BPM047098 Asset Management Physical Site Inspection Svcs RFP.pdf

Asset Management Physical Site Inspection Services

Solicitation #: BPM047098 RFP Document

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 1 of 38

STATE OF MARYLAND

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT (DHCD)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

ASSET MANAGEMENT PHYSICAL SITE INSPECTION

SERVICES RFP NUMBER BPM047098

ISSUE DATE: SEPTEMBER 28, 2026

NOTICE

A Prospective Offeror that has received this document from a source other than eMarylandMarketplace Advantage (eMMA) https://procurement.maryland.gov should register on eMMA https://emma.maryland.gov/

MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES ARE ENCOURAGED TO RESPOND TO THIS

SOLICITATION.

https://procurement.maryland.gov/ https://emma.maryland.gov/

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 2 of 38

STATE OF MARYLAND

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

(DHCD)

KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Proposals Services - Asset Management Physical Site Inspection

Solicitation Number: BPM047098

RFP Issue Date: September 28, 2026

RFP Issuing Office: Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD or the "Department")

Procurement Officer: Lisa Peters 7800 Harkins Road Lanham MD, 20706

Email:

Phone Number:

Lisa.peters1@maryland.gov

(301) 429-7746

Proposals are to be sent to:

Submit on emma.maryland.gov under Solicitation Number BPM047098 To submit a proposal, offerors must first register on emma.maryland.gov.

We recommend registering in advance to become acquainted with the site.

No Bid/Proposal Notice Feedback Form

*If you are not submitting a proposal for this solicitation, submit Attachment 1 with your reasons why.

Pre-Proposal Conference:

October 14, 2026, at 11:00 am Local Time.

Pre-Proposal Conference via Google Meet By Calendar Invitation from Procurement Officer Only.

See Section 4.3 for additional details.

See Attachment 2 to RSVP by October 9, 2026, at 4:00 PM to Attend

Scheduled Site Visit N/A

Questions Due Date and Time:

October 19, 2026, at 4:00 PM Local Time

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 3 of 38

Proposal Due (Closing) Date and Time:

November 6, 2026, at 4:00 PM Local Time Offerors are reminded that a completed Feedback Form is requested if a no-bid/proposal decision is made (see Attachment 1 - No Bid Notice/Vendor Feedback Form).

MBE Subcontracting Goal:

An overall Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) subcontract participation goal of 20 percent of the total contract dollar amount, including all renewal option terms, if any, has been established for this procurement.

The overall MBE subcontract participation goal includes the following subgoals, which have been established for this procurement:

_0____% for African-American MBEs;

_0____% for Asian-American MBEs;

_0____% for Hispanic-American MBEs; and _0____% for Woman-Owned MBEs.

VSBE

Subcontracting Goal:

N/A

Procurement Method: A Contract will be awarded in accordance with the Competitive Sealed Proposals method under COMAR 21.05.03.

Multiple or Alternate Proposals:

Multiple or alternate Proposals will not be accepted.

Contract Type: Indefinite quantity with fixed unit prices.

Contract Duration: Three (3) year base period.

Primary Place of Performance:

State of Maryland

SBR Designation: N/A

Federal Funding: N/A

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 4 of 38

TABLE OF CONTENTS – RFP

1 Minimum Qualifications

1.1 Offeror Minimum Qualifications ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

2 Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work

2.1 Summary Statement

2.2 Background and Purpose

2.3 Contractor Responsibilities and Tasks

2.4 Experience and Personnel

2.5 Substitution of Personnel ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.6 Supplemental Category of Work Requirements and Responsibilities ...... Error! Bookmark not defined.

3 Standard Terms and Conditions

3.1 Contract Initiation Requirements

3.2 End of Contract Transition

3.3 Invoicing

3.4 Liquidated Damages

3.5 Problem Escalation Procedure

3.6 Work Orders

3.7 Payments by Electronic Funds Transfer

3.8 Prompt Payment Policy

3.9 Federal Funding Acknowledgement

3.10 Conflict of Interest Affidavit and Disclosure

3.11 Non-Disclosure Agreement

3.12 Maryland Healthy Working Families Act Requirements

3.13 The State of Maryland’s Commitment to Purchasing Environmentally Preferred Products and Services (EPPs)

3.14 Insurance Requirements

3.15 Non-Compete Clause Prohibition

4 Proposal Submission Information and Instructions

4.1 eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA)

4.2 Electronic Means

4.3 Pre-Proposal Conference

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4.4 Questions

4.5 Proposal Due (Closing) Date and Time

4.6 Economy of Preparation

4.7 Public Information Act Notice

4.8 Oral Presentation

4.9 Duration of Proposals

4.10 Revisions to the RFP

4.11 Cancellations

4.12 Incurred Expenses

4.13 Protest/Disputes

4.14 Offeror Responsibilities

4.15 Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

4.16 Compliance with Laws/Arrearages

4.17 Verification of Registration and Tax Payment

4.18 False Statements

5 Proposal Submission Information and Instructions

5.1 Two Part Submission

5.2 Proposal Delivery and Packaging

5.3 Volume I - Technical Proposal

5.4 Volume II – Financial Proposal

6 Evaluation and Selection Process

6.1 Evaluation Committee

6.2 Technical Proposal Evaluation Criteria

6.3 Financial Proposal Evaluation Criteria

6.4 Reciprocal Preference

6.5 Selection Procedures

6.6 Documents Required upon Notice of Recommendation for Contract Award RFP Attachments (Table B)

7 RFP Appendices and Exhibits

7.1 Appendices (Table C)

7.2 Exhibits (Table D)

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RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 7 of 38

