274-HCD-FY26-2.pdf

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Request for Proposals #274-HCD-FY26-2

Title: Duplex Village Redevelopment

Issue Date: July 23, 2025

Due Date: October 17, 2025 no later than 5:00PM EST

*LATE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED*

Issuing Department:

Housing and Community Development

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Angelina Blackmon Public-Private Partnerships Coordinator

Email: Angelina.Blackmon@raleighnc.gov mailto:Christopher.Valenzuela@raleighnc.gov

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2

1.1 PURPOSE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2

1.2 COMMUNITY BACKGROUND AND FUTURE GROWTH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2

2 SUBJECT PROPERTIES OVERVIEW & PROJECT REQUIREMENTS ------------------------------------------------------- 4

2.1 ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5

2.2 DEVELOPER RESPONSIBILITY ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6

2.3 DEVELOPMENT EXPECTATIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6

2.4 AFFORDABILITY CONDITIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7

2.5 AVAILABLE CITY FINANCING -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8

3 SUBMITTED PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9

3.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS REQUIRED FORMAT ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9

3.2 ADDITIONAL REQUIRED RFP DOCUMENTS AND FORMS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12

4 PROPOSAL EVALUATION --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13

4.1 PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA (STAGE 1) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 13

4.2 INTERVIEW/DEMONSTRATION (STAGE 2) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14

4.3 FINAL SELECTION -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14

4.4 NOTICE TO PROPOSERS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS ----------------------------------------------------------- 14

4.5 EMERGING DEVELOPER PARTNERSHIP BONUS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14

5 PROCESS OVERVIEW & RFP TIMELINE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 16

5.1 PROCESS OVERVIEW --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16

5.2 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) TIMELINE --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16

5.3 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17

5.4 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 17

5.5 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND CONTACT INFORMATION -------------------------------------------------------- 18

5.7 RIGHTS TO SUBMITTED MATERIAL ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19

5.8 COMMUNICATIONS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19

5.9 LOBBYING ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 19

5.10 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20

5.11 PROPOSER EXPENSES ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21

5.12 PROPOSER ACCEPTANCE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21

APPENDIX I – PROPOSER QUESTIONNAIRE ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 APPENDIX II – REFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE (INSTRUCTIONS) ----------------------------------------------------------- 23 APPENDIX III – REFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24 APPENDIX IV – EXCEPTIONS TO THE RFP ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose

The City of Raleigh (the “City”) is soliciting proposals from nonprofit and for-profit developers for the development of affordable rental housing on a cluster of City-owned sites totaling approximately 3.91 acres (the “Subject Properties”), formerly known as Duplex Village, to be made available via long-term ground lease. The City encourages creative proposals and is looking to developers for innovative ideas that maximize the potential of this site.

These City-owned parcels present a unique opportunity for the City to create affordable housing along the New Bern Avenue corridor. The intent of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to select a developer that will deliver a high-quality affordable housing product to serve the surrounding community.

An overview of the subject properties and project requirements are provided in Section 2 of this document.

All information related to this solicitation, including any addenda, will be posted to the North Carolina electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) at https://evp.nc.gov/.

All questions related to this solicitation must be submitted in writing (via email) to the following individual:

Contact Name Email Address Angelina Blackmon Angelina.Blackmon@raleighnc.gov

Questions submitted via telephone will not be answered.

1.2 Community Background and Future Growth

The Raleigh Community The City of Raleigh, the Capital City of North Carolina, remains one of the fastest growing areas in the country. A great economy, top educational institutions, and exceptional health care facilities are some of the characteristics that attract people to the triangle area. The mild climate, diverse work force and proximity to Research Triangle Park combine to make Raleigh a great place to live.

Raleigh is a 21st Century City of Innovation focusing on environmental, cultural, and economic sustainability. The City conserves and protects our environmental resources through best practice and cutting-edge conservation and stewardship, land use, infrastructure and building technologies. The City welcomes growth and diversity through policies and programs that will protect and enhance Raleigh’s existing neighborhoods, natural amenities, history, and cultural and human resources for future generations. The City leads to improve quality of life for neighborhoods and standard of living for all citizens.

https://evp.nc.gov/ mailto:Angelina.Blackmon@raleighnc.gov

The City works with universities, colleges, citizens, and local partners to promote new technology, create new job opportunities, and encourage local businesses and entrepreneurs. The City enlists and prepares 21st Century staff with the skill sets to carry out the duties of the City through transparent civic engagement and by providing the very best customer service to our citizens.

