9048_HUD RFP_FAQ_v3.docx

Oregon Housing and Community Services Department 725 Summer Street NE, Suite B Salem, OR 97301 Telephone: (971) 433-7914 Email: amanda.king@hcs.oregon.gov Date: November 17, 2025

To: #S-91400-00013635 Proposers

From: Amanda King, Senior Contracting Officer

Re: #S-91400-00013635, FAQ No. 3 HUD Contract Administration Software

This document is not a Bid Amendment to the subject RFP and does not change the requirements of the RFP. Answers given to the below questions that were submitted by prospective Proposers are for clarification purposes only.

Questions Received:

1. What is the anticipated timeline for system implementation?

Response: Target implementation is by the end of June 2026; however, we anticipate implementation may take longer.

2. The solicitation indicates a contract term of 10 years with options to renew up to additional 10 years, for a cumulative maximum of 20 years, however, the cost proposal form requests rates for only 5 years. Could you please confirm whether pricing should be provided for: 1. The full initial 10-year term, 2. Only the first 5 years with future pricing to be negotiated later, or 3. Any other specific pricing structure?

Response: Pricing should be provided for the first 5 years with future pricing to be negotiated later. The initial term of the contract will be 5 years. A Bid Amendment will be issued to clarify initial contract term within the RFP.

3. The hourly rate card does not appear to allow for increases over time, how long are the hourly rates good for?

Response: Hourly rates will be negotiated with awarded Vendor. Cost Proposal hourly rates are for informational purposes and not part of the scoring methodology.

4. Please identify the system or systems currently used by the Agency to administer all tasks under the PBCA program. If multiple systems or tools are used, please specify each system/tool and describe its primary purpose or function, including which PBCA task or business process it supports (e.g. contract renewal, MOR, rent adjustment, vouchering, invoice & reporting etc.)

Response: OHCS utilizes a single system for managing the majority of PBCS activities. The current application and database are hosted in the State data center. Specifics of data migration would depend on the awarded Vendor’s system and would be negotiated in a Statement of Work. To respect proprietary rights of our current Vendor, OHCS will not be providing details of the system currently in place.

5. For each system or tool identified as currently supporting the Agency’s PBCA program administration, please indicate the current contracts’ expiration dates (including any option periods).

Response: Our current system contract has an expiration date of December 31, 2025, pending an amendment to extend the term through June 30, 2026.

6. Solutions Requirements Matrix: Tab “Integrations”, requirement IN02 states, “The system must integrate with HUD TRACS system”. Does this refer to the transfer of MAT files or are there additional integrations needed. If so, please provide an example.

Response: Yes, this refers to the transfer of MAT files.

7. Solutions Requirements Matrix: Tab “Property Data”, requirement PD04 states, System must store and allow the adding and updating information relevant to HUD including but not limited to: 2) indicator to ignore rent schedule. Is this to account for Group Homes? If not, what is an example where a rent schedule would be ignored?

Response: The “ignore rent schedule” feature is for a scenario in which we add a rent schedule, but the property has not yet added theirs. It allows us to accept the certification. It is only used once in a while, but it is for our use only, not for use by Owner/Agents.

8. May we include a narrative or executive summary in addition to the submission items outlined in this section?

Response: If there are items not included in part of the Technical Proposal or Administrative Proposal that would fit an executive summary, this is acceptable but please limit it to 1 page or less. As a note, executive summaries will not be scored or considered as part of the Proposal response.

9. “System must allow for the configuration of file upload fields to be associated with specific objects, pages, and fields. The following file types supported should include, but not be limited to: PDF, Excel, Word, .jpg.” Please give a specific example of the capability you are looking for. The requirement may be interpreted in various ways.

Response: Many documents are collected from property owners/agents and internal staff that could be uploaded to records in the system, providing context for system data. For example, if we could attach a PDF of an owner-submitted special claims document, this would help consolidate information within the system of records. This is a "desired" feature, not critical.

10. “System must have settings that enable/disable certain questions on form HUD-9834 including: 1) the ability to prevent data entry on questions intended for HUD staff. 2) hide questions that are intended for HUD staff only.” Is this capability needed for questions other than those for HUD Staff?

Response: No, it is for HUD staff only.

11. “System must download daily TRACS messages via iMAX.” Please specify what you mean by daily TRACS Messages? Responses to TRACS submissions and Voucher Status updates or something more?

Response: Yes, responses to TRACS submissions and Voucher Status updates and nothing more.

12. “System must allow manual overrides to ensure that approved contract rent, and utility allowance changes are reflected on the proper HAP request.” Please define what is meant by a manual override in this content?

Response: Capability allows us to override incorrect information submitted on a HAP request.

13. “System must have the ability to allow for special circumstances and temporary programs, such as the CARES program during the covid pandemic.” Can you elaborate on a feature that would allow for this?

Response: We're looking for systems that have the flexibility to be updated in response to changing special federal funds for this program.

