Attachment 1 - Rental Survey SOW.docx

Attachment 1

United States Department of the Interior

INTERIOR BUSINESS CENTER

Statement of Objectives

Regional Rental Surveys

Interior Business Center

Quarters Program Office

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A.1 Purpose/Objective

The U.S. Department of the Interior, Interior Business Center (IBC), Quarters Program Office, provides a shared service to help federal agencies meet the rental rate requirements of the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-45, Rental and Construction of Government Quarters (https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars_a045/.) A-45 requires that employees living in federal housing pay rent commensurate with similar private rental market units in the nearest community. A-45 also defines the “nearest community” for federal employee housing.

A-45 authorizes and encourages federal agencies to perform regional surveys to collect private rental market data in these communities, and to do so collectively in order to reduce costs and gain economies of scale. IBC has a continued need to acquire rental market data collected by a Contractor, since it does not employ the magnitude of manpower and travel funding required to perform this work.

The private rental market data collected by the Contractor is used by IBC to develop statistically valid base rental rates in compliance with A-45. IBC then provides the Internet Quarters Management Information System (iQMIS) application to calculate rental rates for each specific Government housing unit based on location, type, size, age, condition, amenities, utilities, and services provided, etc. Market surveys are used to establish rental rates for over 17,000 federal housing units.

A.2 Background

5 U.S.C. 5911 (Quarters and Facilities; Employees in the United States) and Public Law (P.L.) 88-459 (Federal Employees Quarters and Facilities Act of 1964) authorize the provision of housing for Government employees under specified circumstances. A-45 implements P.L. 88-459, and requires government rental rates to be based upon an appraisal or a survey of private rental market housing rates at least once every 5 years. IBC performs the survey method described in A-45. The Contractor collects community rental market comparables, community utility charges, and verifies each community’s medical and dental services.

Sixteen (16) survey regions have been established, and 3 to 5 regions are surveyed each year. Therefore, each region will be surveyed once every 4 years.

A.3 Scope of Work

The Contractor’s first and most demanding task is to collect rental market data (comparables) from specific communities in 3 to 5 regions each year – an estimated total of 3,000 to 4,200 rental market comparables in 150 to 250 communities each year. This data is used by the IBC in statistical regression models to complete the “survey method” of rent-setting, according to OMB Circular A-45 requirements.

A map of the survey region boundaries is depicted below.

The Contractor may collect the rental market data using any method it finds to be efficient that meet the contract requirements. The data has historically been collected through internet research, telephone, and face-to-face interviews with property managers, realtors, landlords and tenants. The Contractor must ensure the accuracy of the data collected – personal estimates or an “educated guess” from the data provider of square footage, number of bedrooms, or number of bathrooms is unacceptable. Historically, this has required the Contractor to physically measure and sketch the unit’s square footage from the exterior in person. Alternative methods of collecting square footage are acceptable to the Government if accuracy can be assured and demonstrated by the Contractor.

Note that property appraisal is not a part of this contract, since the Contractor will collect the existing market value – they will not determine market value. If the Contractor decides that the most efficient method to collect rental unit data is in-person and on-site, there is no need to physically enter any rental unit. Contractor safety must be a high priority. Cooperation with the data collection effort by property managers, realtors, landlords and tenants is always voluntary.

The data collected during a regional private rental market survey is authorized by the Office of Management and Budget every three years, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. The IBC’s Form OS-2000, Private Rental Survey: Houses/Apartments/Mobile Homes (see Attachment B) and Form OS-2001, Private Rental Survey: Trailer Spaces (see Attachment C) are approved for federal data collection under OMB Control Number 1084-0033. The Paperwork Reduction Act requires an explanation of the data collection effort and publication in the Federal Register, the hours of public burden to provide the data, and a public comment period. This also provides the public an opportunity to comment on the data collection effort and offer other potential sources for private rental market data.

The specific communities and number of samples ordered will be provided by the IBC, through a Task Order and “Sample Plan.” (Samples include the number of 4/3/2/1 bedroom houses, 3/2/1/0 bedroom apartments, mobile homes, and trailer pads ordered for each community.) The contractor will be paid only for the number of comparables actually found and submitted that meet the contract requirements, not for the number of comparables ordered on the Task Order/Sample Plan. In some small communities, the number of comparables ordered may be difficult or impossible to find.

