysis ). The ACRFA, by means of this RFP, invites all qualified Proposers to submit Proposals in accordance with the requirements outlined in this RFP. The ACRFA anticipates that, based on its review and evaluation of the Proposals received pursuant to this RFP, it will select a Proposer and execute a contract whereby the Proposer renders Services to the ACRFA in accordance with terms and conditions set forth in the contract Background Information. Allegheny County (the County ) is a county of the second class, located in southwestern Pennsylvania. There are 130 municipalities in the County, which include cities of the second and third class, boroughs, townships of the first and second class, and home rule municipalities. The municipalities range in size from several hundred households to thousands of households and incorporate older, urbanized communities as well as suburban, semi-rural and rural communities. The City of Pittsburgh, located in the center of the County, is the largest of the County s municipalities. The Urban Redevelopment Authority has completed market analyses of the City of Pittsburgh in past years, and so the City of Pittsburgh will not be included in the scope of this study. The ACRFA issues obligations on behalf of developers for the financing of acquisition, reconstruction, rehabilitation, renovation or improvement of certain residential projects. The ACRFA also assists with low-interest, fixed-rate mortgages, and down payment and closing costs. Allegheny County Economic Development ( ACED ) finances the development of affordable rental housing and single family home ownership through Community Development Block Grant Funds, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. In addition ACED offers programs designed to promote community revitalization and stabilization, including a home improvement loan program and a vacant property recovery program. Through investing in housing development, the ACRFA and ACED contribute to the creation of quality affordable housing. These developments can also play a role in establishing or stabilizing markets in the area. The ACRFA and ACED will use this Housing Market Analysis to identify opportunities to strengthen markets, tailor investments based upon market conditions, and evaluate the impact of investments. Page 1 of 10

2 Specifically, the Housing Market Analysis will enable the ACRFA and ACED to: Develop data-driven investment strategies for targeting housing development; Develop data-driven criteria for evaluating requests for affordable housing development funding; Establish a baseline of market conditions and develop a framework for evaluating future investment; and Meet planning requirements under the HOME and CDBG programs. In addition, the ACRFA hopes that other entities engaged in community and economic development, such as community development corporations, municipalities, and nonprofit and for profit developers will be able to use the Housing Market Analysis to inform their decision making. To this end, the ACRFA has convened an Advisory Panel with representation from a range of fields to assist in reviewing responses to the RFP and to offer feedback throughout the performance of the Work Program. 2. SECTION TWO. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 2.1. ACRFA s Right to Modify, Rescind, or Revoke RFP. The ACRFA reserves the right to modify, rescind, or revoke this RFP, in whole or in part, at any time prior to the date on which the authorized representative of the ACRFA executes a Contract with the Selected Proposer ACRFA s Right to Reject. This RFP does not commit the ACRFA to select a Proposer or to award a contract to any Proposer. The ACRFA reserves the right to accept or reject, in whole or in part, any Proposal it receives pursuant to this RFP Schedule of Events. The ACRFA will make a good faith effort to follow the timeline set forth in Section Five for evaluating, negotiating, and issuing an award Risk of Loss, Damage, Delay. Proposer acknowledges and agrees to release and hold harmless the ACRFA, Allegheny County, its officers, employees, agents, and personnel, from and against any and all claims, liability, damages, and costs, including court costs and attorneys' fees, arising out of or pursuant to delivery of the Proposal or failure to deliver the Proposal to as directed by this RFP Ownership of Proposals. All Proposals become the property of the ACRFA upon receipt. The ACRFA reserves the right to use ideas included in any Proposal, regardless of whether the ACRFA selects the Proposer Costs of Participation. The ACRFA specifically disclaims responsibility and/or liability for any and all costs, expenses, or claims related to or arising out of the Proposer s participation in this Page 2 of 10

