APPLICATION FORM______
Issue Date: March 25, 2013
Closing Date: April 19, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.
CONTACT AND INQUIRIES______
Dan Schnabel, Housing Program Coordinator
Thurston County Public Health and Social Services
412 Lilly Road NE
Olympia, WA 98506-5132
Phone: (360) 867-2531
Email:
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS______
Thurston County is soliciting applications for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – Public Facilities and Public Services Program funding for eligible activities that provide housing, capital improvements, community facilities, and economic development activities to improve living conditions in lower income areas such as acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or installation of public facilities and improvements. Up to 15% of the total amount allocated by HUD may be used for Public Services that provide direct assistance to low income individuals and households. This is a one-year funding period (September 1, 2013 – August 31, 2014).
CDBG – Public Facilities and Public Services Approximately $763,040
Priority activities to be funded in this initial year are projects serving the cities of Yelm, Rainier, Tenino and Bucoda.
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES ______
The use of grant funds may be used for a wide range of public improvement activities per HUD’s Basic Eligible Activities (24 CFR 570.201), including but not limited to:
• Acquisition of real property;
• Public facilities and improvements, including acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation or installation of public facilities and improvements;
• Facilities designed for use in providing shelter for persons having special needs such as homeless shelters, nursing homes, and transitional houses for run-away children;
• Neighborhood/community facilities;
• Parks and recreational facilities;
• Senior centers;
• Removal of architectural barriers which restrict mobility and accessibility of elderly or individuals with disabilities; and
• Funding to acquire, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate or install distribution lines and facilities of privately owned utilities.
The CDBG regulations allow the use of grant funds for a wide range of public service activities, including, but not limited to:
· Employment services (e.g., job training);
· Crime prevention and public safety;
· Child care;
· Health services;
· Services for homeless persons;
· Substance abuse services (e.g., counseling and treatment);
· Fair housing counseling;
· Education programs;
· Energy conservation;
· Welfare services (excluding income payments);
· Services for senior citizens;
· Down payment assistance; and
· Recreational services.
CDBG funds may be used to pay for labor, supplies, and material as well as to operate and/or maintain the portion of a facility in which the public service is located. This includes the lease of a facility, equipment, and other property needed for the public service. To utilize CDBG funds for a public service, the service must be either:
o A new service; or
o A quantifiable increase in the level of an existing service which has been provided by the grantee or another entity on its behalf through State or local government funds in the 12 months preceding the submission of the grantee’s Consolidated Plan Annual Action Plan to HUD.
APPLICATION WORKSHOP______
Two workshops will be offered:
One Workshop will be held on, Monday, April 1, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. The workshop will be held at Thurston County Public Health and Social Services, 412 Lilly Road NE, Olympia, WA 98506 in Conference Room 107.
One Workshop will be held on, Tuesday, April 2, 2013, at 6:00 p.m. The workshop will be held at Yelm Community Services, 624 Crystal Springs Road, Yelm WA 98597 in the Conference Room.
TO BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING, APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED OR DELIVERED NO LATER THAN 5:00 P.M., APRIL 19, 2013 TO:
Thurston County Public Health & Social Services
Housing and Community Renewal- CDBG
412 Lilly Road NE
Olympia, WA 98506-5132
UPDATES AND MATERIALS______
Information and materials related to this RFP are available online at the Thurston County Public Health and Social Services/Housing and Community Renewal website or at http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/sscp/index.html
ANTICIPATED TIMELINES______
The following anticipated timeline is subject to change, at the discretion of the County.
March 25, 2013: Notification of Funding Availability/RFP published in Olympian, the County’s newspaper of record.
March 25, 2013: RFP is posted on the Thurston County Housing and Community Renewal website and available to interested applicants.
April 1, 2013: Application Workshop for all prospective applicants, 6:00 p.m., 412 Lilly Road NE, Olympia, WA 98506, Conference Room 107.
April 2, 2013: Application Workshop for all prospective applicants, 6:00 p.m., Yelm Community Services, 624 Crystal Springs Road, Yelm, WA 98597 in the Conference Room.
April 19, 2013: Applications are due to the County no later than 5:00 p.m. at Thurston County Public Health and Social Services; 412 Lilly Road NE, Olympia, WA 98506-5132.
May 6, 2013: Members of the review panel hear applicant presentations, evaluate, and score all eligible applications and make funding recommendations.
May 15, 2013: Funding Recommendations.
May 21, 2013: Applications to BOCC for approval.
May 24, 2013: Open public comment period for 30 days (May 24 – June 24).
