Hinsdale - RFP Assessors Property Tax Assessment Services~1.pdf

Town of Hinsdale

January 21, 2019

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Town of Hinsdale seeks

Assessors’ Property Tax Assessment Services

The Town of Hinsdale, through its Select Board, seeks proposals from qualified firms to provide us with professional Assessors’ Property Tax Assessment Services for a period of up to three years. Following receipt and review of the submitted proposals, the Select Board may conduct applicant interviews before final selection. The Select Board is responsible for the final selection and award of any contract.

Scope of Services The selected firm will provide the following contractual services to the Town:

a. Manage the daily operation of the department and all personal and real property account maintenance;

b. Produce an annual calendar detailing all tasks to be executed throughout the year, with target completion dates;

c. Prepare all Mass Department of Revenue (DOR) reports, surveys, and data submittals including the annual tax recapitulation, providing assessment information required to help establish the fiscal year tax rate;

d. Produce new growth revenue reports and secure Department of Revenue certification of same;

e. Provide for successful completion of the triennial certification process and interim year re-evaluations;

f. Prepare for and, upon request, appear at the annual tax classification hearing;

g. Work with the DOR/Bureau of Accounts in securing the fiscal year tax rate;

h. Prepare the fiscal year real estate and personal property billing file, and work with the Treasurer/Collector ensuring the successful upload to the tax collection module; inspect, review, and formulate recommendations on all accounts under abatement appeal, preparing recommendations for the Board of Assessors;

i. Supply DOR reports as needed;

j. Inspect all properties for which the Town’s building department has issued building permits;

k. Routinely re-inspect at least 10% of the properties per year to maintain State’s required 10-year inspection cycle;

l. Ensure all records, including maps and computer system information, are maintained and current;

m. Represent the Board of Assessors at all Appellate Tax Board hearings; serve as Hinsdale’s expert on property Tax valuation matters

n. Conduct a full field and desk review of all information, including depreciation tables.

o. Meet with the Board of Assessors quarterly, and additionally at their request

p. Meet with the Select Board upon request, and with other officers of the Town as needed to coordinate and facilitate the Town’s affairs effectively.

q. The firm is responsible for all costs of its employees, including FICA, unemployment taxes, health insurance, property/casualty, and liability insurance, worker’s compensation, retirement, training, and mileage.

Minimum Qualifications Our evaluators will answer YES or NO to each criterion, and the consensus evaluation for each must be YES for the firm to move to the next evaluation round.

As indicated at the outset, the Town seeks a firm with considerable tax assessment and administration experience to oversee all duties of the Assessors’ Office. Provided the firm submitting a proposal meets the qualification requirements outlined below and is deemed responsive, they will be eligible for further consideration. The criterion is as follows:

a. The firm’s staff members have completed the Massachusetts Department of Revenue Course 101 on property tax administration; and

Town Administrator 39 South Street

Hinsdale, MA 01235 Town.administrator@hinsdalema.gov

413-655-2300, x355

Hinsdale: RFP Property Tax Assessment Services

b. The supervising assessor will have at least ten years’ experience as a principal assessor or equivalent within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and worked simultaneously in two or more communities, and demonstrated success in managing the affairs of multiple offices; he or she must hold a bachelor’s degree in business administration, real estate, economics or similar field of study, and have completed no less than 300 hours of specialized valuation and tax administration coursework through either the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) or the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers (MAAO); and

c. Associate assessors will have at least two years’ experience as a mass appraiser, hold a real estate appraisal license or certification, hold a bachelor’s degree, and have completed no less than 80 hours of specialized valuation and tax administration coursework through either the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO, or the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officers (MAAO); and

d. Can demonstrate, at minimum, two years’ experience plus two years of town re-evaluations using the Massachusetts DOR CAMA, Vision, or other compliant computer systems.

