Consulting Services: Development of HOME- ARP Allocation Plan and Policies and Procedures Manual

1 FISCAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT PURCHASING DIVISION Kent County Administration Building, 300 Monroe Avenue N.W., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503-2289 Phone: (616) 632-7720 Fax: (616) 632 -7715 Email: purchasing@kentcountymi.gov SOLICITATION Solicitation Type Request for Proposal (RFP) Solicitation Number 4663 Description Consulting Services: Development of HOME- ARP Allocation Plan and Policies and Procedures Manual Date of Issuance 3/7/2022 Inquiries Deadline Date & Time (local) 3/22/2022, 2 PM Due Date & Time (local) 4/4/2022, 2 PM Pre-Submission Conference Yes: Non-Mandatory Teleconference (attendance recommended & pre-registration required) Conference Date & Time (local) 3/21/2022 9:00 AM Buyer Name Brinks INTRODUCTION The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the Kent HOME Consortium $3.3 million dollars in HOME American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) funding. HUD issued HOME-ARP program

guidance in September 2021 in its CPD 21-10 Notice. Kent County, as lead agency for the Kent HOME Consortium with our consortia partner the City of Wyoming, is seeking seeks proposals from qualified individuals/firms to engage in the development of the Kent HOME Consortium HOME-ARP Allocation Plan. The Kent HOME Consortium seeks to submit its HOME-ARP Allocation Plan to HUD by June 1, 2022. The HOME-ARP grant requires the Consultant to assess current unmet needs and engage in consultation and public participation processes to develop a HOME-ARP Allocation Plan that is submitted to HUD for approval. The HOME-ARP Allocation Plan must describe how the consortium intends to use HOME-ARP funds to address the needs of qualifying populations. Exact guidance taken From CPD 21-10 Section 5. HOME-ARP ALLOCATION PLAN PJs develop annual action plans as part of their application for HOME funding. To receive its HOMEARP funds, a PJ must engage in consultation and public participation processes and develop a HOMEARP allocation plan that meets the requirements established in this section of the Notice and submit it to HUD as a substantial amendment to its Fiscal Year 2021 annual action plan. HUD is using the waiver and alternative requirement authority provided by ARP to establish requirements for the HOME-ARP allocation plan in this Notice. The HOME-ARP allocation plan must describe how the PJ intends to distribute HOME-ARP funds, including how it will use these funds to address the needs of HOME-ARP qualifying populations. A PJs HOME-ARP allocation plan must include: Oa OF KENT Wwe 2 A summary of the consultation process and results of upfront consultation; A summary of comments received through the public participation process and a summary of any comments or recommendations not accepted and the reasons why; A description of HOME-ARP qualifying populations within the jurisdiction; An assessment of unmet needs of each qualifying population; An assessment of gaps in housing and shelter inventory, homeless assistance and services, and homelessness prevention service delivery system; A summary of the planned use of HOME-ARP funds for eligible activities based on the unmet needs of the qualifying populations; An estimate of the number of housing units for qualifying populations the PJ will produce or preserve with its HOME-ARP allocation; and A description of any preferences for individuals and families in a particular qualifying population or a segment of a qualifying population. CONSULTATION Before developing its HOME-ARP allocation plan, a PJ must consult with agencies and service providers whose clientele include the HOME-ARP qualifying populations to identify unmet needs and gaps in housing or service delivery systems. In addition, a PJ should use consultation to determine the HOMEARP eligible activities currently taking place within its jurisdiction and potential collaborations for administering HOME-ARP. This consultation will provide a basis for the PJs strategy for distributing HOME-ARP funds for eligible activities to best meet the needs of qualifying populations. At a minimum, a PJ must consult with the CoC(s) serving the jurisdictions geographic area, homeless and domestic violence service providers, veterans groups, public housing agencies (PHAs), public agencies that address the needs of the qualifying populations, and public or private organizations that address fair housing, civil rights, and the needs of persons with disabilities. State PJs are not required to consult with every PHA or CoC within the states boundaries; however, local PJs must consult with all PHAs (including statewide or regional PHAs) and CoCs serving the jurisdiction. In its plan, a PJ must describe its consultation process, list the organizations consulted, and summarize the feedback received from these entities. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PJs must provide for and encourage citizen participation in the development of the HOME-ARP allocation plan. Before submitting the HOME-ARP allocation plan to HUD, PJs must provide residents with reasonable notice and an opportunity to comment on the proposed HOME-ARP allocation plan of no less than 15 calendar days. The PJ must follow its adopted requirements for reasonable notice and an opportunity to comment for plan amendments in its current citizen participation plan. In addition, PJs must hold at least one public hearing during the development of the HOME-ARP allocation plan prior to submitting the plan to HUD. 3 For the purposes of HOME-ARP, PJs are required to make the following information available to the public: The amount of HOME-ARP funds the PJ will receive. The range of activities the PJ may undertake. A PJ must consider any comments or views of residents received in writing, or orally at a public hearing, when preparing the HOME-ARP allocation plan. In its plan, a PJ must describe its public participation process, including