Request for Proposals for Community Facilitation and County Code Evaluation Regarding Affordable Housing
RFP Bid Packet - For Community Facilitation and County Code Evaluation Regarding Affordable Housing (PDF)
Request for Qualifications
This request for proposal (RFP) is being issued by San Miguel County, Colorado. The
goal is to solicit proposals from qualified consultants to propose a methodology,
timeline, budget, and other necessary or valuable steps to deliver the work
outlined in the Scope of Work identified as part of this solicitation.
It is anticipated that the main deliverables will include an analysis of suggested
types of housing San Miguel County can best support; summaries of community
outreach and focus group discussions to gather information on community
priorities and ideas; and draft amendments to the Land Use Code for suggested
revisions. The consultant will work with staff, the Planning Commission, Board of
County Commissioners, and an advisory group, acting as a facilitator throughout
the process; conduct community outreach; and present findings with proposed
amendments to the Planning Commission and the County Board of Commissioners.
This project is governed by the Local Planning Capacity grant awarded by DOLA to
the County. The County has received its contract and is approved to issue this RFP
for services.
The expected deliverables for this plan are outlined in the Scope of Services below
and should include consideration of concepts identified within Innovative
Affordable Housing Strategies and the Strong Communities Strategies suggested
best practices among other best practices in affordable housing development for
planning and building review and approval.
Background
San Miguel County has been fortunate to receive a CO Proposition 123 - Local
Planning Capacity Grant to engage a consultant to evaluate our community context
for affordable housing, review current land use and zoning codes, review current
land use master plan documents, conduct community outreach and determine
suggestions for programs and/or amendments to streamline and incentivize
development of affordable housing within the County.
This project is intended to develop recommendations of land use policy, zoning
and/or process amendments to facilitate the development of affordable housing and
expedite review timelines; opportunities to increase inventory; public and private
funding resources; and to otherwise suggest methods to accelerate the development
of affordable housing within the county with a focus on the unincorporated areas
where County codes apply.
San Miguel County’s affordable housing program dates to the early 1990s, when
requirements for housing mitigation were added to the Land Use Code, and the first
planned affordable housing development, Lawson Hill, was approved. Lawson Hill,
along with other housing projects, is nearing build-out, and the pace of building
housing for local workers and residents has not kept up with the need. An updated
Housing Needs Assessment is in progress, with preliminary estimates of a current
need of 807 units, and increasing to 1,114 by 2034.
The County has an Affordable Housing Planned Unit Development zone district in
place. Its utilization requires a 5-step review process that can take several years.
In 2021, the County adopted a new Community Housing zone district. The intent of
the new zone district was to provide for the development of high-density clustered
housing, and to streamline the development review process.
Two properties were rezoned to Community Housing, one jointly owned by the
County and the Town of Telluride, and the other owned by the Town of Mountain
Village. Neighbors brought suit regarding the County/Telluride parcel, and the
rezoning was overturned by the District Court. Zoning for the Mountain Village
property remains in effect.
In 2022-24, the County undertook the preparation and adoption of a new master
plan to replace the 1989 Telluride Regional Area Master Plan. The East End Master
Plan was adopted in June of 2024. Throughout the planning process, public input
centered on affordable housing and the appropriateness of the Community Housing
zone district.
In March of 2024, the Board of County Commissioners and Planning Commission held
a work session to discuss possible changes to the Community Housing zone district to
address some of the community concerns. At the conclusion of the meeting, the two
bodies decided that the best path forward would be to analyze all County housing
regulations in order to determine the most effective ways to support the creation of
housing, and to form an advisory group of professionals with experience in housing
programs and development as well as citizens. It was decided that a consultant
with experience in affordable housing, land use, community outreach and
facilitation should be hired to assist in those efforts.
The San Miguel County Land Use Code and with other relevant materials are
available on the County website at
San Miguel County Website
and on or Housing Authority website at
San Miguel Regional Housing Authority
.
Scope of Work and Deliverables
The selected respondent (“Consultant”) shall be able to provide the following
scope of work:
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Review of current practices, identified housing needs and other Literature
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Current Land Use Code, Zoning, and other Constraints Review
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Identify the Major constraints to Affordable Housing Development
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Land Use Code Update
This area of scope is intended to include the following:
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Conduct a review of existing Land Use Code requirements, zone districts and development standards to identify barriers to the creation of housing or missed opportunities for housing creation.
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Identify opportunities to remove identified barriers including but not limited to streamlining the development review process, identifying incentives, and revisions to the Land Use Code and development standards.
