2023 HOF Annual Allocation Plan Community Feedback Survey

The URA is the City of Pittsburgh's (City) economic development agency, committed to creating jobs, expanding the City's tax base, and improving the vitality of businesses and neighborhoods. Incorporated in 1946 as one of the first redevelopment authorities in the United States, the URA achieves this mission by assembling, preparing and conveying sites for major mixed-use developments; and by providing a portfolio of programs that include financing for business location, relocation and expansion, housing construction and rehabilitation, and home purchases and improvements. The URA is committed to equitable development and incorporates best practices for equity and inclusion into its internal and external policies and activities.

The HOF is a housing trust fund that has been established in the City to support the development and preservation of affordable and accessible housing within the City’s boundaries. The HOF has allocated funding for seven (7) programs to carry out this mission in 2022: The Homeowner Assistance Program for owneroccupied home repairs; the Down Payment and Closing Cost Assistance Program for first-time homebuyers; the Housing Stabilization Program for at-risk renters and homeowners; the For-Sale Development Program for the creation or preservation of affordable for-sale housing; the Rental Gap Program to fund the creation/preservation of affordable rental housing; the Small Landlord Fund to provide financing to landlords making repairs to 10 units or less; and the Legal Assistance Program for helping tenants and homeowners with legal housing issues.

Funds appropriated to the HOF are to be invested in accordance with an Annual Allocation Plan (AAP) created by the Advisory Board and approved by City Council and the Governing Board. Per HOF legislation, the public will have the opportunity to submit feedback regarding the next year’s AAP prior to final approval by City Council.

More information regarding the HOF can be found at www.ura.org/pages/HOF.

The selected applicant(s) will be asked to enter into a contract with the URA to work directly with URA staff to provide community outreach and engagement services as well as host virtual community meetings as it pertains to the 2023 Annual Allocation Plan Public Feedback Survey. URA staff will provide the survey and materials that will be shared with the public. The applicant(s) will be contracted for a six-week period not to exceed $5,000.

At minimum, applicants must be able to perform the following:

• Host a minimum of three (3) community meetings in a six (6) week timeframe with a goal of at least a minimum of 20 people in attendance each, or a goal of at least 60 people total in attendance for all virtual or in-person meetings.

• Goal to collect at least 75 unique responses to the 2023 HOF AAP survey (either online or over the phone)

• Advertise the survey via your organizations marketing channels (social media, mail, flyers, etc.)

• Collaborate with URA staff and other parties to ensure diverse distribution of the survey

The selected applicant(s) must:

• Have a minimum of 3-5 years of performing community outreach and engagement in the City

• Demonstrate significant experience working with the grassroots advocacy and nonprofit organizations within the City

• Demonstrate a track record of working with and for underrepresented and minority communities throughout the City

• Be available to perform assignments within the time frame required in the agreement

Additional consideration will be given to organization that are able to provide the following:

• Translation Services

• Conduct surveys over the phone and send results to URA staff

• Geographic diversity and ability to engage low-income individuals

• New and innovative ways of connecting with constituents

Applicants must submit the accompanying RFP Application. The Application includes the following sections:

1. Organization Information

2. Organization Qualifications

3. Minority and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Narrative

4. Marketing and Outreach Methods

5. Proposed Budget and Cost Breakdown

All inquiries related to this RFP are to be directly emailed to HOF@ura.org.

The submission deadline for this RFP is Monday, June 27, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The applicant should submit one (1) electronic copy of the application delivered in PDF format via email. All submissions are to be submitted to HOF@ura.org.

• The qualifications review committee (Committee) will consist of the members of the URA’s HOF, Communications, Performance and Compliance and Legal Departments.

• The Committee will check responses against mandatory criteria. Responses not meeting all mandatory criteria will not be considered for review.

• Formal interviews of applicants may be scheduled at the discretion of the Committee.

• During the evaluation process, the URA reserves the right to request additional information or clarifications from the applicants, or to allow corrections of errors or omissions.

• The Committee shall recommend to the Advisory Board and/or the URA Board of Directors a list of applicants based upon firms’ responses to this RFP.

• Experience – The applicant’s experience in providing services similar to those within the Scope of Services described herein; the quality of the applicant’s management, reputation and references; the applicant should have at least 3-5 years of experience providing the services specified in its response to organizations like the URA.

• Depth and Breadth of Outreach – The applicant’s ability to reach a variety of populations throughout the City that would benefit from enhanced engagement as it relates to HOF’s activities and events.

• Quality of Submission – The quality of the submission and the degree to which it demonstrates the team members’ full understanding of their ability to perform the services to be rendered; the content of the response should demonstrate the applicant’s full understanding of the Objectives, along with sample materials.

• MWBE Participation – The applicant’s MWBE narrative should indicate whether the applicant is an MWBE and also include an overview of the applicant’s strategy toward MWBE participation, in general.

• The applicant, including any and all team members, must have no conflict of interest with regard to any other work performed by the applicant for the URA or related entity.

• The applicant must adhere to the instructions contained in this RFP in preparing the submitted proposal.

• The URA requires that all applicants demonstrate a good faith effort to obtain MWBE participation in work performed in connection with URA initiatives. Any questions about MWBE requirements should be directed to MWBE@ura.org.

The URA intends to select one or more applicants to be included on a slate based upon information in the response to the RFP submitted by the applicants, performance in previous undertakings and other pertinent factors. The selected applicant(s) will be chosen on the basis of the selection criteria listed above. The URA shall be the sole judge as to which applicant(s) meet the selection criteria. The URA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject any or all responses received, to waive any submission requirements contained within this RFP, and to waive any irregularities in any submitted response.

The URA shall have the right to verify the accuracy of all information submitted and to make such investigation as it deems necessary to determine the ability of each respondent to perform the obligations in the response. The URA in its discretion reserves the right to reject any response when the available evidence or information does not satisfy the URA that the respondent is qualified to carry out properly the obligations of the response.

This form is submitted subject to errors, omissions, and/or withdrawal without notice by the URA at any time.

All responses, including attachments, supplementary materials, addenda, etc. shall become the property of the URA and will not be returned.

If selected, each respondent agrees not to discriminate, whether in employment, contracting or otherwise, in violation of any federal, state, or local law and/or on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression.

Respondents and team members must disclose any conflict of interest, or potential conflict of interest, with regards to any employee or staff of the URA or the City of Pittsburgh, and/or any work performed by the respondent for the URA, the City of Pittsburgh, or any related entity.

TENTATIVE 2023 HOF AAP Outreach Timeline

• June 14, 2022 - RFP Application Opens
• June 27, 2022 - RFP Application Submissions Due
• June 28 - July 1, 2022 -  URA staff application review period
• July 5 - July 8, 2022 - Contracting Period Starts- Preliminary Discussions
• July 11, 2022 - Contract start date - Public feedback period starts
• August 19, 2022 - Contract end date - Public feedback period ends
• August 24, 2022 - Survey responses to be submitted to URA staff