3 RFP process, including but not limited to costs incurred as a result of preparing, copying, shipping, presenting, and/or clarifying the Proposal and the information relevant to the Proposal Compliance with Applicable Laws, Regulations, Ordinances. By submitting a Proposal, the Proposer agrees to and shall comply with all applicable local, county, state and federal laws, regulations and ordinances MBE/WBE Participation. The ACRFA s goals for Minority Business Enterprise/Women s Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) participation are thirteen percent (13%) MBE and two percent (2%) WBE for all projects funded by the ACRFA. Proposers should indicate a commitment and method to meet ACRFA goals for engaging sub-contractors or other vendors Veteran-Owned Small Businesses. The ACRFA has established a goal of having five percent (5%) participation by Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) in all contracts for goods and services which utilize funds provided by or through the ACRFA. Proposers should indicate a commitment and method to meet ACRFA goals for engaging sub-contractors or other vendors Insurance. The Consultant shall procure, before work is commenced, and maintain at its own expense during the entire period of the performance of this project, the following types of insurance with insurance companies authorized to operate in Pennsylvania and acceptable to the ACRFA, naming the ACRFA and Allegheny County as an additional insured: A. Workers Compensation and Employer s Liability: 1) Workers Compensation- Statutory 2) Employer s Liability in an amount not less than: $1,000,000 Each Occurrence $500,000 Disease Policy Limit $100,000 Disease Each Employee Note: Coverage shall be provided in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the laws of each other jurisdiction that may apply. B. Commercial General Liability in an amount not less than: $2,000,000 General Aggregate $1,000,000 Personal Injury $1,000,000 Each Occurrence C. Business Automobile Liability with a combined single limit not less than: $1,000,000 Each Accident D. Professional Liability in an amount not less than: $1,000,000 Each Claim $1,000,000 Aggregate E. Valuable Papers. Coverage in an amount sufficient to assure restoration of any plans, drawings, field notes, records, or other similar data relating to work produced in this project in the event of their loss or destruction. Page 3 of 10

4 2.11. Proposal Effective Date. All Proposals must remain in effect and shall not be withdrawn for a minimum of ninety (90) days from the deadline that Proposals are due at the ACRFA. Proposals may be withdrawn in writing prior to the deadline that Proposals are due at the ACRFA ACRFA s Right to Select. The ACRFA reserves the right to select the Proposal which it judges to be in the best interest of the ACRFA. The ACRFA reserves the right to initiate negotiations with the proposer(s) or to reject the Proposal(s) at any time during the said ninety (90) day period that Proposals remain effective and initiate a new Proposal process Right-to-Know Law. The ACRFA is an Agency, as defined by the Pennsylvania Right-to- Know Law, 65 P.S et seq. Consequently, the Right-to-Know Law applies to this RFP and any Proposals submitted in response to this RFP. Proposers should be aware that information they submit in response to the RFP will be presumed to be a Public Record, as that term is defined by the Pennsylvania-Right-to-Know Law, unless the Proposer specifically identifies which exception for public records, at 65 P.S (b) applies. The ACRFA specifically disclaims any liability for the disclosure of any information made pursuant to a request under the Right-to-Know Law with respect to this RFP. 3. SECTION THREE. WORK PROGRAM 3.1. Goal. The goal of the work program is to provide to the ACRFA a comprehensive analysis of housing markets in Allegheny County for use by the ACRFA and ACED, as well as other parties, public and private, that are engaged in community and economic development, as outlined in Section Objectives. The objectives of the Work Program are to: Analyze and characterize housing markets across Allegheny County based upon a broad range of indicators. At a minimum, the analysis should include the following indicators (or other comparable indicators as appropriate): sales prices, number of housing units, mixture of residential and commercial property, vacancy, new construction, code violations, building permits, demolitions, foreclosures, subsidized units, tax delinquency, property tenure, and demographic information. The analysis should also consider neighborhood characteristics driving the market types identified, such as amenities, infrastructure, transportation, schools, and safety. Analyze housing trends by housing type and by demographic categories, which may include but not be limited to seniors, single person households, families, dual-income households without children, etc. Translate the market conditions identified across Allegheny County into map form using geographic information systems (GIS). Synthesize the analyses into a written report. Page 4 of 10

5 Clearly document all analyses so that the ACRFA is able to periodically update the analysis to track changes in housing markets over time. Maintain consistency with Allegheny County s Comprehensive Plan and draft Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing (which will be provided to the Consultant), but not duplicate these analyses Required Tasks. Principle work tasks required to accomplish the goal and objectives set forth above include at a minimum the following: Initial Research and Development of Methodology. This task includes the review and evaluation of potential data sources, the identification of indicators for inclusion in the statistical analysis, and the development of the proposed design of the Housing Market Analysis. The outcome of this task will be a written summary of the proposed methodology for review by ACRFA and ACED staff and the Advisory Panel. Data Collection. The Consultant will be responsible for all data collection. ACRFA staff will assist the Consultant in accessing data maintained by Allegheny County wherever possible. Validation. The Consultant will conduct field work as necessary to validate the analysis. Preparation of the Housing Market Analysis. The Consultant will prepare a draft copy of the proposed Housing Market Analysis, including the written report and accompanying maps. The Consultant will provide one (1) digital and five (5) hard copies of the draft to the ACRFA. The Consultant shall propose a design for the document s front cover, which will be subject to approval by the ACRFA. The Consultant shall request comments from each recipient of the draft (as designated by the ACRFA) to be submitted in writing to the ACRFA within 30 days of the date of receipt of the draft document. The Consultant may be required to revise the draft in response to comments received. The outcome of this task will be a final draft of the Housing Market Analysis Deliverables. Following the completion of the review and comment period, the Consultant shall provide the following deliverables: One (1) copy of the written report, in final form as a digital version in Microsoft Word 2007 format and one copy as a Portable Document Format (.pdf). A visual representation of the analysis using geographic information system (GIS) technology that is compatible with the ACED s hardware and software and can be readily manipulated by ACED staff. Page 5 of 10

