OF TOWN WENDELL WENDELL, NORTH CAROLINA
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMMENT SERVICES
December 4, 2008
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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS TOWN OF WENDELL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICES INTRODUCTION The Town of Wendell is currently seeking the services of a qualified individual or firm to provide economic development services on an as-needed basis. The Town of Wendell will select individual(s) / firm(s) with which to negotiate an agreement for services to be provided on an as-needed basis. Selection will be based on demonstrated experience and expertise. The deadline for RFQ submissions is Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 2:30 p.m. The individual(s) / firm(s) providing economic development services to the Town of Wendell will work closely with the Board of Commissioners, the Town Manager and other town staff.
PROPOSED SERVICES The individual(s) / firm(s) that provide economic development services to the Town of Wendell should build on a Market and Economic Analysis Master Plan (November 3, 2006) and help prepare specific strategies and initiatives to guide economic development initiatives in Wendell. The funding of specific initiatives will be implemented on an as-needed, as-funded basis by the Town of Wendell.
QUALIFICATIONS The ideal candidate / firm will have a minimum of five (5) years experience providing economic development services for a state or municipal entity located within the State of North Carolina. The ideal candidate / firm will have experience in marketing a variety of clients who have proven successful in the overall economic development of those entities served. They must possess indepth experience administering and coordinating projects with local, state, and federal funding. The ideal candidate / firm will also demonstrate success in obtaining state and federal grants. Individual and/or firm must be available to take calls and attend meetings during Town of Wendell's regular business hours of 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Expected response time for Town of
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Wendell inquiries during business hours should be within four (4) hours. In addition, the individual(s) / firm(s) providing economic development services will be required to attend evening meetings on an as needed basis, including meetings of the Board of Commissioners.
SELECTION PROCESS This process will be completed under the general direction of the Wendell Board of Commissioners, Mayor, and Town Manager. The Town Manager will be the point of contact for all matters associated with this process. The Wendell Board of Commissioners has the ultimate responsibility for selecting the best qualified individual or firm and entering into a contract for services. The Town Manager will coordinate the selection process for the Board of Commissioners. Selection will be based upon a combination of the town's quality-based selection process and financial considerations. It is anticipated that the Town Manager will select three (3) to five (5) finalists to make presentations to the Board of Commissioners. RFQ submissions are due at Wendell Town Hall no later than Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 2:30 p.m. Final negotiation of fees for professional services and terms will take place after the finalist presentations are given. The Wendell Board of Commissioners will formally consider a contract with the selected individual or firm no later than February 2009 with services beginning March 15, 2009. The Town Manager will work with the selected individual or firm to schedule briefings and meetings as appropriate to keep the Mayor and Board of Commissioners informed and to seek the guidance of the Board of Commissioners on critical issues as the Town progresses.
CONDITIONS Respondents to this RFQ will be expected to adhere to the following conditions and must make a positive statement to that effect in the submitted proposal:
Agree that all work produced under this agreement will become property of the Town of Wendell and that the Town shall have the right to use any and/or all of the information obtained for use as it deems appropriate. Agree to accept and follow direction from the Town, specifically the Town Manager and the Board of Commissioners.
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Agree that if the Town cannot in good faith negotiate a written contract within a reasonable time with the selected individual and/or firm, the Town may unilaterally cancel its selection of that individual and/or firm. Agree to conform to all applicable laws and ordinances and statutes of the Federal Government, State of North Carolina and Town of Wendell. Agree to provide a written statement that the respondent has no conflicting financial interests.
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Request for Qualifications Town of Wendell Economic Development Services
I.