The Duplex Village Surrounding Area The former Duplex Village redevelopment site is well-positioned along Raleigh’s evolving New Bern Avenue corridor. Communities surrounding New Bern Avenue have rich histories, with much of the development dating back to the 1940s. Post-World War II population growth and diversification was supported by the development of WakeMed Hospital’s campus located just under two miles from the site.

Today, the area around New Bern Avenue is receiving increased development activity and attention, as a result of general population growth downtown and strategic planning and revitalization efforts initiated by the City. For example, the City has passed multi-site upzoning approvals along the corridor, increased public-private partnerships to develop city-owned land, and has focused on more sustainable and equitable frequent-transit to support the growth of access to vibrant mixed-use area centers. The City’s 2030 Comprehensive Plan as well as the conducted and published New Bern Avenue Corridor Study (2012) and the New Bern Avenue Station Area Plan (2021) can be reviewed to learn more about the surrounding communities development past, present, and future outlook.

The former Duplex Village site has prime frontage along the planned Eastern Wake Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route, which will be the first of four BRT corridors to be constructed.

The Eastern BRT corridor is approximately five miles in length and connects two of the city’s largest employment hubs, Downtown Raleigh and WakeMed, with frequent and reliable transit. The BRT will also have several distinguishing features, such as dedicated travel lanes, enhanced stations, off-board fare collections, frequent on-time service and enhanced connections to Raleigh’s existing network of public transportation. This redevelopment site is located less than 0.5 miles from a planned enhanced BRT station stop, which will ensure convenient, frequent, high-quality transit access for the new residents and visitors alike. The New Bern Ave corridor section of the Wake BRT has planned construction to begin by the end of 2025 and should be completed by Summer of 2029.

To catalyze affordable transit-oriented development along this corridor, the City is actively pursuing the redevelopment of several additional city-owned sites with plans to transform them into vibrant mixed-use enhanced downtown areas with high-intensity commercial, housing, government, institutional, visitor-serving, cultural, and entertainment uses.

These sites include the former DMV headquarters located 1 mile from this Duplex Village site, the Boyer-Waldrop site located 0.7 miles away, and the highly anticipated Moore Square East site located at the center of downtown just 1.7 miles away.

https://raleighnc.gov/planning/services/2030-comprehensive-plan https://raleighnc.gov/planning/services/2030-comprehensive-plan https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR22/NBCSFinalReport.pdf https://cityofraleigh0drupal.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/drupal-prod/COR22/NBCSFinalReport.pdf https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/cdd5670d3746425e95c08e66f8cfae1e https://raleighnc.gov/bus-rapid-transit https://raleighnc.gov/bus-rapid-transit

2 SUBJECT PROPERTIES OVERVIEW & PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

Awarded proposer shall provide an affordable housing development, all as set forth in this RFP and more particularly described in this Section 2.

The site includes an assemblage of six (6) parcels (the “Subject Properties”) with the following addresses and Wake County Real Estate PINs:

Parcel Address Parcel PIN Parcel Acreage 1932 New Bern Avenue PIN 1713586747 0.25 acres 1936 New Bern Avenue PIN 1713587631 2.41 acres 1925 Hawkins Street PIN 1713586600 0.55 acres 118 Russ Street PIN 1713587412 0.17 acres 122 Russ Street PIN 1713586364 0.17 acres 2000 Hawkins Street PIN 1713584278 0.36 acres

Note: 120 Russ Street is currently under private ownership and will not be included in the current assemblage. The development partner selected for this RFP may attempt to purchase the property to complete the assemblage.

2.1 Zoning and Development Review

Per Rezoning Case Z-92-22, the Subject Properties are zoned Residential Mixed-Use Transit Overlay District with Green Plus frontage (RX-5-GP-TOD), which allows for five

(5) stories and 80 feet of height. The RX- designation allows limited retail and services subject to use standards that limit the size and scale to the ground floor corner unit of an apartment building.

The Green Plus frontage (-GP) is intended for areas where it is desirable to locate buildings close to the street, but where parking between the building and street is not permitted. This frontage requires a tree-lined area between the building and the street right-of-way.