Evaluation Criteria An evaluation rating system will be applied to each of the criteria listed below for a comparative evaluation of those proposals deemed to meet the minimum qualifications set forth above. Each of the following criteria will be ranked by reviewers using one of four rankings: highly advantageous, advantageous, not advantageous, or unacceptable. Any proposal that receives an unacceptable rating for any of the following criteria will not be considered for further review by the Town. Remaining proposers will then be ranked by adding the consensus rankings for all the criteria, and the committee will decide which proposers (if any) it will interview.

The following criteria will be used by the Town’s Proposal Evaluation Committee (i.e., the Select Board and their appointees) in evaluating the proposals:

Massachusetts business/resident:

• Most advantageous – Business office located within 50 miles of Hinsdale

• Advantageous – Business office within 75 miles of Hinsdale

• Not advantageous – Business office within Massachusetts

• Unacceptable – Business office outside of Massachusetts

Experience in Massachusetts providing contract assessment services:

• Most advantageous – Ten or more years

• Advantageous – Seven to ten years.

• Not advantageous – Three to seven years

• Unacceptable – Less than three years

Experience working with multiple communities:

• Most advantageous – Has worked with more than five communities at once

• Advantageous – Has worked with three to five communities at once

• Not advantageous – Has worked with two communities at once

• Unacceptable – No experience working with multiple communities at once

Mass/ DOR compliant Assisted Mass Appraisal System(s) knowledge and experience:

• Most advantageous – At least five to ten years of working with DOR compliant system(s)

• Advantageous – At least three to five years of working with DOR compliant system(s)

• Not advantageous – two or three years of experience working with DOR compliant system(s)

• Unacceptable – less than two years of working with DOR compliant system(s)

Global Positioning System experience and knowledge:

• Most advantageous – Over seven years of experience

• Advantageous – Three to seven years of experience

• Not advantageous – Two to three years of experience

• Unacceptable – Less than two years of experience

Conducted Re-evaluations, both residential and commercial/industrial:

• Most advantageous – Conducted six or more residential and three or more commercial/industrials re-evaluations

• Advantageous – Conducted four to six residential and two commercial/industrial re-evaluations

• Not advantageous – Conducted at least two to four residential and one commercial/industrial re-evaluations

• Unacceptable – Conducted less than two residential and no commercial/industrial re-evaluations

Prepared cases for and represented a municipality before the Appellate Tax Board:

• Most advantageous – Prepared for and represented municipalities in ten or more Appellate Tax Board hearings, with at least five cases being commercial or industrial properties

• Advantageous – Prepared for and represented municipalities in four to ten Appellate Tax Board hearings, with at least three cases being commercial or industrial properties

• Not advantageous – Prepared for and represented municipalities in three or less Appellate Tax Board hearings

• Unacceptable – No experience preparing for or representing a municipality in Appellate Tax Board hearings

Familiarity with the Mass recertification process:

• Most advantageous – Demonstrated ability to complete a comparable Town’s re-evaluation process on time with no delays

• Advantageous – Demonstrated ability to complete a comparable Town’s re-evaluation process on time with minimal delay (one to two weeks)

• Not advantageous – Demonstrated ability to complete a comparable Town’s re-evaluation process with justifiable delay (Two to six weeks)

• Unacceptable – Demonstrated ability to complete a comparable Town’s re-evaluation process with a greater than six-week delay

The Proposal Evaluation Committee will rank proposals remaining in contention after the above technical evaluation, and then, after reviewing price quotes for each, will revise their rankings and submit a graded recommendation with explanations for each score to the Select Board.

The Select Board will review the Committee’s recommendation and will select the proposal that they find most advantageous to the Town. The Board may or may not select the lowest-priced proposal. They will weigh the cost and benefit of each proposal against the needs of the Town and will choose the proposal they determine is best for Hinsdale at this time.

The Select Board may condition their awarding of a contract on the successful negotiation of revisions suggested in the evaluation and will explain reasons for omitting a revision(s) from a plan incorporated by a reference in the contract.

Proposed Contract We are providing a sample contract as part of this RFP packet, outlining the terms and conditions expected by the Town.

