RFI_for_Sources_Sought.docx

RFI/SOURCES SOUGHT AND CAPABILITY STATEMENTS

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. This is not a request for offers, quotes or proposals. This notice does not represent a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract. This is a market research tool only to determine the capability of potential sources.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is contemplating establishing a contract under NAICS(s) Code 541990-All Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services $ 14.0 million, 541720-Research and Development in the Social Sciences $ 19.0 million, 541310-Architectural Services $ 7.0 million, 541320-Landscape Architectural Services $ 7.0 million, PSC Code R409, for Creating a Walkable and Bicycle-Friendly Community and is issuing this Request For Information (RFI) in order to solicit responses from capable sources and capability statements to ensure sufficient competition exists to meet the government’s requirements. This requirement is a 100% small business set-aside.

Please review the Statement of Work and provide your feedback to Lee White, at leroy.h.white@hud.gov. Please call (817) 978-5401 if there are questions.

So, what exactly is HUD contemplating acquiring?

HUD is acquiring a document for mayors, city managers, planning commissioners, and zoning board members audiences that describe the elements involved in creating walkable and bicycle-friendly communities and provide guidance on introducing such choices into local contexts.

The Contractor has the discretion to provide alternatives or variations to the tasks, deliverables, and task schedule in the judgment of the contractor will lead to improved accomplishment of the project objectives.

BACKGROUND

There is increasing evidence that providing places to walk and bicycle is a successful strategy for maintaining or restoring economic vitality and improving public health in a community. Walking is the number one physical activity of choice for most people, and bicycling is increasingly an important aspect of transportation and mobility, however many of the existing infrastructure in our communities do not support safe, routine and enjoyable walking or bicycling. Many small and mid-sized communities are often unsure of which walkability improvements to focus on, how to prioritize investments or be clear about what outcomes they can anticipate.

Federal agencies play an increasingly important role in supporting, facilitating and implementing programs that directly or indirectly help create safe walkable environments, HUD intends this effort to provide additional support to locally driven solutions for transforming neighborhoods by empowering communities to advocate for walking and bicycling.

Walking and bicycling are important components of vibrant and dynamic public spaces and active and pleasant streets. They help promote interaction between neighbors, strengthen connection to the community, provide ‘eyes-on-the-street’ security, and support local retail activity. Promoting walking and bicycling has an added benefit--increases in home values. Recent research has found that homes located in more walkable neighborhoods command a higher price or have maintained more of their value when the real estate market declines, compared to similar homes in less walkable areas.

Residents of public housing or other multifamily apartment complexes will take to their bikes or walk to go to nearby commercial areas if accessible pathways were available. Many planning decisions affect walking and cycling conditions, to the degree that a planning process undervalues active transport it will underinvest in these modes. So helping to make neighborhoods more walkable and bicycle friendly not only builds stronger communities, it is also an economically sound investment.

Often, affordable housing is located far from any public transportation the families living in such housing, or receiving housing assistance, must purchase one or even two cars to access job markets. This frustrates the very purpose of housing assistance programs, which is to lower the overall cost of living to low-income families.

Affordable housing tends to be located in inner city areas and in far-flung suburbs while jobs are increasingly located in more affluent suburbs. This spatial mismatch, or sprawl, necessitates travel while reducing transportation choices like walking, biking or transit. Sprawling locations usually lack frequent transit service or safe pedestrian and bike routes.

As a result the nation is seeing a significant shift in consumer travel behavior and consumer choices in relation to the automobile. Demand for transit is rising. Consumers are rapidly shifting their choices to smaller, more fuel efficient or hybrid vehicles. Public transit is seeing a dramatic increase in ridership and there is growing evidence that consumers are seeking more affordable housing closer to urban centers with good access to walking and bicycling opportunities. It has also been evidenced that communities with more walkability features have become more gentrified over the past decade.

This is a new requirement.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF WORK

The product of this research is intended to be a guide and a resource for individuals, local organizations, community coalitions, neighborhood groups, the faith community and others interested in promoting and creating bicycle and pedestrian friendly neighborhoods and communities.

