Please visit Story County's website at www.storycountyiowa.gov for the complete Request for Proposals. Story County will not meet individually in person or via other means with potential Consultants.

Story County will be accepting questions from November 5, 2019, through 5:00 PM, November 22, 2019, regarding this RFP. Please submit questions via email to Leanne Harter, County Outreach and Special Projects Manager, at lharter@storycountyiowa.gov. Written responses will be published on the County's website www.storycountyiowa.gov distributed to those who submitted questions no later than 12:00 PM on November 27, 2019.

Scope of Services

Introduction and General Information

The following list is not intended to be a comprehensive itemization of plan components or areas needed to conduct a comprehensive study and assessment and develop recommendations. Story County will rely on the consultant's professional expertise in analyzing all pertinent factors and is open to additional strategies and approaches to meet the overall goals of identifying affordable housing needs and developing housing solutions. The Consultant may also propose collecting additional information deemed relevant in defining the local housing marketing and local housing need.

The Consultant will focus on gathering detailed information and analyzing factors for each individual community in Story County, except for Ames, and for the unincorporated areas in the county. However, the Consultant will need to integrate information and factors the City of Ames and the Iowa Finance Authority have collected and analyzed independently into this report by including narrative on the impact Ames' current and future housing needs are likely to have on the county's other communities.

The Consultant shall also include separately in the RFP a quote for including in the report an Ames profile covering Items 1 through 7 listed below.

The Consultant shall draft a report that specifically addresses Story County (excluding Ames unless the County elects to also contract for the Ames profile mentioned in the previous paragraph) current and future housing needs. The last comprehensive housing needs assessment conducted by Story County was compiled in July 1998 entitled the "Ames/Story County Housing Needs Assessment Study". The proposed report detailed with this 2019 effort must not be viewed as an "update" to the 1998 report, however.

The report will include and address the following information:

1. Population and Demographic Review and Projections through 2040 – for each community (excluding Ames) and the unincorporated areas of Story County
2. Housing Market Analysis – for each community (excluding Ames) and the unincorporated areas of Story County
3. Housing Demand and Vacancy Rates (broken down into both owner-occupied and rental types) for each community (excluding Ames) and the unincorporated areas of Story County
4. Existing Housing Conditions and Issue Areas (broken down into both owner-occupied and rental types) – for each community (excluding Ames) and the unincorporated areas of Story County
5. Economic Profiles and Projections through 2040 – for each community (excluding Ames) and the unincorporated areas of Story County
6. Gap Analysis – for each community (excluding Ames) and the unincorporated areas of Story County
7. Barriers Analysis – for each community (excluding Ames) and the unincorporated areas of Story County
8. Recommendations – for each community (excluding Ames) and the unincorporated areas of Story County

General Scope of Work

The Housing Study and Needs Assessment will provide an in-depth analysis of the current as well as the future needs for affordable, workforce and other housing options primarily of current and future households, reported incrementally in relation to the Area Median Income (AMI) and further identifying quantifiable recommendations to bridge those identified gaps over the current, short and long-term periods. The Consultant will analyze current housing conditions, identify housing needs and identify evidenced-based and creative strategies across the housing continuum both regulatory and non-regulatory that look to address the current, short and long-term needs of Story County (excluding Ames unless the County elects to also contract for the Ames profile mentioned above).

Conceptual Plan and Proposal Submittal Requirements

The Consultant shall provide a Conceptual Plan, including a detailed statement of work for the product/services believed to be appropriate for Story County, addressing the Scope of Services detailed in this RFP.