Attachment A, List of Survey Communities, depicts a representative Sample Plan with the housing classes to be collected in the community. The actual communities and number of comparables are subject to change each year, based on the federal housing inventory in place at the time. The Contractor will be provided with an official Task Order/Sample Plan with the actual number of comparables being ordered for each survey region.

Secondly, data is collected from a doctor and a dentist in each community. This is required to verify the eligibility of each community per OMB Circular A-45 requirements. The Contractor may collect this data from a variety of sources, such as internet research and telephone interviews with local medical office staff.

Thirdly, data is collected from the community utility providers of electricity, water/sewer, Natural gas, propane, fuel oil, and trash removal services. This is required to develop pricing for Government-furnished utilities, per OMB Circular A-45 requirements. The Contractor may collect this data from a variety of sources, such as internet research and telephone interviews with local and regional utility provider staff.

A.4 Period of Performance

The period of performance is five (5) years, from the date of award in FY 2021 (date to be determined) through FY 2026 (date to be determined.)

A.5 Place of Performance

The Government may order data to be collected from communities across the 48 contiguous United States, Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa. The Government does not require the Contractor to physically perform work at the communities if they can otherwise collect and verify the data. The Government also does not require the Contractor to physically perform work at the IBC site.

The Contractor may collect the comparables and other deliverables using any method it finds to be efficient that meet the contract requirements. The Government does not require the respondent to physically complete the OS-2000 or OS-2001 Form; digital collection methods are encouraged since the deliverables must be provided electronically.

The Contractor will need a base of operations and central office to plan survey work, train employees, perform research, make phone calls, enter data, monitor and assemble work, perform quality assurance activities, and assemble the deliverables.

B.1 Objectives

There are three key objectives or tasks:

Tasks 1: Community Medical and Dental Services

In each community on the Task Order/Sample Plan, the Contractor shall determine whether there is a doctor and dentist providing family practice services to the general public.

The Contractor should collect information on medical and dental services for each community before proceeding with Task 2. Under A-45 regulations, a community is not eligible to be used rental market value if it lacks a general practice doctor or dentist, or if the only doctor or dentist in the community is no longer accepting new patients. Contractors will not be paid for comparables collected in a community where a doctor and dentist do not exist or no longer accept new patients. For this reason, Task 1 should be performed first.

If a doctor or dentist cannot be located in the designated community, the Contractor should cease all data collection for that community and contact the IBC Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) as soon as practical for instructions. Another community may be substituted by the COR, the sample size may be modified for another community, or the community may be removed from the Sample Plan altogether.

(a) Data Collection

1) Doctor. In each community surveyed, the Contractor shall determine whether there is a doctor providing general family practice services to the general public. (See Attachment D, Community Medical/Utilities Survey, for specific data collection). The doctor should be licensed. The doctor should be a general practitioner, not a specialist only providing treatment for a single medical condition. The services provided must be available to the general public and not restricted to certain groups, such as Veterans’ care or pediatrics. The doctor is not required to be available for 24-hour emergency care, and is not required to provide services 40 hours a week. Itinerant care doctors are satisfactory. The doctor must be accepting new patients. A patient or potential patient should be able to make an appointment with a doctor, whether certified nurse practitioners or physician’s assistants are the primary medical providers or not. The time required to obtain an appointment is not a consideration.

2) Dentist. In each community surveyed, the Contractor shall determine whether there is a dentist providing general family dentistry services to the general public. (See Attachment D, Community Medical/Utilities Survey). The dentist should be licensed. The dentist should not be a specialist only providing treatment for a single dental condition. The services provided must be available to the general public and not restricted to certain groups, i.e., Veterans’ care or pediatric dentistry. The dentist is not required to be available for 24-hour emergency care, and is not required to provide services 40 hours a week. Itinerant care dentists are satisfactory. The dentist must be accepting new patients. A patient or potential patient should be able to make an appointment with a dentist. The time required to obtain an appointment is not a consideration.

