NSPIRE RFQ (004).docx

City of Toledo One Government Center 640 Jackson Street Toledo, Ohio 43604

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION

Professional Services

Multi-Family Licensing Prequalified Vendor List Purchase Requisition Number 10008402

Issued By Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD)

Date Issued Friday, July 10, 2026

Response Submission Date and Time Tuesday, July 28, 2026 @ 1:30pm EST

Submit online through PlanetBids: https://pbsystem.planetbids.com/portal/22576/portal-home

1. INTRODUCTION

The City of Toledo (“City”), through its Department of Housing & Community Development (HCD), is soliciting statements of qualifications from firms capable of providing physical inspection services for multifamily residential properties using the City of Toledo’s inspection list. This inspection list aligns with aspects of HUD’s National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE). For the purpose of this RFQ and the impending licensing structure, ‘multifamily’ will be defined as a residential property with forty or more units on one site, including a complex with multiple buildings that equal forty or more units.

This Request for Qualifications (RFQual) is issued to create a pre-qualified vendor list (PQVL). Property owners who are required to obtain inspections under the City’s multifamily rental licensing framework will select firms directly from this list.

Inspection findings submitted by pre-qualified vendors will be transmitted to the City by the respective property owner and will be used to support rental licensing determinations. Placement on the pre-qualified vendor list does not guarantee any minimum amount of work.

2. BACKGROUND

The City is developing a multifamily rental licensing program to promote safe, healthy, and dignified living conditions within its larger rental properties. This initiative responds to long-standing concerns related to building maintenance, habitability, and health risks experienced by residents in some of the city’s multifamily properties. There are roughly 300 properties that fit the multifamily definition of forty or more units currently within the City, all of which will need to complete the licensing process. This effort will take a phased approach beginning in target zip codes and expanding citywide.

The City of Toledo has created a priority inspection list using NSPIRE as a foundation. HUD’s NSPIRE protocol emphasizes (1) health and safety; (2) building system operability; and (3) clear, consistent scoring across units, common areas, and exterior spaces. By approaching inspections backed by NSPIRE standards, the City seeks to create uniform evaluation criteria for multifamily buildings and to ensure deficiencies are addressed in accordance with defined timelines and severity classifications.

The inspection will be one component of the City’s multifamily licensing framework. Inspection results will inform the City’s assessment of whether a building remains eligible for a license, or whether enforcement action is warranted. Licenses are required to be renewed every three years and we anticipate roughly 2,750 inspections per year.

Key objectives of this initiative include:

· Establishing consistent inspection standards and documentation;

· Ensuring that conditions threatening health and safety are promptly identified;

· Supporting property owners in meeting local habitability requirements;

· Improving transparency for tenants and the public; and

· Strengthening accountability for larger rental properties.

The City intends to build a flexible and predictable system that provides clarity to owners, consistency for residents, and reliable data for City oversight.

3. SCOPE OF QUALIFICATION

3.1 General Scope

Respondents must be NSPIRE certified and demonstrate the ability to conduct inspections of multifamily buildings, including dwelling units, internal and external building systems, common areas, and site features. Any one facility’s initial license will be predicated on 100% of the units being inspected. Newer buildings or license renewals may not need 100% unit inspection. Thus, respondents should have the capacity for the initial license requirements.

Firms must be capable of:

· Identifying and classifying deficiencies in accordance with NSPIRE guidance;

· Providing written and photographic documentation of observed conditions;

· Preparing inspection reports in formats compatible with City systems; and

· Notifying owners of life-threatening deficiencies within required timeframes.

· Inspecting 100% of units

· Capacity to inspect roofs required

3.2 Detailed Responsibilities

At minimum, qualifications should include the ability to perform:

• Inspection of dwelling units, common areas, building systems, and site elements

• Classification of deficiencies

• Documentation including photographs, deficiency location, and unique identifiers

• Electronic submission of inspection results to owners

• Issuance of life-threatening deficiency notifications

• Re-inspection of properties where deficiencies were found

3.3 Scheduling and Tenant Notification

Respondents must describe how they coordinate with property owners and managers to schedule inspections in a timely manner. Firms must describe their approach to notifying tenants, including reasonable notice requirements, language access, and accommodation procedures.