any efforts made to broaden public participation. In its plan, the PJ must also include a summary of comments and recommendations received through the public participation process and any comments or recommendations not accepted and the reasons why. Throughout the HOME-ARP allocation plan public participation process, the PJ must follow its applicable fair housing and civil rights requirements and procedures for effective communication, accessibility and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities and providing meaningful access to participation by limited English proficient (LEP) residents that are in its current citizen participation plan as required by 24 CFR 91.105 and 91.115. HOME-ARP ALLOCATION PLAN REQUIREMENTS The HOME-ARP allocation plan must describe the distribution of HOME-ARP funds and the process for soliciting applications and/or selecting eligible projects. The plan must also identify any preferences being established for eligible activities or projects. However, PJs are not required to identify specific projects that will be funded in the HOME-ARP allocation plan. 1. Needs Assessment and Gaps Analysis: A PJ must evaluate the size and demographic composition of qualifying populations within its boundaries and assess the unmet needs of those populations. In addition, a PJ must identify any gaps within its current shelter and housing inventory as well as the service delivery system. A PJ should use current data, including point in time count, housing inventory count, or other data available through CoCs, and consultations with service providers to quantify the individuals and families in the qualifying populations and their need for additional housing, shelter, or services. A PJ should identify and consider the current resources available to assist qualifying populations, including congregate and non- congregate shelter units, supportive services, TBRA, and affordable and permanent supportive rental housing. A PJ must consider the housing and service needs of qualifying populations, including but not limited to: Sheltered and unsheltered homeless populations; Those currently housed populations at risk of homelessness; Other families requiring services or housing assistance to prevent homelessness; and Those at greatest risk of housing instability or in unstable housing situations. 4 A PJ should include data in its HOME-ARP allocation plan that describes the qualifying populations. In addition, a PJ must include a narrative description that: Identifies the characteristics of housing associated with instability and an increased risk of homelessness if the PJ will include such conditions under HUDs definition of other populations as established in Section IV.A.4.2.ii.G. of this Notice. Identifies the PJs priority needs for qualifying populations; and, Explains how the PJ determined the level of need and gaps in its shelter and housing inventory and service delivery systems. 2. HOME-ARP Activities: The HOME-ARP allocation plan must describe how a PJ will distribute HOME-ARP funds in accordance with its priority needs. The plan must describe the PJs method for soliciting applications for funding and/or selecting developers, service providers, subrecipients and/or contractors and whether the PJ will administer eligible activities directly. If the PJ will provide any portion of its HOME-ARP administrative funds to a subrecipient or contractor prior to HUDs acceptance of the PJs HOME-ARP allocation plan because the subrecipient or contractor is responsible for the administration of the PJs entire HOME-ARP grant, the plan must identify the subrecipient or contractor and describe its role and responsibilities in administering all of the PJs HOME-ARP program. PJs must indicate in the HOME-ARP allocation plan the amount of HOME-ARP funding that is planned for each eligible HOME-ARP activity type, including administrative and planning activities. In addition, a PJ must demonstrate that any planned funding for nonprofit organization operating assistance, as described in Section VI.F, nonprofit capacity building, and administrative costs is within HOME-ARP limits. PJs must also include a narrative description about how the characteristics of its shelter and housing inventory, service delivery system, and the needs identified in the PJs gap analysis provided a rationale for its plan to fund eligible activities. 3. HOME-ARP Production Housing Goals: The HOME-ARP allocation plan must estimate the number of affordable rental housing units for qualifying populations that a PJ will produce or support with its HOME-ARP allocation. The plan must also include a narrative about the specific affordable rental housing production goal that the PJ hopes to achieve and describe how it will address the PJs priority needs. 4. Preferences: The HOME-ARP allocation plan must identify whether the PJ intends to give preference to one or more qualifying populations or a subpopulation within one or more qualifying populations for any eligible activity or project. For example, PJs may include a preference for: 5 homeless individuals and families as defined in the ESG and CoC programs; individuals with special needs or persons with disabilities among qualifying individuals and families; and a specific category of qualifying individuals and families (e.g., chronically homeless as defined in 24 CFR 91.5). PJs are not required to describe specific projects to which the preferences will apply in the HOME-ARP allocation plan. However, a PJ must explain how the use of a preference or method of prioritization will address the unmet need or gap in benefits and services received by individuals and families in the qualifying population or category of qualifying population, consistent with the PJs needs assessment and gap analysis. The PJ must also describe how it will still address the unmet needs or gaps in benefits and services of the other qualifying populations that are not included in a preference through the use of HOME-ARP funds. Preferences cannot violate any applicable fair housing, civil rights, and nondiscrimination requirements, including but not limited to those requirements listed in 24 CFR 5.105(a). The PJ must comply with all applicable nondiscrimination and equal opportunity laws and requirements listed in 24 CFR 5.105(a) and any other applicable fair housing and civil rights laws and requirements when establishing preferences or methods of prioritization. 