1 Minimum Qualifications

1.1 Offeror Minimum Qualifications

THIS SECTION IS INAPPLICABLE TO THIS RFP

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 8 of 38

2 Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work

2.1 Summary Statement

2.1.1 The Department of Housing and Community Development (“Department”) is issuing this Request for Proposals (“RFP”) to procure a vendor to provide physical property inspections of multi-family housing projects and assisted with Department financing. A contract will be entered into between the Department and the successful Offeror(s).

2.1.2 The Department intends to make multiple awards as a result of the RFP.

2.1.3 An Offeror, either directly or through its subcontractor(s), must be able to provide all goods and services and meet all the requirements requested in this solicitation and the successful Offeror (the Contractor) shall remain responsible for Contract performance regardless of subcontractor participation in the work.

2.2 Background and Purpose

The Division of Credit Assurance (“DCA”) is a division of the Department. DCA is responsible for monitoring the physical condition and management performance of multifamily projects financed by the Department for the purpose of providing quality affordable housing.

The State is issuing this solicitation for the purpose of seeking proposals from firms and sole proprietors who are experienced in the performance of physical property inspection of multi-family projects, for the provision of required physical site inspections of loan collateral. The inspections required are expected to include at least 100 properties and possibly as many as 200 properties per year, which will be split between inspectors. This is an estimation of work to be performed and is not intended to be a guarantee of minimum or maximum work under the Contract. Many of the properties are in the Greater Baltimore Area, but work may be assigned across the entire State of Maryland, including the Eastern Shore and Western Maryland.

2.3 Contractor Responsibilities and Tasks

As directed by the Contract Monitor, or designee, the Offeror shall perform the following inspections:

2.3.1 National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE): The physical inspection of all aspects of a property including the grounds, structures, public areas, systems, and a percentage of randomly selected units.

A) Coordinate inspection date with the on-site property management company and record the scheduled date and time into the Multifamily Asset Management System within ten (10) business days.

B) Perform the NSPIRE of multifamily properties covering the entire exterior, common areas, and systems of the project.

C) Within 24 hours of site inspection, provide to the Contract Monitor, or designee, the completed Notification of Exigent Health & Safety Hazards Observed Form via email and in PDF format.

This form must include only the observed health and safety items and must be signed by the inspector and property owner/agent representative. If no health and safety items were observed, then this form does not need to be completed and submitted.

D) Perform Mold testing.

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E) Complete and submit all identified findings with locations and general comments using the Multifamily Asset Management System within fifteen (15) calendar days of the preformed property CRI. The general comments must include any indications that preventative or urgent maintenance is needed, and the overall physical inspection condition must be reported.

F) Perform a physical inspection of unit interiors per the same chart below:

Project Size Minimum % of Units to be Inspected 4 to 25 Units 20% not less than 4 26 to 50 Units 20% not less than 6 51 to 100 Units 15% not less than 8 101 to 200 Units 10% not less than 11 Over 200 Units 7.5% not less than 27

G) Provide a NSPIRE Report via email in PDF format to the Contract Monitor, or designee within fifteen (15) calendar days of the performed NSPIRE. The NSPIRE Report must include the following:

1) Technical Evaluation includes a description of the actual systems and structures utilized in the construction of the property; the property’s current age and life expectancy, and any indications that preventative or urgent maintenance is needed.

2) Evaluation of the property site, building(s), common area(s), unit interior(s), and summary of overall project rating.

3) Digitally labeled photos of the property include property signs, front of building, common areas, parking lot, at least one typical unit, and any observed concerns.

2.3.2 Alternative Inspection Protocols. If requested or authorized by the Contract Monitor, the Contractor may conduct an alternative physical inspection protocol and/or report consistent with established standards.

2.4 Experience and Personnel

2.4.1 Preferred Offeror Experience

The following experience is expected and will be evaluated as part of the Technical Proposal (see the Offeror experience, capability and references evaluation factor from Section 6.2):

A) The Offeror should have performed at least twenty (20) physical property site inspections within the past five (5) years, specifically the inspection of multi-family affordable housing projects financed by Federal, State, County, Local Government entities or multi-family housing similar to those currently in DHCD’s portfolio (such as privately-owned rental housing which could include townhomes, garden-style, mid-rise, and high-rise communities); As evidence of possessing the this experience, the Offeror should provide a list of properties previously inspected within the past five (5) years with its proposal that includes:

a. Brief property description;

b. Inspection dates performed by the Offeror; and

c. Type of inspection performed.

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 10 of 38

B) Experience with the Sales Force software.

C) Experience in conducting Capital Needs Assessments to include providing quantitative and qualitative reports.

