Request for Proposal (RFP) for NEW MARKETS TAX CREDITS (NMTC) Consulting Services

Corporation for Supportive Housing (“CSH”) is seeking proposals from qualified firms or individuals to provide NMTC consulting services. The ideal consultant will have deep knowledge of the NMTC program, prior NMTC consulting experience, continually keep abreast of NMTC program updates and changes and be able to communicate how the changes and updates apply to CSH’s NMTC program and perform the tasks listed below.

Founded in 1991, CSH’s mission is to advance solutions that use housing as a platform for services to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people, maximize public resources and build healthy communities.  Our work stems from our fundamental belief that supportive housing—affordable housing combined with services—is the solution to ending homelessness for those individuals who face the most complex challenges, such as physical and behavioral health conditions and substance use disorders.  Read more about CSH online at www.csh.org.

I. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The Scope of Services as described below shall require the Consultant to drive and provide these key deliverables:

1. Assess the qualification of Qualified Low-Income Community Investments (QLICIs) proposed by CSH, in accordance with IRC Regulations and CSH’s Allocation Agreement.
2. Where applicable, review available property leases or letters of interest to evaluate the likelihood and documentation that tenants/prospective tenants are qualified lessees, in accordance with IRC Section 45D. Also provide guidance, as needed, during NMTC closings related to future compliance with IRC/CDFI regulations.
3. For future QLICIs made by CSH, collect and review data and representations to ensure they support the “Reasonable Expectation” position related to CSH’s loan or investment.
4. Register QEIs in AMIS within 60-days of each QEI closing and project and enter data into AMIS within 60 days of each QLICI closing
5. Perform and properly document the Substantially-All investment test based on information provided by CSH in year one of the initial QEI and on six-month intervals thereafter, utilizing either the Safe Harbor or Direct Tracing Method.
6. Review CDE’s Board/Advisory Board minutes to determine if the minutes support CSH’s mission requirements and also demonstrate compliance with IRC Section 45D low-income community representation accountability requirements.
7. Prepare annual low-income community (LIC) representative Board/Advisory Board confirmations. When the completed forms are received, determine whether the designated LIC representatives have maintained their LIC status in order for CSH to continually maintain its accountability requirements and retain its CDE status throughout the NMTC compliance period.
8. Collect, assemble and subsequently file all information necessary to submit CSH’s Institutional Level Report in the CDFI Fund's Award Management Information System (hereinafter referred to as “AMIS”) within 180 days of the CDE's year end, in accordance with the terms of CSH’s Allocation Agreement.
9. Assemble and file such information necessary to submit the CSH's Transactional Level Report in AMIS within 180 days of CSH’s year-end in accordance with the terms of the Allocation Agreement.
10. Collect the information needed and subsequently submit CSH’s QEI Closeout Report in AMIS, within 30 days of submitting the Transactional Level Report and Institutional Level Report and report the dissolution of sub-CDEs in AMIS.
11. Monitor and track that annual distributions are made on a pro-rata basis to help prevent a potential tax credit recapture event.

II. Proposal Requirements & Selection Process

1. Please provide a brief overview of your firm and its core services, explaining how NMTC consulting fits into your service mix.
2. Please provide an overview of your NMTC consulting approach, specifically addressing: (a) activities involved; (b) requirements of CSH (e., people, resource, and time commitments); (c) substance and format of your output and reporting.
3. Describe the NMTC education and training you offer.
4. Please identify the personnel who would conduct this engagement, describing their roles and educational and professional qualifications. If you expect to outsource any portion of this engagement to partners, please identify them and describe their specific roles, bearing in mind that we expect your firm will shoulder 100% accountability for the success of the engagement, as well as for any acts, errors, or omissions in the provision of services.
5. Please provide your cost proposal, including any discounts for multi-year engagement, and clearly delineate any services that would not be included in your scope of work.

Funding available for this scope of services is an amount not to exceed $65,000/year. Please submit your proposal electronically in Adobe PDF format no later than the close of business on January 11, 2023 to:

Eileen Hawes, Chief Financial Officer
Corporation for Supportive Housing
Mobile (646) 369-4468
eileen.hawes@csh.org

Although generalized promotional literature is welcomed, it may not substitute for original narrative responses to the questions posed in Section II.  We reserve the right to disqualify any proposal for lack of responsiveness or specificity.

All expenses associated with proposal preparation and presentation, including travel, shall be borne by the respondents.

Following evaluation of all proposals, we may invite oral presentations, the dates, and times to be scheduled as mutually convenient.  We expect to select our consultant by January 27, 2023.

The Consultant can be located anywhere in the United States, and the services may be provided virtually.

Please note that CSH requires subcontractors, including individuals and sole proprietors, to carry workers’ compensation insurance and Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance while performing work under a CSH subcontract.  CSH subcontractors cannot have existing, pending, or expired debarments that preclude them from doing business with the United States government and cannot have convictions for, nor have any pending indictments for, fraud or a criminal offense in connections with a public contract or subcontract.