RFI MLR__70FBR123I00000001 DR-4720-VT_Final__8-4-2023.pdf

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

(FEMA)

Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides DR-4720-VT

MULTIFAMILY LEASE AND REPAIR (MLR)

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

RFI #70FBR123I00000001

8/4/2023

THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) is for informational and planning purposes and shall not be construed as an authorization for program implementation issued in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) 15.201(d) & (e). This RFI does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bid (IFB), or Request for Quotation (RFQ), and it is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to enter into a contract, nor will the Government pay for the information submitted in response to this request. All information contained in this RFI is preliminary and is subject to change if, and when, a solicitation is issued. Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S. Government to form a binding contract. If a competitive solicitation is released, it will be synopsized in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) website. It is the responsibility of the interested parties to monitor this site for additional information pertaining to this RFI, or future solicitations.

BACKGROUND

Multi-Family Lease and Repair (MLR) is a form of Direct Temporary Housing Assistance that allows The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to repair or make improvements to existing multi-family rental property for the purpose of providing temporary housing to eligible applicants who are displaced due to Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4720-VT). FEMA may utilize this form of temporary housing assistance for eligible applicants who are unable to use rental assistance due to lack of available resources. MLR is not intended to repair or improve individual rental properties to re-house existing tenants.

PROJECT SCOPE/DELIVERABLES

FEMA is seeking multi-family rental properties (two or more units) in the counties of Chittenden, Lamoille, Rutland, Washington, Windham, Windsor, Orange, Caledonia and Orleans that were impacted by DR-4720-VT and within thirty (30) to up to sixty (60) minutes commuting distance from the affected areas in the state of Vermont. FEMA is seeking owners of rental properties (apartment complexes primarily) that could be potentially repaired to local, state, and federal codes/standards and offered as temporary housing for FEMA applicants in a timely manner for up to 18-months from the date of declaration, unless extended. The properties should be complexes that are able to accommodate a considerable number of people in a single location. Each property must have been previously used as a multi-family housing complex and contain two or more rental units. The site must be repairable within a four-month period and cannot be in a floodway. Within this program, there is no rental cost for the eligible applicant. The repair costs are funded by the State/FEMA and the value of these repairs are deducted from the value of the lease agreement between State/FEMA and the property owner.

PROPERTY REQUIREMENTS & PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION CRITERIA

Owners of multi-family properties meeting the criteria below who are interested in participating in the MLR are encouraged to respond to this RFI:

• The property must have been previously used as multi-family housing.

• The property must contain two or more units.

• The property must be in an area included in a major disaster declaration or impacted by the same disaster and located within thirty (30) to sixty (60) minutes of commuting distance of the major disaster declaration area within the state of Vermont.

• Each unit must provide complete and independent living facilities for one or more persons and contain permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking, and sanitation.

• The property must be located within reasonable commuting distance to community and wrap-around services, such as accessible public transportation, schools, fire and emergency services, grocery stores, etc.

• The vacant units on the property must be available to be leased to FEMA allowing FEMA’s exclusive use as temporary housing for eligible applicants for a term of no less than 18 months with the possibility of contract extension.

• The property owner must provide all property management services, including building maintenance; and

• All contractors must be registered in System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and have a Unique Entity Identifier.

Interested property owners are advised of the following terms and conditions will apply to any agreement between FEMA and owners of property selected for MLR:

• A provision granting FEMA exclusive use of the units and sole discretion to identify and select occupants during the term of lease agreement.

• A provision granting FEMA the option to extend the lease if FEMA extends the period of assistance beyond 18 months.

• A provision granting FEMA the option of releasing the unit to the owner and ceasing all monthly payments for the unit at any time by providing thirty days’ notice.

• A provision allowing FEMA to make reasonable accommodation and/or modification repairs or improvements during the term of the lease agreement without requiring FEMA to remove the improvements at the end of lease agreement.

• A provision incorporating a lease addendum containing FEMA’s conditions of eligibility and termination of tenancy and eviction into any lease between the property owner and the occupant.