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Help formulate Land Use Code amendments that will facilitate the creation of housing, including but not limited to streamlining the permitting process, removing or reducing regulatory barriers, encouraging infill development, and facilitating higher density residential development.
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Provide draft Land Use Code amendments and be present for Planning Commission and County Board meetings to discuss the proposed amendments.
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Identify if or how the County can reduce fees associated with Land Use approvals and the Building Permit process without causing harm to County funds or services.
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Identify funding opportunities available to the County by signing on to Proposition 123 and other state and federal funding opportunities for land and water banking.
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Assist in the formation of a County-appointed focus group that is comprised of officials, people involved in housing and development, and local residents, and act as facilitators within those meetings.
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Develop a community engagement plan that will identify methods of conducting community outreach to identify housing issues that are important to citizens, provide multiple ways for people to provide feedback and be informed, and ensure information is disseminated throughout the process.
Proposed Schedule
The proposed schedule for the Consultant selection is as follows:
Milestone Proposed Dates
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RFP Issued Apr 23, 2025
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Question Deadline May 2, 2025
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Addendum Response Deadline May 5, 2025
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Proposals Due May 13, 2025
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Interviews (if necessary) May 16, 2025
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Notification of Selection (Tentative) May 23, 2025
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Contract (Tentative) Jun 4, 2025
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Estimated Design Project Kickoff Jun 9, 2025
All dates are subject to change at the discretion of the County.
Inquiries
Inquiries or questions on the contents and requirements of the RFP will be accepted in written electronic form only. Inquiries can be emailed to the attention of: Jarrod Biggs to
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using the subject line: “Questions on 25AH-CCE”. The deadline for inquiries is Friday, May 2nd at 3:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, after which time no further inquiries will be addressed.
Substantive requests for information received may be responded to in writing by the County in the form of an addendum to this RFP and sent to all recipients of the RFP.
Proposal Requirements
Maximum page count for the proposal is ten (10) sheets, two-sided (twenty pages
total).
Proposals must include clear descriptions of the firm’s capabilities and experience in
performing the requirements of the RFP, including the following:
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Transmittal Letter. This letter should outline the Contractor’s ability to provide the experience and scope of services requested. Please provide a profile of the firm and identify the primary project contact for the proposal.
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Staff Experience. Include a description of each key staff assigned to a typical project. Identify any sub-consultants proposed to serve on the project as well. This should include identification of experience working with affordable housing programs, preparation of Land Use Codes and regulations, meeting facilitation and community outreach.
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Proposed Project Approach and Estimated Timeline. Explain the consultant’s understanding of the project, and expected project activities. Include an estimated project timeline for the previously mentioned project steps. Explain the availability and capacity of the consultant and any subcontractors to execute and see the project to completion.
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Sample Projects. Include up to five (5) sample projects that include similar tasks and deliverables to what the County seeks. Include a brief description of each project, and owner contact information for reference checks.
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Exceptions. Please include a statement regarding exceptions to the County’s sample contract included in the Attachments. If no exceptions are included, the County expects the Consultant will be able to sign the County’s contract and provide the required insurance and indemnification.
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Signatory Requirements. The Transmittal Letter must be signed by the contractor’s representative who is empowered with signatory authority for the company.
Proposal Submittal
The proposals must be submitted by Tuesday, May 13th at 4:00 PM Mountain Time. Late proposals will not be accepted. It is the Consultant’s responsibility to see that the Proposal is received at the proper time. The County is not responsible for delayed deliveries due to connectivity problems. The time the proposal is logged as received in the City’s email system shall determine the official time received. Please submit an electronic copy of the proposal to the attention of: Jarrod Biggs to
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with subject heading “RFP Response for 25AH-CCE.”
Selection Procedure and Evaluation Criteria
The County will have a Selection Committee for the evaluation and ranking of
proposals. The County may conduct interviews if determined necessary after
review of the proposals.
The selected firm based upon the proposals (and interviews if held) will be given
the opportunity to execute a professional services agreement with the County in
the form attached to this RFP.
If an agreement regarding scope and fee is not reached within a reasonable
period, the County may pursue negotiations with another firm or reissue the RFP
altogether.
The Proposals will be evaluated and rated based on the factors listed below.
Qualification Max Points
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Firm qualifications and capacity 20
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Qualification and experience of key personnel 20
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Understanding of the type of work being requested 20
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Approach and scheduling of the tasks required 20
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Cost proposal 20