The successful bidder’s technical and price proposals will become an addendum to the document once an agreement is finalized.

Contract Term The duration of the contract is for three years, broken out in consecutive one-year terms, starting on July 1, 2020, and ending on June 30, 2023. The one-year terms correspond with the Town’s budget cycle, and this agreement is subject to annual appropriation from the Town in May each year.

When submitting a Proposal Proposals shall be provided to the Town in one large mailing envelope, containing the following:

� A cover letter signed by an individual authorized to bind your firm, � One sealed envelope with a document outlining the technical aspects of your proposal. Please be sure to delineate the tasks and services you will complete each fiscal year and throughout the duration of the contract, � A second sealed envelope containing both a completed Cost Reporting Form (form attached), any start-up costs you foresee for the Town the initial year, and your detailed breakdown of the cost of each specific tasks you or your staff will perform each fiscal year and over the duration of the contract.

� A certification of availability and commitment guaranteeing qualified and available staff to perform on the project as described in this RFP (form attached).

� A signed certification related to each of the following: Tax Compliance, Non-Collusion, and Conflict of Interest (form attached).

� Proof of insurance, including property and casualty, liability, and worker’s compensation insurance. (Before beginning work, the contractor is required to supply the Town with insurance certificates naming the Town of Hinsdale as an additional insured for all insurance coverages, except worker’s compensation. Updated copies must be provided annually throughout the contract period.)

� Up-to-date resumes for the proposed supervising assessor and associate assessors(s).

� The names and contact information for at least four professional references from communities with whom you currently serve in similar capacities.

� All expenses associated with preparing and submitting proposals, including for interviews, are the sole responsibility of the proposer.

Due Date and Delivery

• Proposals are due by Noon on February 24, 2020 (per Town Administrator’s desk clock). The proposal should be sent by USPS or other delivery services or may be hand-delivered to the Select Board’s Administrative Assistant. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to ensure that their submission is received by the deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted.

• Please address your submission as follows:

Town Administrator 39 South Street Hinsdale, MA 01235

Property Tax Assessment Services Proposal enclosed

Additional Stipulations

• Questions, Clarifications, and Revisions – All questions or requests for clarification about this RFP should be addressed to Bob Graves, Town Administrator, by email at town.administrator@hinsdalema.gov no later than noon February 14, 2020. Responses shall be made within two business days. If the Select Board determines that it is necessary to revise any part of this RFP or provide additional substantive information or clarification, an addendum will be issued and posted on the Town’s website at this address: https://www.hinsdalemass.com/bids-contracts by noon February 17, 2020.

• Withdrawing or Amending a Proposal – Proposals may be withdrawn or amended, provided the request is received by RFP due date, noon on February 24, 2020. Withdrawals or Amendments must be in writing from the originator and be hand-delivered, received via USPS, or delivery service to ensure proper receipt. The document must be addressed to the Town Administrator and clearly marked “Proposal Withdrawal” or “Proposal Amendment.” An Amendment must also clearly define the specific change(s) to the original submission.

• Costs – Proposals submitted in response to this RFP are considered firm. Price Proposal costs must be firm for 90 days from the due date for submissions, and may only be modified or withdrawn per the terms listed below.

• Awarding a Contract – The Town plans to award a contract, pending voter approval of both the Select Board’s intention to outsource this work and budget approval immediately following Hinsdale’s Annual Town Meeting, which is set for May 13, 2020. We would expect the contract work to begin on July 1, 2020.

• Jurisdiction – The contract and all work performed that originates from this RPF is subject to Massachusetts State law and regulation.