2.4.2 Personnel Experience

The Offeror must employ personnel certified in NSPIRE process/procedures, and should provide with its Offer:

a) Full name of each inspector proposed to be assigned work under the Contract;

and

b) A copy of evidence of NSPIRE certification for each inspector.

2.4.3 Number of Personnel to Propose

As part of the Proposal evaluation, Offerors shall propose the exact number of Proposed Personnel who are expected to be available as of the start date specified in the Notice to Proceed (NTP Date). Offerors shall describe in a Staffing Plan how additional resources shall be acquired to meet the needs of the Department. Offerors may generally describe planned positions in a Staffing Plan. Such planned positions may not be used as evidence of fulfilling personnel minimum qualifications.

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3 Standard Terms and Conditions

3.1 Contract Initiation Requirements

Once all approvals have been obtained and the Contract is fully executed, the Contractor will schedule a kickoff meeting to be held prior to commencement of Contract performance.

3.2 End of Contract Transition

THIS SECTION IS INAPPLICABLE TO THIS RFP.

3.3 Invoicing

3.3.1 Submission of an invoice constitutes the Contractor’s verification that the information in the invoice is accurate as of the time of submission. The Contractor shall send original of each invoice and signed authorization to invoice to the Contract Monitor: Jennifer Y. Miles at Jennifer.miles1@maryland.gov.

An invoice not satisfying the requirements of a Proper Invoice (as defined in COMAR 21.06.09) will not be processed for payment. To be considered a Proper Invoice, invoices must include the following information, without error:

1. Contractor name and address;

2. Remittance address;

3. Federal taxpayer identification (FEIN) number, social security number, as appropriate;

4. Invoice period (i.e. time period during which services covered by invoice were performed);

5. Invoice date;

6. Invoice number;

7. State assigned Contract number;

8. State assigned (Blanket) Purchase Order number(s);

9. Goods or services provided;

10. Amount due; and

11. Any additional documentation required by regulation or the Contract.

Invoices that contain both fixed price and labor hour or time and material items shall clearly identify each item as either fixed price, and labor hour, or time and material billing.

The State reserves the right to reduce or withhold Contract payment in the event the Contractor does not provide all required deliverables within the time frame specified in the Contract or otherwise fails to satisfy the terms and conditions of the Contract until such time as the Contractor brings itself into full compliance with the Contract.

The State is generally exempt from federal excise taxes, Maryland sales and use taxes, District of Columbia sales taxes and transportation taxes. The Contractor, however, is not exempt from such sales and use taxes and may be liable for the same.

Invoices for final payment shall be clearly marked as “FINAL” and submitted when all work requirements have been completed and no further charges are to be incurred under the Contract.

In no event shall any invoice be submitted later than 60 calendar days from the Contract termination date.

3.3.2 Invoice Submission Schedule

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The Contractor shall submit invoices in accordance with the following schedule:

For items of work for which there is one-time pricing (see Attachment B –The Price Form), those items shall be billed in the month following the acceptance of the work by the State.

3.3.3 Deliverable Invoicing

1) For the purposes of the Contract an amount will not be deemed due and payable if:

a) The amount invoiced is inconsistent with the Contract;

b) The proper invoice has not been received by the party or office specified in the Contract;

c) The invoice or performance is in dispute or the Contractor has failed to otherwise comply with the provisions of the Contract;

d) The item or services have not been accepted;

e) The quantity of items delivered is less than the quantity ordered;

f) The items or services do not meet the quality requirements of the Contract;

g) If the Contract provides for progress payments, the proper invoice for the progress payment has not been submitted pursuant to the schedule;

h) If the Contract provides for withholding a retainage and the invoice is for the retainage, all stipulated conditions for release of the retainage have not been met; or

i) The Contractor has not submitted satisfactory documentation or other evidence reasonably required by the Procurement Officer or by the Contract concerning performance under the Contract and compliance with its provisions.

3.3.4 Travel Reimbursement

Travel will not be reimbursed under this RFP.

3.4 Liquidated Damages

3.4.1 MBE Liquidated Damages

MBE liquidated damages are identified in Exhibit 2 – Sample Contract.

3.5 Problem Escalation Procedure

3.5.1 No later than ten (10) Business Days after notice of recommended award or after the date of the Notice to Proceed, whichever is earlier, the Contractor must provide, and thereafter, maintain a Problem Escalation Procedure (PEP) for both routine and emergency situations.

The PEP must state how the Contractor will address problem situations as they occur during the performance of the Contract, especially problems that are not resolved to the satisfaction of the State within appropriate timeframes and must include:

1) Contact information

The process for establishing the existence of a problem;

a) Names, titles, and contact information for progressively higher levels of personnel in the Contractor’s organization who would become involved in resolving a problem;

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b) For each individual listed in the Contractor’s PEP, the maximum amount of time a problem will remain unresolved with that individual before the problem escalates to the next contact person listed in the Contractor’s PEP;

c) Expedited escalation procedures and any circumstances that would trigger expediting them;

d) The method of providing feedback on resolution progress, including the frequency of feedback to be provided to the State;

e) Contact information for persons responsible for resolving issues after normal business hours (e.g., evenings, weekends, holidays) and on an emergency basis; and

f) A process for updating and notifying the Contract Monitor of any changes to the PEP.