The -TOD overlay permits height in stories to be increased by 50% when all the following apply:

• Additional stories are used for principal residential uses

• A number of units equal to at least 20% of the residential units in newly allowed stories are affordable for households earning 60% of the Area Median Income or less for a period of no less than 30 years from the date of issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

More information about the zoning can be found in the following sections of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO):

• Chapter 3, Mixed Use Districts

• Chapter 3, Sec. 3.4.10., Green Plus Frontage (-GP)

• Chapter 5, Sec. 5.5.1., Transit Overlay District (-TOD)

The developer is responsible for understanding what is allowed by the existing zoning and the underlying development regulations of the City’s Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Proposals should utilize the existing zoning of the Subject Properties; the City will not support additional zoning changes. Development of the Subject Properties must be consistent with all existing zoning and building code requirements, including all tree protection and storm water regulations. All proposals should include a site plan including, but not limited to, building elevations, building setback(s), proposed amenities, sidewalks, and landscaping. Please visit the City’s UDO website for more information on zoning classifications at: https://raleighnc.gov/planning/unified-development-ordinance-udo

The City will retain ownership of the development site and lease the land to the developer through a long-term ground lease. As property owner, the City is required to be the applicant for development approvals. However, the developer will be responsible for preparing all information needed for applications and paying all associated fees. The City will serve as the applicant in name only; staff will not represent the project or be responsible for preparing application materials. The developer will be solely responsible for providing all information and completing all work necessary to secure all required approvals to complete the development.

https://raleighnc.gov/planning/unified-development-ordinance-udo

The City of Raleigh has implemented an expedited development review process for affordable housing projects that receive City subsidy. The new process shortens the project review timeline by up to 60 days, relative to other developments with comparable review requirements. The developer will work with City staff to begin the process and will receive guidance through the process with support from the Affordable Housing Projects Advocacy Team skilled in troubleshooting development projects. More details can be found at: https://raleighnc.gov/housing/services/affordable-rental-development

2.2 Developer Responsibility

The developer is responsible for securing construction financing, completing all necessary site planning, installing any infrastructure necessary (including, but not limited to, installation of water and sewer taps, storm drainage, etc.) constructing the development, and marketing and renting all housing units to qualified households within 36 months of the date of execution of the land lease. The developer is required to provide a construction schedule clearly outlining the sequence of activities and resources necessary to complete the project efficiently. This schedule should include all land planning efforts necessary to ensure efficient development of the site.

As described in Section 2.1, the developer is responsible for understanding and complying with the existing zoning and building code requirements of the Subject Properties and for preparing all information needed for development approvals for submission by the City on their behalf. The City will act as a “pass through” applicant for development approvals;

City staff will not be responsible for representing or advocating for the project in the development review process.

The development of this Subject Properties should be consistent with all existing zoning and building code requirements including all tree protection and stormwater regulations.

All proposals should include a site plan comprising but not limited to: building elevations, building setback(s), proposed amenities, sidewalks, and landscaping. The selected developer will be responsible for conducting any necessary surveys and recording plats for the development site.

2.3 Development Expectations and Considerations

The City will leave the mix of uses to the proposers, but all proposals must include a significant affordable housing component. The City would anticipate, consistent with the zoning, that the tallest and highest value uses would be oriented toward New Bern Avenue, and development concepts should seek to activate and address the BRT corridor through both their use programming and architectural design.

Buildings must, at a minimum, meet the applicable state and local building codes and ordinances. Proposers should also be familiar with NCG01 and all other applicable stormwater regulations.

The implementation of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) should be considered for all stormwater treatment before alternative grey infrastructures. Details for stormwater https://raleighnc.gov/housing/services/affordable-rental-development mitigation should be included in the submitted proposal as described in section 3.1.4 of this document. All City-owned land development projects require the completion of a green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) evaluation. The selected developer will work with the City through the required GSI Evaluation process.

Proposers should embrace all possible sustainability measures, to include conservation and protection of environmental resources, green building (LEED standards), use of high-performance building materials and design, water conservation, recycling of construction and residential waste and energy efficiency. Applicants should describe any visibility or aging in place elements that will be incorporated into the design.

Proposers are expected to have examined the Subject Properties to understand existing visible site conditions and to factor all development needs into their proposal. The City will require proposals to address all site needs and land planning including but not limited to:

stormwater mitigation, additional grading, any necessary clearing including tree and stump removal, plantings to stabilize any slopes, replacing extra curb cuts with curb and gutter, and repairing or replacing any adjacent curbs and/or sidewalks to ensure a high-quality development. The developer will be solely responsible for securing any variances that are necessary to completing the development. Any proposed variance applications should be included in the developer’s schedule to purchase and construct the development.

The City reserves the right to require the developer to furnish bonds covering faithful performance and payment of obligations for the development.

The developer (and property manager, if applicable) must comply with the income and rent limits described in Section 2.4.