• Disposition of Materials – The Town will retain copies of each proposal under State law.

mailto:town.administrator@hinsdalema.gov https://www.hinsdalemass.com/bids-contracts https://www.hinsdalemass.com/bids-contracts

Hinsdale

Property Tax Assessment Services Price Proposal Form

Proposal Submission Information

(Signature in blue ink, thank you)

Firm Name:

Firm’s Address: ___________________________

City, State, Zip: ___________________________

Principal Contact: ___________________________

Principal’s Title: ___________________________

Office Tel: ___________________________

Cell (optional): ___________________________

Cost proposal for the three-year contract broken down by year and totaled:

1. FY21

(7/1/2020 thru 6/30/2021): $____________________________________

2. FY22

(7/1/2021 thru 6/30/2022): $____________________________________

3. FY23

(7/1/2022 thru 6/30/2023): $____________________________________

Total contract price: $__________________________

Authorization

Principal’s Signature ___________________________

Date ___________________________

Technical Proposal Form

Proposal Submission Information (Signature in blue ink, thank you)

Firm Name: ___________________________

Firm Type: Individual___ Partnership___ INC.___ Other____________________

Firm’s Address: ___________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip: ___________________________________________________________

Principal Contact: ___________________________

Principal’s Title: ___________________________

Office Tel: ___________________________

Cell (optional): ___________________________

Hinsdale is an equality opportunity employer and provider.

Certifications

1. Good Faith Certification – Pursuant to section 10 of Chapter 30B of M.G.L., the following certificate must be completed and attached to the bid or proposal.

The undersigned certifies under the penalties of perjury that this bid or proposal has been made and submitted in good faith and without collusion or fraud with any other person. As used in this certification, the word “person” shall mean any natural person, business, partnership, corporation, union, committee, club or other organization, entity, or group of individuals.

Firm Name _________________________________

Principal Signatory _________________________________

Principal’s Signature _________________________________

Date _________________________________

2. Tax Certification – Pursuant to section 49A of Chapter 62C of the M.G.L., the following certification must be completed and attached to the bid or proposal:

I certify under the penalties of perjury that I, to my best knowledge and belief, have filed all state tax returns and paid all state taxes required by law. My social security number (voluntary) or Federal Identification number is:

FID# _______________________________

Please note: Approval of a contract or other contract or other agreement will not be granted unless this certification clause is signed by the applicant(s). Your Social Security Number/FID will be furnished to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue to determine whether you have met tax filing and tax payment obligations. Providers failing to correct non-filing or delinquency problems will not have a contract or other agreement issued, renewed, or extended in accordance with the law.

3. Conflict of Interest Certification – The undersigned certifies under penalties of perjury that no official or employee of the governmental body for which the attached solicitation is proposed is peculiarly interested in this proposal or bid or in the contract which it offers to execute or in expected profits to arise therefrom; and further that no official or employee of said governmental body will receive a commission, discount, bonus, gift, contribution, or received from or share in the profits of any person making or performing such contract. As used in this certification, the word “person” shall mean any natural person, business, partnership, corporation, union, committee, club, or other organization, entity or group of individuals.

Hinsdale is an equality opportunity employer and provider.

Property Tax Assessment Services RFP Reference List

Firm Name Principal contact Office Telephone

Please provide up to six professional references familiar with the services you are offering the Town of Hinsdale. We ask that you provide the contact’s name, title, company, or municipality they are employed by, a current telephone number and a current email address.

1 (required) Contact Name and Title _________________________________________________________________________

Business/Address + CSZ _________________________________________________________________________

Telephone + Email _________________________________________________________________________

21 (required) Contact Name and Title _________________________________________________________________________

Business/Address + CSZ _________________________________________________________________________

Telephone + Email _________________________________________________________________________

3 (required) Contact Name and Title _________________________________________________________________________

Business/Address + CSZ _________________________________________________________________________

Telephone + Email _________________________________________________________________________

4 (required) Contact Name and Title _________________________________________________________________________

Business/Address + CSZ _________________________________________________________________________

Telephone + Email _________________________________________________________________________

5 (optional) Contact Name and Title _________________________________________________________________________

Business/Address + CSZ _________________________________________________________________________

Telephone + Email _________________________________________________________________________

6 (optional) Contact Name and Title _________________________________________________________________________

Business/Address + CSZ _________________________________________________________________________

Telephone + Email _________________________________________________________________________