5. HOME-ARP Refinancing Guidelines: If a PJ intends to use HOME-ARP funds to refinance existing debt secured by multifamily rental housing that is being rehabilitated with HOME-ARP funds, it must state its refinancing guidelines in accordance with 24 CFR 92.206(b)(2). The guidelines must describe the conditions under with the PJ will refinance existing debt for a HOME-ARP rental project. At a minimum, the guidelines must: Establish a minimum level of rehabilitation per unit or a required ratio between rehabilitation and refinancing to demonstrate that rehabilitation of HOME-ARP rental housing is the primary eligible activity. Require a review of management practices to demonstrate that disinvestment in the property has not occurred; that the long-term needs of the project can be met; and that the feasibility of serving qualified populations for the minimum compliance period can be demonstrated. State whether the new investment is being made to maintain current affordable units, create additional affordable units, or both. Specify whether the required compliance period is the minimum 15 years or longer. State that HOME-ARP funds cannot be used to refinance multifamily loans made or insured by any federal program, including CDBG. 6. Substantial Amendments to the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan: PJs must make a substantial amendment to the HOME-ARP allocation plan for changes in the method of distributing funds; to carry out an activity not previously described in the plan; or, to change the purpose, scope, location, or beneficiaries of an activity, including new preferences not previously described in the plan. In addition, the requirements for substantial amendments at 24 CFR 92.63 apply to the HOME-ARP allocation plan for insular areas. PJs are not required to make a substantial 6 amendment to describe individual projects selected for funding if the eligible activity is included in the PJs plan. PJs must make the proposed substantial amendment public and provide for a 15-day public comment period prior to submission. Upon completion of the public comment period, PJs must submit substantial amendments to HUD in accordance with the process for submitting the HOME-ARP allocation plan as described in Section V.D. 7. Certifications and SF-424: PJs must submit the required certifications in accordance with the requirements in this Notice, including the following: Affirmatively Further Fair Housing; Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act and Anti- displacement and Relocation Assistance Plan; Anti-Lobbying; Authority of Jurisdiction; Section 3; and, HOME-ARP specific certification that a PJ will only use HOME-ARP funds consistent with ARP and the HOME-ARP Notice for eligible activities and eligible costs. PJs must also submit the SF-424, SF-424B, and SF-424D with the HOME-ARP allocation 8. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT BY KENT CONSORTIUM: A Procedures Manual for the HOME-ARP to be used by Kent County consortia staff is needed to guide ongoing day-to-day program operations, compliance, and project decisions in line with the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan. The selected individual/firm will create HOMEARP program policies and procedures to the meet the requirements of all applicable HUD HOME-ARP guidance, along with applicable forms and document templates necessary for staff to operate the HOME-ARP program. The Kent HOME Consortium seeks to have usable materials by August 1, 202 but not later than August 31, 2022. The successful individual/firm must provide a response for the identified needs in this Scope of Work. The individuals/firms proposal must demonstrate direct experience providing expertise, consulting services, and technical assistance in all aspects of the HOME Program. Three (3) years experience of in related field is preferred. A minimum of one example of written work is required to be submitted; however, two is preferred. COVID-19 All persons providing goods and/or services to Kent County shall comply with all applicable local, State and Federal laws, rules, and regulations specifically including, but not limited to, lawful Emergency Orders. The Kent County Standard Submission Terms posted on the Bid Opportunities page of the Kent County Purchasing Division website are incorporated by reference into the solicitation. https://www.accesskent.com/RFPWorkbench/LoadPublicTableAction.action 7 PRE-SUBMISSION TELECONFERENCE A pre-submission conference is scheduled for this request. Conference registration located here. Registration closes hour prior to the conference scheduled date and time. Attendees should join the conference a minimum of five (5) minutes before the conference is scheduled to commence. The purpose of the conference is to provide equal opportunity to seek clarifications regarding this opportunity. Failure to attend pre-submission conference may result in rejection of non-attendee inquiries. Each Respondent will be given the opportunity to ask questions and is responsible for taking their own meeting notes. One person from the Respondent should be designated to ask questions when prompted by the meeting host for teleconference meetings. All additional attendees should remain muted. Attendees must fully review all solicitation documents and correspondence prior to the conference. Attendee shall be an employee or authorized reseller of the Respondent with requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities to participate. Meeting attendees assume all possible risk including technical issues associated with