Community Development Consulting & Transition Services for Jefferson County

Jefferson County, New York, through its Department of Planning and Community Development, is soliciting sealed proposals under RFP #26-97 for community development consulting and transition services, with proposals due November 13, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST. The solicitation carries no set-aside. The County encourages proposals from small, minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned firms, but it names no preference program. The record's jurisdiction field lists Herkimer County (FIPS 36043), while the solicitation documents identify Jefferson County as the issuing body.

Jefferson County is the lead jurisdiction for the North Country HOME Consortium and administers about $950,000 annually in HOME funding, along with HOME-ARP and CDBG funds. The County is bringing housing program administration in-house from the Development Authority of the North Country and onboarding a new Senior Planner/Housing Specialist position. The consultant will provide technical assistance, program support, and hands-on training to maintain continuity, regulatory compliance, and internal expertise. Deliverables include Part 58 environmental reviews, Consolidated Plan amendments, Annual Action Plans, CAPERs, and HOME underwriting and subsidy layering reviews.

Qualified consultants must have at least five years administering HUD-funded programs (HOME and CDBG) for entitlement communities and familiarity with IDIS, SAGE, HEROS, and DRGR. Proposers must have developed at least two Consolidated Plans, five Annual Action Plans, and three CAPERs. Required insurance includes professional liability of $2 million aggregate and $1 million per claim, plus workers' compensation and commercial general liability coverage.

The initial contract term is one year, with the County reserving the right to renew for up to four additional one-year periods, for a maximum of five years. Pricing must be submitted on the County's Remuneration Schedule and includes hourly rates for general HUD technical assistance, lump-sum fees for specified plans and reviews, and unit costs for HOME underwriting reviews.

Proposals are scored on a 50-point scale: qualifications and experience (1–5), technical proposal (3–15), timeline and availability (1–5), references (1–5), cost proposal (3–15), and completeness (1–5). The Bid Proposal and Non-Collusive Bidding Certification under General Municipal Law §103-d and the Iranian Investment Disclosure under §103-g are mandatory, and non-compliant bids will not be considered for award. Submissions go electronically through the County's webpage or in person or by mail to the Jefferson County Purchasing Department, 195 Arsenal Street, Watertown, New York 13601.