July 2, 2013 Public Hearing regarding the 2013 One-Year Action Plan at the BOCC meeting.
July 15, 2013 Preliminary award letters sent to successful agencies.
July – August 2013: Final award notification letters anticipated to be sent after HUD issues a fully executed funding agreement with Thurston County.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
REQUESTS FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION 3
ACCESS TO REFERENCED DOCUMENTS 3
NOTICE OF SOLICITATION 3
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS 3
DESCRIPTION OF SOLICITED SERVICES 4
Priority activities to be funded in this initial year are projects serving the cities of Yelm, Rainier, Tenino and Bucoda. 5
CDBG PROJECT REQUIREMENTS 5
REQUIRED MONITORING 11
Thurston County staff will work with successful applicants to ensure specific benchmark or milestone requirements are met. Thurston County staff will require monitoring activities be conducted at each of the following phases of a project: 11
ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS 13
APPLICATION EVALUATION PROCEDURE AND CRITERIA 14
UNACCEPTABLE SUBMITTALS 14
TRAINING WORKSHOP 15
SUBMITTAL DUE DATE AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTAL 15
OWNERSHIP OF MATERIAL 16
PROPOSAL COSTS AND PAYMENT OF CONTIGENT FEES 16
ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS 16
RIGHT TO REJECT OR NEGOTIATE 16
CONTRACT AWARD AND NOTIFICATION TO SELECTED APPLICANTS 17
RIGHT TO APPEAL 17
CANCELLATION OF APPLICATIONS 17
NOTIFICATION OF REQUIRED ASSURANCES 17
APPLICATION 25
2013 THURSTON COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT 25
PUBLIC FACILITIES 25
- CHECKLIST - 25
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF REQUIRED ASSURANCES 26
APPLICATION 28
2013 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT 28
FY 2013 CDBG Public Facilities - Proposed Budget 35
PUBLIC SERVICES APPLICATION 41
REQUESTS FOR REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION______
Thurston County (hereafter referred to as the “County”) will provide reasonable accommodation to allow for equal participation in the Request for Proposal (RFP) application process. To request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Dan Schnabel at or call (360) 867-2531 (Voice) or TDD (800) 658-6384. This document will be provided in alternate formats, upon request.
ACCESS TO REFERENCED DOCUMENTS______
This document contains active hyperlinks. Prospective applicants who are unable to access the Internet may request copies of the documents referenced in this Request For Proposals (RFP) by contacting Dan Schnabel at (360) 867-2531 or TDD (360) 754-2933, or by sending an e-mail to .
All documents will be available on the Thurston County Housing and Community Renewal website at: http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/sscp/index.html
NOTICE OF SOLICITATION______
Failure of the County to notify any interested party or parties directly regarding the availability of these funds shall not void or otherwise invalidate the RFP process.
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS______
Thurston County is soliciting applications for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – Program funding for eligible activities that provide housing, capital improvements, community facilities, and economic development activities to improve living conditions in lower income areas by means of acquisition, construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or installation of public facilities and improvements. Up to 15% of the total CDBG allocation may be used for public services that serve low income households. The public service funding is at the discretion of the County.
This is a one-year funding period (September 1, 2013 – August 31, 2014).
CDBG – Public Facilities and Public Services Approximately $763,040
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION______
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program regulations require that citizens be given the opportunity to examine and appraise the County’s use of CDBG funds. Citizens are afforded an opportunity to participate by membership on the Housing Citizen’s Advisory Committee (HCAC), by attendance at HOME Consortium meetings, through participation at public focus groups throughout the review and recommendation process. All meetings are open to the public and published on the Thurston County Public Health and Social Services/Housing and Community Renewal website.
Thurston County publishes annually a One-Year Action Plan outlining projected use of funds as recommended by the HOME Consortium and approved by the Board of Commissioners for the upcoming program year. Prior to the adoption of the One-Year Action Plan, a public hearing will be held by the Board of County Commissioners on June 25th, 2013 to provide citizens an opportunity to comment on the activities that will be carried out in FY 2013.
DESCRIPTION OF SOLICITED SERVICES______
Thurston County receives an allocation in Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. The primary objective of the program is the development of viable urban communities, by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income (LMI) persons. These federal funds are to be used to provide housing, capital improvements, community facilities, and economic development activities to improve living conditions in lower-income areas, and for low-income residents of Thurston County and to provide public services directly to low and moderate income households.