(b) Data Recording

1) See Attachment D, Community Medical/Utility Survey, for the required medical/dental data collection. The doctor and dentist information for each community surveyed must be delivered to the IBC’s Internet Quarters Management Information System (iQMIS).

Task 2: Community Rental Housing Comparables

(a) Data Collection

1) Rental Units. The Contractor shall collect data on private rental housing units (samples or comparables) in specified communities in each region. A representative listing of the survey communities (an example “Sample Plan”) is incorporated as Attachment A. A total of approximately 3,000 to 4,200 rental houses, apartments, mobile homes and trailer pads will be collected in 150 to 250 communities each year. The Contractor shall locate and select comparables, collect data, and verify the square footage on private rental housing units located in the designated communities. Sample selection of the comparables is the Contractor’s responsibility, and processes will likely vary from community to community. In some, the rental property leads are derived largely from web research, and in others, rental property leads are obtained from realtors or property managers. Comparable data may be collected and recorded using any method preferred by the Contractor, but must be delivered to iQMIS.

2) The Contractor shall collect and provide specific data for each rental unit sampled. Specific data to be collected are identified in Attachment B (Form OS-2000, Private Rental Survey: Houses/Apartments/Mobile Homes) and in Attachment C (Form OS-2001, Private Rental Survey: Trailer Spaces). Also see Attachment E (Housing Data Elements.)

3) A unique four-character alphanumeric identification system will be used by the Contractor to identify each comparable obtained. See section (b), Data Recording.

4) The Contractor shall select private rental housing samples offered and/or occupied at fair market value, where the rental charge is subject to at least an annual adjustment, as follows:

(i) Rental units that have rented at fair market rates within the previous 12 months, or have had their rental rates reconfirmed within the past 12 months, or units currently offered for rental. A unit does not have to be vacant to be included in the survey.

(ii) Rental units must involve arms-length transactions, whereby the monthly contract rental rate is not subsidized/reduced due to a personal relationship or exchange for services. No comparables may be collected where the renter furnishes some services in exchange for rent (maintenance, repair, custodial services, security, etc.,) or where the housing is provided at less than a fair market rental rate (for example, where the tenant is a relative of the owner or landlord.)

A “fair market rental rate” is defined as a rental agreement entered into between 2 parties, neither of whom owes or is providing any services to the other, and where no family relationship affects the rent, wherein the Monthly Contract Rent paid by the tenant would be the same charged to a new tenant occupying the same rental unit. Where the current Monthly Contract Rent is not the rate that would be charged to a new tenant, the fair market rent shall consist of the rate which a new tenant would have to pay.

To ensure that the rental rates reflect true market conditions, no subsidized housing units of any type are to be included as survey samples (for example, HUD Project-based Section 8, Housing Choice Voucher Program or HUD Section 202, Supporting Housing for the Elderly Program, or other local/county/state/non-profit subsidized housing).

5) In selecting sample housing units in the communities identified in the Task Order/Sample Plan, the Contractor shall utilize comparables that are: (1) most similar to rental housing found in middle-income neighborhoods (e.g. housing in gated communities, next to a golf course or country club shall not be acceptable); (2) available on a yearround rental basis (e.g. seasonal rentals shall not be acceptable); and (3) not a vacation/resort rental in nature or use (e.g. time shares, nightly, or weekly rental properties shall not be acceptable, such as Airbnb or VRBO.)

6) All comparables must contain kitchen and bathroom facilities as an integral part of the unit.

7) Unless instructed otherwise, the Contractor shall not be paid for more than the required number of samples per housing class shown in the Task Order/Sample Plan. In some small communities, a lack of available rental units may occur in one or more housing classes. For IBC’s statistical validity, the Contractor should endeavor to collect the one-bedroom houses ordered. If sufficient one-bedroom houses are not available in the designated community (or within a five (5) mile radius of the designated community,) two-bedroom houses may be substituted. Substitution of two-bedroom houses for one-bedroom houses is the only substitution allowed. If a substitution is made for one-bedroom houses, the rent class on the inventory (and the comparable identification number) shall reflect the actual rent class inventoried. For each community in which the Contractor is able to gather only a portion of the samples (or none of the samples) ordered for the community, the Contractor shall provide a short narrative explaining the circumstances which prevented the gathering of the specified number of comparables.