2.4 Affordability Conditions

Proposals must set aside at least 20% of the total units within the development as affordable units to be rented to low-income households earning no more than 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), adjusted for family size, for the Raleigh, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through a long-term legally binding agreement with an affordability period of no less than 50 years. Any non-affordable units (e.g., market-rate units) within the development will not be subject to any affordability requirements (e.g., income limits, rent limits, affordability period).

Additionally, a minimum of one (1) unit and up to 10% of units should be set aside for City of Raleigh referrals. A project may propose additional units be set-aside for people with disabilities or experiencing homelessness, however, no more than 30% of the total units can be restricted to these populations.

Household income limits, income verification, and rent limits for the affordable units must be reviewed and approved prior to initial occupancy (and upon subsequent lease renewals for rental units) by the City Housing and Neighborhoods staff.

Current income limits by income level (AMI percentage) and household size can be found here: HUD Income and Rent Limits | Raleighnc.gov

Illustrative Strategies to Maximize Affordability

This solicitation encourages innovation to maximize affordability through redevelopment.

Below are development strategies that may be helpful to Proposers as they consider opportunities to generate affordable housing. While the City would consider proposals utilizing any of the strategies outlined below, the examples are not intended to be limiting.

• Shared infrastructure between market-rate and affordable buildings (such as parking and elevators) could reduce the cost basis of the affordable units.

• The 2000 Hawkins St parcel has been added to this solicitation in hopes to decrease the land area utilized for surface parking on the contiguous lot fronting New Bern Avenue. Utilizing 2000 Hawkins St as a satellite parking lot could assist the developer in yielding the required one-to-one surface parking requirements for additional funding applications such as North Carolina Housing Financing Agency (NCHFA) funding.

2.5 Available City Financing

The City is making available gap financing up to $2,880,000 to support affordable housing units in the project. The subsidy may be used for construction-to-permanent gap financing to support the construction of the affordable units on the site. Proposals seeking City gap financing exceeding the $2,880,000 maximum must submit that request as an Exception in Appendix V and explain why the additional City subsidy is needed.

https://raleighnc.gov/housing/services/homebuyer-assistance/hud-income-and-rent-limits

3 SUBMITTED PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Submitted proposals must follow the format outlined below. The City may reject as non-responsive at its sole discretion any proposal that does not provide complete and/or adequate responses or departs in any substantial way from the required format.

The City of Raleigh reserves the right to request additional information after submittal as may be necessary to adequately assess each response.

3.1 Request for Proposals Required Format

Responses should be divided into separate sections, as follows:

3.1.1: Cover Letter

Briefly describe the proposed project, population to be served, income targeting, and the proposed terms of funding requested (i.e., dollar amount, interest rate, loan term, etc.)

long-term land lease from the City.

3.1.2: Team/Firm Background, Experience and Certifications Include background information on the development and management team and provide detailed information regarding the proposed legal structure of the team (e.g., joint venture, partnership, etc.).

• Provide detailed information regarding the proposed legal structure of the team (e.g., joint venture, partnership, etc.) and the basic entity information to include:

o Articles of Incorporation o By Laws o A 501(c)3 Determination Letter (if applicable) o Submit a list of board members o Submit a resolution or copies of the minutes from board meeting during which submittal of the RFP application to the City was approved.

• Provide a project-specific firm chart which clearly illustrates the roles, responsibilities, and the reporting relationships of each team member (i.e., engineer, architect, property manager, nonprofit partner, etc.)

o including a list of previous projects in the last five (5) years with current vacancy rates should be included. Include sizes and dates completed.

o Submit letters of support from other agencies and funding sources with whom you intend to collaborate, if possible o If applying with the Emerging Developer bonus points, please include a description of the experienced developer/consultant’s development qualifications.

o Documented partnership between emerging developer and experienced developer and/or consultant (if applicable).

3.1.3: Project Summary/Concept Description Provide a comprehensive narrative, outline, and/or graphic demonstrating the team's understanding of the project to include a description of the proposed development concept, highlighting the features that would provide unique assets to the surrounding neighborhood. The description should clearly state the following:

• Identify the total square footage and unit count of the development.

• Include the number and bedroom mix of affordable housing units, what household income level (as percentage of AMI) will be addressed and in what quantity.

Indicate the intent to seek 4% or 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and any City and/or County gap financing, if needed. Reminder, any City gap financing requests above the maximum amount stated in Section 2.5 must be addressed in Appendix V.

• Include the expected square footage of each proposed use (e.g., market-rate residential, retail, etc.)

• Describe how this concept will complement the planned BRT corridor.

• Describe how the concept will complement the surrounding built environment, neighborhoods, and businesses.