The PEP must be updated within ten (10) Business Days after any change in circumstance which changes the PEP but not less than annually within ten (10) Business Days after the start of each Contract year.

3.5.2 Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit any rights of the Contract Monitor or the State which may be allowed by the Contract or applicable law.

3.6 Work Orders

THIS SECTION IS INAPPLICABLE TO THIS RFP.

3.7 Payments by Electronic Funds Transfer

By submitting a Proposal in response to this solicitation, the Offeror, if selected for award:

3.7.1 Agrees to accept payments by electronic funds transfer (EFT) unless the State Comptroller’s Office grants an exemption. Payment by EFT is mandatory for contracts exceeding $200,000.

The successful Offeror shall register using the COT/GAD X-10 Vendor Electronic Funds (EFT) Registration Request Form.

3.7.2 Any request for exemption must be submitted to the State Comptroller’s Office for approval at the address specified on the COT/GAD X-10 form, must include the business identification information as stated on the form, and must include the reason for the exemption. The COT/GAD X-10 form may be downloaded from the Comptroller’s website at:

http://comptroller.marylandtaxes.com/Vendor_Services/Accounting_Information/Static_Fil es/GADX10Form20150615.pdf.

3.8 Prompt Payment Policy

This procurement and the Contract(s) to be awarded pursuant to this solicitation are subject to the Prompt Payment Policy Directive issued by the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs (GOSBA) and dated August 1, 2008. Promulgated pursuant to Md. Code Ann., State Finance and Procurement Article, §§ 11-201, 13-205(a), and Title 14, Subtitle 3, and COMAR

21.01.01.03 and 21.11.03.01, the Directive seeks to ensure the prompt payment of all subcontractors on non-construction procurement contracts. The Contractor shall comply with the prompt payment requirements outlined in the Contract, Section 31 “Prompt Pay Requirements” (see Exhibit 2 - Sample Contract). Additional information is available on GOSBA’s website at:

http://www.gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov/documents/legislation/promptpaymentfaqs.pdf.

3.9 Federal Funding Acknowledgement

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This Contract does not contain federal funds.

3.10 Conflict of Interest Affidavit and Disclosure

3.10.1 The Offeror shall complete and sign the Conflict of Interest Affidavit and Disclosure

(Attachment I) and submit it with its Proposal.

3.10.2 By submitting a Conflict of Interest Affidavit and Disclosure, the Contractor shall be construed as certifying all Contractor Personnel and subcontractors are also without a conflict of interest as defined in COMAR 21.05.08.08A.

3.10.3 Additionally, a Contractor has an ongoing obligation to ensure that all Contractor Personnel are without conflicts of interest prior to providing services under the Contract. For policies and procedures applying specifically to Conflict of Interests, the Contract is governed by

COMAR 21.05.08.08.

3.10.4 Participation in Drafting of Specifications: Disqualifying Event: Offerors are advised that Md. Code Ann. State Finance and Procurement Article §13-212.1(a) provides generally that “an individual who assists an executive unit in the drafting of specifications, an invitation for bids, a request for proposals for a procurement, or the selection or award made in response to an invitation for bids or a request for proposals, or a person that employs the individual, may not: (1) submit a bid or proposal for that procurement; or (2) assist or represent another person, directly or indirectly, who is submitting a bid or proposal for that procurement.” Any Offeror submitting a Proposal in violation of this provision shall be classified as “not responsible.”

3.11 Non-Disclosure Agreement

3.11.1 Non-Disclosure Agreement (Bidder/Offeror)

A Non-Disclosure Agreement (Bidder/Offeror) is not required for this procurement.

3.11.2 Non-Disclosure Agreement (Contractor)

This solicitation and any Contract(s) are subject to the terms of the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) contained in this solicitation as Attachment S. This Agreement must be provided within five (5) Business Days of notification of recommended award; however, to expedite processing, it is suggested that this document be completed and submitted with the Proposal.

3.12 Maryland Healthy Working Families Act Requirements

On February 11, 2018, the Maryland Healthy Working Families Act went into effect. All Offerors should be aware of how this Act could affect your potential contract award with the State of Maryland. See the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations website for Maryland Healthy Working Families Act Information: https://dllr.state.md.us/paidleave/.

3.13 The State of Maryland’s Commitment to Purchasing Environmentally Preferred Products and Services (EPPs)

Maryland’s State Finance & Procurement Article §14-410 defines environmentally preferable purchasing as “the procurement or acquisition of goods and services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing goods or services that serve the same purpose.” Accordingly, Offerors are strongly encouraged to offer EPPs to fulfill this contract, to the greatest extent practicable.

https://dllr.state.md.us/paidleave/ https://trackbill.com/bill/maryland-house-bill-629-environmentally-preferable-procurement-maryland-green-purchasing-committee/647077/

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3.14 Insurance Requirements

The Contractor shall maintain, at a minimum, the insurance coverages outlined below, or any minimum requirements established by law if higher, for the duration of the Contract, including option periods, if exercised:

3.14.1 The following type(s) of insurance and minimum amount(s) of coverage are required:

a) Commercial General Liability - One million dollars ($1,000,000) combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury and three million dollars ($3,000,000) annual aggregate. The minimum limits required herein may be satisfied through any combination of primary and umbrella/excess liability policies.

b) Errors and Omissions/Professional Liability - One million dollars ($1,000,000) per combined single limit per claim and three million dollars ($3,000,000) annual aggregate.

c) Crime Insurance/Employee Theft Insurance - to cover employee theft with a minimum single loss limit of one million dollars ($1,000,000) per loss, and a minimum single loss retention not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000), with the State of Maryland listed as a “loss payee.”

d) Worker’s Compensation - The Contractor shall maintain such insurance as necessary or as required under Workers’ Compensation Acts, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, and the Federal Employers’ Liability Act, to not be less than. one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence (unless a state’s law requires a greater amount of coverage). Coverage must be valid in all states where work is performed.

e) Automobile or Commercial Truck Insurance - The Contractor shall maintain Automobile or Commercial Truck Insurance (including owned, leased, hired, and non-owned vehicles) as appropriate with Liability, Collision, and PIP limits no less than those required by the State where the vehicle(s) is registered, but in no case less than those required by the State of Maryland.

3.14.2 The State shall be listed as an additional insured on the faces of the certificates associated with the coverages listed above, including umbrella policies, excluding Workers’ Compensation Insurance and professional liability.

3.14.3 All insurance policies shall be endorsed to include a clause requiring the insurance carrier to provide the Procurement Officer, by certified mail, not less than 30 days’ advance notice of any non-renewal, cancellation, or expiration. The Contractor shall notify the Procurement Officer in writing, if policies are canceled or not renewed within five (5) days of learning of such cancellation or nonrenewal. The Contractor shall provide evidence of replacement insurance coverage to the Procurement Officer at least 15 days prior to the expiration of the insurance policy then in effect.

3.14.4 Any insurance furnished as a condition of the Contract shall be issued by a company authorized to do business in the State.

3.14.5 The recommended awardee must provide current certificate(s) of insurance with the prescribed coverages, limits and requirements set forth in this section within five (5) Business Days from notice of recommended award. During the period of performance for multi-year

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3.14.6 Subcontractor Insurance

The Contractor shall require any subcontractors to obtain and maintain comparable levels of coverage and shall provide the Contract Monitor with the same documentation as is required of the Contractor.

3.15 Non-Compete Clause Prohibition

The State of Maryland seeks to maximize the retention of personnel working under the Contract whenever there is a transition of the Contract from one contractor to another so as to minimize disruption due to a change in contractor and maximize the maintenance of institutional knowledge accumulated by such personnel. To help achieve this objective of staff retention, each Offeror shall agree that if awarded the Contract, the Offeror’s employees and agents filling the positions set forth in the staffing requirements of Section 2.4 Experience and Personnel working on the State contract shall be free to work for the contractor awarded the State contract notwithstanding any non-compete clauses to which the employee(s) may be subject. The Offeror agrees not to enforce any non-compete restrictions against the State with regard to these employees and agents if a different vendor succeeds it in the performance of the Contract. To evidence compliance with this non-compete clause prohibition, each Offeror must include an affirmative statement in its technical Proposal that the Offeror, if awarded a Contract, agrees that its employees and agents shall not be restricted from working with or for any successor contractor that is awarded the State business.

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4 Proposal Submission Information and Instructions

4.1 eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) eMMA is the electronic commerce system for the State of Maryland. The RFP, Pre-Proposal Conference (Conference) summary and attendance sheet, Offerors’ questions and the Procurement Officer’s responses, addenda, and other solicitation-related information will be made available via eMMA.

To receive a contract award, a vendor must be registered on eMMA. Registration is free. Go to emma.maryland.gov, click on “New Vendor? Register Now” to begin the process, and then follow the prompts.

4.2 Electronic Means

The following transactions related to this procurement and any Contract awarded pursuant to it are not authorized to be conducted by electronic means:

a) Submission of Bond documents determined by the State to require original signatures;

or

b) Any transaction, submission, or communication where the Procurement Officer has specifically directed that a response from the Contractor or Offeror be provided in writing or hard copy.

Any e-mail transmission is only authorized to the email addresses for the identified person as provided in the solicitation, the Contract, or in the direction from the Procurement Officer or Contract Monitor.

“Electronic means” refers to exchanges or communications using electronic, digital, magnetic, wireless, optical, electromagnetic, or other means of electronically conducting transactions.

Electronic means includes e-mail, internet-based communications, electronic funds transfer, specific electronic bidding platforms (e.g., https://procurement.maryland.gov), and electronic data interchange.

4.3 Pre-Proposal Conference

If a Conference will be held, the date, time, and location is indicated on the Key Information Summary Sheet. Attendance at the Conference is not mandatory, but all interested parties are encouraged to attend in order to facilitate better preparation of their Proposals. If the solicitation includes an MBE participating goal, failure to attend the Conference will be taken into consideration as part of the evaluation of a offeror’s good faith efforts if there is a waiver request.

