REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

GRANT WRITING, PROJECT/GRANT MANAGEMENT, ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES for the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program, and related funding opportunities.

1. INTRODUCTION

Notice is herby given that the Rapides Area Planning Commission (RAPC) is seeking expressions of interest and statements of qualifications from firms to assist with obtaining federal funding for and implementation of hazard mitigation projects.

RAPC is a quasi-governmental council of governments created by state legislation in 1956. As such, our agency assists member and partner governments in planning and project/program implementation in areas such as transportation, floodplain management, building code enforcement, and subdivision development review.

Currently, our agency is seeking consultant services for assistance in grant writing, project/program development, and project/program implementation for our hazard mitigation efforts. Specifically, we are pursuing buyouts, elevations, and capital drainage improvements including, but not limited to, projects included in the Rapides Parish Comprehensive Resiliency Plan (2017).

2. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The purpose of this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is for RAPC to acquire comprehensive Engineering, Design, Architectural and Project Management Services supplemental to Grant Writing and Project/Program Development services. The selected contractor, working closely with RAPC staff, will assist in obtaining federal awards for identified projects as well as strategically engineering and designing pre-award and post-award eligible projects in addition to assisting in the project development and administration of the federal and/or state mitigation programs. Services provided in the development of such programs may include, but are not limited to, the following:

A. Organizational Assistance

• Provide support related to the formulation of the needed organization and budget structure to sustain the overall recovery efforts.
• Improve utilization of federal funding to assist with recovery efforts including assistance in the identification of opportunities to obtain grants to meet recovery funding requirements.

B. Engineer/Architectural Services and Grant Management Support

• Formulate and establish procedures to manage the grants in accordance with Federal, State, and RAPC specific regulations with special attention given to working with GOHSEP and OCD.
• Provide knowledge, experience, technical competence, and oversight in the Engineering, Design, and Architectural services of eligible projects relative to the CDBG, HMGP, PDM, FMA and related programs.
• Grant Management support relative to planning, administration, implementation and execution of the following FEMA- administered programs: Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and; HUD administered Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program; and other Federal and state grant and assistance programs in compliance with Federal and state guidance.
• Map the flow of documentation and requirements, and related policies and procedures required for transparent program administration of hazard mitigation funds.
• Provide assistance related to the management of funds requested and received. Participate in meetings with Federal grant agencies as required by RAPC.
• Establish quality assurance / quality control reviews of engineering and design components and assessments associated with the payments process to ensure that they are in compliance with Federal and state regulations and conform to best practices.
• Prepare quarterly progress reports and other reports related to funds as required.
• Develop dashboards and reports that promote transparency, efficiency and accountability of engineering, design, and overall project progress.
• Formulate the checklists necessary to assess whether applicant files are completed and in compliance with federal requirements.
• Provide technical assistance as required by RAPC.
• Develop pre-award and post-award protocols for engineering, design, architectural and project management services to include project/program administration.
• Provide pre-award and post-award engineering, design, architectural estimates for each proposed project.

C. FEMA- HMA Programs (HMGP/PDM/FMA) and HUD-CDBG Advisory Services

• Develop a process/system to efficiently submit and store grant applications, identify eligible projects, capture costs, prepare cost reports, reconcile invoices, and close-out projects.
• Attend meetings with relevant local, state, and federal officials to address eligibility and process issues.
• Provide knowledge, experience and technical expertise in dealing with the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and related program regulations.
• Provide engineering, cost estimating, and architectural support, among other types of technical assistance for all projects.
• Assess damage to infrastructure components and facilities. Determine best design/engineering mitigation to protect against future disasters.
• Obtain, analyze and gather field documentation, including gathering relevant records in order to extract pertinent information.
• Review all data and supporting documentation to determine eligible adequate costs.
• Assist in identifying, developing and evaluating additional opportunities for hazard mitigation projects to reduce or eliminate risk from future events.
• Prepare hazard mitigation proposals, grant applications, benefit cost analysis, and other services related to Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Pre-Disaster Mitigation, and other mitigation programs
• Evaluate alternate and/or improved projects.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of the use of FEMA pilot programs.
• Reconcile eligible costs.
• Prepare first and second appeals, and work with the RAPC through any arbitration.
• Monitoring construction efforts based on Engineering/Architectural design, reconcile change orders with RAPC, and prepare progress payments.
• Prepared specifications and bid advertisements as needed.
• Conduct assessments that identify housing, infrastructure, and the economic disaster recovery needs.
• Develop and submit HUD required Action Plan for Disaster Recovery, Action Plan Amendments, performance reporting, and grant closeout.
• Prepare projects for audit and respond to audit finding, as required.

For the remainder of the RFQ go to http://www.rapc.info/