The Contractor developed guide is projected to analyze the planning principles and practices of small and mid-sized communities that have been successful in promoting walkable and bicycle-friendly communities. The focus will be primarily on communities with a population of less than 200,000, limited tax resources and planning staff capacity. The guide is intended for users to gain the lessons learned from communities that have successfully incorporated elements of walkable and bicycle-friendly infrastructure it will provide technical assistance and recommendations to small and mid-sized communities on bicycle-pedestrian infrastructure projects that enhance sustainability and resilience of the community.

The intention is to emphasize guidance and methods on how communities can incorporate multiple pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, to develop programs, plans and policies that support improved mobility, health and safety for pedestrians. Introduce case studies that show both ‘standalone’ projects as well as projects integrating bicycling and walking into planning, design, engineering, and education efforts. It is also expected the Contractor to provide background information, guidelines, illustrations, designs and potential policy models for consideration by agencies and communities throughout the U.S.

The scope of work is for an easy-to-read, illustrated guide of approximately 100 to 150 pages in length, using text, images, photographs, drawing, and schematics to create an effective message in the articulation of the guidelines, recommendations and samples presented for local decision making officials and other interested groups. The goal is to highlight the use of visual elements to describe key information, complex concepts, and ideas utilizing visually stimulating materials to enhance understanding and retention of important information.

In summary a graphic, content-rich, and appealing manual will be a primary tool for understanding and articulating the range of benefits that can be realized by optimizing the beneficial relationship between mobility-walkability-bicycling and comprehensive community development particularly for low- and moderate income (LMI) individuals.

Below are the characteristics that the government anticipates a highly successful contractor to have in order to meet the requirement in developing the guide for Walkable and Bicycle-Friendly Communities requirements:

• Demonstrable knowledge in diverse areas of Urban Planning and Environmental Design.

• Previous experience in Community Development as well as mobility and transportation, and principles of landscape architecture.

• Ability to derive relevant concepts from existing literature, analytical and visual observation of urban environments, interpretation of the built environment, and understanding of land use practices.

• Ability to facilitate meetings in a "lead" capacity for groups of various sizes and scientific expertise.

• Abilities and experience in articulating in a published report that is user friendly, highly graphic rich/visually effective, that clearly articulates complex concepts.

• Organized and deadline driven.

CONTEMPLATED REPORT REQUIREMENTS

The types of reports that are being contemplated are quarterly update reports as well as progression reports.

CONTEMPLATED MAGNITUDE OF THE PROJECT

The contemplated magnitude of the requirement is $ 100,000 - $ 250,000

CONTEMPLATED PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Contemplated place of performance is contractor’s facility

RESPONSE REQUESTED

Small Businesses are encouraged to respond.

This synopsis is a market research tool being used to determine the availability and capability of potential sources prior to determining the method of acquisition and whether the government will proceed with this acquisition. The Government will not pay for any information solicited. If a contract is ultimately pursued, responses to this synopsis will be used to aid in determining whether the acquisition is set-aside for small business or in establishing small business subcontracting goals. All qualified firms are encouraged to respond.

The capability statement shall address, at a minimum, the following:

1. Technical expertise relevant to the requirement;

2. Technical approach relevant of the requirement (1 to 2 paragraphs);

3. Management approach relevant to the requirement (1 to 2 paragraph);

4. Corporate experience relevant to the requirement (1 to 2 paragraph);

5. Indicate if you are a small business or any other socio-economic categories that apply to your firm under the designated NAICS codes;

Interested firms responding to this market survey must provide a capability statement demonstrating their experience, skills and capability to fulfill the Governments requirements for the above. The capability statement shall be in sufficient enough detail, but not exceed 10 pages TOTAL, so that the Government can determine the experience and capability of your firm to provide the requirements above. Please specify one primary and one alternate Point of Contact (POC) within your firm, including telephone numbers and email addresses in case clarifications of your submission are needed.

Only electronic copies of capability statements will be accepted and should be emailed to: leroy.h.white@hud.gov and cathy.j.baker@hud.gov The e-mail shall contain the following subject line: Response to Sources Sought Notice – Walkable and Bicycle-Friendly Communities Requirement. The Government may use the responses received to determine whether to proceed with the acquisition as a set-aside, or in the absence of a least two small business responses to this notice, may determine to proceed with a full and open competition. This decision and whether to proceed with the acquisition is at the sole discretion of the Government.

All interested contractors should submit their capability statements by TIME10:00 am (CST) on DATE: 11 July 2014 attention POC Lee White.