• Describe how this development concept will incorporate and respond to an identified community priority, including green space needs, requests for a community garden, walking paths, a play area for children, and shaded seating.

• Include project implementation timeline broken out by key development phases (i.e., pre-development, construction stage, certificate of occupancy, lease up, etc.)

• (Optional) Describe any notable project risks and mitigation strategies that the Evaluation Committee should be aware of.

3.1.4: Design Proposal This section must include the detailed design and construction standards that will be used to realize the proposed concept. Please include the following:

• Detailed written description of the proposed project design

• Preliminary elevations and site plan

• Renderings of building/site or perspective drawings.

• Include plan details showing green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) locations and rough sizing. Please include a brief narrative of the unique GSI benefits offered by the project in the overall project design description. These details can be used in the required GSI evaluation as described in Section 2.3 (Development Expectations and Considerations), should the developer be selected.

3.1.5: Overview of Financial Strategy and Pro Forma This section must show the financial plan for the project. Make sure to highlight the following:

• Provide a detailed pro forma. Please use the City Rental Development pro forma which can be found posted on the City of Raleigh’s Community Development website under this RFP funding notice .

• Show all funding sources, include any City gap financing request with loan terms as well as other anticipated sources. Clearly identify if sources are already secured or an assumption.

3.1.6: Developer Financial Information Review and provide one of the following three (3) financial statement options:

1. Recent audited or reviewed financial statements prepared by an independent certified public accountant (CPA) that shall include, at a minimum, a balance sheet, income statement (i.e., profit/loss statement) and cash flow statement and, if the audited or reviewed financial statements were prepared more than six (6) months prior to the issuance of this RFP, the Proposer shall submit its most recent internal financial statements (balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement or budget with entries reflecting revenues and expenditures from the date of the audited or reviewed financial statements to the end of the most recent financial reporting period (i.e., the quarter or month preceding the issuance date of this RFP)).

OR

2. Recent compiled financial statements prepared by an independent CPA that shall include, at a minimum, a balance sheet, income statement (i.e., profit/loss statement) and cash flow statement and, if the compiled financial statements were prepared more than three (3) months prior to the issuance of this RFP, the Proposer shall submit its most recent internal financial statements (balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement or budget with entries reflecting revenues and expenditures to date), and other evidence of financial stability such as most recently filed income tax return, evidence of a line of credit/loans/other type of financing with statement of amount in use/outstanding balance (e.g., a complete copy commitment letter, loan agreement, billing statement reflecting the line of credit or statement from lender acknowledging the commitment to fund the Proposer’s stated financing), personal guaranty with copies of personal income tax filing and statement of net worth or such other evidence that is accurate, reliable and trustworthy regarding the Proposer’s financial stability.

OR

3. Include a certified, signed statement from a licensed CPA regularly engaged in the review of the firm’s financial information verifying the financial viability of the firm.

All financial information, statements and/or documents provided in response to this solicitation shall be kept confidential provided that EACH PAGE is marked as follows:

https://raleighnc.gov/grants-funding-and-relief/services/community-development-funding-opportunities https://raleighnc.gov/grants-funding-and-relief/services/community-development-funding-opportunities

“CONFIDENTIAL – DO NOT DISCLOSE EXCEPT FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF

PROPOSAL EVALUATION.“

“Recent” shall be defined as financial statements that were prepared within the 12 months preceding the issuance date of this RFP.

Consolidated financial statements of the Proposer’s parent or related corporation/business entity shall not be considered, unless: (1) the Proposer’s actual financial performance for the designated period is separately identified in and/or attached to the consolidated statements, (2) the parent or related corporation/business entity provides the State with a document wherein the parent or related corporation/business entity will be financially responsible for the Proposer’s performance of the contract and the consolidated statement demonstrates the parent or related corporation’s/business entity’s financial ability to perform the contract, financial stability and/or such other financial considerations identified in the evaluation criteria; and/or (3) Proposer provides its own internally prepared financial statements and such other evidence of its own financial stability identified above.

The firm’s failure to provide any of the above-referenced financial statements may result in the proposal being removed from consideration. Proposers are also encouraged to explain any negative financial information, and to provide documentation supporting those explanations and demonstrating the financial strength of the firm.

3.2 Additional Required RFP Documents and Forms

In addition to the required base RFP documentation listed in section 2.1, all listed attachments and addenda for this RFP will need to be included in the proposal submission.