8) The finished and unfinished square footage of each single family rental unit is measured from the exterior. Porches, exterior porches, patios, decks, sidewalks, attached or unattached garages or carports and not included in finished square feet. The square footage of any unfinished basement space is also required. Square feet is a crucial variable in rent determination, so personal estimates of the data provider are not acceptable. The Contractor must indicate the method used to verify square footage.

Historically, measurements of exterior walls and floor plan sketches were utilized by the Contractor. This typically required a physical measurement of the unit and custom square foot calculation software. Square footage shall be rounded to the nearest foot.

External measurement in multi-family units (apartments, plexes) are difficult to collect. Management records or apartment brochures and flyers showing floor plans and square feet are acceptable sources of this data.

Where mobile homes are involved, hitch length should be excluded from measurements.

9) The information required (i.e., bedrooms, bathrooms, landlord-provided appliances and furnishings, interior condition) should be obtained from a reliable source, such as detailed property listings, property owners/managers, realtors, owners or tenants.

10) House comparables with a private swimming pool shall not be included in the sample.

11) Apartments with no more than 25 units per building, and apartment buildings no more than 3 stories high, are preferred. If none are available in the community, it shall be noted in the comparable record. The presence of significant recreational facilities (tennis courts, health club, swimming pool) at an apartment building shall be noted in the comparable record “comments.”

12) Units in an operating motel are not to be considered as apartments, even if they do contain kitchen facilities.

13) Identification of the person collecting the data shall be included on each comparable record.

14) Identification of the person providing the data shall be included on each comparable record, if possible. Data may still be collected even if provider is reluctant to provide personally identifiable information, such as personal address, phone, etc.

15) An area for comments shall be included on each comparable record. The presence of any special factors which significantly affect the rental value shall be noted, e.g. unique services included, mountain views, ocean views, oceanfront, lakefront property, etc.

(b) Data Recording

1) Each comparable will be recorded and provided with an identifier using the following nomenclature:

(i) The first two positions will be the 2-letter community identifier provided on the “Sample Plan” (see example Attachment A.) For example, all comparables from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, will be designated using “EB” in the first two positions.

(ii) The third position will be the “Housing Class” column (see example Attachment A.) Housing classes include the following designations:

· A – 4 bedroom House or Plex

· B – 3 bedroom House or Plex

· C – 2 bedroom House or Plex

· D – 1 bedroom House or Plex

· E – 3 bedroom Apartment

· F – 2 bedroom Apartment

· G – 1 bedroom Apartment

· H – 0 bedroom/studio Apartment

· M – any size Mobile Home

· Y – any size Trailer Pad

For example, the third position for a 4-bedroom house sample in Ewa Beach HI will be “EBA”, a 3-bedroom house sample will be “EBB”, a 1-bedroom apartment sample will be “EBG”, and a mobile home sample will be “EBM”, etc.

(iii) The fourth position will be serially lettered starting with “A” and running through “Z.” For example, the first 4-bedroom house sample in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, will be identified as EBAA; the second 4-bedroom house sample will be EBAB. The first 3-bedroom house sample will be EBBA; the second 3-bedroom house will be EBBB; the thirteenth 3-bedroom house sample will be EBBM. In rare instances where the number of samples ordered for a given housing class/bedroom size exceeds 26 (the number of letters in the alphabet), use serial numbers (…EBBX, EBBY, EBBZ, EBB1, EBB2, EBB3, etc.)

Using this nomenclature, the identifier will be unique for each rental comparable in the survey region, but is not unique among all possible survey regions.

2) The Contractor may collect and store the data in any manner it chooses. The required data is depicted in Attachment E, Data Elements. However, all Task 2 data elements must be delivered to the iQMIS web-based system by manual entry or XML file upload. The IBC will provide the Contractor with a user ID and password to access the system. Data recording options include:

i) The Contractor may develop and utilize their own collection method, and when complete, upload a XML file to iQMIS containing the comparable data.

ii) The Contractor may record and deliver enter each comparable by entering it manually into the web-based iQMIS application during the field collection. All regional survey data entered in iQMIS will remain available to the Contractor for data review and quality assurance until the Contractor formally informs the COR of survey delivery.

iii) The Contractor may enter deliverables manually into iQMIS after the field collection.