teleconferencing and deem the County and its service provider harmless and without fault regardless of the reason. Attendees may not screenshot or record any part of the meeting including the audio. Attendees requiring special services are asked to provide their requirements to the Kent County Purchasing Division at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance to allow for accommodations. FUNDING SOURCE This Project is funded in whole or in part by Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CSLFRF or AKA American Rescue Plan Act of 2021). The Respondent shall warrant and certify that in the performance of the resultant agreement it has complied with or will comply with all applicable statutes, rules, regulations and orders of the United States, and any state or political subdivision thereof, including laws and regulations pertaining to labor, wages, hours and other conditions of employment. All materials, equipment, and supplies provided to the members must comply fully with all safety requirements, rules of the Industrial Commission on Safety, and all applicable OSHA Standards. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION Complete submissions must be received in the Kent County Purchasing Division no later than the due date/time specified by the designated clock (local time). Late, faxed, or emailed responses will NOT be considered. The health and safety of the community is a top priority; therefore, Kent County Purchasing Division is shifting all Solicitations to electronic response only until further notice. Reponses may be submitted electronically by selecting the "Submit Online" icon on the Bid Opportunities page of the Kent County Purchasing Division's website. Respondent must include a complete proposal as one (1) non-password protected PDF document, unless otherwise designated by Kent County. The time required to upload a submission may vary. Respondent assumes all risks associated with electronic submission (including all possible technical issues) and deems the County and its service provider harmless and without fault regardless the reason. Successful electronic submissions are https://www.accesskent.com/RFPWorkbench/LoadPublicTableAction.action 8 confirmed via Respondent's email. Respondent shall view the link in the confirmation email to determine accuracy prior to due date/time. Submissions must be in the format outlined below: Executive Summary One (1) page maximum Summarize the Respondents strong points and how experience, particularly with similar responsibilities, will benefit the stakeholders. Business Organization One (1) page maximum State the full names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, and websites of any parties and their prospective roles. State whether Respondent is authorized to do business in the State of Michigan. Qualifications - Three (3) pages maximum Summarize Respondents strong points and how experience, particularly with similar responsibilities, will benefit the stakeholders. Provide a statement of qualification and what makes you uniquely qualified compared to others to provide these services. Describe your proficiency and experiences with comparable project management engagements and share any other relevant special expertise you have that should be considered for this engagement. Recommendation Ten (10) pages maximum State in succinct terms your understanding of the major issues of this project. Describe specifically your firms intended process to address the main issues of the project. Identify important steps your firm will take to meet the project goals and Kent County expectations. Emphasis on clarity and detail is an important consideration in the evaluation process. Timeline & Expectations Two (2) pages maximum Provide a timeline to efficiently and effectively implement the recommendation with emphasis on key deliverables and milestones. Disclose necessary County resources, staffing and/or identify other requirements to implement each phase of the recommendation. Pricing Methodology Two (2) pages maximum Provide a detailed pricing methodology for an all-inclusive, implemented recommendation including payment terms, unit costs, billable costs, and all other expenses. The all-inclusive pricing methodology should include a budget, hours and costs for each component of project. Project Staffing One (1) page maximum plus resumes Provide a chart with the staff committed to the recommendation. Show lines of authority and provide a brief role description with responsibilities as they relate to the recommendation. Include only relevant resumes. 9 pReferences One (1) page maximum Provide three (3) relevant references, preferably for projects of similar scope and complexity. Include the organization, contact person, current telephone number, email address, description and dates of service and total cost. References shall not include any current/past Kent County employees. Page number maximums are strongly recommended but not compulsorily disqualifying. Kent County is not liable for cost incurred prior to award. A submission shall constitute an irrevocable offer for a period of sixty (60) days from the due date/time. In the event the notification of award is not made within sixty (60) days from the due date/time, the Respondent may withdraw or provide a written extension of their submission. Responses are evaluated by an evaluation committee based on information submitted in response to this requests and subsequent finalist interviews when applicable. Submissions may only be withdrawn by written request if the request is received before the due date/time. Withdrawals subsequent to opening shall be subject to Kent County Fiscal Policy Centralized Purchasing 5(i)(2). NO BID Please provide feedback if you are electing not to participate in this solicitation. https://www.accesskent.com/Departments/Purchasing/vendor.htm https://www.accesskent.com/Departments/Purchasing/vendor.htm https://kentcounty.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_23HnX1uQN1GSr9H