Submit a signed copy of issued RFP Addendum(s), which will be posted on the

City website and eVP portal Appendix I – Proposer Questionnaire Appendix II –Reference Questionnaire (at least 3 references) Appendix IV – Exceptions to the RFP

4 PROPOSAL EVALUATION

4.1 Proposal Evaluation Criteria (Stage 1)

The Proposals received in response to this RFP will be evaluated and ranked, by the Proposal Evaluation Committee in accordance with the process and evaluation criteria contained below. Responses will be evaluated in light of the material and substantiating evidence presented in the response, and not on the basis of what is inferred. After thoroughly reading and reviewing this RFP, each Evaluation committee member shall conduct his or her independent evaluation of the proposals received and grade the responses on their merit in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in the following table.

Development Team Experience Weighted Score

Demonstration of Team Development Experience 20

Demonstration of Team Capacity 10

Emerging Development Team (Bonus if Applicable, see details in section 4.5) (15)

Project Viability & Financial Feasibility

Project complexity, cost reasonableness and risk management 10

City subsidy request and other funding commitments

Alignment with City Goals

Maximize project density 10

Maximize affordable units 15

Depth of affordability 15

Design creativity incorporates community feedback (see Section 3.1.3) 10

Total Score (without Demonstrations) 100

Interview/Demonstration (if applicable) (1-5 pts)

Final Score (with Interview/Demonstrations)

4.2 Interview/Demonstration (Stage 2)

A short-list of firms may be invited to Stage 2, Interview/Demonstration, step of the evaluation process. Interview/demonstrations are an important aspect of the evaluation process that offers the City an opportunity to see how the proposer’s solution meets the critical components of the RFP.

The maximum interview/demonstration points a Proposer can receive is five (5) points.

The Proposers selected for interviews/demonstrations under this section will be notified in writing of the date and time. The Proposers’ interview/demonstrations shall be based solely upon information provided in each Proposer’s original proposal. No new information may be presented.

4.3 Final Selection

Proposals will be evaluated and ranked according to the criteria and weighted values set forth in Section 4.1. Either a final selection for recommendation will be made at this time or the short-list of firms will be invited to participate in Stage 2 of the evaluation process.

If Stage 2 is implemented, each firm will be evaluated and assigned a score to determine the best firm for recommendation.

Following along the process overview detailed in Section 5 of this RFP, negotiations of a contract with the most qualified firm will commence. If negotiations are unsuccessful, the City will then pursue negotiations with the next most qualified firm. All Proposers will be notified of their standing immediately following the City’s decision.

The City shall not be bound or in any way obligated until both parties have executed a contract. The City also reserves the right to delay the award of a contract or to not award a contract.

4.4 Notice to Proposers Regarding RFP Terms and Conditions

It shall be the Proposer’s responsibility to read the Instructions, the City’s Standard Contract Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits, attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Proposers are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.

4.5 Emerging Developer Partnership Bonus

To support technical assistance and capacity building for emerging affordable housing developers, the City is including bonus points for partnerships between experienced and emerging developers in this RFP. Applications that include an emerging developer as part of the Development Team will receive fifteen (15) bonus points if they meet the following criteria:

• An “emerging developer” is defined as a for-profit or nonprofit development firm that has not previously developed affordable housing, received a gap financing award from the City of Raleigh for an affordable housing project and/or has not previously participated in a City-sponsored affordable housing development project.

• If an emerging developer is the principal on the Development Team, documentation of an established partnership with an experienced affordable housing developer and/or development consultant must be included in the application to show that appropriate guidance and technical assistance will be provided to ensure success of the proposed project.

• The experienced housing developer and/or development consultant must be approved by City of Raleigh. Relevant experience may include affordable housing development, infill development within the City of Raleigh, ownership and operation of permanent supportive housing, etc.

• If an emerging developer is not the principal (e.g., serving as co-developer or apprentice to an experienced affordable housing developer), documentation must be included in the application to demonstrate the technical assistance and capacity building value the emerging developer will receive as part of the partnership.

5 PROCESS OVERVIEW & RFP TIMELINE

5.1 Process Overview

This is not a bid and there will not be a public opening.

The Proposals received will be evaluated and ranked by a City review committee in accordance with the process and evaluation criteria contained here. Proposals will be evaluated based on the material and substantiating evidence presented in the Proposal, and not on the basis of what is inferred.

While the scoring criteria described in this section are intended to help inform the City’s selection of a Proposal, the City reserves the right to select the best overall proposal when measured against the City’s strategic policy priorities, including but not limited to the City’s Strategic Plan, Comprehensive Plan, and any redevelopment plans adopted by the City Council. The City reserves the right to reject any or all responses to this

RFP.

