2-NIS Technical Assistance.pdf

Revised 12/12/2025

CITY OF DETROIT

OFFICE OF CONTRACTING AND PROCUREMENT

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE

NIS NO. 548719

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE GRANTS

MANAGEMENT

Buyer: Chris Jones

EVENT / ACTIVITY DUE DATE / TIME

ADVERTISEMENT DATE 10/1/2026

SUBMISSION DUE DATE * 10/8/2026 @ 3:00PM EST

All responses must be submitted online in the Supplier Portal. Late or phoned/emailed responses will not be accepted.

* Respondents must register in EUNA Bonfire to download bid documents and submit bids. The City cannot guarantee the accuracy of any bid documents obtained from outside of EUNA, and bids submitted outside of EUNA Bonfire will not be accepted. Detailed resources about registering and bidding, including video tutorials and live, virtual office hours, are available at www.detroitmi.gov/suppliersupport.

Questions about the specifics of this RFP must be asked within the EUNA Bonfire Messages interface for the bid on or before the date and time indicated above. Questions asked via phone, email, and/or other means will not be answered.

Proposals must be uploaded in EUNA Bonfire on or prior to the date and time indicated above.

Late and/or emailed proposals will not be accepted.

http://www.detroitmi.gov/suppliersupport

1.1. NOTICE

The City of Detroit Office of Contracting and Procurement hereby announces its intent to enter into a sole source contract in accordance with Detroit City Code Sections 17-5-2(g) and 17- 5-154, only one source of supply is available.

1.2. JUSTIFICATION OF SOLE SOURCE PROCUREMENT

This is a unique service for Technical Assistance for the Grants Management. Services associated with the Housing and Revitalization Department.

1.3. DESCRIPTION OF PURCHASE

The primary purpose of this contract is to assist HRD in its overall grants management of HUD-funded programs, including, but not limited to, program design and development, assist with creating efficient systems for long- and short-term compliance and monitoring of projects, and provide technical assistance as needed. This includes equipping HRD staff with the knowledge, skills, and tools to address complex housing and community development challenges and systems to implement HUD programs and policies successfully and provide effective administrative and managerial oversight of HUD Funding.

Technical Assistance Based on requests from HRD, the Contractor will initiate direct technical assistance using mutually agreed upon task orders that will include clear deliverables and deadlines.

The Technical Assistance Contractor shall develop task orders in accordance with the following:

1. Task Order Development:

a. Upon request from HRD, the Contractor shall develop a detailed task order for each de-liverable ("Task Order").

b. Each Task Order shall outline:

i. The tasks to be performed and by who, including an estimate of the hours listed by consultant

ii. The responsibilities of both Contractor and HRD

iii. Proposed timeline for completion.

c. The Task Order shall be subject to approval by an assigned representative from the Con-tractor and by the HRD Director ("Director").

d. Task Orders shall be open to amendment as necessary to accommodate changes in project scope or requirements. Any amendments to the Task Order must be approved in writing by both parties.

2. Content of Task Orders:

a. Each Task Order shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

i) Detailed approach and description of tasks to be performed by Contractor.

ii) Description of tasks to be performed by HRD, if any (i.e. reviews, signoffs, meetings).

iii) Proposed timeline for completion of each task.

iv) Identification of personnel from Contractor who will be assigned to each task.

v) Hourly rate for each personnel assigned to the task.

vi) Estimated number of hours required to complete each task.

vii) Final deliverables

3. Task Order Approval Process:

a. Contractor shall submit each Task Order to Client for review and approval.

b. Client shall review the Task Order and provide written approval within 10 business days of receipt.

c. Upon approval by Client, Contractor's assigned representative and Client's

Director shall sign the Task Order to signify acceptance.

4. Task Order Amendments:

a. Any proposed amendments to the Task Orders shall be submitted in writing to the other party.

b. Amendments shall be subject to the same approval process outlined for task orders.

