[Consultantservices] [Consultant Services] RFP posted Friday, March 9, 2007, 10:02 a.m.

[Grace Williams]

AICP has adopted the following policy:

The AICP Commission requests that entities soliciting planning
consultants follow a two-part RFQ/RFP selection procedure. Click here to
read a description of such a two-part process in PAS Report 443,
Selecting and Retaining a Planning Consultant: RFPs, RFQs, Contracts,
and Project Management, by Eric Damian Kelly, FAICP. To view more
excerpts from the report, click here.

Please send RFPs & RFQs to websitefeedback at planning.org.

Request for Proposals - Consultant Services

Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Consultant 
East Providence Waterfront Special Development District Commission,
Rhode Island
Submittal Deadline: April 16, 2007

Introduction
The East Providence Waterfront Special Development District Commission
("Waterfront Commission") seeks the services of a TIF
consultant/consulting firm to conduct a study to explore the feasibility
of using TIF as a funding mechanism for improvements in the Waterfront
District.

Background 
The Waterfront District contains over 300 acres of the City's currently
underutilized waterfront along the Providence and Seekonk Rivers to a
mix of land uses, including: commercial; office; medium and high density
residential; entertainment and hospitality; restaurants; marinas; civic,
and recreational uses, particularly those oriented towards the water.
Currently, the Waterfront District is mostly vacant land formerly used
for industrial or heavy commercial purposes, such as petroleum and
chemical storage, and distribution facilities and a steel mill site.

Due to the large scale of potential redevelopment and the scenic and
recreational resources of these waterfront properties, the waterfront
along the Providence and Seekonk Rivers holds the single greatest
potential for East Providence for attracting new businesses and jobs,
and creating new housing, recreational, civic and cultural
opportunities.  The Plan for the East Providence Waterfront Special
Development District allows for the potential building of in excess of
over 2 million square feet of office/commercial space and 2,500 new
residential units.

Despite the development proposals that the Waterfront Commission has
received in the past year, public infrastructure needs within the
district are substantial: sewer and water lines, pedestrian
improvements, roadways - including the proposed Waterfront Drive - and
other improvements will need to be made over the next 10 years in order
to facilitate the kind of development that will benefit the District and
the entire City.  As a possible means of facilitating the construction
of these improvements, the City is investigating the feasibility of Tax
Increment Financing (TIF) to direct the incremental revenues of new
development back into the Waterfront District.

Scope of Work
The TIF Consultant will perform the following tasks:

*	Prepare study of feasibility of TIF financing in Waterfront
District relative to other private and public financing alternatives. 
*	Review Draft TIF Policy and Procedures as prepared by the
Waterfront Commission prior to referral to City Council for review and
adoption
	(Consider forming TIF Study Committee to include City officials
such as City Manager, Finance Director and City Solicitor). 
*	Review Draft TIF District plan or plans as prepared by the City.

*	Create general guidelines for the use of TIF in the Waterfront
District.  
*	Review of TIF proposals relative to financial soundness and
evaluation of feasibility and marketing studies with Planning
Department, Department of Public Works, City Tax Assessor, and Bond
Counsel. 
*	Assist in drafting of TIF Development Agreement. 
*	Provide on-going monitoring of benchmarks and public and private
investment for TIF projects. 
*	Prepare any and all reports required by bondholders and trustees
regarding annual debt service coverage ratio. 

Purpose and Approach
This Tax Increment Policy will be drafted for the following purposes:

*	to guide staff in forming recommendations regarding the use of
tax increment financing and negotiating contract terms with developers; 
*	to provide a framework within which the City Council can
evaluate and compare proposed uses of tax increment financing; and 
*	to inform the public of the City's position on the use of tax
increment financing and the process through which decisions regarding
the use of the tool are made. 

Development Objectives
The City will use tax increment financing to accomplish these major
objectives:

*	Attract and expand new and existing services, developments and
employers in order to position the City and the region to compete in the
economy of the 21st century. 
*	Increase the City's property tax base and maintain its
diversity. Clean contaminated land to provide sites for uses that
achieve City redevelopment objectives. 
*	Provide an array of housing choices that meet the needs of
current residents and attract new residents to the City, with an
emphasis on providing affordable housing. 
*	Eliminate blighting influences throughout the District. 
*	Support neighborhood retail services, commercial corridors and
employment hubs. 
*	Expand the economy to create more living-wage jobs, with an
emphasis on providing job opportunities for the unemployed and
underemployed. 
*	Support redevelopment efforts that enhance and preserve unique
urban features and amenities, the riverfront and historic structures. 

Criteria
The following criteria will be taken into consideration in the
development of TIF regulations and the review of proposals requesting
tax increment assistance in order to meet the City's development
objectives:

*	Need For Public Assistance 
*	Amount of Public Assistance versus Private Investment 
*	Term of Public Assistance 
*	Development Benefits and Costs 
*	Costs of the Development Proposal to the City 
*	Recapture of Public Subsidy 

Submittals, Criteria and Selection Process
The Consultant will be compensated by a lump sum fee for the Feasibility
Study for recommendations for a TIF program.  

Should your firm wish to be considered for selection by the Commission,
please submit one original and five copies of the following information
by 2:00PM on April 16, 2007:

*	A description of similar work completed within the past two (2)
years; 
*	Qualification statements demonstrating the firm's expertise,
particularly in the area of TIF feasibility studies and proposal
evaluations; 
*	A list of the names and qualifications of the individuals who
would be conducting the study; and 
*	A proposed lump sum amount. 

All proposals should be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly marked
with the name of the project and the date due.  The proposals should be
submitted to:

Mr. Patrick A. Rogers, Chairman
East Providence Waterfront Commission
145 Taunton Avenue, Room 309
East Providence, RI  02914 

The Commission will select the Consultant based upon qualifications,
responsiveness and availability and the value of the proposed services
relative to the cost.  The Commission reserves the right to request
additional information to assist in the selection of a design review
consultant.  The Commission may engage more than one consulting firm so
as to avoid conflict and to ensure efficient delivery of Commission
services.  The Commission also requests that the Consultants provide
full disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest.  The Waterfront
Commission reserves the right reject any and all responses, to waive any
informality in the proposals received, and to base selection upon what
is deemed most favorable to the best interest of the Commission.

Any requests for additional information or questions regarding this RFP
should be submitted in writing via facsimile or e-mail to Ms. Jeanne M.
Boyle, Interim Executive Director, at (F) 401-435-7611 or to
jboyle at cityofeastprov.com <mailto:jboyle at cityofeastprov.com> .

 

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