The top-ranking development teams could be invited for one or more formal interviews to discuss details of their proposal (if necessary). A final selection for recommendation will be made by the review committee after each Proposal is evaluated and assigned a score.

After negotiations, the City’s staff review committee will recommend the selected Proposal to the Raleigh City Council for approval along with details of the ground lease and gap financing loan terms. City Council will review and issue the final approval of City’s staff selected development proposal including ground lease and financing loan terms.

If negotiations are unsuccessful, the City may pursue negotiations with the next most qualified firm. All Proposers will be notified of their standing immediately following the City’s decision. The City reserves the right to change this process, and the timing of any step, based on its needs and on the responses to the RFP.

5.2 Request for Proposal (RFP) Timeline

Provided below is a list of the anticipated schedule of events related to this solicitation.

The City of Raleigh reserves the right to modify and/or adjust the following schedule to meet the needs of the service. All times shown are Eastern Time (EST):

RFP Process Date and Time

RFP Advertisement Date

July 23, 2025

Pre-Proposal Conference (Non-Mandatory)

August 11, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. EST

5.3 Pre-Proposal Conference

The City of Raleigh will conduct a virtual-only Pre-Proposal Conference, and attendance by prospective proposers is strongly encouraged but is not mandatory. Prospective Proposers are encouraged to submit written questions in advance.

The date and time of the Pre-Proposal Conference is shown above in the RFP Timeline (Section 5.2). The event will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams, using the following login information:

JOIN ONLINE JOIN BY PHONE

Join the meeting now Meeting ID:238 626 402 623 7 Passcode: ki2Zv2zv

+1 919-561-6523,,982967437# Find a local number Phone conference ID: 982 967 437#

5.4 Proposal Questions

Requests for clarification and questions to this RFP must be received by the City not later than the date shown above in the RFP Timeline (Section 5.2) for the submittal of written inquires. The firm’s failure to request clarification and submit questions by the date in the RFP Timeline above shall be considered to constitute the firm’s acceptance of all City’s terms and conditions and requirements. The City shall issue addenda reflecting questions and answers to this RFP, if any, and shall be posted to North Carolina electronic Vendor Portal (eVP). No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any City personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Proposers can only rely on written material contained in an Addendum to this RFP.

Deadline for Written Questions August 20, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. EST

City Response to Questions (anticipated)

August 29, 2025

Proposal Due Date and Time

October 17, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. EST

Interviews (if required)

November 3, 2025 – November 14, 2025

Selection Notification (tentative)

November 26, 2025 https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MTI5ZjVjNDUtZjI1OS00YzRlLWIzYWYtMDViYzMxMGEwYjNi%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22f03ae146-d945-4924-95c0-7b661c30ddbb%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%224653d0d0-5b34-41e9-8853-5a98c49f877f%22%7d https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/207321d7-89d9-4ed3-8e01-d777df283d8f?id=982967437

It is important that all Proposers submitting to this RFP periodically check eVP for any Addenda. It is the Proposers responsibility to ensure that all addenda have been reviewed and, if required signed and returned.

All questions related to this solicitation must be submitted in writing (via email) to the following individual:

Contact Name Email Address Angelina Blackmon Angelina.Blackmon@raleighnc.gov

Questions submitted via telephone will not be answered.

5.5 Proposal Submission Requirements and Contact Information

The preferred method is to submit proposals electronically as a viewable and printable Adobe Portable Document File (PDF) by email to Angelina.Blackmon@raleighnc.gov.

The PDF electronic version must be received by the City on or before the RFP due date and time provided.

Proposers must submit: one (1) electronic version of the signed proposal.

Proposals must follow the format as defined in Section 3 (SUBMITTED PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS), and emailed to the following City staff representative with the subject line as described below :

DELIVERED BY E-MAIL

Angelina.Blackmon@raleighnc.gov

Subject: Firm Name – Duplex Village Redevelopment

RFP No. #274-HCD-FY26-2

If you cannot submit your proposal electronically by email, then you may deliver the proposal by hand, or by US Postal Service Mail, or by other delivery services to the contact listed below.

DELIVERED BY USPS or Other Delivery Method

City of Raleigh

ATTN: Angelina Blackmon

421 Fayetteville Street, Suite 1200 Raleigh, NC 27610 RFP Title: Duplex Village Redevelopment

RFP No. #274-HCD-FY26-2

Proposals must be enclosed in an envelope or package and clearly marked with the name of the submitting company, the RFP number, and title. Proposers must submit:

A. One (1) signed original

B. Two (2) copies of the signed proposal

If the firm elects to mail in its proposal, it is the responsibility of the firm to allow sufficient time to ensure the City’s proper receipt of the package by the RFP due date and time. Proposers must respond to the entire Request for Proposals (RFP). Any incomplete proposal may be eliminated from competition at the discretion of the City of Raleigh. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals for any reason and to waive any informality it deems in the best interest.

