Request For Proposals

Physical Assessment Study

The Macon Housing Authority is seeking a qualified architectural/planning firm to prepare a Physical Assessment Study of its existing traditional public housing inventory. When completed, the results of this study will be used, along with the reports of financial advisors and other consultants, as a key component in a long-term strategic planning process. The Authority intends to consider a range of options for each of the individual properties that make up its portfolio; the role of the selected firm will be to assist the Authority in developing, property by property, its physical development choices, together with accurate cost estimates on which the Housing Authority may rely in making its planning decisions.

The proposing firms should be aware that the variety and complexity of this work, together with the necessity of integrating the product with the work of other consultants, will require an interactive process. For this reason, the Authority encourages each proposer to lay out its own methodology or plan of attack within the broad guidelines below. Please note that “project approach” is a significant factor in ranking the proposals.

Prior to contract, the selected firm will be expected to negotiate a more detailed and refined scope of work under this contract, but it should be assumed it would include, at a minimum, the following services:

  • Survey each public housing development to document current conditions.
  • Assist the Macon Housing Authority to develop standards for typical “market rent apartments”, to be used as the default/baseline standard with which to evaluate each public housing development.
  • Develop and recommend alternate, site-specific rehabilitation/redevelopment alternative standards where appropriate. Note that these will be site specific, varying from development to development.
  • Provide cost estimates for the renovation/rehabilitation/new construction necessary to apply each optional standard to each public housing development.
  • Produce a written report that documents the comparison of current conditions to each optional standard for each public housing development, along with cost and feasibility recommendations.
  • Provide technical assistance to the Authority and its other consultants, such as financial advisors, as it evaluates the feasibility of each option and prepares overall strategic plan recommendations for the Authority Board of Commissioners.

Proposal Content

The proposal must be organized in sections containing the following information:

  • Description of Firm. Describe your firm’s legal structure, areas of expertise, length of time in business, number of employees, and other information that would help to characterize the firm. Provide the address of the main office (for legal purposes) and the address of the office that will manage the project.
  • Personnel. Provide a professional resume for the key people proposed to be assigned to the project (including any important sub-consultants), and describe relevant related experience. Describe key personnel’s proposed roles and responsibilities on this project. Submittals must identify a proposed project manager who would be responsible for the day-to-day management of projects tasks and would be the primary point of contact with your firm. An organization chart of the project term may be appropriate.
  • Experience and Capacity. Briefly describe other projects executed by your firm that demonstrate relevant experience. (Extensive descriptions of vaguely related projects are discouraged.) Also, list all public sector clients, public housing, and/or multi-family housing for whom you have performed similar work in the past five years. Describe how your firm’s capacity best qualifies your firm to perform the work. Brochures or other material that may be helpful in evaluating your firm may be included in an appendix of the proposal.
  • Project Approach. Describe your firm’s proposed methodology to accomplish the purposes of the contract. Describe the tasks that must be accomplished to complete the project and offer a brief narrative description of how the firm proposes to execute the tasks. If applicable, discuss any unique aspects of the project, alternative approaches the Housing Authority might wish to consider, or special considerations related to programmatic/funding requirements. Your firm should rely on its expertise and experience with similar projects to demonstrate how it will effectively complete the project.
  • Project Schedule. Provide a schedule of general project activities indicating the duration of each activity and of the total project. The schedules should reflect realistic activity duration, however, the successful candidate should be able to start the project immediately upon selection and have staff resources to complete it in a timely manner. The Authority requires a preliminary report no later than February 18, 2009.
  • Fee Proposal. Provide a Fee Proposal and recommended Scope of Service for the Assessment Study. Please note that this is not a bid; cost is one of several factors to be considered in the selection. Also, please be aware that applicable Federal regulations will require a maximum contract price and a “cancellation for convenience” provision.

Questions regarding the project may be directed to: John H. Hiscox, Executive Director, Macon Housing Authority, PO Box 4928, Macon, Georgia 31201, (478) 752-5070.

Proposal Deadline:

10:00 AM on Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Submission Of Proposals

Requests may be submitted via mail, email, facsimile, or hand-delivered to:

Macon Housing Authority
Physical Assessment RFP
2009 Felton Avenue
PO Box 4928
Macon GA 31208-4928
Fax: (478) 752-5121
Email: tbarlow@maconhousing.com

Selection Process

Proposals will be ranked based on qualifications. The Macon Housing Authority may choose to interview several of the top ranked firms, or at its sole discretion, the Authority may dispense with interviews and select a firm to perform the work. Firms will be evaluated on the basis of the following factors.

  • Firm History and Capability to Perform Project
  • Relevant Project Experience
  • Qualifications and Organizational Structure of Project Team
  • Creativity and Soundness of Project Approach
  • Value for Cost

Selected references will be contacted.

The Macon Housing Authority will seek to negotiate a contract, a detailed scope of work, fee, schedule, etc., with the preferred firm. If unable to reach an agreement, the Macon Housing Authority will terminate negotiations with the first ranked firm and commence negotiations with the second-ranked firm, and so forth.

The Macon Housing Authority expects to evaluate proposals and provide written notification of the short-listed firms within 15-days of receipt of proposals. If interviews are held, they will be scheduled within as soon as possible following the short-list notification.

Additional Information

The study will encompass 15 public housing developments located on 21 sites, of which eight are scattered sites. Some sites that are administered as a single development contain multiple building types constructed as separate projects at different times. Proposers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this material, visit some or all of the sites, and ask questions as needed.

Information about each development is contained in 1) MHA Properties, and 2) MHA Site Maps, attached.

Additional Information