RFP: Strategic Plan for a Sustainable Property Management and Resilient NYCHA Workforce Project Consultant
Request for Proposal (RFP)
Consultant
Strategic Plan for a Sustainable Property Management and
Resilient NYCHA Workforce
Type: Request for Proposal (RFP)
Questions Due: June 16, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. EST
Answers Published: No later than June 19, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. EST
RFP Response Deadline: June 23, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. EST
Contract Title: Strategic Plan for a Sustainable Property Management and Resilient NYCHA Workforce Project Consultant
Eligible Applicants: For-Profit, Non-Profit Organizations and Academic Institutions
Compensation: $97,500
Contract Term: Six (6) months
Number of Contracts: One (1)
Organization Description
The Fund for Public Housing, Inc., d/b/a Public Housing Community Fund, was founded as a nonprofit (501c3) organization in 2016, to support the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and its residents. The Fund creates and leverages resources and relationships to enhance the opportunities and quality of life for NYCHA residents, while uplifting the importance of public housing to our city. The Fund aims is to engage people and partners to build a stronger, more equitable New York City by investing in public housing communities. We invest in programs focused on leadership development, financial empowerment, community health, and workforce training for residents of the NYCHA community.
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the largest public housing authority in North America, was created in 1935 to provide decent, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers. NYCHA is home to roughly 1 in 16 New Yorkers across over 177,000 apartments within 335 housing developments. NYCHA serves over 339,000 residents through the conventional public housing program (Section 9), over 29,000 residents at developments that have been converted to PACT/RAD, and over 92,000 families through federal rent subsidies (the Section 8 Leased Housing Program). In addition, NYCHA connects residents to opportunities in financial empowerment, business development, career advancement, and educational programs. With a housing stock that spans all five boroughs, NYCHA is a city within a city.
Project Background
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and The Fund seek to work with for-profit and/or nonprofit consultant to develop an action plan for a new workforce academy and/or augmentation plan for the existing NYCHA Clean Energy Academy and/or the NYCHA Resident Training Academy that prepares NYCHA residents for careers in sustainable property management, green jobs and resiliency careers. The action plan will include recommendations for updating employment policies, including creating a new civil service title.
The program will be designed to position NYCHA residents to effectively maintain and support sustainability and resilience investments in NYCHA programs, buildings, and grounds. This initiative will build on NYCHA’s first ever NYCHA Clean Energy Academy and/or the NYCHA Resident Training Academy and will be guided by a newly created Strategic Plan for a Sustainable and Resilient NYCHA Workforce.
This action is part of the NYC Speaks Action Plan advancing North Star #4: Young New Yorkers & residents in Environmental Justice communities will have access to green career pathways created by City-led decarbonization and resilience efforts.
Opportunity
NYCHA’s own work to sustainably manage its properties such as decarbonizing buildings, providing green infrastructure to manage storm water, and installing solar panels to provide resilient power provides clear opportunities for connecting residents to career opportunities related to these forward-thinking actions. NYCHA is installing a wide range of sustainability and resiliency assets that require specialized maintenance and knowledge. To ensure that sustainable and resilient infrastructure is properly installed and maintained, NYCHA needs to ensure that workers with the right expertise are employed at the properties where these assets exist. There is a growing number of workforce development programs and initiatives that NYCHA can partner with to train and connect residents with jobs and careers maintaining green infrastructure and otherwise supporting the performance of sustainability and resiliency assets. NYCHA recently launched its first ever NYCHA Clean Energy Academy, training residents in building electrification and solar panel installation and linking graduates to career opportunities within NYCHA and with NYCHA contractors to perform this work. Similarly, the NYCHA Resident Training Academy (NRTA), funded by Robin Hood, provides employment-linked training opportunities and job placement assistance to NYCHA residents in the construction, maintenance, and janitorial fields. NYCHA’s Resident Economic Empowerment & Sustainability office (REES) works with successful graduates of the Academy to provide job placement assistance by focusing on jobs with career paths, that lead to self-sufficiency. There is an opportunity to create an additional sustainability-focused training program for NYCHA residents that will prepare residents to fulfill sustainable property management roles related to overseeing sustainable waste management and maintenance of new green infrastructure and storm surge protection features. This initiative will demonstrate how the nation’s largest housing authority can lead in creating a just transition—with economic opportunity for public housing residents at the center, a scalable approach to creating economic mobility in public housing and affordable housing communities.
