Okaloosa County BOCC — January 30, 2013 — Proposed SHIP Administrative Services RFQ — reading text

STATE HOUSING INITIATIVES PARTNERSHIP (SHIP) PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION FOR OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA PROPOSAL #: GM PROPOSAL CLOSES: THE INTENT OF THIS RFQ IS TO OBTAIN AN ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE SHIP PROGRAM FOR OKALOOSA COUNTY  REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR SHIP PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION FOR THE OKALOOSA COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS The Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners, under the provisions of Section 287.055, Florida Statutes and Board policy, requests qualifications from professional individuals and firms to provide administration of the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program for the Okaloosa County, Florida Board of County Commissioners. Individuals or firms desiring consideration should provide an original and five (5) copies of their statement of qualifications. Guidelines detailing form and content requirements for the statement of qualifications is available by downloading them from our website at www.co.okaloosa.fl.us (Departments, Purchasing, Vendor Registration & Opportunities); this links you to the Florida Panhandle Purchasing Group website where our bid specifications will now be posted). Statements of qualifications must be delivered to the Okaloosa County Purchasing Department at the address listed below no later than 4:00 p.m., (local time) in order to be considered. All statements of qualifications must be in sealed envelopes reflecting on the outside thereof “Statement of Qualifications for providing State Housing Initiatives Partnership program services for the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners.” All statements of qualifications should be addressed as follows: Okaloosa County Purchasing Department Attn: Richard L. Brannon 602-C North Pearl St. Crestview FL 32536 //Signed// ____________ Richard L. Brannon Date Purchasing Director BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA Don R. Amunds Chairman  OKALOOSA COUNTY SHIP PROGRAM The Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners (hereinafter referred to as “County”) is requesting sealed statements of qualifications from qualified consulting firms or individuals for the provision State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program administration. The consultant shall work closely with the County’s Growth Management Director, Mr. Elliot Kampert, in the development and implementation of the SHIP program. OVERVIEW The County is a political subdivision of the State of Florida and is located in Northwest Florida. Okaloosa County has a population of more than 189,000 and has nine municipalities. Okaloosa County works under a County Administrator and five County Commissioners. Through the Sadowski Act of 1992, the State of Florida makes funds available to qualified counties and cities for the purpose of providing and maintaining affordable housing. Okaloosa County and the City of Ft Walton Beach are recipients of SHIP funds which must be spent in accordance with Chapter 420 of the Florida Statutes (FS) and Chapter 67-37 of the Florida Administrative Code (FAC). As provided in Section 420.9072(5)(a), FS, Okaloosa County and the City of Ft Walton Beach have entered into an agreement to jointly utilize their SHIP allocations, and to utilize a third party administrator for SHIP program administration as provided in Section 420.9072(2)(b)3. This Request for Qualifications is issued pursuant to Section 420.9072(2)(b)3, and is intended to enable the County, and through the interlocal agreement the City of Ft Walton Beach, to retain the services of a qualified individual or firm to administer the SHIP program as subrecipient for the City and County. All duties performed pursuant to this request shall be performed in strict adherence to the provisions of Chapter 420, FS, and Chapter 67-37, FAC. Specific duties to be undertaken pursuant to this request shall include: • Implementing the Okaloosa County/City of Ft Walton Beach Local Housing Assistance Plan (see Exhibit 1, attached) • Updating and maintaining on behalf of Okaloosa County and the City of Ft Walton Beach the Okaloosa County Okaloosa County/City of Ft Walton Beach Local Housing Assistance Plan as required by law • Timely filing of any and all reports, audits, or certifications required by law, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation, Okaloosa County, or the City of Ft Walton Beach. GUIDELINES The purpose of this Request for Qualifications is to provide interested individuals and firms with guidelines and information to enhance their submission of proposals to undertake SHIP program administration for Okaloosa County and the City of Ft Walton Beach. Services of the consultant shall be under the general direction of the Growth Management Director or his appointed representative, who shall act as the County representative during the performance of the scope of services. These negotiations will conform to Florida Statutes and County policy. The County’s standard form of consulting agreement will be utilized. The term of the contract will be indefinite. Task Orders will be issued for SHIP program administrative services pursuant to the contract upon notice from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation that SHIP funds have been allocated. The Board of County Commissioners reserves the right to accept or reject any