Request for Preliminary Proposals andStatements of Qualifications

Piedmont Triad RegionalAssessment of Fair Housing

Issue Date: November 7,2013Submission Deadline: December 9,2013

Lead EntityCity of High Point

211 S. Hamilton StreetHigh Point, North Carolina 27261

Administrative AgentPiedmont Triad Regional Council1398 Carrolton Crossing Drive

Kernersville, North Carolina 27284William McNeil (919) 622-3303

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION

II. PROJECT BACKGROUND

III. PROJECTDESCRIPTION

IV. PROJECTAPPROACH

V. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL JURISDICTIONS

VI. PRELIMINARY PROJECT BUDGET

VII. PROJECT TIMEFRAME

VIII. REQUIRED CONTENT FOR PROPOSALS

IX. SELECTIONPROCESS, CRITERIAANDSCHEDULE

X. DEADLINE ANDINSTRUCTIONSFORSUBMITTINGPROPOSALS

XI. FEDERALTERMS ANDCONDITIONS

2

I. INTRODUCTION

The City of High Point, North Carolina, on behalf of itself, two other municipalitiesand a multi-county HOME consortium, is requesting statements of qualificationsand preliminary proposals for fair housing consulting services from consultants orteams of professionals and firms with proven expertise and understanding of the U. S.Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations to affirmativelyfurther fair housing, as they relate to the responsibilities of local governmentsreceiving HUD funding under the Community Development Block Grant programand the HOME program. As lead entity for the collaborating jurisdictions, the Cityintends to contract with a firm to prepare a regional Assessment of Fair Housing thatmeets HUD requirements outlined in federal regulations published on July 19,2013.

The qualification statement should highlight the firm's capability to develop athorough and comprehensive regional Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH), itsexperience with Analyses of Impediments, effective public engagement processes,and its working familiarity with multi-jurisdictional ventures concerning this subjectmatter.

To enable participating cities to comply with HUD draft regulations, the regionalAssessment of Fair Housing will need to be delivered in draft form by August 4,2014, to allow for local review and submission to HUD by October 1,2014. It isexpected that the regional AFH will have sufficient detail and recommendations toinform each jurisdiction's Consolidated Planning process.

II. PROJECT BACKGROUND

In 2011 the Piedmont Triad received a grant from HUD to prepare a Regional Planfor Sustainable Development for the 12-county region. Piedmont Authority forRegional Transportation (PART) serves as the official grantee, with Piedmont TriadRegional Council as a strong partner and sub-grantee.

As required under this grant, a Fair Housing Equity Assessment (FHEA) has beendrafted by Sills Consulting under a separate contract. Among other features, theFHEA analyzed census and HMDA data and identified Racially Concentrated Areasof Poverty (RCAPS) in the region, using data tools HUD provided.

Following the publication of draft Fair Housing regulations in the Federal Register onJuly 19,2013, the City of High Point, the City of Burlington, the City of Greensboroand the Surry County HOME Consortium explored the prospects for collaborating ona regional Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH). Under provisions of the draftregulations, the City of High Point has agreed to serve as 'lead entity' for the regionalAFH process. All four jurisdictions are on a similar cycle with a July 1,2015 deadlinefor preparing a new Consolidated Plan. Assuming that the timeline remains asproposed, the regional AFH will need to be submitted to HUD by October 1, 2014.

3

III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Regional Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) will build upon the data and analysescontained in the Piedmont Triad FHEA. But the AFH must also address protected classesnot covered in the FHEA. Furthermore, the AFH must meet HUD's new requirements, inparticular Section 5.154, and other parts of the proposed rule that apply to localgovernments.

The Regional AFH document should present relevant and required fair housinginformation at a regional scale, describing the region's housing markets and detailing fairhousing conditions within the 12 county region. It is expected that separate sections willpresent data and findings for each of the three municipalities (Burlington, Greensboro,and High Point) and for the four counties involved in the Surry County HOMEConsortium (Davie, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin). Additionally, the regional AFH shouldprovide 'non-entitlement' local governments in the region with a way to use thedocument and its recommended activities to meet fair housing compliance requirementsthat the N.C. Department of Commerce requires of Small Cities CDBG grantees.

HUD rules contemplate an extensive public participation and community engagementprocess. Through public meetings, consultations with stakeholders, mainstream andsocial media, the regional AFH process should be designed to educate citizen groups andelected officials about fair housing concerns and discriminatory practices. The processdesign should elicit ideas for effective activities to promote fair housing and yieldfindings and recommendations that will inform the development of each jurisdiction'sConsolidated Plan. At a minimum, the selected consultant team will need to brief thejurisdictions' governing bodies at the beginning of the process and when the draft AFH isready for their consideration and adoption.

IV. PROJECT APPROACH

Consultants are asked to describe their approach to preparing the Regional AFH. At thistime, the description can be general, but with enough substance to serve as a frameworkfor a Scope of Work that can be detailed further for inclusion in a contract with theselected consultant.

In presenting the project approach, consultants should address AFH elements required inthe proposed HUD rule. Consultants should describe how they will use the FHEAprepared for the Piedmont Triad region and the HUD data tools available to local andregional jurisdictions.

The project approach should also describe a proposed Public Involvement Process,including the number and type of meetings proposed and other means of engaging withelected officials, housing and real estate professionals, and residents, housing consumers,especially members of disadvantaged groups and protected classes.