It is highly recommended that all Prime Contractors bring their intended subcontractors to the Conference/Site Visit to ensure that all parties understand the RFP requirements and the socio-economic goals for this solicitation.

MBE subcontractors are encouraged to attend the Conference to market their participation to potential prime contractors.

In order to assure adequate accommodations at the Conference, please email the completed Attachment 2 for those expected to attend the Conference to the Procurement Officer no later than the time and date indicated on the Key Information Summary Sheet. In addition, if there is a need for sign language interpretation or other special accommodations due to a disability, please notify the https://emma.maryland.gov/page.aspx/en/usr/login?ReturnUrl=%2fpage.aspx%2fen%2fbuy%2fhomepage https://procurement.maryland.gov/

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Procurement Officer at least five (5) Business Days prior to the Conference date. Reasonable effort will be made to provide such special accommodation.

If the Conference is in person, attendees should bring a copy of the solicitation and a business card to help facilitate the sign-in process.

4.4 Questions

All questions, including concerns regarding any applicable MBE or VSBE participation goals, shall identify in the subject line the Solicitation Number and Title for this RFP, must be submitted in writing via e-mail or eMMA to the Procurement Officer no later than the date and time specified in the Key Information Summary Sheet. The Procurement Officer, based on the availability of time to research and communicate an answer, shall decide whether an answer can be given before the Proposal due date.

4.4.1 Answers to all questions that are not clearly specific only to the requestor will be distributed via the same mechanism as for RFP amendments and posted on eMMA.

4.4.2 The statements and interpretations contained in responses to any questions, whether responded to verbally or in writing, are not binding on the State unless it issues an amendment to the solicitation in writing.

4.5 Proposal Due (Closing) Date and Time

Proposals must be received by the Procurement Officer no later than the Proposal due date and time indicated on the Key Information Summary Sheet to be considered. Except as provided in COMAR 21.05.03.02.F and 21.05.02.10, Proposals received after that date will not be considered. Requests for extension of this date or time shall not be granted.

For Proposals accepted via email, the time stamp to indicate receipt of the Proposal by the State, is the posted date and time in the Procurement Officer’s email inbox.

Proposals may be modified or withdrawn by written notice received by the Procurement Officer before the time and date set forth in the Key Information Summary Sheet for receipt of Proposals.

Proposals may not be submitted by e-mail or facsimile. Proposals will not be opened publicly.

Potential Offerors not responding to this solicitation are requested to submit the “No Bid/Proposal Notice/Vendor Feedback” form Attachment 1, which includes company information and the reason for not responding (e.g., too busy, cannot meet mandatory requirements).

4.6 Economy of Preparation

Proposals should be prepared simply and economically and provide a straightforward and concise description of the Offeror’s Proposal to meet the requirements of this RFP.

4.7 Public Information Act Notice

The Offeror should give specific attention to the clear identification of those portions of its Proposal that it considers confidential and/or proprietary commercial information or trade secrets, and provide justification why such materials, upon request, should not be disclosed by the State under the Public Information Act, Md. Code Ann., General Provisions Article, Title 4 (See also RFP Section 5.3.2.

Table A, Tab B “Claim of Confidentiality”). This information should be identified by page and

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 19 of 38 section number and placed after the Title Page and before the Table of Contents in the Technical Proposal and if applicable, separately in the Financial Proposal.

Offerors are advised that, upon request for this information from a third party, the Procurement Officer is required to make an independent determination whether the information must be disclosed.

4.8 Oral Presentation

Offerors may be required to make oral presentations to State representatives. Oral presentations are considered part of the Technical Proposal. Offerors must confirm in writing any substantive oral clarification of, or change in, their Proposals made in the course of discussions. Any such written clarifications or changes then become part of the Offeror’s Proposal. The Procurement Officer will notify Offerors of the time and place of oral presentations.

4.9 Duration of Proposals

Proposals submitted in response to this RFP are irrevocable for the latest of the following: 120 days following the Proposal due date and time, best and final offers if requested (see Section 6.5.2), or the date any protest concerning this RFP is finally resolved. This period may be extended at the Procurement Officer’s request only with the Offeror’s written agreement.

4.10 Revisions to the RFP

4.10.1 All revisions to the RFP before the due date for Proposals will be published in an addendum to the RFP and posted on eMMA and reasonable effort will be made to provide such addenda to all prospective Offerors that were sent this RFP or are otherwise known by the Procurement Officer to have obtained this RFP. It is the responsibility of all prospective Offerors to check eMMA for any addenda issued prior to the submission of Proposals.

4.10.2 Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of all addenda to this RFP issued before the Proposal due date in the Transmittal Letter accompanying the Offeror’s Technical Proposal.

4.10.3 Addenda made after the due date for Proposals will be sent only to those Offerors that remain under award consideration as of the issuance date of the addenda.

4.10.4 Acknowledgement of the receipt of addenda to the RFP issued after the Proposal due date shall be in the manner specified in the addendum notice.

4.10.5 Failure to acknowledge receipt of an addendum does not relieve the Offeror from complying with the terms, additions, deletions, or corrections set forth in the addendum, and may cause the Proposal to be deemed not reasonably susceptible of being selected for award.

