I. Introduction

The Apalachee Regional Planning Council (ARPC) invites interested parties to submit statements of qualification and experience and a cost proposal to provide grant writing services and other grant related services. All work will be done on a task order basis. The ARPC is looking for a firm with documented and successful experience providing grant funding through the US EPA Brownfields program. Additionally, the ARPC is looking for a consultant to provide support in the identification of potential state and federal funding sources and resources available to redevelop the region’s communities which are impacted by environmental issues and concerns.

The objectives of the ARPC are to complete the following:

•      Identify and pursue federal and state Brownfields funding and resources.

•      Submit an application for the next grant cycle for EPA Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup and/or Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund.

•      Encourage community involvement in the Brownfields process.

II. Scope of Work

The consultant will be expected to perform the following tasks on an as-needed basis:

1.     Grant Preparation and Administration: The consultant may be asked to take the lead in grant application preparation with input and review by the ARPC. Included in this task is the collection of data required in the grant application, meeting with existing community groups and assistance in the identification of potential properties or areas to be included in the application. Once grants have been awarded, the consultant will, with the ARPC’s help and guidance, administer the grant.

2.     Conduct public meetings and hearings to solicit community interest and provide educational information.

3.     Create and facilitate a Brownfield Task Force (BTF) to review and recommend sites to be assessed and characterized.

4.     Develop and implement effective methods of communicating information about the Brownfield program to the public (website, information sheets, mails, etc.).

III. Response Format/Evaluation Criteria

1.     One (1) original and two (2) copies of the statements of qualifications and experience shall be submitted. The submittal shall be no longer than 12 pages and shall include the information outlined below. The minimum font size shall be 11 pitch with margins of at least 1/2 inch. To ensure fair and equitable evaluation, proposals must be organized into the following separate sections.

        (a) History of the firm’s experience providing Brownfields services as described herein.

        (b) Experience and capacity to perform requested services.

        (c) Number of successful grant awards and dollar amount of awards for the types of grants listed above over the past three years for clients in Florida.

2. The response shall include a summary of the following:

        (d) History of the firm’s experience providing Brownfields services as described herein.

        (e) Brownfields grant application and administration experience/capacity.

        (f) Description of the firm’s organizational structure and the names and experience of key individuals including professional registrations and experience working with the US EPA and FDEP.

        (g) Disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest.

IV. References

The response shall include at least three (3) references for similar services that have been provided by your firm and the dates of service. Please include the reference name, company, and phone number. Also include a description of the services and key personnel that were involved in the project.

V. Proposed Methodology

Include a description of the relevant services provided by your firm. Finally, include a concise statement of why your firm should be selected by the ARPC.

VI. Selection Criteria

        (a) The responding firms will be evaluated on the following criteria.

        (h) Experience and ability to complete the work.

        (i) Demonstrated Brownfields experience of successful grant writing and administration along with a demonstrated ability to work with US EPA and FDEP.

        (j) Approach and understanding of the scope of work.

        (k) Proven track record of community engagement.

        (l) Cost will be evaluated but not the overall driving selection criteria. Experience and success of past grant submittals will be key selection criteria.

Oral presentations to the ARPC may be requested. The request for an oral presentation shall in no way constitute acceptance or imply that an agreement is pending. The ARPC reserves the right to award this opportunity based on the initial RFQ response without oral presentations. The ARPC reserves the right to reject any and all responses. Firms not selected will be notified in writing by the ARPC.

VII. Delivery Address and Deadline

Responses to this RFQ should be delivered to: Bruce Ballister, Apalachee Regional Planning Council, 20776 Central Avenue East, Suite 1, Blountstown, FL 32424. The submittal deadline is 4:00 p.m. (CDT), July 15, 2010.