14. “System must provide the ability to add a new tenant certification record. The ability to add a tenant certification should apply to all MAT record types (MAT10, MAT15, MAT40, MAT65, MAT70).” Please elaborate. Is the requirement to allow manual transaction entry that is not received from owner/agent?

Response: Yes, this is to allow manual transaction entry that is not received from Owner/Agent. This is for the purpose of cleaning up data in the system, not for sending to TRACS.

15. “System must provide the ability to delete a tenant certification. The ability to delete a tenant certification should apply to all MAT record types (MAT 10, MAT 15, MAT40, MAT65, MAT 70).” Can you elaborate on a case when you would need to do this vs allowing the certification to be corrected via owner/agent? This appears to be in contradiction to the MAT Guide. Certifications are considered modifications to the lease. Should this request be edited to align with HUD requirements?

Response: This is to delete duplicate certifications when an Owner/Agent sends multiple. To keep our system data clean.

16. “System must provide the ability to update the HAP voucher with unit type, number of units, and subsidy type.” The voucher currently includes this information. What specifically is being asked for here?

Response: This has to do with subsidy type. We have some properties where not all units are subsidized. We need to update the voucher in these circumstances to match Owner/Agent HAP indication of units are market-rate and which are vacant.

17. “System must provide the ability to update the information on a HAP payment record for an individual tenant.” What is meant by "update the information"? Pay an amount other than the requested amount?

Response: This is meant to remove/correct individual adjustments made by the system that are incorrect.

18. “System should provide the ability to update the amount of a 'Repayment agreement amount' on the HAP payment record for a property.” Do you mean updating the paid amount? The requested amount comes from the owner/agent.

Response: Yes, we mean updating the paid amount that is received from the Owner/Agent. For example, if the O/A needs to submit a revised amount due to the first transmission being incorrect or needing updating.

19. “System must provide the capability to assign Contract Administration staff to specific roles and tasks.” Are multiple roles per user needed? Please provide examples.

Response: A given staff member may need to have multiple roles, such as both work with HAP and TRACS records, but another staff member may not need access to both of those areas. Of course, how this is accomplished will depend on how your system designs role-based access controls.

20. “System must have a feature to auto terminate subsidy when annual recertification has not been completed within a specified period of time. Specified period of time must be adjustable.” Is compliance with HUD regulations sufficient to satisfy the requirement? Please elaborate on this requirement.

Response: This was meant to capture the need to set subsidies to zero on a pre-scheduled basis.

21. “System must allow for the configuration (add/update) of the required IBPS tasks for a Contract Administrator.” Does OHCS in the context of this question mean potential new tasks?

Response: Yes, the configuration to add new IBPS tasks.

22. “System must provide the ability to define and update specific geographic areas to be used in building an income limit schedule.” Please elaborate on this requirement. The API would download the HUD areas and the limits.

Response: This is about the mechanism to apply HUD-published geographic areas, so they are always up to date. If the system updates it automatically, then that is sufficient. However, we would like the ability to manually update if the system is not doing it automatically, contains errors, or is outdated.

23. “System must provide the ability to configure and update an income limit schedule for a specific income limit area. Within a specific income limit area, the user should be able to configure an income schedule for each income limit type: 1) Family size 2) Percentage of AMI (Area Median Income) 3) Income limit value.” Please clarify the request. Why the need to define and update given the API downloads the HUD values? New values would be added automatically.

Response: Refer to answer on Question 22.

24. “System should provide the ability to configure and update a list of documentation required for a MOR review.” Is the purpose to have a user defined checklist? Or are there specific documentation items the agency has defined for a MOR?

Response: Yes, we want to be able to create/configure a user-defined checklist of documents that will be reviewed during a MOR inspection.

25. “System must provide the ability to define and update a specific geographic area to be used for defining the fair market rents.” Please clarify the request. Why the need to define and update given the API downloads the HUD values? New values would be added automatically.

Response: Refer to answer on Question 22.

26. “System should automatically generate email reminders to property owners when Agency adds or updates the contract effective dates.” Does OHCS mean contract end dates? Effective dates do not change.

Response: This applies to both effective (start) dates and termination (end) dates. We need this ability for both scenarios.

27. “System should have a dashboard reporting on who needs reminder emails sent and when.” Please clarify and provide specific example.

Response: A dashboard that lists specific properties along with the various rent adjustment notifications due in the near future. The dashboard would list the specific property, the dates that rent adjustment notifications are due, and the number of days left to meet the deadline.

28. “System should have the capability of sending notification alerts to property owners for contract renewal dates.” Please clarify. Work an email notification from the system suffice?

Response: Yes, a configurable email notification would suffice.

29. “System must allow for secure and reliable storage of banking information, with disaster recovery options to ensure payee account information will not be lost or compromised.” Please clarify and provide desired approach.

Response: OHCS cannot provide the desired approach, so we may keep the RFP requirements in line with fair and open competition. Proposers should provide a response of how their individual System can meet this requirement.