5. Task Order for General Inquiries

a. Upon completion of the Initial Needs Assessment, the Client and Contractor will enter in-to a task order for general inquiries related to its HUD funded programs.

b. General inquires may include but are not limited to:

i. Brief phone or virtual meetings with HUD related questions from the client

ii. Response to Client emails related to work not already included in a Task order

iii. Research on HUD program related topics resulting in less than 5 billing hours from the Contractor (i.e. questions about eligibility).

iv. Other tasks as approved by the Client

Technical Assistance deliverables include but are not limited to the following:

1. Review the City’s overall grants management process and provide recommendations and technical assistance to improve compliance and enhance the overall process. This should include how the department can efficiently and effectively ensure compliance with federal funding regulations at every step of the process, from grant awards to selection of partners and procurement of vendors, to grant closeout. It should also address how the system will continue to operate efficiently during events such as staff turnover.

2. Enhance subrecipient selection, oversight and management and monitoring processes.

3. Assist the City with matters related to the Detroit HUD Field Office, and HUD

Headquarters (CPD, PIH, OLHCHH, and others) when needed.

4. Assistance with the design of new programs that align with national best practices, including performing needs assessments and analyzing local data as needed to make recommendations, and ensuring the program meets HUD program regulations (eligibility) found in the federal register, grant agreements, Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO), etc.

5. Make recommendations for modifications to existing programs that align with national best practices and that align with HUD program regulations (eligibility) and local needs (streamlining processes).

6. Develop written tools and products (i.e. policies and procedures), this may include review existing policies and procedures and providing recommended revisions.

7. Deliver remote training to HRD staff (est. 250+ staff) and its program partners on various program regulations and cross cutting regulations (i.e. 2 CFR 200).

8. Review HRD written agreements and contracts to ensure they meet HUD regulations.

9. Review program/project files connected with HUD-funded projects to confirm program eligibility.

10. Assist HRD with any unresolved HUD or Single Audit findings related to HUD-funded programs

11. Meeting with departmental staff to assess any other program concerns and assisting with resolutions

12. Assistance with cross cutting federal regulations (Federal Labor Standards, Financial Management, Procurement, Relocation, Section 3, Environmental Review, Conflict of Interest, etc.)

The Technical Assistance Contractor shall achieve process improvements in the following areas:

1. Program Design

a. Ensure Programs are designed to ensure HRD is using its HUD funding to deliver outcome-based programs

b. Ensure HRD understands the best way to manage and oversee its HUD-funded pro-grams

c. Ensure Programs are aligned with national best practices and local needs

2. Timely Expenditure of all HUD funds

a. Ensure HRD is spending its funding timely, and meeting or exceeding expenditure requirements in place by HUD such as the annual CDBG timeliness test

3. Compliance

a. Ensure staff are well-versed in federal regulations, including cross-cutting regulations, through tools and trainings, and the department has a streamlined process and procedures for on-boarding and training new staff

b. Reduce the amount of audit findings (both from HUD and the City’s Single Audit) related to HUD-funded programs through efficient and effective Policies and Proce-dures that ensure program and regulatory compliance throughout the Department, its partners, contractors, subrecipients and other City departments where applicable.

c. Improve Subrecipient Selection Process, Oversight and Management, Monitoring, and Award Close-out

d. Assist with cross-departmental needs related to HUD-funded programs and the overall grants management system as needed.

1.4. INTENDED SOURCE:

VENDOR NAME: Gate House Strategies LLC VENDOR ADDRESS: 5834 North Kings Highway, #4627 Alexandria VA 22303

1.5. INTENDED CONTRACT:

TERM: 1 Year

TOTAL VALUE: $42,500.00

1.6. RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS:

This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, any interested party that believes it can meet the requirement described herein may identify themselves and must provide evidence of their capability to fulfill the requirement being requested. Responses must be supported with clear and convincing evidence to clearly be able to provide the services outlined in this notice.

