AGENDA #11

 

MEMORANDUM

 

 

TO:                Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:          W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:     Request for Qualifications, Request for Proposals – Economic Development Consultant Services

 

DATE:           April 28, 2003

 

 

Attached for Town Council consideration are a draft Request for Qualifications and a draft Request for Proposals for economic development consultant services for the development of Parking Lots 2 and 5 (please see Attachments 1 and 2). We recommend adoption of attached resolution which would authorize the manager to issue the Request for Qualifications.

 

BACKGROUND

 

At a Council Work Session on June 10, 2002, the Town Council reviewed concepts for Parking Lots 2 and 5 and other sites developed at the Downtown Design Workshop in February and March 2002.

 

On June 10, the Council formed a subcommittee to review in greater detail options for proceeding, possibly leading to the issuance of a Request for Proposals to develop the two parking lots. Council members participating in the Committee meetings were Pat Evans, Ed Harrison, Mark Kleinschmidt, Bill Strom, Dorothy Verkerk, and Jim Ward.

 

The Committee met four times from September to November, recessing on November 11, 2002, after agreeing to report to the Council on several issues, including forwarding a recommended master list of principles and priorities, and options for soliciting financially feasible development proposals.

 

On February 24, 2003 the Town Council adopted Principles and Priorities recommended by the Council Committee on Lots 2 and 5. In addition, the Council adopted a resolution directing the Town Manager to develop proposals for economic development consultant services. The Consultant would work with the Town Council and Town staff in the process of issuing a Request for Proposals for the development of Town Parking Lots 2 and 5, entering into a development agreement, and managing the development process.

 

 

DISCUSSION

 

We propose that the Council consider a two-part process in selecting an economic development consultant. The first step would be issuing a Request for Qualifications in which potential consultants would submit information as to their background, experience and qualifications. The second step would be a Request for Proposals in which a smaller number of respondents would be asked to submit a more detailed proposal.

 

A review Committee such as the Council Committee on Lots 2 and 5 would review responses to the initial Request for Qualifications, decide on a short-list of finalists to interview, invite finalists to submit responses to a Request for Proposals, conduct interviews of finalists and forward a recommendation to the Town Council.

 

The task would be to select a consultant who would provide the following services:

 

1.      Assist in determining the method of soliciting development proposals for Parking Lots 2 and 5, currently contemplated to be a Request for Qualifications followed by a Request for Proposals.

2.      Write a Request for Qualifications followed by a Request for Proposals for developing Parking Lots 2 and 5

3.      Prepare an evaluation method for reviewing responses.

4.      Evaluate and provide recommendations on statements of qualifications and development proposals submitted in response, including an assessment of responders’ financial capacity and other qualifications, economic feasibility of proposals, the value of the offer in terms of lease and/or sales terms, the financial feasibility of the financial component of the project, the strength of proposals based on Council principles and priorities, and other factors.

5.      Provide advice on the terms of proposed development agreements.

6.      Assist in negotiating a development agreement.

7.      Assist in managing a development agreement.

 

We envision the consultant selected would provide assistance to the Town Council and staff as an independent agent of the Town, and would have no affiliation with any prospective bidder or developer of any project on either of these sites. This provision would be a stipulation of any agreement the Town enters into as part of this process.

 

The Request for Qualifications for Consultant Services will be advertised in publications which are read by consultant firms, such as Planning magazine and Urban Land, and posted on web sites such as the national American Planning Association web site.

 

The Council will be in a position to discuss the required budget for consultant services after proposals are submitted for consideration.

 

POTENTIAL SCHEDULE

 

Selection of Economic Development Consultant

 

·        May 30, 2003             Deadline for responding to Request for Qualifications for Consultant Services.

·        June 2003                   Council Committee on Lots 2 and 5 and Town staff evaluate Statements of Qualifications received; Committee selects consultants for short-list; finalists invited to respond to Request for Proposals for Consultant Services.

·        June 30, 2003             Town issues Request for Proposals for Consultant Services to finalists selected by Council Committee.

·        July 30, 2003              Deadline for responding to the Request for Proposals for consultant services.

·        August-Sept. 2003      Council Committee reviews proposals and interviews finalists, decides on consultant to recommend to Council for approval; Council considers Committee recommendation and budget ordinance amendment.

 

Developer Selection, Development Agreement Process

 

·        October 2003             Economic Development Consultant, working with Town staff, writes draft Request for Qualifications and draft Request for Proposals for developing Town Parking Lots 2 and 5. Council Committee reviews drafts.

·        November 2003          Council considers authorizing Manager to issue Request for Qualifications, followed at a later date by a Request for Proposals

·        January 15, 2004        Deadline for submitting Statements of Qualifications.

·        January – Feb. 2004   Council Committee, with advice from Economic Development Consultant, reviews responses to RFQ, decides on short-list of firms.

·        February 16, 2004      Town issues Request for Proposals.

·        March 15, 2004          Deadline for responding to Request for Proposals.

·        March-April 2004       Economic Development Consultant, Town staff evaluate development proposals, forward comments to Council Committee. Committee rates proposals, considers recommendation to Council.

·        Spring 2004                Council selects development team, proposal.

·        Spring 2004                Town hires legal consultant to work with Council Committee, staff and economic development consultant on development agreement terms.

·        Summer 2004             Development agreement negotiated and executed.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Council authorize the Manager to:

 

1.      Issue a Request for Qualifications for Economic Development Consultant Services as generally described in Attachment 1; and,

2.      At the appropriate time, issue to finalists selected by the Council Committee on Lots 2 and 5 a Request for Proposals for Economic Development Consultant Services as generally described in Attachment 2.

 

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

  1. Request for Qualifications – Consultant Services (p. 6).
  2. Request for Proposals – Consultant Services (p. 10).
  3. Principles and Priorities for Use of Parking Lots 2 and 5 (2/24/03) (p. 13).
  4. February 24, 2003 Memorandum: Process Options for Use of Town Parking Lots 2 and 5 (p. 17).

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TOWN MANAGER TO ISSUE A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR SERVICES OF AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT (2003-04-28/R-12)

 

WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Plan and Downtown Small Area Plan identify Town Parking Lots 2 and 5 as key redevelopment sites; and

 

WHEREAS, the Council has established principles and priorities for development of Town Parking Lots 2 and 5; and

 

WHEREAS, the Town Council on February 24, 2003, authorized the Town Manager to develop a request for proposals for economic development consultant services to help plan and manage the options for proceeding with the development of Town Parking Lots 2 and 5 and help represent the Town’s interests in any development agreement;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the Town of Chapel Hill that the Council authorizes the Town Manager to issue the Request for Qualifications for Consultant Services to retain the services of an economic development consultant for consideration by the Town Council as generally described in Attachment 1 to the Manager’s memorandum to Council of April 28, 2003.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council authorizes the Town Manager, at the appropriate time, to issue to selected finalists a Request for Proposals as generally described in Attachment 2 to the Manager’s memorandum to Council of April 28, 2003.

 

This the 28th day of April, 2003.