Affordable Housing Program Administrator

Valencia County, New Mexico's Procurement Department has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for an Affordable Housing Program Administrator to provide professional services administering the Valencia County Affordable Housing Program. The program deploys $1.8 million in State of New Mexico grant funds for a downpayment assistance initiative targeting income-qualified homebuyers, with each eligible borrower receiving $30,000 in forgivable downpayment assistance contingent on new homebuilders providing at least $10,000 in matching assistance. Key deliverables and objectives include administering and closing on the full $1.8 million in assistance by June 10, 2026, managing reimbursement requests from the County, underwriting single-family and multi-family housing projects, and ensuring affordability compliance monitoring throughout the program term. Required qualifications include demonstrated experience administering affordable housing programs, comprehensive knowledge of New Mexico Finance Authority (MFA) processes and compliance requirements, underwriting capabilities for both single-family and multi-family housing projects, and strong financial management capabilities. The evaluation will be conducted on a maximum of 1,000 points across six technical factors: Demonstrated Experience Administering Affordable Housing Act Programs (250 points), Knowledge of MFA Processes and Compliance Requirements (200 points), Experience Underwriting Single-Family and Multi-Family Housing Projects (200 points), Capacity to Monitor Affordability Compliance (175 points), Financial Management Capability (125 points), and Proposed Fee Structure (50 points). Proposals must be submitted electronically through Valencia County's Bonfire software no later than 2:00 PM MST on March 4, 2026, with an acknowledgment of receipt form deadline and written questions deadline of February 24, 2026. The contract term shall commence on March 20, 2026, and end on March 19, 2027, with an option to renew for up to three additional one-year terms, not to exceed four years total duration.

Additional evaluation points are available for resident business preference (50 points) or resident veterans preference (up to 100 points), indicating potential set-aside or preference considerations for New Mexico-based and veteran-owned businesses. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are listed in the procurement documentation. The contractor will serve as the County's agent for administrative purposes only and shall not possess independent authority to obligate County funds; the County retains all final decision-making authority regarding certifications, funding awards, and enforcement actions. The contractor must have the capacity to fund the downpayment assistance at loan closing and subsequently seek reimbursement from the County, requiring sufficient financial resources to support the $1.8 million program deployment. Finalists will be selected on March 4, 2026, with contract award anticipated on March 5, 2026, and a fifteen-calendar-day protest period following contract award. For additional information or inquiries regarding this procurement, the procurement manager is Rustin Porter, Valencia County Purchasing Department, 505-866-2005, rustin.porter@valencianm.gov.