4.11 Cancellations

4.11.1 This RFP may be cancelled as provided in COMAR 21.06.02.02.

4.11.2 The State reserves the right to cancel this RFP, accept or reject any and all Proposals, in whole or in part, received in response to this RFP, waive or permit the cure of minor irregularities, and conduct discussions with all qualified or potentially qualified Offerors in any manner necessary to serve the best interests of the State.

4.11.3 The State reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to award a Contract based upon the written Proposals received without discussions or negotiations.

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4.11.4 In the event a government entity proposes and receives the recommendation for award, the procurement may be cancelled and the award processed in accordance with COMAR 21.01.03.01.A(4).

4.11.5 If the services that are the subject of the RFP are currently being provided under an interagency agreement with a public institution of higher education and the State determines that the services can be provided more cost effectively by the public institution of higher education, then the RFP may be canceled in accordance with Md. Code Ann., State Finance and Procurement Art., § 3-207(b)(2).

4.12 Incurred Expenses

The State will not be responsible for any costs incurred by any Offeror in preparing and submitting a Proposal, in making an oral presentation, providing a demonstration, or performing any other activities related to submitting a Proposal in response to this solicitation.

4.13 Protest/Disputes

Any protest or dispute related to this solicitation or the Contract award shall be subject to the provisions of COMAR 21.10 (Administrative and Civil Remedies).

4.14 Offeror Responsibilities

4.14.1 An Offeror, either directly or through its subcontractor(s), must be able to provide all goods and services and meet all of the requirements requested in this solicitation and the successful Offeror (the Contractor) shall remain responsible for Contract performance regardless of subcontractor participation in the work. Offerors must be able to provide all goods and services and meet all of the requirements requested.

4.14.2 If applicable, subcontractors utilized in meeting the established MBE [[Replace with DBE if appropriate]] or VSBE participation goal(s) for this solicitation shall be identified using Attachment D or Attachment E as appropriate. Guidance for completing the Attachments is provided in the appropriate Appendix or Appendices to this RFP (see “Appendix 4 - MBE Participation Goal” and “Appendix 5 - VSBE Participation Goal”).

4.14.3 If the Offeror is the subsidiary of another entity, all information submitted by the Offeror, including but not limited to references, financial reports, or experience and documentation (e.g. insurance policies, bonds, letters of credit) used to meet minimum qualifications, if any, shall pertain exclusively to the Offeror, unless the parent organization will guarantee the performance of the subsidiary. If applicable, the Offeror’s Proposal shall contain an explicit statement, signed by an authorized representative of the parent organization, stating that the parent organization will guarantee the performance of the subsidiary.

4.14.4 A parental guarantee of the performance of the Offeror under this Section will not automatically result in crediting the Offeror with the experience or qualifications of the parent under any evaluation criteria pertaining to the actual Offeror’s experience and qualifications.

Instead, the Offeror will be evaluated on the extent to which the State determines that the experience and qualifications of the parent are applicable to and shared with the Offeror, any stated intent by the parent to be directly involved in the performance of the Contract, and the value of the parent’s participation as determined by the State.

4.15 Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

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By submitting a Proposal in response to this RFP, the Offeror, if selected for award, shall be deemed to have accepted the terms and conditions of this RFP and the Contract, attached hereto as Exhibit 2

– Sample Contract. Any exceptions to this RFP or the Contract shall be clearly identified in the Executive Summary of the Technical Proposal. All exceptions will be taken into consideration when evaluating the Offeror’s Proposal. The State reserves the right to accept or reject any exceptions.

4.16 Compliance with Laws/Arrearages

By submitting a Proposal in response to this RFP, the Offeror, if selected for award, agrees that it will comply with all federal, State, and local laws applicable to its activities and obligations under the Contract.

By submitting a response to this solicitation, each Offeror represents that it is not in arrears in the payment of any obligations due and owing the State, including the payment of taxes and employee benefits, and shall not become so in arrears during the term of the Contract if selected for Contract award.

4.17 Verification of Registration and Tax Payment

Before a business entity can do business in the State, it must be registered with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT). SDAT is located at 123 Market Place Baltimore, MD 21202.

For registration information, visit https://www.egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress.

It is strongly recommended that any potential Offeror complete registration prior to the Proposal due date and time. The Offeror’s failure to complete registration with SDAT may disqualify an otherwise successful Offeror from final consideration and recommendation for Contract award.

4.18 False Statements

Offerors are advised that Md. Code Ann., State Finance and Procurement Article, § 11-205.1 provides as follows:

In connection with a procurement contract a person may not willfully:

a) Falsify, conceal, or suppress a material fact by any scheme or device;

b) Make a false or fraudulent statement or representation of a material fact; or

c) Use a false writing or document that contains a false or fraudulent statement or entry of a material fact.

A person may not aid or conspire with another person to commit an act under this section.

A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding $20,000 or imprisonment not exceeding five (5) years or both.