or all statements of qualifications or to waive any informality existing in any proposal, or to accept the proposals which best serves the interest and intent of this project and is from the most responsive and responsible firms. An original and five (5) copies of the statement of qualifications will be required with all copies having been signed by a company official with the power to bind the company in its proposal. All must be completely responsive to the Request for Qualification guidelines for consideration. The content of the statement of qualifications of the successful individual or firm (herein after referred to as “consultant) will become a basis for contractual negotiations. The selected consultant shall be required to assume responsibility for all services offered in his/her/its statement. The selected consultant will be the sole point of contact concerning contractual matters including payments of any charges resulting from the contract. Payment schedule and basis for payment will be negotiated. Availability of Funds – The obligations of the County under this Agreement are subject to the availability of funds lawfully appropriated for its purpose by the State of Florida. Public Entity Crime Information - A person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a bid on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not submit bids on leases of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with any public entity, and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in Section 287.017, for CATEGORY TWO for a period of 36 months from the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list. The engagement of certain professional services, including those required by this Request for Qualifications is exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 120, Florida Statutes, as amended, and therefore are not to be subject to the appeal process therein described at any time during the solicitation period. Statements of Qualifications MUST be submitted in the format described below: 1. Letter of interest including information on location of the firm’s office that will be the lead office for this contract. 2. Business Credentials – Provide a synopsis of the consultant’s qualifications, to include specific capabilities of the firm. 3. Registration – State the licensing/registration qualifications of the consultant’s personnel and business office. Provide copies of same. 4. SHIP Experience – All statements of qualifications submitted pursuant to this request must demonstrate that the consultant submitting the statement has a minimum of ten (10) years experience with SHIP program administration, and must include the last ten (10) SHIP annual financial audits and last 3 SHIP file audits performed of the consultant’s SHIP program. 5. Other Relevant Affordable Housing Experience – Consultants submitting statements must demonstrate that they have successfully sought, acquired, and utilized a minimum of three (3) affordable housing programs/revenue sources other than SHIP (e.g., Neighborhood Stabilization, Federal Home Loan, Community Development Block Grant, etc). Statements must demonstrate how consultant used such programs synergistically in its provision of affordable housing program administration. 6. Understanding of Okaloosa County/City of Ft Walton Breach Affordable Housing Needs - All statements must include a discussion of the consultant’s understanding of Okaloosa County’s affordable housing needs, and must identify how the SHIP program and other programs/funding sources with which the consultant has worked may be utilized to address these needs. 7. Project Management Organization – The consultant must identify key personnel to be assigned to this work and provide a resume of their qualifications, education and experience. 8. References – List five (5) referenced representatives of related past experience to include, as a minimum, a contact person, company name, phone number, and a brief description of the work for which the reference is provided. 9. Additional Information & Comments – The contents under this heading are to be left to the discretion of the consultant. Material must be pertinent to the statement of qualifications, but not be otherwise requested in the Request for Qualifications. 10. Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form - The award hereunder is subject to the provisions of Chapter 112, Florida Statutes. All respondents must disclose with their proposals the name of any officer, director, or agent who is also a public officer or an employee of the Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners, or any of its agencies. Furthermore, all respondents must disclose the name of any County officer or employee who owns, directly or indirectly, an interest of five percent (5%) or more in the firm or any of its branches. Furthermore, the official, prior to or at the time of submission of the proposal, must file a statement with the Clerk of Circuit Court of Okaloosa County, if he is an officer or employee of the County, disclosing his or spouse’s or child’s interest and the nature of the intended business. Note: For proposer’s convenience, this certification form is enclosed and is made a part of the bid package. 11. Drug Free Workplace Certification – Preference shall be given to businesses with drug free workplace programs. Whenever two or more statements that are equal  with respect to price, quality and service are received by the County for the procurement of commodities or contractual services, a statement received from a business that certifies that it has