3) The Contractor shall provide a “Survey Summary” Excel spreadsheet showing the number of samples ordered and the number of samples collected, by community and housing class. Subtotals shall be included for each housing class, each community, each state, and with grand totals for the entire survey region.

Task 3: Community Utilities

(a) Data Collection. The Contractor shall perform a survey of utility providers in the specified communities in each region. A representative listing of the survey communities is incorporated as Attachment A. The Contractor shall locate utility providers in the designated communities and collect cost data and tariff sheets for electricity, natural gas, propane, fuel oil, water, sewer, and trash removal. Contractor may collect the data using any method, but typically web-based research and telephone interviews are involved. Based on prior contractor experience, the community utilities data collection effort requires approximately 2 hours per community to collect, digitally scan tariff sheets, and enter into iQMIS. See Attachment D, Community Medical/Utilities Survey, for specific utility data elements.

1) Electricity Costs. In each community surveyed, the primary utility company furnishing electric service to the private rental comparables shall be surveyed to determine the current monthly cost per kilowatt hour (KwH) at various levels. Electricity tariff sheets shall be collected from the utility provider and uploaded to iQMIS in a digital format (.pdf, .jpg).

If more than one electric utility company exists in the community, only one provider should be collected. If the electric utility company is the same for several communities in the survey, an iQMIS function will allow the Contractor to copy utility cost data and tariff sheets from one community to another, and any necessary minor changes to taxes or other rate data can then be made. The Contractor shall:

i) Use tariff sheets to determine all residential charges for electricity, including any state or local taxes, monthly minimums, fees, surcharges and credits, and enter those cost components into iQMIS manually. In communities where the cost of electricity varies seasonally, Contractor shall collect the seasonal rates and the number of months in each season as determined by the utility. iQMIS will then compute the total residential charges for 500 KwH, 1,000 KwH, 1,500 KwH, and 2,000 KwH per month based on the cost components entered into iQMIS by the Contractor.

ii) Or, the Contractor may obtain from the electric utility provider the residential delivered charge for 500 KwH, 1,000 KwH, 1,500 KwH, and 2,000 KwH of electricity per month and enter those into iQMIS manually.

2) Natural Gas Costs. In each community surveyed, the primary utility company furnishing piped natural gas service to the private rental comparables shall be surveyed to determine the current monthly cost. Natural gas tariff sheets shall be collected from the utility provider and uploaded to iQMIS in a digital format (.pdf, .jpg).

If more than one natural gas utility company exists in the community, only one provider should be collected. If the natural gas company is the same for several communities in the survey, an iQMIS function will allow the Contractor to copy utility data and tariff sheets from one community to another, and any necessary minor changes to taxes or other rate data can then be made. The Contractor shall:

i) Collect tariff sheets and determine all residential charges for natural gas, including any state or local taxes, monthly minimums, fees, delivery charges, surcharges, and credits, and enter those cost components into iQMIS manually. In communities where the unit cost of natural gas varies seasonally, Contractor shall collect the seasonal charges and the number of months in each season as determined by the utility. iQMIS will then compute the total residential charges for 50 Therms, 100 Therms, 150 Therms and 200 Therms per month based on the cost components entered into iQMIS by the Contractor.

ii) Or, obtain from the provider the residential delivered charge for 50 Therms, 100 Therms, 150 Therms and 200 Therms of natural gas per month and enter those into iQMIS manually.

3) Propane and #2 Fuel Oil Costs. In each community surveyed, 2 providers furnishing bottled propane service and 2 providers furnishing #2 fuel oil service shall be surveyed to determine the current cost per gallon. If 2 providers are not available, 1 provider is acceptable. No tariff sheets are required. Propane charges shall be a bulk rate delivered charge, not small 30 lb. bottle charges. The Contractor shall enter the total delivered charge per gallon, including any state or local taxes, delivery charges, or other point of consumption charges, into iQMIS manually. iQMIS will compute the average cost per gallon based on the cost components entered.