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5 Proposal Submission Information and Instructions

5.1 Two Part Submission

5.1.1 Offerors shall submit Proposals in separate volumes (or envelopes):

o Volume I –Technical Proposal o Volume II – Financial Proposal

5.2 Proposal Delivery and Packaging

5.2.1 Proposals delivered by courier, postal service, facsimile, or email shall not be considered.

5.2.2 Pricing information shall not be included in the Technical Proposal. Pricing information shall not be included on the media submitted in the Technical Proposal.

5.2.3 The Procurement Officer must receive all electronic Proposal materials by the RFP due date and time specified in the Key Information Summary Sheet. Requests for extension of this date or time will not be granted. Except as provided in COMAR 21.05.03.02F, Proposals received by the Procurement Officer after the due date will not be considered.

5.2.4 Offerors shall provide their Proposals in two separate envelopes through eMMA following the Quick Reference Guides (QRG) labeled “5 - eMMA QRG Responding to Solicitations (RFP)” for double envelope submissions. Submission via eMMA make take significantly longer than expected. Offerors are encouraged to allow ample time to complete the submission process. Do not wait until the last minute to attempt to upload your proposal. For technical assistance with eMMA, please contact emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov.

5.2.5 Two Part (Double Envelope) Submission:

Technical Proposal consisting of:

1) Technical Proposal in searchable Adobe PDF format, and

2) A second searchable Adobe copy of the Technical Proposal, with confidential and proprietary information redacted (see Section 4.7), and

Financial Proposal consisting of:

3) Financial Proposal entered into the price form spreadsheet within eMMA and all supporting material in PDF format,

4) Financial Proposal in searchable Adobe PDF format,

5) A second searchable Adobe copy of the Financial Proposal, with confidential and proprietary information removed (see Section 4.7).

5.3 Volume I - Technical Proposal

NOTE: Omit all pricing information from the Technical Proposal (Volume I). Only include pricing information in the Financial Proposal (Volume II).

5.3.1 In addition to the instructions below, responses in the Offeror’s Technical Proposal shall reference the organization and numbering of Sections in the RFP (e.g., “Section 2.2.1 https://procurement.maryland.gov/emma-qrgs/

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Response . . .; “Section 2.2.2 Response . . .,”). All pages of both Proposal volumes shall be consecutively numbered from beginning (Page 1) to end (Page “x”).

5.3.2 Attachments, Documents, and Information Required with the Technical Proposal (Table A)

The Technical Proposal shall include the following documents and information in the order specified as follows. Each section of the Technical Proposal shall be separated by a TAB as detailed below:

Attachments A through E = Proposal will be rejected if the required Attachment is not submitted or is inaccurate or incomplete.

Attachments F through R = Proposal may be rejected if the required Attachment is not submitted or is inaccurate or incomplete.

TABLE A - Attachments and Documents Required with the Proposal

Proposal TAB Attachment # Attachment Name / Tab Section and Description

Tab A

Title Page and Table of Contents

The Technical Proposal should begin with a Title Page bearing the name and address of the Offeror and the name and number of this RFP. A Table of Contents shall follow the Title Page for the Technical Proposal, organized by section, subsection, and page number.

Tab B

Claim of Confidentiality (If Applicable)

Any information which is claimed to be confidential and/or proprietary information should be identified by page and section number and placed after the Title Page and before the Table of Contents in the Technical Proposal, and if applicable, separately in the Financial Proposal. An explanation for each claim of confidentiality shall be included (see Section 4.7 “Public Information Act Notice”). The entire Proposal cannot be given a blanket confidentiality designation - any confidentiality designation must apply to specific sections, pages, or portions of pages of the Proposal and an explanation for each claim shall be included. Otherwise, note under TAB B

- “Not applicable”.

Tab C F

Bidder/Offeror Information Sheet https://procurement.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2024/07/Attachment-F.-Bidder-

Offeror-Information-Sheet.pdf

Tab D Executive Summary & https://procurement.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2024/07/Attachment-F.-Bidder-Offeror-Information-Sheet.pdf https://procurement.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2024/07/Attachment-F.-Bidder-Offeror-Information-Sheet.pdf https://procurement.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2024/07/Attachment-F.-Bidder-Offeror-Information-Sheet.pdf

RFP for Department of Housing and Community Development Page 24 of 38

TABLE A - Attachments and Documents Required with the Proposal

Proposal TAB Attachment # Attachment Name / Tab Section and Description

Acknowledgement of all addenda to this RFP.

The Offeror shall condense and highlight the contents of the Technical Proposal in a separate section titled “Executive Summary.

In addition, the Summary shall indicate whether the Offeror is the subsidiary of another entity, and if so, whether all information submitted by the Offeror pertains exclusively to the Offeror. If not, the subsidiary Offeror shall include a guarantee of performance from its parent organization as part of its Executive Summary (see Section 4.16 “Offeror Responsibilities”).

The Executive Summary shall also identify any exceptions the Offeror has taken to the requirements of this RFP, the Contract (Exhibit 2), or any other exhibits, appendices, supplementals, or attachments. Acceptance or rejection of exceptions is within the sole discretion of the State. Exceptions to terms and conditions, including requirements, may result in having the Proposal determined to be unacceptable or classified as not reasonably susceptible of being selected for award or the Offeror determined to be not responsible.

Ta…