GENERAL A. Send all responses using the format described in Part III of this request directly to: David B. Bone Town Manager Town of Wendell 15 East Fourth Street P. O. Box 828 Wendell, NC 27591-0828 Sealed packages will be received at the address specified until 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 8, 2009. B. Questions concerning the of work required by the Town, or other questions related to your firm's submission should be addressed in writing to David B. Bone, Town Manager, at 919-365-9367 (fax), or at [e-mail] so that if information / clarification needs to be shared with all firms, responses can be more easily shared. C. A pre-response meeting will be held in the Courtroom of Wendell Town Hall on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. The town hall is located at 15 East Fourth Street in Wendell. Attendance is not mandatory, but encouraged. D. The Town of Wendell invites and encourages participation by businesses owned by minorities, women, disabled persons, disabled business enterprise and non-profit work centers including utilization as subcontractors to perform functions under the economic development contract. E. All responses will be open for inspection and review by Town of Wendell staff and the Wendell Board of Commissioners during the selection process. After the selection, the responses will be available to the public. All materials and information submitted during the qualification process will become the property of the Town of Wendell to keep or destroy and will not be returned to the respondent. Trade secrets and proprietary information cannot be safeguarded. F. Respondent's Representative for Business Purposes: The name, mailing address, and telephone number of the respondent's authorized agent with authority to bind the firm and answer questions concerning respondent's the qualifications must be clearly stated. G. Facsimile Information: Facsimile information will not be considered; however, information submitted may be modified by such means, providing such notice is received
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Request for Qualifications Town of Wendell Economic Development Services
before 2:30 p.m. on January 8, 2009 and provided signed original documents are furnished within five (5) days. H. Cost of Preparation: The Town of Wendell will not reimburse respondents for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a statement of qualifications or for the preparation and submission of addition information that may be requested during the selection process.
II.
BACKGROUND
Growth of the Town The Town of Wendell is a beautiful, small, historic town nestled just 10 miles east of Raleigh in North Carolina's Wake County. Recent improvements in transportation (including the US-264 Bypass and I-540) have improved access to the town. Additionally, the merger of the town's water and sewer system with the City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department (CORPUD) has increased the town's utility capacity. According the NC Office of State Management and Budget, Wendell has grown from a population of 5,423 (July 2006) to 5,742 (July 2007), a 5.8% increase. The town has seen steady growth in recent years, but the town expects to have even larger annual growth due to the development of Wendell Falls (a 1,300 acre planned unit development with 4,000 homes and 2 million square feet of commercial and office space planned), as well as 13 other subdivisions in various stages of development. Recent History of Economic Development in Wendell The Wendell Economic Development Committee (EDC) was originally formed as a joint town chamber committee by a resolution of the town's Board of Commissioners on April 12, 1993. The stated goal of the EDC was to "ensure that all businesses that wish to serve and employ the Citizens of Eastern Wake County have a wealth of helpful information from friendly people to aid in the rapid and efficient formation of your business." The Economic Development Committee worked actively for a number of years. The Town of Wendell Board of Commissioners and the Board of the Wendell Chamber of Commerce held a joint meeting on February 19, 2008 concerning the future of the joint Economic Development Committee. At the meeting, the consensus of both boards was for the Economic Development Committee to not continue as it had been structured.
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Request for Qualifications Town of Wendell Economic Development Services
Funding for economic development services was a major discussion point during budget deliberations of the Wendell Commissioners. Appropriations for economic development services were included in the adopted 2008-09 Town of Wendell Annual Budget.
III.RESPONSE INFORMATION AND FORMAT Each individual / firm responding to this RFQ should submit eight (8) copies of the requested information and follow the outline listed below. Each copy should be in an individual 3-ring binder not to exceed one and one-half (1 ) inches. Please use double sided pages for the text of the RFQ. The respondent should try to limit responses to supplying only the information requested using the format requested to facilitate evaluation of the qualification. A. Title Page The title page should include the following: Statement of Qualifications Economic Development Services Prepared for: Town of Wendell P. O. Box 828 15 East Fourth Street Wendell, NC 27591-0828 Prepared by: List name of the firm / individual that would be supplying services and firm / individual office location. (If primary location of the contractor/consultant is out of state, provide the location of the office in North Carolina that would provide services. If multiple locations will be providing services, please list all locations.) Closing date of request B. Letter of ...