The Conceptual Plan should indicate the following, at a minimum:

• Consultant name, address, and names of primary contacts.
• Identify project manager. List the project manager's relevant experience and similar work including references.
• Restatement of services required (four pages maximum): attach a restatement of the proposed agreement that outlines its objectives and scope as perceived. Do not repeat the Scope of Services, but elaborate on the tasks, conditions, or other specifics deemed significant and necessary to demonstrate a complete understanding of the technical and substantive issues to be addressed, including the following:
  • A statement of the Consultant's understanding of the project that demonstrates knowledge of the project requirements.
  • Proposed project approach, including timelines and description of the Consultant's technical approach to the project, including an outline of the sequence of tasks, major benchmarks and milestone dates.
  • Proposed use of County staff, as well as any equipment, materials or additional data that will be expected from the County at the onset of the project.
• Outline personnel skills and services that distinguish the Consultant, incorporating appropriate staff profiles and a description of specific staff that will comprise the project team for this assignment. The staff profile should describe the Consultant's experience in providing services to the public sector, jobs of similar size(s) and provide applicable certifications for staff members involved in the process. Please attach a description of similar projects designed and constructed by the firm. Project summaries should emphasize their relevance to the proposed agreement.
• Samples of related/comparable past projects that would serve as examples of experience and expertise necessary for this work. This does not include generalized promotional material, resumes, statement of experience, qualifications, or capabilities, or other material that is irrelevant to the proposed agreement.
• Evidence of ability to work effectively within tight time constraints.
• Provide the earliest date available to assume these duties.
• Estimated cost of the services to be provided under this proposal. A proposed fee structure based upon the plan of work proposed by the Consultant. Proposed services to be sub-contracted if any, anticipated subcontractors, and anticipated costs for these services. NOTE: Story County will not pay the Consultant a surcharge percentage on third party fees and costs. Method of billing must be disclosed. An acknowledgment that any task/work request considered to be outside of the agreed upon scope and contracted duties that will incur fees, must be communicated by the consultant and agreed to by Story County prior to the performance of that task/work request.
• Three (3) references are to be included with the proposal.

Submittal Process and Details

All proposals must be submitted as detailed in the manner described herein. Exceptions nor extensions to established deadlines will not be granted.

Story County will not meet individually in person or via other means with potential Consultant.

Story County will be accepting questions from November 5, 2019, through 5:00 PM, November 22, 2019, regarding this RFP. Please submit questions via email to Leanne Harter, County Outreach and Special Projects Manager, at lharter@storycountyiowa.gov. Written responses will be published on the County's website www.storycountyiowa.gov distributed to those who submitted questions no later than 12:00 PM on November 27, 2019.

Estimated Timeline

• Release RFP – November 5, 2019
• Questions due to Story County by 5:00 PM on Friday, November 22, 2019.
• Story County Responses published no later than 12:00 PM on November 27, 2019.
• Proposals Due – no later than 12:00 PM Friday, December 13, 2019
• Proposals Reviewed – December 16, 2019 through December 27, 2019
• Selected Consultant presentations to Board of Supervisors – January 7, 2020
• Board of Supervisors Consultant selection – January 14, 2020
• Contract development – January 14, 2020, through January 23, 2020
• Board of Supervisors action on contract – January 28, 2020
• Effective start of contract – January 29, 2020

The above dates are subject to change at the discretion of Story County.

Selected Consultants submitting proposals will be invited to give an oral presentation explaining their proposal. It is anticipated that interviews will be for the top two to three Consultants, if necessary.

The Story County Board of Supervisors will consider approval of a contract with the selected Consultant.

The Story County Board of Supervisors reserves the right to accept or reject any and all responses, in part or in whole, and to accept responses, which in its sole discretion and opinion appear to be responsive, responsible, and in the best interests of the County. The County further reserves the right to waive any formalities or informalities or to amend the schedule as necessary.

The price quotations stated in the Consultant's proposal will not be subject to any price increase from the date on which the proposal is opened by Story County to the mutually agreed-to date of bid. Proposals must be signed by an official authorized to bind the provider to its provisions for at least a period of 90 days. Failure of the successful Consultant to accept the obligation of the bid may result in the cancellation of any award. A service contract will be executed between Story County and the awarded Consultant.

The selected Consultant may not subcontract any of the work specified in this RFP without prior written consent of Story County.