Architectural Services for Shelter Conversion and Renovation Project

Architectural Services for Shelter Conversion and Renovation Project
Request for Proposals
Delaware State Housing Authority
I.Introduction and Purpose
The Delaware State Housing Authority ("DSHA" or "the Agency"), on behalf of the Delaware
Housing Real Estate Company ("the Company"), is soliciting proposals from qualified
professional architectural firms to provide comprehensive architectural services for the design
and renovation of existing properties in both Kent County and Sussex County ("the projects") to
establish homeless shelters with comprehensive wrap around services focused on improving
outcomes through the modernization and strengthening of healthcare and housing ecosystems.
The Company is under contract for a former hotel in Kent County; the anticipated scope of
services related to this property includes a multi-phase process to renovate existing hotel
rooms and common hotel spaces for shelter operations, and the conversion of larger non-hotel
spaces, including existing ballroom and event spaces, into community-focused facilities such as
a medical facility, commercial food kitchen and community food resource pantry, and other
flexible supportive service spaces as identified during the design phase. A site has not yet been
identified for Sussex County, but similar requirements and outcomes will be required for this
site to ensure compliance with the funding resources.
The selected firm must be capable of delivering a comprehensive design that addresses all
project spaces and programming needs, either through their own in-house expertise or through
a formal partnership or subcontracting arrangements with additional architectural or design
firms possessing the relevant specialized experience.
This project will be supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award
totaling $157.4 million with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. DSHA and the Company may also
elect to fund this project in part through federal funding resources (including but not
necessarily limited to HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds). As such, all work must comply with applicable federal
requirements governing the use of those funding sources.
II. Project Location
Kent County
1570 N. Dupont Highway
Dover, DE 19901
Sussex County
TBD

III. Project Overview
Kent County
The project involves the renovation and adaptive reuse of an existing hotel property to serve as
a homeless shelter with integrated supportive services. The scope of work encompasses two
primary components:
1. Hotel Room and Hotel Common Space Renovations: Renovation of existing guest
rooms and hotel common areas to meet the functional, accessibility, and code
requirements of a residential shelter facility.
2. Non-Hotel Space Conversions: Conversion of ballroom and other large non-hotel spaces
into community-focused programming areas, which may include but are not limited to:
A medical or health services facility
o
A commercial food kitchen, dining area, and community pantry space
o
Other community resources and supportive service spaces as determined during
o
the design process
The selected architect will be responsible for delivering a unified, comprehensive design that
integrates all components of the project into a cohesive facility plan.
Sussex County
A site has not yet been identified, but similar requirements and outcomes are anticipated to
ensure compliance with the funding requirements.
IV. Scope of Services
The selected firm shall provide, at minimum, the following architectural services:
* Pre-design and programming services, including assessment of existing conditions and
space planning for all project components
* Schematic design, design development, and construction document preparation for all
renovation and conversion scopes
* Coordination of design across all specialized spaces, including medical facilities and
commercial kitchen areas, whether performed in-house or through a subcontracting
arrangement with qualified specialty architects or designers
* Compliance review and documentation to ensure all designs meet all federal funding
requirements and guidelines
* Ensuring compliance with all applicable state and local building codes, zoning
requirements, and engineering standards
* Coordination with state and local permitting authorities
* General Contractor bid and vendor selection services
* Construction administration services, including site visits, review of contractor
submittals, and response to requests for information (RFIs)
* Project schedule coordination
* Any additional services necessary to deliver a complete and code-compliant facility

V. Qualifications and Requirements
Responding firms must demonstrate the following:
* Licensure as a registered architect in Delaware in good standing
* Demonstrated experience with renovation and/or adaptive reuse projects of
comparable scale and complexity
* Experience with federally funded projects and program requirements
* Ability to deliver comprehensive architectural and engineering services across all project
components, either through in-house expertise or through formal partnerships and/or
subcontracting arrangements with firms possessing relevant specialized experience in
areas such as:
Medical or healthcare facility design
o
Commercial kitchen design
o
Residential or shelter facility design
o
* Familiarity with applicable state and local building codes, accessibility requirements, and
engineering standards
* Experience working on projects serving homeless or other vulnerable populations is
preferred but not required
Firms proposing a partnership or subcontracting arrangement must clearly identify all
participating firms and describe the roles and responsibilities of each within the proposal.
VI. Proposal Requirements
Proposals must include the following for all team members (primary applicant and any
partnership or subcontracting participating entities):
1. Firm Overview: A description of the firm, its size, structure, and relevant areas of
expertise. Indicate the number of years the firm has been in business. Include a
completed copy of the attached litigation disclosure form, noting any involvement in
litigation, arbitration, or mediation with or on behalf of a client for a project similar in
size and scope. Indicate whether the firm has had a contract for services terminated
during the past five years, and provide full details related to the termination.
2. Qualifications and Experience: A summary of relevant project experience, including at
least five (5) comparable projects with project descriptions, client references, and
outcomes.
3. Project Approach: A narrative describing the firm's proposed approach to the project,
including how they intend to address the full scope of services.
4. Subcontracting or Partnership Plan (if applicable): Identification of any engineering,
subcontractor, or partner firms, their qualifications, and their proposed roles.
5. Federal Compliance Statement: A description of the firm's experience with federally
funded projects and their approach to ensuring federal compliance.
6. Key Personnel: Identification of the project team, including the lead architect and any
other key personnel, along with their relevant qualifications and experience.

