REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR GRANT ADMINISTRATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES

In compliance with Indiana Office of Com-munity and Rural Affairs and OMB Circular A-102 requirements regarding procurement of professional services, the City of Washington, Indiana, is seeking proposals for the provision of grant administration technical assistance services appropriate to the implementation of a Community Development Block (CDBG) grant if awarded by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs using federal Disaster Recovery Funds.

Description of Pro-ject:

Disaster recovery funds and State Revolving Loan funds will be used to finance the proposed project which consists of construction of a new wetland facility for full treatment. A more detailed description of the proposed project can be obtained from the Wash-ington Mayor’s Office by contacting Larry Haag, Mayor at (812) 254-5575.

Description of Ser-vices Needed:

Grant administration technical assistance services should include the full range of activities necessary to assure the correct, complete and timely administration of the CDBG grant in compliance with federal and state laws, rules and regulations. Such services will include, at a minimum, conducting an environmental review assessment; financial controls; records and management; engineering and construction procurement civil rights and labor standards monitoring and reporting; and project reporting and closeout activities.

Federal Require-ments:

Prospective organiza-tions should note the successful proposer must adhere to the following regulations where applica-ble:

1. 24 CFR Part 85.36

2. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

3. Conflict of Interest (24 CFR Part 570)

4. Access to records

5. Executive Order 11246 - Equal Employ-ment Opportunity

6. Executive Order 12138 - Women Business Enterprise Policy

7. Architectural Barrier Act of 1975

8. Age Discrimination Act of 1975

9. Section 3 Clause - Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968

10. Section 504 - Rehabilitation Act of 1974

11. Retention and Custodial Requirements (24 CFR Part 85.42)

12. Executive Order 11063

13. Affirmative Action Program/Plan

14. Davis Bacon and Related Acts

15. OMB Circular A-102 Attachment O, Contract Provisions

16. Certification of Nonsegregated Facilities

17. Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988

18. Minority Business Enterprise Policy (49 CFR Part 23)

19. Title VIII Civil Rights Acts of 1968

20. Section 109 Housing and Urban Development Act of 1974

21. Section 402 Disabled Veterans & Veterans of the Vietnam Era

The Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs has a 10% MBE/WBE goal for all projects funded with Community Development Grant funds.

The Federal Require-ments are attached to this RFP and are also available for review at the Washing-ton Mayor’s office. These requirements should be made part of any contracts for this project.

RFP Submission Requirements:

Interested parties must submit a written proposal to the Office of the Washington Mayor’s Office, 200 Harned Avenue, Washington, IN 47501 no later than 4:00 p.m. EST, April 12, 2010. Proposals received after this time will be returned unopened. The proposal must be submitted in writing in a sealed envelope labeled “CSO Project Administration Proposal”. One original (1) and three (3) copies of each proposal should be submitted by each applicant. Each proposal must include the following:

1. A detailed statement of experience in the administration of Commun-ity Development Block Grant programs, including the number of years of experience, number and location of all CDBG programs administered, and a description of the CDBG program activities or elements for which assistance was provided.

2. A description of open or outstanding monitoring or audit findings or disallowed costs involving and Office of Community Affairs grants for which the respondent provided technical assistance.

3. Resumes of all staff persons to be employed in the provision of the proposed services, including details of specific CDBG administrative experience.

4. A description of the applicant organization, including type or basis of organization and purpose, and the number of years in the business of providing services as proposed for the City of Washington. Any relationship involving applicant and any firm, organization or individual who has or may seek to have an interest in any contract or in the provision of services regarding this grant program shall be fully disclosed as may be required by federal CDBG regulations and Indiana Code.

5. The specific services the applicant proposes to provide to the City of Washington in order to assure the correct, complete and timely execution and completion of the grant program in full compliance with state and federal laws, rules and regulations.

6. The cost of each specific service activity to be provided. A total maximum fee should also be identified. The cost should be stated as either lump-sum or cost-plus-fixed-fee. If the cost-plus-fixed-fee method of cost allocation is proposed, offeror must include the billing rates and/or formula for direct costs and indirect overhead allocation. Per-centage-of-project-cost or fixed-fee-plus-percentage-of-cost types of contracts are not permissible under this procurement.

The City of Washington reserves the right to negotiate with offerors respective to selected work elements and fees quoted. The City reserves the right to reject any and or all proposals.

Selection Criteria:

1. MINIMUM QUALIFI-CATIONS: Only proposals which evidence full compliance with the following minimum qualifications will be considered by the City.

a. The individual or organization must have direct experience in the provision of technical assistance regarding the administration of Commun-ity Development Block Grant programs as well as the activities supported by such grants. Such experience must include all of the activities necessary to comply with federal and state requirements for citizen participation, environmental review, satisfaction of grant conditions, letter of credit, financial system development and administration, federal labor standards administration, civil rights, federal fair housing requirements, equal opportunity and Section 3 compliance, professional services solicitation and selection, contracting and compliance activities, labor standards monitoring, development of program amendments, records maintenance system development and administration, required grantee performance reporting, as well as additional relevant federal and state laws particular to the funded project.

b. The successful applicant must have a certified Grant Administrator to provide services for this project, as required by the Indiana Office of Com-munity and Rural Affairs.

2. STANDARDS FOR RANKING: Proposals which are deemed by the City to meet the above minimum qualifications will be ranked for selection based on the following standards which are listed with point values reflecting their importance to the community. The one firm that best meets each standard will be awarded the full point value for that standard. If two firms equally satisfy a standard, both will receive the full point value for those criteria. The firm receiving the greatest number of points will be considered most favorably.

a. (30pts.) Extent of successful experience, as measured by the number of Community Develop-ment Block Grant Pro-grams for which the proposer has provided the full range of administrative services.

b. (20pts.) Extent of successful experience, as measured by the ratio of Community Development Block Grant programs for which the proposer has provided the full range of administrative services to the number of such programs which have experience outstanding audit or monitoring findings.

c. (20pts.) History of successful experience, as measured by the number of years of continual service in providing administrative technical assistance services regarding Com-munity Development Block Grants.

d. (20pts.) The extent to which the proposal appears to propose a range of services sufficient to assure the correct, complete and timely execution and completion of the City of Washington’s grant program in full compliance with state and federal laws, rules and regulations. Familiarity and knowledge of the organization with the project will contribute favorably to these evaluation criteria.

e. (10pts.) The proposed fee to be charged for the full range of administrative technical assistance services proposed as necessary for the complete and timely execution and completion of the grant program. Points will be deducted if the price is not within the project budget.

March 8, 2010