30. “The system should provide the ability to update the Basic Fee, Incentive Fee, and ACC contract year.” Please clarify and provide desired approach.

Response: Refer to answer on Question 29.

31. “Contractor shall cooperate with Agency and its designated third parties, including its Quality Assurance contractor, by providing access and information on the Subscription Services’ architecture, design, operating environment, security, interfaces, and operating parameters as required for all oversight activities and Agency-identified third party services.” Please provide the scope of work for the Quality Assurance contractor.

Response: This is temporary template language that will be revised once we know more information about the awarded System. OHCS relies on DAS for quality assurance on most IT Contracts. For this project, we anticipate DAS to take on that role and not have a third-party Quality Assurance Contractor.

32. Do you currently have a Quality Assurance contractor?

Response: Refer to answer on Question 31.

33. Is the intention to procure a cloud only solution that is fully hosted? Under Document Request for Proposal, Page 8/27 Section 3.2 Minimum Submission Requirements. Scope of Work 2.4, the last bullet is Optional hosting services. Furthermore, Attachment E. Cost Proposal has a separate section for hosting services.

Response: Hosting services are optional. We are open to offers that are cloud/hosted or on-prem.

34. Please explain monthly basis subscription [Sample Contract].

Response: This is template language and will be updated after negotiations have been successfully completed with the Awarded Vendor. Monthly subscription may or may not be applicable to individual systems from Proposers.

35. [Exhibit B, SLA] Is the scope of this document related to Cloud Hosting or Other Professional Bureau services or a Maintenance and Support Subscription or other?

Response: A Service Level Agreement is included in all technology agreements with the State. You should expect to see an SLA included but revised to fit the system that is purchased. SLA will include language based on various factors that are unknown at this time (i.e., cloud or on-prem, hosted or self-hosted, etc.)

36. “Contractor warrants that the Subscription Services will meet all Requirements, and all federal agency requirements.” Please clarify that ‘all federal agency requirements’ are as it pertains to the scope of this RFP, the Section 8 PBCA Program. If other, please specify.

Response: Federal funding is included in the funds of this contract. Contractor must abide by all HUD program requirements and 2 CFR 200 requirements, as applicable. More information will be given to the awarded vendor at the time of negotiations; however, these will be standard federal requirements that are found in most federally funded government contracts.

37. [Exhibit B and Exhibit K] Are these applicable if OHCS is to self-host the solution?

Response: Exhibit B and Exhibit K will be revised to fit the appropriate circumstance if OHCS hosts on State servers. Some of the template language will be applicable; therefore, the two exhibits will not be deleted entirely. Proposers should expect to have security terms and conditions and a Service Level Agreement in the awarded contract.

38. For the following: “Describe Proposer’s process for moving data, whether digitally or physically.” Does any physical data need to be considered for this engagement? Please provide detail.

Response: We do not anticipate any physical data under this project.

39. Section 4 states: Agency will determine responsibility of a Proposer prior to award and execution of a Contract.” Please confirm whether any required licenses, insurance, and registrations are only needed “prior to award” and not at time of proposal.

Response: Correct, they are only needed prior to award and not at the time the Proposal is submitted. Responsibility is defined under Oregon Division 47 Model Rules 137-047-0500. Insurance, licenses, and registration will be discussed during negotiations with the awarded Vendor prior to contract execution.

40. Section 4.7 states: “Does Proposer have all required licenses, insurance and/or registration, if any, and is Proposer legally authorized to do business in the State of Oregon?” A) Please provide a definition of “Required Licenses”, B) Are “Required Licenses” mandatory prior to contract execution?, C) What is the specific city location/s applicable to the “Required Licenses”?

Response: Required licenses have not yet been determined but we do not anticipate having any required licenses for this project. The licenses, if applicable, will be mandatory prior to execution of the contract. Specific cities and/or locations would be the State of Oregon. Section 4.7 is mainly to determine if Proposer is legally authorized to conduct business within the State of Oregon.

41. If a Proposer is registered to do business with the Secretary of State of Oregon, is there also a requirement for the Proposer to have the “Required Licenses” in place?

Response: No, we mostly anticipate this requirement to determine if you can conduct business within the State of Oregon. We do not anticipate requiring any other licenses for this project.

42. Will the Agency find compliant Contractor’s submittal of Exhibit B, Service Level Agreements, in the draft contract without redlines to the Exhibit? Exhibit B is a sample SLA which is subject to negotiation once the scope of the project is finalized.?

Response: Yes, Proposer and the Proposal would still be in compliance with RFP requirements without submitting red lines to the sample SLA. This SLA is a starting point for negotiations; however, OHCS is aware it will change as we have answers to unknown variables. The sample SLA is also to show potential Proposers what sort of terms and conditions OHCS will be expecting during negotiations. If Proposers do not have red lines, this will not prevent a Proposer from being considered and scored for this RFP.

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