• A provision agreeing to waive credit screening for eligible applicants.

• A provision allowing FEMA to re-assign a vacated unit when eligible applicants need temporary housing assistance, and a unit becomes available before the end of the period of assistance.

• Property owners must be current and in good standing with property mortgage payments and ensure mortgage standing verification is provided as well as proof of ownership.

REQUESTED INFORMATION

This RFI provides an opportunity for parties who own properties that potentially qualify for participation in MLR to express interest. If you are a property owner or a property management company and are interested in this program, please provide the following information to the best of your ability:

• Complex name (if applicable), location of property, property owner name, and phone number or Contact information (if not property owner).

• Status of the property’s mortgage payments.

• Total number of housing units within the property.

• Number of vacant housing units containing a separate bathroom, kitchen, and living space,

• Number of vacant housing units available for FEMA exclusive use.

• Number of vacant housing units compliant with Uniform Federal Accessibility

Standards (UFAS) and/or features that provide accessibility for individuals with disabilities.

• Description of repairs and improvements required to make the housing units habitable.

• Description of repairs currently underway, if applicable.

• Projected length of time required to make the housing units habitable (from execution of the contract).

• Year building was constructed (if known).

• Years the building was used for multi-family housing.

• Rental rates during the last year of operation (state whether utilities were included and, if so, which ones).

• Pet restrictions, such as type, number, or size, and applicable pet deposits; and

• Number of parking spaces (including accessible and van-accessible) available for each housing unit.

DEFINITIONS

Applicant: An individual or household who has applied for FEMA Assistance, and because of the disaster has a disaster-caused need for temporary housing.

Multifamily Lease and Repair (MLR): is defined as a rental property that contains two or more dwelling units, each such unit providing complete and independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking, and sanitation.

Period of Performance (POP): The POP is for 18 months after the Presidentially declared disaster July 14, 2023.

Reasonable Commuting Distance: A distance which does not place an undue hardship on an applicant. It also takes into consideration the traveling time due to road conditions, e.g., mountainous regions or bridges out and the normal commuting patterns of the area.

Repair: To restore a property or component of the property to a functional condition that will make the property safe, habitable, accessible, and functional for temporary housing.

Utilities: Services such as water, gas, electricity, heating oil, and/or propane. Utilities do not include amenity services, e.g., cable, television, internet, telephone, etc.

SUBMISSION OF CAPABILITY PACKAGES INSTRUCTIONS

Interested property owners shall submit a brief capabilities' statement package via email to the Points of Contact listed below. There is no page limitation on your submission.

This documentation should address, at a minimum, the following to demonstrate the property owner/property management company (referred to as vendor from hereon) capability to perform the requirements:

(1) The vendor's technical capability to deliver the aforementioned services within the specified timeframe; and

(2) Past experience with similar requirements along with the contract type/pricing methodology; and

(3) The vendor's ability to manage, as prime, the types and magnitude of services required.

Please provide additional information you deem relevant to respond to the specifics of the RFI. The Government is not requesting any proprietary information to be submitted, nor shall it be liable for any consequential damages for proprietary information included.

Any information submitted to the RFI (e.g., capability statement) is subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 USC 552 (a). All submissions submitted will not be returned.

The applicable NAICS code is 531311 The applicable PSC is X1FA.

RESPONSE DEADLINE: RFI responses and comments are due as soon as possible but NLT, 5:00 PM EST, August 27, 2023, via email to the POC listed below. The email subject line shall read: RFI# 70FBR123I00000001 Response: MLR - DR-4720-VT

POINTS OF CONTACT: CO Lisa G. Thibodeaux / Venus D. Griffin email: FEMA-DR4720VT-Housing@fema.dhs.gov Phone calls will not be accepted or returned.

All responses received and questions answered will be considered as part of the market research for this requirement in accordance with FAR 10.001(a)(3).

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS: Small Business concerns are encouraged to provide responses to this RFI.