3.4 Reporting and Data Management

Respondents must describe their reporting format and capability, including:

· Inspection summary reports;

· Photo and deficiency logs;

· Export of inspection results in a digital format acceptable to the City; and

· Procedures for data retention, privacy, and secure transmission.

3.5 Workforce Preference

The City will give additional consideration to firms that can demonstrate meaningful local staffing capacity, including the employment or subcontracting of NSPIRE-certified inspectors residing in the Toledo region.

4. ACCOUNTABILITY FRAMEWORK

Property owners are responsible for hiring qualified inspection firms and for the payment of inspection costs.

Inspection reports must be provided to the property owner who will then submit to the City. The City will review inspection findings to ensure documentation is complete and sufficient to support a licensing determination.

The City may conduct quality-assurance audits, which may include secondary inspections of a sample of units. Vendors that fail to meet reporting or performance expectations may be suspended or removed from the PQVL at the City’s discretion.

5. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

All responses must include the following information:

1. Cover Letter A brief introductory statement summarizing the respondent’s interest and capacity to provide inspection services.

2. Firm Description Overview of the firm’s history, ownership, office location(s), and organizational structure.

3. Staff Qualifications Identification of key personnel, including NSPIRE certifications, licenses, and relevant experience.

4. Local Workforce Development Strategy Respondents must include a brief narrative describing their strategy for recruiting, training, and retaining NSPIRE-certified inspectors within the Toledo region. This may include partnerships with local professionals, plans to subcontract with locally based inspectors, or efforts to support the development of a regional inspection workforce over the term of the PQVL.

5. Relevant Experience Description of prior work performing NSPIRE, UPCS, HQS, or comparable physical inspections, with emphasis on multifamily properties.

6. Technical Approach Description of methods for conducting inspections, coordinating scheduling, documenting findings, and reporting results.

7. Quality Assurance Procedures Overview of internal review processes to ensure accuracy and completeness of inspection reports.

8. References At least three (3) references from projects of similar scope, preferably involving multifamily housing.

9. Fee Information Respondents must provide a schedule of fees for comparable inspection services.

At minimum, the fee schedule must include:

· Standard per-unit inspection rate;

· Rate structure for common-area and building-system inspections (e.g., hourly or flat);

· Re-inspection rate;

· Include proposed cost of partial building inspection- 25%, 50%, 100%unit inspection

· Any travel or administrative charges;

· Supplemental or after-hours rates (if applicable).

Incomplete responses may be considered non-responsive.

6. REVIEW AND SELECTION

6.1 Evaluation

Submissions will be evaluated on:

· Demonstrated experience with NSPIRE or comparable inspection programs;

· Capacity to perform timely and accurate inspections;

· Clarity and feasibility of technical approach;

· Organization and qualifications of staff;

· Quality assurance procedures; and

· References and past performance.

Additional consideration may be given to firms that can provide technical assistance or informational support to property owners.

6.2 Interviews

The City may request clarification or invite respondents for interviews. Failure to participate in an interview may affect qualification.

6.3 Term

Firms will be placed on the PQVL for up to three (3) years, subject to continued compliance. Placement does not guarantee work.

7. CITY RIGHTS & RESERVATIONS

The City reserves the right to:

· Amend or withdraw this RFQual at any time;

· Request additional information from respondents;

· Reject any or all submissions;

· Waive informalities or irregularities in submissions;

· Modify the PQVL at any time, including removal or suspension of firms;

· Issue future solicitations for similar services.

The City is not responsible for any costs incurred in preparation of responses.

8. BID OPENING MEETING AND QUESTIONS

Bids will be open at 2 PM EST on the due date of this bid via Zoom Meeting at:

https://link.edgepilot.com/s/72026a0a/vScHndadGUqgTn8jHzPYJQ?u=https://toledo-oh-gov.zoom.us/j/96570601158

Preliminary Bid results will be available within 1-2 business days on the PlanetBids website after bid opening. Bid results will be published to the PlanetBids website once awarded.

Questions regarding the project must be submitted through the PlanetBids’ Q & A tab for the project manager to respond.

City of Toledo Division of Purchases and Supplies One Government Center, Suite 2000 640 Jackson Street Toledo, OH 43604-1414 image1.jpeg