In the CDBG program, Public Facilities is broadly interpreted to include all improvements and facilities that are either publicly owned or that are traditionally provided by the government, or owned by a nonprofit, and operated so as to be open to the general public. This would include neighborhood facilities such as food banks, community centers, firehouses, public schools, and libraries. Public improvements include streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, parks, playgrounds, water and sewer lines, flood and drainage improvements, parking lots, utility lines, and aesthetic amenities on public property such as trees, sculptures, pools of water and fountains, and other works of art. Facilities that are designed for use in providing shelter for persons having special needs are considered to be public facilities (and not permanent housing); such shelters would include nursing homes, convalescent homes, hospitals, shelters for victims of domestic violence, shelters and transitional facilities/housing for the homeless, transitional houses for run-away children, drug offenders or parolees, group homes for the developmentally disabled, and shelters for disaster victims. In the CDBG program, site improvements of any kind that are made to property that is in public ownership and comply with CDBG guidelines are considered to be a “public improvement” eligible for assistance under this category.
A consortium of cities and towns (see the following list) and the unincorporated areas of Thurston County have organized to receive funds as an Entitlement Urban County.
The City of Olympia is not part of the Thurston County Urban County CDBG Consortium.
It is the intent of the County that the majority of the funds are allocated to projects that are both located in, and serve, the consortium communities. However, any program that serves residents of the 6 consortium cities and towns of Thurston County and/or unincorporated Thurston County may apply for CDBG funds to serve those residents, regardless of where it is located. The applicant must clearly demonstrate that County CDBG funds will primarily serve County residents residing outside the city of Olympia.
· Unincorporated Thurston County· Town of Bucoda
· City of Lacey
· Town of Rainier
· City of Tenino
· City of Tumwater
· City of Yelm
Priority activities to be funded in this initial year are projects serving the cities of Yelm, Rainier, Tenino and Bucoda.
CDBG PROJECT REQUIREMENTS ______
Special requirement for Consortium Cities and Towns Applicants Only: Supplanting: Please note that federal regulations prohibit using CDBG funds to supplant (replace or substitute for) local or state funds for ongoing responsibilities of general local government. The intent of this federal regulation is to prevent local government from using the availability of federal CDBG dollars to reduce local funding commitments.
In order to be eligible for funding under the CDBG Public Facilities programs, an application must meet two basic requirements:
REQUIREMENT #1
The project must meet HUD’s CDBG National Objective (24 CFR 570.208 (a)), which is to benefit LMI persons outside of City of Olympia. In order for an activity to be eligible under HUD’s National Objective LMI described above, the activity must qualify under either 1) area benefit; or 2) limited clientele; or 3) housing as described in further detail below:
A. Area Benefit Activities (24 CFR 570.208 (a) (1))
Under area benefit the public facility or improvement must benefit all residents of an area where at least 51 percent of the residents are LMI.
Note: Prior to submittal of application, please contact Dan Schnabel at (360) 867-2531 to verify a particular area is in an LMI census tract or if an income survey must be done.
B. Limited Clientele Activities (24 CFR 570.208 (a) (2))
Under limited clientele activities a facility must benefit a specific targeted group of persons, of which at least 51 percent must be LMI. This can be achieved by meeting one of the following criteria:
1) Serving a group primarily presumed to be LMI such as abused children, battered spouses, elderly persons, severely disabled adults, homeless persons, illiterate adults, persons living with AIDS, and migrant farm workers. 24 CFR 570.208 (a) (2) (a); or
2) Serving at least 51 percent LMI, as evidenced by documentation and data concerning beneficiary family size and income (see Income Limits Summary Table) 24 CFR 570.208 (a) (2)(b); or
FY 2013Thurston County WA Income Limits Summary Table (effective 12/11/2012)
FY 2013 Income Limit Area / Median Income / FY 2013 Income Limit Category / 1 Person / 2 Person / 3 Person / 4 Person / 5 Person / 6 Person / 7 Person / 8 Person
Thurston County / $74,778 / Extremely Low (30%) / $16,250 / $18,600 / $20,900 / $23,200 / $25,100 / $26,950 / $28,800 / $30,650
Very Low (50%) / $27,100 / $30,950 / $34,800 / $38,650 / $41,750 / $44,850 / $47,950 / $51,050
Low (80%) / $43,300 / $49,500 / $55,700 / $61,850 / $66,800 / $71,750 / $76,700 / $81,650
*These limits are revised annually, usually in December. Income limits are based on FY 2012 Fair Market Rent areas.
3) Having income-eligibility requirements that limit the service to persons meeting the LMI income requirement, as evidenced by the administering agency’s procedures, intake/application forms and other sources of documentation 24 CFR 570.208 (a) (2)(c).