6 An electronic copy of all datasets used or prepared by the Consultant in the execution of the Work Program in a format determined by the ACRFA and a data dictionary that defines the meaning and source of all elements in the datasets. An in-person presentation of the report to an audience determined by the ACRFA. The Consultant shall provide an electronic copy of the Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that accompanies this presentation Management and Process. The Work Program will be managed by ACRFA staff under the direction of its designated Project Manager. ACRFA staff will receive, review and approve all work products. ACRFA staff will receive and process all invoices. All invoices will be reviewed and approved by the Director of the ACRFA. The process for completing the work outlined in this RFP will generally be as follows: Preparatory Meeting. The Consultant, the ACRFA, and Project Manager will have a preliminary in-person meeting to finalize a schedule and other matters necessary to ensure timely and satisfactory completion of the work. Project Meetings. In-person meetings between the Consultant, the ACRFA, and the Advisory Panel will include, at a minimum, one meeting to introduce the Advisory Panel before the Work Program begins; one meeting at the conclusion of the Initial Research and Development of Methodology Task outlined in Section 3.3 above; and one meeting to discuss the draft report, to be held after the draft report has been submitted to the ACRFA for review. Optional Meetings. The Consultant may request to meet with the Project Manager and ACRFA staff at any time to discuss the project. Monthly Status Reports. The Consultant will submit monthly status reports to the Project Manager, outlining the Consultant s progress. The Consultant and the ACRFA will hold conference calls as needed to discuss the monthly status reports and any concerns. Consultations with Others. The Consultant shall be responsible for scheduling, attending and conducting all meetings, interviews and consultations necessary to carry out Tasks outlined in Section 3.3. ACRFA staff will attend any such meeting, interview or consultation with the Consultant, as requested by the Consultant or as deemed necessary by the Project Manager. 4. SECTION FOUR. PROPOSAL CONTENTS 4.1. Provision of Information. Each Proposer must provide current, accurate, complete information about all of the following in support of its Proposal. Each Proposer shall submit five (5) hard copies of the Proposal, one (1) hard copy of the work samples required under Section 4.6, and Page 6 of 10

7 one (1) electronic copy of the Proposal and work samples saved in Adobe Portable Document Form (.pdf) to a compact disc. The Proposal must contain all of the elements outlined in this Section and each element should be labeled with the corresponding number Letter of Interest. A letter of interest, signed by the duly authorized official of the firm and addressed to the Project Manager, must be provided that: Identifies the lead firm, contact person, project manager and key staff and commits them for the duration of the project should the proposer be selected. Includes complete contact information for the key person responsible for the Proposal including telephone and fax numbers and an address. States that the Proposal will remain in effect and shall not be withdrawn for ninety (90) days from the date the Proposal is due at the ACRFA. States that the Proposer understands the work to be performed and is qualified to perform the work Project Narrative. The Proposal shall include a statement that the proposer has a clear understanding of the work required to be performed, and a written narrative that describes the following: The proposer s understanding of the work to be performed and the products to be delivered, with specific references to this RFP. The proposer s understanding of the required involvement of ACRFA staff in the work program, including materials and other support by the ACRFA Work Program. The Proposal must describe how the proposer intends to accomplish the required work and include the following information: Methodologies, including the proposed indicators and data sources to be used. It is the strong preference of the ACRFA that the Housing Market Analysis be conducted at the Census block group level and all Proposals must include a Work Program (Section 4.4), Work Schedule (Section 4.5), and Cost Proposal (Section 4.7) based upon conducting the Housing Market Analysis at the block group level. Proposals may recommend a different level of analysis as an alternative, but must submit an alternative Work Program, Work Schedule, and Cost Proposal in addition to the Work Program, Work Schedule, and Cost Proposal based upon the block group level. Approach to performing data validation. Approach to management of the project. Page 7 of 10