Proposals that arrive after the due date and time will not be accepted or considered for any reason whatsoever.

5.7 Rights to Submitted Material

All proposals and supporting materials, as well as correspondence relating to this RFP, shall become the property of the City. The content of all submittals will be held confidential until the selection of the firm is made. Proposals will be reviewed by the Evaluation Team, as well as other City staff and members of the general public who submit public record requests. Any proprietary data must be clearly marked. In submitting a Proposal, each Prospective Proposer agrees that the City may reveal any trade secret materials contained in such response to all City staff and City officials involved in the selection process and to any outside consultant or other third party who serves on the Evaluation Team or who is hired by the City to assist in the selection process.

The City reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and to use any ideas in a proposal regardless of whether that proposal is selected. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the proposer of the conditions contained in this Request for Proposals. Proposals marked entirely as “confidential”, “proprietary”, or “trade secret” will be considered non-responsive and will be removed from the evaluation process.

5.8 Communications

All communications of any nature regarding this RFP with any City staff, elected City officials, evaluation committee members, are strictly forbidden from the time the solicitation is publicly posted until award. Questions must be submitted in writing to the individual designated in Section 1.1 (Purpose), prior to the deadline provided in the RFP Timeline (Section 5.2). Violation of this provision may result in the firm’s proposal being removed from consideration.

5.9 Lobbying

By responding to this RFP, the firm certifies that is has not and will not pay any person or firm to influence or attempt to influence an officer or employee of the City or the State of North Carolina, or any elected official in connection with obtaining a contract as a result of this RFP.

5.10 Conflicts of Interest

City of Raleigh contracts are controlled by three conflict of interest provisions.

First, federal procurement standards provide in 2 CFR 200.318 (c)(1), No employee, officer, or agent may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by a Federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or a firm which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from a firm considered for a contract. The officers, employees, and agents of the non-Federal entity may neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from contractors or parties to subcontracts.

Similarly, the North Carolina General Statutes provides a criminal statute for conflicts of interest in public contracting. N.C.G.S. § 14-234(a):

(1) No public officer or employee who is involved in making or administering a contract on behalf of a public agency may derive a direct benefit from the contract except as provided in this section, or as otherwise allowed by law. (2) A public officer or employee who will derive a direct benefit from a contract with the public agency he or she serves, but who is not involved in making or administering the contract, shall not attempt to influence any other person who is involved in making or administering the contract. (3) No public officer or employee may solicit or receive any gift, favor, reward, service, or promise of reward, including a promise of future employment, in exchange for recommending, influencing, or attempting to influence the award of a contract by the public agency he or she serves.

City of Raleigh Charter Section 3.9 regulates private transactions between the City and its officials and employees. The Charter states:

No member of the City Council, official, or employee of the City of Raleigh shall be financially interested, or have any personal beneficial interest, either directly or indirectly, as agent, representative, or otherwise, in the purchase of, or contract for, or in furnishing any materials, equipment or supplies to the City of Raleigh, nor shall any official or employee of the City of Raleigh accept or receive, or agree to accept or receive, directly or indirectly, from any person, firm or corporation to whom any contract may be awarded or from whom any materials, equipment or supplies may be purchased by the City of Raleigh, by rebate, gift, or otherwise, any money or anything of value whatsoever, or any promise, obligation or contract for future reward or compensation, for recommending or procuring the uses of any such materials, equipment or supplies by the City of Raleigh; no member of the City Council, official or employee of the City of Raleigh shall for his own personal benefit operate, directly or indirectly, any concession in any building or on any lands of the City of Raleigh, nor shall any official or employee of the City of Raleigh bid for or be awarded any contract granting concessionary rights of any nature or kind from the City of Raleigh; it shall be unlawful for any member of the

City Council, official or employee of the City of Raleigh to bid for or to purchase or to contract to purchase from the City of Raleigh any real estate, equipment, materials, or supplies of any nature or kind whatsoever, either directly or indirectly, at either public or private sale, either singly, or through or jointly with any other person.

5.11 Proposer Expenses

The City of Raleigh will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by any Proposer in the development of a response to this Request for Proposal or any other activities associated with this procurement including but not limited to any onsite (or otherwise) interviews and/or presentations, and/or supplemental information provided,…