RFP - Kent County Housing Study

Kent County, Maryland is issuing a Request for Proposals to procure comprehensive housing study services from a qualified vendor. The study will analyze current and projected housing stock supply and demand across income demographics, examining housing availability, accessibility, adequacy, and affordability throughout Kent County and its five municipalities. Key deliverables include a market analysis covering 10 years of historical data and 10-year projections broken down by rental versus homeownership, housing type, household size, and income limits; a housing and zoning analysis evaluating current policies; a community housing needs assessment incorporating stakeholder engagement and public focus groups; and actionable strategic recommendations aligned with Maryland's 2030 Housing Production Targets. The selected vendor must identify critical data metrics including annual housing unit construction, housing unit composition, rental availability and accessibility, correlation between household income demographics and housing types, and housing price and rental rate changes relative to resident wages, as well as analyze special population housing needs for homeless, disabled, and aging populations. Required qualifications include demonstrated expertise in housing market analysis, community engagement capabilities, and ability to meet the compressed timeline. Evaluation will be based on approach to analysis (20 points), specific methodologies (25 points), demonstrated ability and capacity (15 points), technical qualifications of assigned staff (15 points), ability to meet the proposed timeline (15 points), and total price (10 points). Questions must be submitted by Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST, with responses issued by June 1, 2026; proposals are due Monday, June 8, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST; the estimated Notice of Award is early July 2026, with all work products and final deliverables due by February 1, 2027.

The procurement encourages applications from Minority Business Enterprises, Women-Owned Enterprises, and Veteran-Owned Enterprises. All applicants must certify they are not debarred, suspended, or ineligible contractors. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents. The total project funding is $43,000, comprised of a $30,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and a $13,000 grant from the Upper Shore Regional Council, which represents the maximum contract value. Payment will be distributed at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% completion milestones. Proposals must include detailed budget breakdowns by work product with all-inclusive maximum fees and hourly rates by staff classification, and all quoted prices must be firm and fully inclusive of direct, indirect, and out-of-pocket expenses including travel, meetings, stakeholder engagement, and presentations. Kent County reserves the right to negotiate with applicants and may request clarification or additional information during the evaluation process.