[Consultantservices] RFP: Cooper-Young Development Corp, Memphis, TN - Post 7/30/08 @ 8:44 a.m.

[Jeri Parish]

The AICP Commission requests that entities soliciting planning
consultants follow a two-part RFQ/RFP selection procedure.  Here's the
link 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. 
http://www.planning.org/consultant/choose.htm

Organizational Assessment and Strategic Plan
Cooper-Young Development Corporation, Memphis, Tennessee
Submittal Deadline: August 29, 2008
PURPOSE
The Cooper-Young Development Corporation seeks qualified individuals
and/or consulting firms with experienced principal staff to conduct an
organizational assessment and develop a strategic plan that sets a
vision and operational strategy for the period of May 2009 through April
2014.
BACKGROUND
The Cooper-Young Development Corporation (herein referred to as CYDC)
was chartered in 1991 to re/develop single-family housing and support
the business district of the Cooper-Young neighborhood in Midtown
Memphis. Since its inception, the organization has developed, either
through new construction or rehab, over 60 single-family homes and two
commercial buildings. In this time, the neighborhood has been
transformed from a declining, low-income area into a stable,
middle-income neighborhood with a thriving restaurant district. As such,
the original mission of the CYDC has in many ways been accomplished.
The Board of Directors of the CYDC initiated a series of conversations
in 2007 to discuss the future operations of the organization and revisit
its mission statement.
Major emerging strategic issues include:
*	Mission Accomplished: For more than a decade, the CYDC has
concentrated on renovated and infill affordable housing in the
Cooper-Young neighborhood. Its efforts have been very successful and the
private market has followed the CYDC's developments throughout the
neighborhood. In 1998, the CYDC could purchase and redevelop properties
affordable housing at reasonable costs and make a sufficient profit.
Today, we are not able to compete with market-rate developers in our
area. 
*	Limited Programming: The CYDC has sustained itself for the past
16 years with its single-family housing re/development program. The
organization has done limited additional programming from time to time
as funding became available, but nothing sustainable. Due to the private
market growth in its current service area, the CYDC can no longer do
subsidized scattered site single-family housing as its sole means of
profit. 
*	Financial Resources: The funding for the CYDC has been 90%
government-based grants for over 5 years. This funding stream has
limited our ability to create new programs and serve our neighborhood.
In the past, our planning has not included strategies for fund
diversification and we have limited reserves. These types of strategies
must be addressed in all future operational plans moving forward. 
*	Market Changes: The dynamic of the Cooper-Young area is being
influenced by several recent market changes. The closely located
redevelopments of the Mid-South Fairgrounds, the Highland Avenue Strip,
and the Memphis Medical Center all impact housing, commercial, and
social needs in our area. Our understanding of our community's needs
must be updated to reflect these and other market changes. 
The Board concluded in summer of 2008 that a comprehensive study of the
organization needed to be completed in order to frame its future.
SCOPE OF WORK
The applicant is expected to collaborate with the CYDC to create the
development, scheduling and implementation of activities designed to
complete an acceptable plan. 
The Board expects at least the following questions to be answered:
*	What is the 5-year vision of the CYDC? 
*	How have comparable CDCs across the nation
rebranded/restructured themselves to take advantage of changing market
opportunities? 
*	What are the needs and gaps in services within our service area
and within the immediate Memphis market? Which gaps provide a business
opportunity for the CYDC? 
*	What are the dis/advantages to our current service area? What
are the dis/advantages of expanding our service area? 
*	What are the business opportunities for the CYDC within our
service area and within the Memphis market? 
*	What operational capacities are needed to take advantage of
those business opportunities? 
*	What is the financial framework and diversification that is
needed to operationalize the business opportunities? 
Scope of work includes but not limited to the following:
*	Review and analysis of existing program and organizational
structure 
*	Organizational assessment to include interviews and focus groups
with board members, community stakeholders, funders, and other partners 
*	A review of public and private plans affecting the Cooper-Young
area, to include the redevelopment efforts listed above, the current
EDAW-led community-wide strategic plan for the local CDC industry, and
other relevant City- and County-produced plans 
*	Needs assessment of resources and assistance perceived by
community stakeholders and market-based analysis of our neighborhood and
surrounding area 
*	Implementable Strategic Plan that includes 5-year vision, goals
and objectives, action steps, benchmarks, and timeline 
*	Identification of resources and infrastructure required for the
CYDC to achieve this plan 
SELECTION CRITERIA
Responses will be evaluated and the consultant selected based on the
following criteria:
*	Approach, plan of work, and recommended schedules 
*	Qualifications and experience in providing the requested
services as exemplified by past projects and client contracts 
*	Experience and qualifications of personnel to be assigned to the
project 
*	Knowledge of and experience in indentifying business
opportunities and strategies for community-based organization 
*	Total project cost and anticipated time frame to complete the
project. 
SUBMISSION OF STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
To apply, please submit statement of qualifications with the following
information:
*	Cover page including the name, title, address, phone number, fax
number, and e-mail address of the primary contact person, and website
address (if applicable). 
*	Qualifications of the applicant and key project staff/partners. 
*	Estimated time table and budget to complete scope of work. 
Applicants should submit an original plus three copies of the statement
of qualifications document. The document, including the cover page,
should not exceed 10 pages. Letters of support or client list may be
attached as additional pages. The document should be typed in 12-point
font.
Please mail the application to:
Sutton Mora Hayes, Executive Director
Cooper-Young Development Corporation
2298 Young Avenue
Memphis, TN 38104
Questions may be addressed to: sutton_cydc at bellsouth.net. You may expect
a response within two business days of your inquiry. Application
deadline: August 29, 2008 by 4:30pm.



Jeri Parish
Advertising Manager
Planning Magazine
312-786-6704
Fax: 312-431-9985
jparish at planning.org



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