Contractor Responsibilities
Over six (6) months, working with the NYCHA’s Sustainability Unit and the Public Housing Community Fund, the Contract will be responsible for providing technical assistance to carry out the following scope items:
· Engage current residents and entry-level operational staff on their career interests, skills, and gaps
o Learning to maintain stormwater infrastructure and clean energy assets, monitor and deploy flood barriers, manage separated organic waste streams, and otherwise support the performance of sustainability and resiliency assets can be a career opportunity. Existing NYCHA caretakers, superintendents of grounds, and other property management and operational staff (some of whom are also NYCHA residents) may be able to meet these new needs with the proper training and support. Additionally, certifications in sustainability skills may allow both existing NYCHA workers and residents looking for employment to use these skills at NYCHA and beyond to advance their careers. NYCHA as an agency may need to work with the Department of City Administrative Services (DCAS) to create new civil service titles and training curriculum to meet the evolving green career needs.
o This strategic plan will start with engagement of NYCHA residents and caretakers, focusing on those who have participated in workforce development programs such as the NYCHA Resident Training Academy, to assess their career interests and existing skills.
o The deliverable from this exercise will be an assessment of the types of sustainability-related skills and careers of greatest interest to NRTA graduates and prospective trainees, which will guide curriculum development and recruitment efforts.
· Map NYCHA-led investments to identify pathways into green, sustainable property management careers
o Any training program must be directly connected to career opportunities. NYCHA’s own work to green its properties provide clear opportunities for connecting residents to career opportunities, as all NYCHA contracts require contractors to provide employment opportunities to NYCHA residents.
o The team will size and profile the emerging jobs and skills needs created by NYCHA’s investments in resilience and sustainability. The effort will leverage the considerable data in NYCHA’s Sustainability Agenda and will include engaging contractors and identifying opportunities to improve how NYCHA contracts create job opportunities for residents. This work will also include the number of jobs expected and salary ranges in a final report.
o It is essential to understand opportunities outside of NYCHA as well and to ensure that certifications and training courses hold value across employers. The team will incorporate analysis of EDC’s ongoing study of citywide green jobs through a lens focused on NYCHA communities.
o To reduce the consultant time spent on this task, NYCHA’s Sustainability team will provide data and explanations of sustainability and resilience investments and resources regarding those investments’ ongoing need for maintenance that will constitute the bulk of this research.
· Map relevant WFD program, providers, and broader ecosystem opportunities
o The team will conduct a rapid assessment of the available certifications and training courses that hold most value and potential for NYCHA residents and caretakers.
o This will include a real-time profile of NYCHA’s first Clean Energy Academy to draw lessons for future programs and partnerships. The team will also assess special partnership opportunities, such as the Governors Island Center for Climate Solutions and Renewable Ravenswood.
o The team will deliver a summary of certifications with potential to be integrated directly into the new training academy as well as which additional certifications provide opportunities for graduates to extend their training in a more specialized program. Where appropriate, the team will indicate specific partners that can help realize the special certifications and connections to further training.
· Study opportunities for reform of current employment policies and updates to civil service titles
o To ensure that sustainable and resilient infrastructure is properly maintained, NYCHA needs to ensure that workers with the right expertise are employed, and into appropriate civil service titles at the properties where these assets exist. This strategic plan will identify potential policies to put this into practice, such as creating a new civil service title that indicates a property management staff has sustainability and resiliency training.
o The effort will include engagement of policymakers at the local (NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services) and federal levels (ie: the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development), and analysis of policy options.
The Contractor will be required to provide a final delivery consisting of an action plan for a new workforce academy and/or augmentation plan for the existing NYCHA Clean Energy Academy and/or the NYCHA Resident Training Academy that prepares NYCHA residents for careers in sustainable property management, green jobs and resiliency careers. This action plan should be a “roadmap” for NYCHA to utilize that will include recommendations for updating employment policies, including creating a new civil service title. The Public Housing Community Fund will work closely with the consultant team and NYCHA to concurrently develop a fundraising and implementation plan of the training component of this action plan using data and information from the consultant team.
Applicant Eligibility
The Fund is open to proposals from qualified entities including for-profit companies, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and highly qualified individual consultants.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Below are the minimum requirements for this work:
· Applicant (or lead team members) has at least five years of experience conducting strategic planning and/or program evaluations related to workforce training.
Preferred Qualifications
· Prior experience working with NYCHA or another housing authority.
· A record of successful development of workforce training programs serving low-income individuals, public housing residents, and/or other economically disadvantaged populations.
· A deep understanding of the New York City civil service system.
· Demonstrated understanding of maintenance and operational needs of sustainability and resiliency infrastructure such as flood panels, green infrastructure installations, and advanced waste management systems.
· Demonstration of creative, strategic thinking around new program development.
Contract Term and Compensation
· One contract will be awarded
· This is a 6-month contract starting on or about July 1, 2023 and ending on or about January 31, 2024
· Contract will be deliverable based with milestones
· Compensation not to exceed $97,750 over the term of the contract
Questions and Answers
All questions regarding this Request for Proposal should be submitted to info@communityfund.nyc with the subject line: Resilient NYCHA Workforce – Questions. Questions must be received by June 16, 2023 at 6:00 p.m. EST. All questions will be answered directly and published with answers publicly on the Fund’s website at communityfund.nyc no later than June 19, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. EST. The Fund will not answer any questions regarding this Request for Proposal by phone or any other method than described above and all questions will be made public along with answers on the Fund’s website.
Proposal Requirements
1. Cover Letter (maximum 1 page)
Cover letter should explain why the Proposer is interested in this work and the strengths and level of commitment the Proposer brings to the project.