4) Water Costs. In each community surveyed, the primary utility company providing water service to the private rental market comparables shall be surveyed to determine the current monthly cost per gallon. Water tariff sheets shall be collected and uploaded into iQMIS in a digital format (.pdf, .jpg.) If the water company is the same for several communities, an iQMIS function will allow the Contractor to copy utility data and tariff sheets from one community to another, and any necessary minor changes to taxes or other rate data can then be made. In communities where the unit cost of water varies seasonally, Contractor shall collect the seasonal charges and the number of months in each season as determined by the utility. Water rates will be based on 3/4 inch water pipe rates. The Contractor shall:

i) Collect all residential charges for water, including monthly service fees, any state or local taxes or other service charges, and enter all of these cost components manually into iQMIS. iQMIS will then compute the total delivered residential charges for 3,000 gallons, 5,000 gallons, 7,500 gallons, and 10,000 gallons of water per month based on the cost components entered by the Contractor.

ii) Or, obtain from the provider the residential delivered charge for 3,000 gallons, 5,000 gallons, 7,500 gallons, and 10,000 gallons of water per month and enter those into iQMIS.

5) Sewer Costs. In each community surveyed, the primary utility company providing sewer service to the private rental market comparables shall be surveyed to determine the current monthly cost per gallon. Sewer tariff sheets shall be collected and uploaded to iQMIS in a digital format (.pdf, .jpg.) If the sewer company is the same for several communities, an iQMIS function will allow the Contractor to copy utility data and tariff sheets from one community to another, and any necessary minor changes to taxes or other rate data can then be made. In communities where the unit cost of sewer varies seasonally, Contractor shall collect the seasonal costs and the number of months in each category as determined by the utility. The Contractor shall:

i) Collect all residential charges for sewer, including any monthly service fees, state or local taxes or other service charges (taxes typically are not applied to sewage rates,) then enter all of these cost components manually into iQMIS. iQMIS will then compute the total residential charges for 3,000 gallons, 5,000 gallons, 7,500 gallons, and 10,000 gallons of sewage per month based on the cost components entered by the Contractor.

ii) Or, obtain from the provider the residential charge for 3,000 gallons, 5,000 gallons, 7,500 gallons, and 10,000 gallons of sewer per month and enter those into iQMIS.

6) Garbage/Trash Removal Costs. In each community surveyed, the primary utility company providing garbage/trash removal services shall be surveyed to determine the currently monthly charge. No tariff sheets are required. The Contractor shall collect all residential charges for garbage/trash removal, including any state or local taxes or other service charges typically included (such as additional fees for yard waste, street lights or mosquito control.) Assume two (2) containers per week, or a 65-gallon container per week, is collected. If this service is paid for by property taxes, the Contractor shall survey the appropriate city or county Assessor’s office to determine the annual household garbage/trash removal cost per residential unit from property taxes. The Contractor shall manually enter the monthly garbage/trash removal charges into iQMIS.

(b) Data Recording

The Contractor shall manually enter the utility provider contact information, upload utility tariff sheets, and enter the residential charges for each utility at the quantities specified into iQMIS for each community. Alternatively, the Contractor shall manually enter the utility provider contact information, upload utility tariff sheets, and enter all specific residential cost components, tiers and taxes for each utility into iQMIS for each community, and iQMIS will compute the charges for the specified quantities. In communities where the unit costs vary seasonally, Contractor shall collect the seasonal costs and the number of months in each category as determined by the utility, and an annual average cost for the specified quantities shall be provided or computed. See Attachment D, Community Medical/Utility Survey, for the required utility provider data to be recorded in iQMIS.

B.2 Government Furnished Equipment

The Government will not provide the Contractor with any equipment or supporting technologies such as tablets, personal computers, applications, cameras, measuring devices, cell phones, telephones, copiers or fax machines.

The Contractor will furnish all labor, materials, transportation, equipment, tools, supplies, and incidentals to complete the work specified.

B.3 Government Furnished Information

The IBC will provide the Contractor with:

(a) A listing of the communities to be surveyed, community codes, comparable codes, and the number of samples ordered for each rental class (the “Sample Plan.”) (Example in Attachment A.)