8 A breakdown of the work into tasks and sub-tasks with a description of each. Any unique or innovative technologies or approaches to the work program that the Consultant proposes to use Work Schedule. The Proposal shall include a time table for the performance of the work program, including the completion of all tasks and delivery of all materials. Proposals recommending an alternative level of analysis must submit a Work Schedule based upon conducting the analysis at the block group level and a Work Schedule based upon the alternative level of analysis Consultant Qualifications. The Proposal shall clearly describe the qualifications of the Consultant who is to perform the work. Qualifications must include expert knowledge of real estate and housing markets, statistical analysis, and community development principles. Firm Experience. The Proposal shall include a summary of recent, relevant work completed by the Consultant s firm. At least three examples of recent, relevant work shall be provided. Work experience cited as an example shall identify members of the firm who participated in the work and who will be assigned to work on the proposed Housing Market Analysis. References. At least three references shall be provided. Staff Participation. The qualifications, experience and title/position of each member of the Consultant s staff who will participate in the work program must be provided. The Proposal shall show, as a matrix or chart, each task and subtask described in the above Section Three with estimated times to be spent on each, and with members of the Consultant s staff assigned to each task and sub-task identified. Meetings that are to be attended by members of the Consultant s staff shall be indicated as well, and staff members likewise identified. MBE/WBE Participation. The ACRFA s goal for MBE/WBE participation is thirteen percent (13%) MBE and two percent (2%) WBE for all projects funded by the ACRFA. The Proposal must describe the proposer s approach to meeting the ACRFA s MBE/WBE goals. VOSB Participation. The ACRFA has established a goal of having five percent (5%) participation by VOSBs. The Proposal must describe the proposer s approach to meeting the ACRFA s VOSB goals Cost Proposal. A separate cost proposal shall be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly marked Housing Market Analysis Cost Proposal, with the name of the proposing firm on the envelope. The cost Proposal shall include the following information: Copy of the signed letter of interest; Page 8 of 10

9 Labor hours and labor rates for each key staff person, and labor category for other staff; Labor overhead; Detailed breakdown of expenses including Travel, Printing, Mailing, Telecommunications, and Other; Profit; and Total proposed price for completion of the project, clearly identified. Proposals recommending an alternative level of analysis must submit a Cost Proposal based upon conducting the analysis at the block group level and a Cost Proposal based upon the alternative level of analysis. 5. SECTION FIVE. SELECTION PROCESS 5.1. Submission of Proposals. Proposals shall be due no later than 4 p.m. on December 19, Five (5) hard copies of the Proposal, one (1) hard copy of the work samples required under Section 4.6, and one (1) electronic copy of the Proposal and work samples saved in Adobe Portable Document Form (.pdf) to a compact disc shall be addressed and delivered as follows: Allegheny County Residential Finance Authority Attn: Maureen Quinn, Housing Division Allegheny County Economic Development One Chatham Center, Suite Washington Place Pittsburgh, PA Procedures for Questions. Questions about the RFP may be submitted, in written form only, to Maureen Quinn at the address in Section 5.1 above, or by to maureen.quinn@alleghenycounty.us. Questions may be submitted no later than December 12, Questions and answers, if substantive, will be circulated to all submitters simultaneously Selection Criteria. ACRFA staff and the Advisory Panel will review and evaluate each Proposal and recommend the selection of a Consultant or firm that provides the best Proposal for the ACRFA, all things considered. The following criteria will be used to evaluate Proposals: Qualifications and experience (25%): The work required to be performed is highly technical in nature. The Consultant and Consultant s staff must demonstrate a high degree of proficiency and experience in preparation of a housing market analysis; and in understanding factors that may affect housing markets in Allegheny County. Page 9 of 10

10 Quality of the Proposed Work Plan (25%): The Proposal must clearly demonstrate a well-organized and efficient approach to accomplishing the work described in this RFP. Understanding of the Goal and Objectives (25%): The Proposal must clearly demonstrate a thorough understanding of the goal and objectives of this RFP. Innovative techniques (15%): Proposers may offer alternative methods for meeting the goal and objectives of this RFP, or offer suggestions for enhancing the work program. MBE/WBE and VOSB goal (10%): The Proposal must describe how the ACRFA s goals for MBE/WBE and VOSB participation will be addressed Interviews. After review of the Proposals by the ACRFA and Advisory Panel, finalists will be interviewed at Allegheny County Economic Development. Interviews are expected to be scheduled within 45 days after the deadline for submission of Proposals Final Selection and Negotiations. The selected Consultant will be notified promptly after completion of all interviews. Final costs and other matters will be negotiated between the selected Consultant and the ACRFA following notification to the Consultant. If the selected Consultant and ACRFA are unable to reach agreement, the ACRFA will cease negotiations and contact the proposer with the next highest rating Commencement of Work. Work shall commence as soon as a fully executed contracted has been obtained Completion of Work. The work program shall be completed within six (6) months of the effective date of the contract. Page 10 of 10