2. Qualifications & Experience (maximum 2 pages)
Proposers should describe relevant experience and qualifications to perform the work described in this RFP, specifically responding to the qualifications outlined as Minimum and Preferred Qualifications above. Include a brief history of the organization and demonstrate the organizational capacity to meet the objectives of this project.
3. Proposed Approach (maximum 2 pages)
Proposers should outline an approach to completing the project within the time frame and budget allocated. Include a high-level schedule and demonstrate understanding of the deliverables that will be required for each task outlined above. Proposers that have access to additional grant funding or other resources may indicate any additional resources they bring to the project.
4. Resumes of Key Staff (maximum 5 pages)
Resumes for key staff who will be working on this project should be included, with indication of any positions for which contractor will need to hire to complete the project.
All components of the proposal must be formatted with one-inch margins, single spaced, in a standard 12-point font.
Proposal should be submitted as a single PDF document.
Responses are due by June 23, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. EST by email to info@communityfund.nyc.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
1. Strength & relevance of Proposer’s qualifications and experience,
2. Creativity and thoroughness of Proposer’s approach to completing the project,
3. Demonstration of commitment to delivering a high-quality, implementable plan.
The Fund for Public Housing, Inc., d/b/a Public Housing Community Fund, provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Questions received in response to the Request for Proposal: Strategic Plan for a Sustainable Property Management and Resilient NYCHA Workforce. Answers provided in bold. DOWNLOAD THE Q&A HERE.
Monday, June 19, 2023
RFP: https://www.communityfund.nyc/opportunities/sustainablerfp
Can you provide more information about the existing NYCHA’s first Clean Energy Academy and the NYCHA Resident Training Academy? What are some key challenges the programs faced and successful partnerships established in the past?
The NYCHA Clean Energy Academy seeks to meet the hiring needs of NYCHA’s energy efficiency and renewable energy contractors by connecting resident trainees to NYCHA contractors who will be performing nearly $500 million in retrofit and renewable energy projects at NYCHA developments through 2026. Working directly with potential employers, the Academy will maximize NYCHA resident hires by customizing training curriculum around contractor needs and providing trainees with wrap-around services (such as mental health and other social services) to ensure they have the support necessary to succeed in their new careers and on the job site. The Academy has set a goal to provide 100 public housing residents clean energy job training over two years, and a goal to place at least 64 trainees into clean energy jobs over two years. The first cohort began in April 2023.
During a six week (280 hour) course, NYCHA residents develop the skills to install solar panels, transform heating and cooling systems, install and maintain heat pumps and learn various construction duties in order to perform a key role in transforming both the NYCHA community and our environment. Enrollment is free and trainees earn a $1,500 stipend for participating.
The curriculum was designed by CUNY's LaGuardia Community College, in consultation with NYCHA.
What is the expected level of engagement with current NYCHA residents and caretakers?
Respondents should propose the level of engagement they think would be required to develop a high-quality actionable plan and is feasible within the budget. The minimum expectation is that the hired consultant will engage NYCHA residents and employees in the development of a plan. This could include but is not limited to one-on-one interviews, group discussions, engagement events, surveying, and/or development of a stakeholder advisory group.
Are there specific NYCHA developments that will receive a greater focus or priority? Can you provide more information on the factors the consultant should consider?
Consultant should focus on developments that have recently received or will receive sustainability and/or resiliency investments. This includes developments where deployable flood barriers, green infrastructure, organics collection, or other facilities have been installed or are being considered. NYCHA’s Sustainability Department will advise on where such work has been completed or is in the planning or construction phases.
What support would the Community Fund be able to provide in the outreach to residents and caretakers?
The Fund and NYCHA's Sustainability unit will work closely with the consultant to identify and outreach to NYCHA residents, caretakers and property management supervisors.
Will the Community Fund team facilitate introductions with policymakers at the local and federal levels? What is the expected level of engagement from policymakers?
As needed, the Fund and NYCHA will connect the consulting team with policymakers and/or those individuals or agencies responsible for assisting with the goals for this action plan.
Are there certifications the two academies are considering or have emerged in some of the ongoing conversations?
The Fund is interested in exploring the creation of a sustainable property management certification that would enable caretakers at NYCHA to receive increased pay to compensate for a higher level of ability to care for sustainability and resiliency features. To maximize economic mobility, the Fund is also interested in the extent to which such a certification could encompass component certifications that would be recognized in private or other government employers.
Does the Community Fund have any indicators in mind for a ‘high-quality, implementable plan’?
The Fund expects an action plan to be developed through this engagement. The plan should be implementable, providing a roadmap for the Fund and NYCHA to execute.
Please confirm that we do not need to submit a budget breakdown for each deliverable.
A budget for each deliverable is not required.
For Task "Map NYCHA-led investments to identify pathways into green, sustainable property management careers"... does the fund envision "opportunities outside NYCHA" to mean outside of NYCHA or outside the realm of public government?
Yes, outside the realm of public employment.