4

V. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL JURISDICTIONS

The participating cities and HOME Consortium will be responsible for:

1. Arranging, scheduling, and providing facility space for meetings, includingmeetings with public officials.

2. Stakeholder and community notification for all meetings and interviews.3. Providing the consultant with comprehensive geographic information for the

study area, as GIS-based digital data, primarily produced for the FHEA usingHUD data tools.

4. Providing the consultant with relevant plans, studies, ordinances, including theircurrent Consolidated Planning documents and Analyses of Impediments.

VI. PRELIMINARY PROJECT BUDGET

The local and regional jurisdictions have committed to share the cost of preparing theregional Assessment of Fair Housing, up to a maximum of $80,000 for professionalservices. Consultants submitting preliminary proposals and statements of qualificationsshould recognize this figure and be able to deliver the finished AFH product within thisbudget. Work will be performed on a fixed price basis, with provisions for optionalservices and meetings that participating jurisdictions may request.

VII. PROJECT TIME FRAME

Work on the project should commence within two weeks of a notice to proceed, no laterthan January 31, 2014. Draft AFH materials should be delivered for local review no laterthan August 4,2014, with presentation of AFH fmdings and recommendations to eachgoverning body during September 2014. The project will end on September 30, 2014,unless parties agree to extend.

VIII. REQUIRED CONTENT FOR PROPOSALS AND QUALIFICATIONS STATEMENTS

Each proposal submitted in response to the Request shall contain the following:1. an Introductory Letter, with the name of the individual or firm, business address,

email address and telephone number, a summary of the proposer's professionalhistory and background with relevant projects, and a concise statement as why thecollaborating jurisdictions should select your firm for this work;

2. names, qualifications and resumes of all key individuals who will be assigned to theproject, including the project manager, any sub-consultants that will be involved inthe project and the team members with GIS capabilities and social statistical analysis;

3. a summary of the proposal team's experience with conducting Fair Housing EquityAssessments(FHEA) and Analyses of Impediments(AI) for local governments and

5

regional coalitions of local governments, and other relevant fair housing studies thatdemonstrate the team's capacity to conduct a regional Assessment of Fair Housing;

4. names and contact information for three references familiar with the individual orfirm's FHEA and AI accomplishments;

5. a description of the proposed approach to preparing this regional Assessment of FairHousing, including specific methodologies for completing required elements andconducting public involvement, and a timeline for completing major tasks;

6. a fixed-price fee proposal, including the hourly rate structure for each team memberassigned to the project and proposed trips to the region; a set of optional services maybe offered for jurisdictions that may desire to supplement basic services;

7. information as to whether the proposer's firm or team meets the definition of a smallbusiness, minority business enterprise or women's business enterprise.

Five copies of proposals and qualifications statements must be submitted, without bindersor covers, printed duplex. One copy must be sent bye-mail in pdf format.

IX. SELECTION PROCESS, CRITERIA AND SCHEDULE

A panel of Steering Committee members representing the participating jurisdictions willreview the all submitted proposals and qualifications statements. They will analyze eachproposal based on the following evaluation criteria:

1. Technical qualifications of individuals assigned to the project and their experiencewith preparing FHEA, AI and HUD fair housing documents

2. Proposer's demonstrated ability and capacity to deliver a Regional AFH product thatmeets HUD requirements, addresses local conditions and needs

3. Quality of the proposal, its approach to the regional AFH, methodologies for buildingupon the current FHEA data and for engaging citizen groups. Experience of the fIrmin similar work and record of success results.

4. Proven ability to deliver high quality work products and presentation materialdigesting complex analyses in terms that are understandable to elected officials andother audiences.

5. Total fee for completing the AFH product and ability to meet the proposed timetablefor delivering draft and final work products. price Specifically, firms are expected todemonstrate experience in the following areas:

The Steering Committee will select firms to be interviewed by telephone or conferencecall. Following interviews, the Steering Committee will negotiate an agreement with thetop ranked firm. The City of High Point reserves the right to reject any or all proposals,waive technicalities, and to be the sole judge of the suitability of the proposed servicesfor its intended use and specifically reserves the right to select the consultant team thatmeets the best interests of the participating jurisdictions.

6

The projected schedule for selecting a consultant for this project follows:

ACTIVITY

Issue RFP, solicit ConsultantsProposals due to City of High PointReview ProposalsInterview FinalistsSelect ConsultantNegotiate Contract

November 7, 2013December 9,2013December 9-11,2013December 16, 2013December 16, 2013by January 10,2014

x. DEADLINE AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSALS

Interested parties responding to this solicitation should mail five (5) hard copies, emailone digital copy of their proposal and direct all inquiries to:

William A. McNeil, AICPPiedmont Triad Regional Council1398 Carrolton Crossing DriveKernersville, NC 27284E-mail: mcneilplanning@gmail.comTelephone: (919) 622-3303

Proposals must be received no later than 1:00 p.m. on Monday, December 9, 2013.

XI. FEDERAL TERMS ANDCONDITIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

The selected contractor and subcontractors will be expected to agree to comply with therequirements of Title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 84 and 85 (HUDregulations concerning grants and cooperative agreements) and with other applicablelaws, ordinances and codes of the federal, state and town governments. The City of HighPoint will provide interested parties with the compliance requirements, if requested.

7