(b) Form OS 2000 – Private Rental Survey: Houses/Apartments/Mobile Homes (Attachment B) and Form OS 2001 – Private Rental Survey: Trailer Spaces (Attachment C.) These forms provide the specific data to be collected for each comparable.

(c) “Community Medical/Utilities Survey Form” (Attachment D.) This form provides the specific data collected for each physician, dentist, electricity, natural gas, water, sewer, propane, fuel oil and trash collection provider serving the community.

(d) A listing of the rental comparable data fields and an XML file format (XML File Schema or XSD.)

(e) Upon request, a listing of utility providers documented by the Contractor from the last Department of the Interior regional rental survey, to include contact names, web pages and phone numbers, where available. There is no express or implied guarantee as to the accuracy and completeness of this information, since the data may be four years old. In addition, the survey communities will change slightly from the prior regional survey to the new regional survey.

(b) Contractor access to the iQMIS system to enter, upload, and review deliverables.

B.4 Definition of Terms

(a) Community. The area in and within five (5) miles of the specified community for houses and apartments, or within fifteen (15) miles for mobile homes and trailer pads. Private rental housing samples may be obtained anywhere within this area.

(b) Fair Market Rental. A rental agreement entered into between 2 parties, neither of whom owes or provides any services to the other, and where no family connection or other close relationship affects the rent, wherein the Monthly Contract Rental Rate paid by the tenant would be the same charged to a new tenant occupying the same rental unit. Where the current Contract Rental Rate is not the rate that would be charged to a new tenant, the fair market rental rate shall consist of the rate which a new tenant would have to pay. Also, to ensure that the rental rates reflect true market conditions, no subsidized housing units of any type are to be included as survey samples (for example, HUD Project-based Section 8, Housing Choice Voucher Program, or HUD Section 202, Supporting Housing for the Elderly Program, or other local/county/state/non-profit subsidized housing).

(c) Furnished Rooms. The basic furnishings in a room are provided by the landlord. Furnishings may be owned or leased by the landlord, or installed as part of the manufacture or construction.

(d) Housekeeping Units. All housing in this survey shall contain kitchen and bathroom facilities as an integral part of the unit.

(e) Housing Class. Housing units are grouped by broad major characteristics into the following ten (10) classes for which comparable private rental housing data are to be obtained.

1) Class A – Four (4) bedroom single family house not to exceed 3,000 square feet (class includes “plexed” duplexes, triplexes and townhouses, but shall not include apartment-type condominiums). Single family housing with more than 4 bedrooms shall not be used.

2) Class B – Three (3) bedroom single family house not to exceed 2,500 square feet (class includes “plexed” duplexes, triplexes, rowhouses and townhouses, but shall not include apartment-type condominiums).

3) Class C – Two (2) bedroom single family house not to exceed 2,000 square feet (class includes “plexed” duplexes, triplexes, rowhouses and townhouses, but shall not include apartment-type condominiums).

4) Class D – One (1) bedroom single family house not to exceed 1,500 square feet (class includes “plexed” duplexes, triplexes, rowhouses and townhouses, but shall not include apartment-type condominiums).

5) Class E – Three (3) bedroom apartments not to exceed 2,000 square feet.

6) Class F – Two (2) bedroom apartments not to exceed 1,500 square feet.

7) Class G – One (1) bedroom apartments not to exceed 1,000 square feet.

8) Class H – Efficiency (studio or zero (0) bedroom) apartments not to exceed 700 square feet.

9) Class M – Mobile homes (singlewide or double-wide) with any number of bedrooms, not to exceed 1,800 square feet; shall not be less than 250 square feet.

10) Class Y – Trailer Pads (singlewide or one double-wide) of any size

(f) Differentiation of Housing Class – It is at times difficult to distinguish between “plexed” single family houses (housing classes A–D) and apartment units (housing classes E–H.) Differentiation will be based on the following distinctions, even if they differ from some other real estate definition or so-called professional understanding.

1) A single-family house is a detached unit; a plexed single-family house is attached to one or more units (i.e., row houses, townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, etc.) There is no limit to the number of plexed units which may be present under a single roof, provided that the following conditions are met.

Each plexed single-family house shall have at least two ground-level (or essentially ground-level) doorway entrances/exits, which shall be of a non-emergency nature. Windows (except sliding glass doors) shall not be considered as doorway entrances/exits. Doors which are installed to be used principally as fire exits (i.e., a doorway to a fire escape) shall not be regarded as a doorway entrance/exit.

Under no circumstances shall any interpretation of the difference between houses, plexes, or apartments lead to a situation where parts of a structure under one roof are apartments and parts are houses (e.g. do not consider the ground-level units as plexed houses and the second floor units as apartments.)

The two entrance doors shall provide direct access between the outdoors and the living unit without the requirement to pass through a common or shared foyer, stairway, enclosed walkway, or entrance. Doorways opening into a garage are acceptable.

2) An apartment is an individual unit in a multi-unit structure which does not provide two non-emergency ground level (or essentially ground level) entrances/exits offering direct access between individual units and the outdoors. Windows (except sliding glass doors) shall not be regarded as doorway entrance/exits. Doors which are installed to be used principally as fire exits (i.e., a doorway to a fire escape), shall not be regarded as doorway entrance/exits. No apartment comparables shall be used where a so-called apartment is rented within a single-family structure, unless no other conventional apartments may be located in the community. Apartments are not considered to be plexed houses.

3) Mobile homes permanently attached to a foundation shall be inventoried as mobile homes.

4) Prefabricated (modular) homes attached to a foundation shall be inventoried as houses.

(g) Private Rental Housing Samples. The purpose of the Rental Survey is to obtain a random sample with the maximum diversity in housing types to facilitate the statistical validity of differences between units. It is especially important to have as much diversity of age, size, condition and location as possible for each housing type in each community.

1) Only a single representative unit of each housing class may be sampled in a multi-unit building or complex or set of similar buildings. (For example, only one 3 bedroom, one 2 bedroom, one 1 bedroom, and one 0 bedroom apartment may be collected from the same or similar apartment complex.)

2) If sufficient apartments and/or houses are not available within the designated community, other samples may be obtained within a five (5) mile radius of the city limits. However, no samples shall be gathered from another Survey community designated in the Sample Plan, or from a common community between two Survey communities, regardless of the distance involved.

3) No single sample shall be used for more than one Survey community designated in the Sample Plan. However, a single sample may be used for another Survey Region being surveyed in the same calendar year, as occasionally the same community is surveyed for more than one survey region.

4) One-bedroom house samples are important for accurate rent formulation, but may be difficult to obtain. If sufficient one-bedroom houses are not available in the nearest designated community (or within a five (5) mile radius of the designated community,) two-bedroom houses may be substituted. Substitution of two-bedroom houses for one-bedroom houses is the only housing class and bedroom size substitution allowed. Both the contractor’s “results summary” and the housing class identifier shall reflect the actual rent class of the unit sampled (two bedrooms.)

5) No more than two (2) mobile home comparables shall be included from any single mobile home park. No more than two (2) trailer pad comparables shall be included from any single trailer park. If sufficient mobile homes and/or trailer pads are not available within the designated community, other samples may be obtained within a fifteen (15) mile radius of the center of the community.

B.5 Deliverable Dates

The deliverable dates for each Survey Region are also specified below:

Year 1: FY 2022

Year 2: FY 2023

Year 3: FY 2024

Year 4: FY 2025

Year 5: FY 2026

*These regions are at risk of being dropped from the market survey, depending on the existence of local government housing units at the time.

B.6 Minimum/Maximum Quantities

The Contractor shall provide the deliverables specified on the Task Order/Sample Plan issued for the survey region. The Government’s best estimate of the number of communities to be surveyed, the best estimate of the number of comparables to be collected, and the low and high estimates of the number of comparables to be collected are depicted below. The actual number of deliverables ordered is not known until the Task Order/Sample Plan is provided to the Contractor.

The minimum quantity under this contract is 2,600. The maximum quantity under this contract is 21,800, over a 5-year period of performance.

Date of Award, Year 1:

Year 2:

Year 3:

Year 4:

Year 5:

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