All responses received in writing within seven business days after date of publication of this notice (see deadline above) will be considered by the City of Detroit. A determination by the City of Detroit not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the City of Detroit. Information received will be considered solely for determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement.

1.7. MODIFICATION OF SERVICES AFTER CONTRACT APPROVAL

The City reserves the right to modify the services provided by the awardee. Any modification and resulting changes in pricing shall be made by amendment to the contract by the awardee and the City.

1.8. NEWS RELEASE

News releases pertaining to these proposal specifications or the provisions to which they relate shall not be made without prior approval of the City and then only in coordination with the City.

1.9. MISCELLANEOUS

It shall be the responsibility of the Respondent to thoroughly familiarize themselves with the provisions of these specifications

The Respondent agrees to abide by the rules and regulations as prescribed herein by the City as the same now exists or may hereafter from time to time be changed in writing.

1.10. OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

1.10.1. In accordance with Section 2-106.6 of the City Charter, this Contract shall be voidable or rescindable at the discretion of the Mayor or Inspector General at any time if a Public Servant who is a party to the Contract has an interest in the Contract and fails to disclose such interest.

1.10.2. This Contract shall also be voidable or rescindable if a lobbyist or employee of the contracting party offers a prohibited gift, gratuity, honoraria or payment to a Public Servant in relation to the Contract.

1.10.3. A fine shall be assessed to the Contractor in the event of a violation of Section 2-106.6 of the

City Charter. If applicable, the actions of the Contractor, and its representative lobbyist or employee, shall be referred to the appropriate prosecuting authorities.

1.10.4. Pursuant to Section 7.5-306 of the City Charter, the Inspector General shall investigate any

Public Servant, City agency, program or official act, contractor and subcontractor providing goods and services to the City, business entity seeking contracts or certification of eligibility for City contracts and person seeking certification of eligibility for participation in any City program, either in response to a complaint or on the Inspector General’s own initiative in order to detect and prevent waste, abuse, fraud and corruption.

1.10.5. In accordance with Section 7.5-310 of the City Charter, it shall be the duty of every Public

Servant, contractor, subcontractor, and licensee of the City, and every applicant for certification of eligibility for a City contract or program, to cooperate with the Inspector General in any investigation pursuant to Article 7.5, Chapter 3 of the City Charter.

1.10.6. Any Public Servant who willfully and without justification or excuse obstructs an investigation of the Inspector General by withholding documents or testimony, is subject to forfeiture of office, discipline, debarment or any other applicable penalty.

1.10.7. As set forth in Section 7.5-308 of the City Charter, the Inspector General has a duty to report illegal acts. If the Inspector General has probable cause to believe that any Public Servant or any person doing or seeking to do business with the City has committed or is committing an illegal act, then the Inspector General shall promptly refer the matter to the appropriate prosecuting authorities.

For purposes of this Article: “Public Servant” means the Mayor, members of City Council, City Clerk, appointive officers, any member of a board, commission or other voting body established by either branch of City government or the City Charter, and any appointee, employee or individual who provides services to the City within or outside of its offices or facilities pursuant to a personal services contract.

1.11. QUESTION DEADLINE

All questions regarding the Notice of Intent shall be submitted through the Supplier Portal no later than the time and date specified in the solicitation. In the interest of transparency, only written questions will be accepted. Answers to questions will be posted within the Supplier Portal.

The City of Detroit does not guarantee a response to questions submitted after the question deadline.

Should a Respondent be in doubt as to the true meaning of any portion of this Notice of Intent or find any patent ambiguity, inconsistency, or omission herein, the Respondent must make a written request for an official interpretation or correction in accordance with the instructions for submitting questions as specified in this notice.

Respondents are advised that no oral interpretation, information or instruction by an officer or employee of the City of Detroit shall be binding upon the City of Detroit.

Respondents requesting changes to the notice terms and conditions, specifications, quantities, etc.;

or if clarifications are needed, must make the request in writing by the stated bid submission deadline.