7. Fee Proposal: A proposed fee structure for the project overview and full scope of
services, including a breakdown by project phase, as it relates to the Kent County
location.
8. References: Provide at least three references for contracts completed in the past five
years that were of a similar scope and size to this RFP.
9. Insurance: Provide a copy of a certificate of insurance for professional liability.
VII. Submission Instructions and Timelines
Final proposals must be submitted to:
Stephanie Griffin, Chief Production Officer
Delaware State Housing Authority
18 The Green
Dover, DE 19901
Stephanie.Griffin@delaware.gov
302.739.4263
Final proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format by September 23, 2026 by
3:00pm. Late submissions will not be accepted.
All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing to Stephanie Griffin at the email
address listed above with a copy to Candace Collins (Candace.Collins@delaware.gov) no later
than 3pm on September 11, 2026. Responses to all questions received will be distributed to all
prospective respondents by close of business on September 16, 2026.
VIII. Selection Process
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
* Qualifications and relevant experience of the firm and project team
* Demonstrated experience with federally funded projects and compliance
* Quality and clarity of the proposed project approach
* Qualifications of any proposed subcontractors or partner firms
* Fee proposal and overall value
DSHA will review and rank all eligible responses based on the criteria outlined above and will
negotiate a contract with the highest-ranking respondent. If a contract cannot be reached,
DSHA will move down the list until a contract can be reached. DSHA will make the final
selection and award the contract. DSHA reserves the right to request interviews or
presentations from short-listed firms prior to making a final selection. Additionally, DSHA
reserves the right to award one contract for the entire scope of services proposed, or to award
multiple contracts for various portions of the scope of services based on the strength of each
proposer's response.

DSHA and/or the Company are not responsible for any costs associated with preparing or
submitting a proposal.
The selected proposer(s) must not be debarred from any federal and/or state agency. DSHA will
review each proposer's status on SAM.gov.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, DSHA and/or the Company's obligation to award a contract is
subject to the satisfaction of all federal financing requirements, including, but not limited to, the
completion of the Environmental Review Record and Request for Release of Funds and Authority
to Use Grant Funds.
IX. Federal Requirements Notice
This project will be supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award
totaling $157.4 million with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. This project may also be funded
in part through HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) funds administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD). All work performed under this contract must comply with applicable
federal requirements, including but not limited to:
* Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage requirements (if applicable)
* Section 3 economic opportunity requirements
* Equal opportunity and non-discrimination requirements
* Any other federal requirements applicable to the use of CMS/HHS, HOME and CDBG
funds
Respondents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these requirements prior to
submitting a proposal.
X. Reservation of Rights
DSHA and/or the Company reserves the right to modify or cancel this RFP at any time, to accept
or reject any or all proposals, and to waive any irregularities in the procurement process.
Issuance of this RFP does not obligate DSHA and/or the Company to award.
XI. The Delaware Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
By submitting a response to this RFP, the applicant acknowledges and agrees that the response
shall be deemed a "public record" for the purposes of the Delaware Freedom of Information
Act ("FOIA"), codified at 29 Del. C. 10001 - 10005.
If information included in a response is exempt from disclosure, such as trade secrets,
commercial, or financial information of a privileged or confidential nature, DSHA and/or the
Company will protect such information from disclosure to the extent permitted by
10002(g)(2) of the FOIA. DSHA and/or the Company shall determine in its discretion whether

application material is exempt from disclosure. Respondent acknowledges and agrees that any
portion of the response which is determined by DSHA and/or the Company to not constitute
confidential financial, or trade secret information exempt from disclosure under FOIA shall be
subject to public examination and copying.
It is the policy of DSHA and/or the Company not to release to any third party any application
materials until after the ranking of respondents, and award(s) is announced, or a rebate has
been disbursed. DSHA and/or the Company expressly reserves its authority to withhold all such
information from third party requests pending the completion of the review and ranking
process, to the extent permitted by the FOIA. DSHA and/or the Company will endeavor to
respond to FOIA requests for application materials as promptly as possible, and absent unusual
circumstances, will release to any requesting party public documents related to application
materials within 15 days of a written request. All requests should be made at
DSHA_FOIACoordinator@delaware.gov.

LITIGATION DISCLOSURE FORM
Name of Firm:
Principal Contact:
Address:
Below follows a comprehensive list of all litigation, cases, or matters, in any jurisdiction,
current, pending, or resolved, active, or contemplated in the past three years which
____________________________________________________________ was party to:
Case or Matter Party Disposition
Include summary of issue (Plaintiff, Defendant) (Pending, Adverse, Favorable,
along with disputed terms Dismissed, etc.)
and amounts.
*Include additional sheets if necessary
Acting with the requisite capacity, knowledge, and authority I, _________________________
hereby certify that, other than those cases or matters described above,
_________________________________ has and is not party whatsoever, plaintiff,
defendant, or other to any cases, or matters, in any jurisdiction, current, pending, or
resolved, active, or contemplated in the past three years from the date hereof.
Signed:
Name:
Title:
Date: