RFP for Administration & Management Services

BACKGROUND

SB 1177, which became effective on January 1, 2023, authorized the establishment of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Regional Housing Trust ("Trust"). This Trust is a collaborative effort by the cities of Burbank, Glendale, and Pasadena and serves the purpose of funding housing initiatives for homeless individuals and families with extremely low, very low, low, and moderate incomes. The Trust is recognized as a governmental entity.

In 2022, the State of California approved a budget appropriation (grant) of $23 million, which has been subsequently deposited into the Trust's bank account. Of this initial funding, ten percent will be retained by the Trust to cover future administrative expenses. The remaining amount will be distributed equally among the three cities as a grant, and they will utilize these funds for affordable housing projects within their respective jurisdictions. The Trust will continue to actively seek and apply for additional grants, both for administrative and capital purposes. Some of these future capital grants may be loaned to affordable housing developers and the three member cities for the specific purpose of constructing more affordable housing projects. These loans will remain as assets of the Trust until they are repaid.

To establish the framework and operation of the Trust, a Joint Powers Agreement and Bylaws have been signed and approved. You can access these documents at https://www.bgphousingtrust.org/documents. The governance structure of the Trust includes a Board of Directors, with one elected official representing each of the three cities. The first meeting of the Trust Board took place on May 3, 2023. On June 7, 2023, the Trust Board authorized a professional service agreement with CivicHome to provide interim administration and management services. CivicHome's contract will conclude on June 30, 2023, and they are not eligible to participate in the Request for Proposal (RFP).

The Trust has engaged independent legal counsel and an accounting firm to support its administrative requirements.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The Trust is seeking proposals from a qualified service provider (“Consultant”) to provide administration and management services to the Trust.  The scope of work identified below will facilitate the necessary transition of Trust management services to a new Consultant.  While this RFP has a deadline date, the Trust reserves the right to extend that date.  The selected Consultant will complete the Scope of Work to implement the activities of the Trust.

The Request for Proposals (RFP) schedule is as follows:

CONTRACT TERM:
The initial period of performance for this contract will be one year.

SCOPE OF WORK
The selected Consultant for Trust administration and management services shall support the Trust, as described in this scope of work, on an as-needed basis, for the period of performance for this contract. Consultant services shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

1.    Strategic Planning: 

a.      Review annually the strategic vision and plan to address the affordable housing challenges within the Trust region.

b.      Set organizational priorities and policies in collaboration with the Board of Directors.

2.    Financial Management:

a.      Oversee the budget, financial planning, and fiscal management of the Housing Trust.

b.      Identify and secure funding opportunities, including grants, partnerships, and donations to support Trust housing programs and projects.

c.       Manage and leverage available resources efficiently to maximize the impact of housing programs.

3.    Program Development:

a.      Lead the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of housing project funding and affordable housing programs and initiatives approved by the Trust Board.

b.      Monitor program performance, assess outcomes, and make data-driven improvements.

c.       Promote best practices and innovation in housing solutions.

d.      Implement quality assurance measures to ensure that programs meet their intended goals.

4.    Public Relations:

a.      Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials, community organizations, housing developers, and housing advocates.

b.      Represent the Trust at meetings, conferences, and public events.

c.       Foster collaboration and partnerships among local governments, agencies, and community organizations to address regional housing challenges.

d.      Serve as the public face of the Trust and communicate its mission and achievements to the public.

5.    Advocacy:

a.      Advocate for housing policies and legislation that benefit the region and address housing affordability issues.

b.      Stay informed about housing trends, regulatory changes, and emerging best practices.

c.       Advocate for the importance of affordable housing within the region.

6.    Administrative Management:

a.      Provide leadership and supervision to Trust staff/consultants.

b.      Prepare reports and presentations for stakeholders and the Board of Directors.

c.       Collect and analyze data related to housing trends, demographics, and needs within the region.

d.      Work closely with the Board of Directors, providing them with regular updates and collaborating on strategic decisions and governance.

e.      Prepare and coordinate all competitive bidding proposals for consultant/professional services and recommendations to the Trust Board (e.g., financial, auditing, marketing, advocacy, insurance).

7.    Compliance and Regulations:

a.      Ensure compliance with all relevant housing laws, regulations, and funding grants received by the Trust and funding loans issued to other parties.

b.      Ensure that the Trust operates in compliance with all legal and ethical standards, maintaining transparency and accountability.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

All proposals are required to be submitted electronically, in PDF format only.  Each proposal shall include the following five sections and be labelled within the proposal. 

1. Cover Letter. Include at a minimum a summary of the proposal and Consultant firm and the main point of contact, email address, phone number and mailing address.
2. Firm Qualifications. This section shall describe the qualifications of the Consultant firm and their ability to provide the requested services to the Trust. Please include a list of other public agencies and associated contract information for which the Consultant has provided similar services.
3. Staff Qualifications. This section should indicate the Consultant’s employees that will be working on this particular proposal. The Consultant will provide resumes or experience summaries of the employees proposed to work on this assignment.
4. Methodology. Describe Consultants approach to providing the services as outlined in the Scope of Services and include cost saving ideas.
5. Costs. Provide a matrix of the Consultant employees that will be working on this particular proposal and what their assigned duties would be to fulfil the Scope of Work and their corresponding billable rate. 

PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA
A committee will evaluate each proposal and select those that will be interviewed and use the following evaluation criteria (100 total points possible).

During the evaluation process, the Trust reserves the right, where it may serve the Trust’s best interest, to request additional information or clarifications from Consultant’s or to allow corrections of errors or omissions. 

INSTRUCTIONS TO CONSULTANTS 

1      Pre-Contractual Expenses

The Trust and each of the cities of Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena (Tri-Cities) shall not be liable for any pre-contractual expenses, which are defined as expenses incurred by Consultant(s) in preparing its proposal in response to this RFP, demonstrating product or service offerings, negotiating with the Trust and the Tri-Cities any matter related to the proposal, or any other expenses incurred by Consultant(s) prior to the date of award of the agreement(s) resulting from this procurement.

2      Informed Consultant

Consultants shall review the terms in this RFP and draft Professional Services Agreement for a complete understanding of terms and conditions included herein and may submit questions to the Trust.  Consultants are expected to fully inform themselves as to conditions, requirements, and specifications before submitting proposals. Failure to do so will be at the Consultant’s own risk and Consultant cannot secure relief on the plea of error.

3      Interview

The Trust may conduct interviews during the evaluation process. During these interviews, respondents will be asked project scope-related questions and an evaluation committee will evaluate the responses and score the respondents based on their knowledge, skills, and abilities. The Consultant will explain the relevance of his/her/their expertise and experience as it relates to the services.

4      Consultant Representations

 By submitting a proposal, each Consultant represents that it:

         i.    Has thoroughly examined and become familiar with the Scope of Work described in this RFP.

        ii.    Understands the requirements of the Scope of Work, the nature and location of the work, and all other matters that can affect the work.

       iii.    Will honor its proposal for 120 days and acknowledges that the proposal cannot be withdrawn within that time and without prior written consent from the Trust.

       iv.    Will comply with all requirements set forth in this RFP and, if awarded, the ensuing agreement.

        v.    Has reviewed the Trust’s terms and, other than through the request for clarification/question period, will not seek to alter or revise its terms and conditions.

5      Addenda

The Trust reserves the right to revise or amend the RFP documents prior to the stated proposal submittal deadline. Any such revisions will be made by written addenda to this RFP. Consultants must acknowledge receipt of addenda in their proposal letters. Failure to acknowledge receipt of all addenda may render the proposal non-responsive.

6      Requests for Clarification

i.              RFP Requests/Questions

All questions concerning this Request for Proposal may be made electronically, no later than [DATE]. Responses to the questions shall be made only by addendum.  Such addendum shall be considered a part of, and incorporated in, the RFP. Questions regarding this RFP will not be answered over the phone, only via e-mail.

ii.            Exceptions or Clarifications to Terms.

Consultants shall familiarize themselves with the Trust’s terms in this RFP, including but not limited to the Trust’s standard Professional Services Agreement. The Trust intends to use terms in the agreement resulting from this RFP. Should the Consultant have concerns, questions, or recommended changes to the terms, then those concerns/recommended changes must be specified in detail and submitted in writing to the Trust as set forth in paragraph (a). The Trust will review consultant’s concerns/recommendations and may issue an addendum outlining the consultant’s request and any comments from the Trust regarding the potential for consideration of such recommended change(s) during formal negotiations with the successful consultant. Changes to the Trust’s terms shall be made at the Trust’s sole and absolute discretion.

Proposers are reminded that requests for approved equals, deviations to insurance requirements or other terms and conditions, and questions or concerns about the Scope of Services should be submitted as part of the RFP clarification process.

6.    Withdrawal of Proposal

The consultant may withdraw its proposal before the electronic opening of proposals and prior to the date and time indicated as the submittal deadline by submitting a written request signed by an authorized representative of the Consultant and emailed to the RFP contact.

7.    Trust and Tri-Cities Rights

The Trust and Tri-Cities may investigate the qualifications of any consultant under consideration, require confirmation of information furnished by the consultant, and require additional evidence of qualifications to perform the work described in this RFP. This RFP does not commit the Trust and/or Tri-Cities to issue an agreement to implement this procurement.

Furthermore, the Trust reserves the right to:

a.      Accept or reject any and all of the proposals, or any item or part thereof, at its discretion.

b.      Make an award for a portion of the Scope of Services.

c.      Award agreements to one or more consultant(s).

d.      Extend, cancel or withdraw the entire RFP, or any part thereof, at any time without prior notice.

e.      Issue a subsequent or concurrent RFP.

f.        Waive any minor errors or irregularities in any proposal, to the extent permitted by law.

g.      Obtain information from any source that has the potential to improve the understanding and evaluation of the RFP.

h.      Postpone RFP openings for its own convenience.

i.        Remedy or overlook technical errors in the RFP process.

j.        Appoint an Evaluation Committee to review RFPs.

k.      Seek the assistance of outside technical experts.

l.        Approve or disapprove the use of particular sub consultants.

m.    Establish a short list of consultants eligible for interview after review of written proposals.

n.      Negotiate with any, all or none of the respondents to the RFP.

o.      Accept other than the lowest monetary offer.

p.      Award an agreement based upon initial offers.

q.      Solicit proposals for like services aside from the awarded services included in this process.

8.    Compliance with Laws and Regulations

The selected consultant(s) are required to comply with all relevant local, state, and federal laws, codes, ordinances, and orders. If Consultant outsources any work or job to a sub-Consultant, it will be the prime Consultant’s responsibility to ensure that all sub Consultants meet the requirements set forth in this RFP and the resultant agreement.

9.    Public Records Act

         i.    All records, documents, drawings, plans, specifications and other materials submitted by Consultants in its proposal and during the course of any work awarded shall become the exclusive property of the Trust and may be deemed public records and subject to the provisions of the California Public Records Act (Government Code, sections 6250 et seq.). The Trust and Tri-Cities’ use and disclosure of its records are governed by this law.

        ii.    The Trust will accept information clearly labeled “TRADE SECRET,” “CONFIDENTIAL,” or “PROPRIETARY” as determined by the submitting party in accordance with the California Public Records Act. The Trust will endeavor to inform the submitter of any request for the disclosure of such information. Under no circumstances, however, will the Trust be responsible or liable to the submitter or any other party for the public disclosure of any such labeled information. Consultants that indiscriminately identify all or most of their proposal as exempt from disclosure without justification may, at the Trust’s discretion be deemed non- responsive.

       iii.    The Trust and Tri-Cities will not advise as to the nature or content of documents entitled to protection from disclosure under the California Public Records Act, including interpretations of the Act or the definitions of “Trade Secret,” “Confidential,” or “Proprietary.”

       iv.    If litigation is brought under the Public Records Act concerning documents submitted in response to this RFP, the Consultant(s) who submitted such documents shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Trust and each of the Tri-Cities in such litigation.

10.       Trust’s Decision Final

The Trust’s selection of a Consultant to provide the professional services outlined in this RFP shall be final and no person or entity may protest the Trust’s selection.

11.       Prohibited Communications

No proposer, or anyone representing a proposer, is to discuss this RFP with any official or employee of any of the Trust or the Tri-Cities, other than the designated RFP Contact named in this RFP. Neither proposers, nor anyone representing a proposer, are to discuss this RFP with any Consultant engaged by the Tri-Cities for assistance in preparing the RFP documents or any cost estimate associated with this procurement. Violation of this prohibition may result in disqualification of the Consultant and termination of agreement, even if the agreement has already been awarded.

12.       Use of Sub Consultants

i.              The proposer awarded an agreement by the Trust must be the prime Consultant performing the primary functions of the agreement. If any portion of the agreement is to be subcontracted, it must be clearly set forth in the proposal document as to what part(s) are to be subcontracted, the reasons for the subcontracting, and a listing of sub consultants. Acceptance or rejection of a proposer’s request to use sub consultants is at the sole discretion of the Trust. The Trust reserves the right to reject any particular sub-Consultant on the awarded agreement. When approved, the sub consultant(s) shall agree to and be bound by all terms, conditions and specifications of the awarded agreement and the proposer shall be responsible for proper performance of the agreement by its sub consultant(s).

ii.            With prior approval of the Trust, the prime Consultant may enter into sub-contracts and joint participation agreements with others for the performance of portions of the resultant agreement. The prime Consultant shall at all times be responsible for the acts and errors or omissions of its sub consultants or joint participants and persons directly and indirectly employed by them. Nothing in this agreement shall constitute any contractual relationship between any others and the Trust or any obligation on the part of the Trust to pay, or to be responsible for the payment of, any sums to the sub consultant(s) or joint participant(s).

iii.           The provisions of the resultant agreement shall apply to all sub consultants in the same manner as to the prime Consultant. In particular, the Trust will not pay, even indirectly, the fees and expenses of a sub consultant that does not conform to the limitations and documentation requirements of the resultant agreement.

iv.           Upon written request from the Trust, the Consultant shall supply the Trust with copies of sub consultant agreements.

QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS

It is the proposer’s responsibility to ask questions, request clarifications, or otherwise advise the Trust of any language, specification, or requirements of the RFP that are ambiguous or contradictory.

Questions and requests for clarification regarding this RFP shall be submitted in writing to aeliason@civichome.net by 5:00 PM, on [DATE].  Questions and requests for clarification received after that date and time will not be answered. Requests for time extensions will not be approved.

SUBMITTAL OF PROPOSALS:

Consultants shall submit proposals as PDF files directed to Adam Eliason, Interim Trust Manager, at aeliason@civichome.net.  

Submittals shall be received by the deadline of 5:00 PM, [DATE] and received thereafter until a Consultant is selected.

FORM OF AGREEMENT: The selected Consultant will be required to enter into a contract, inclusive of insurance requirements, with the Trust in accordance with the standard Professional Services Agreement.  See Sample in Appendix 2.

APPENDICES:

1 - SB 1177 – Bill Text

2 - Professional Services Agreement (PSA) – Template

(END OF RFP)