REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) 

Housing Needs and Market Analysis for the City of Minot, North Dakota

The City of Minot, North Dakota requests proposals from qualified consultants for a housing needs and market analysis. Qualifications and cost based selection criteria will be used to analyze proposals from responding consultants. The most qualified candidates may be invited to present a virtually or in-person hosted interview. Upon completion of technical ranking and interviews, the City will enter into negotiations with the top ranked firm. City reserves the right to reject any or all submittals. This project will be funded by the City of Minot, North Dakota and has a not-to-exceed budget of $150,000. 

Interested firms can request a full copy of the RFP by telephoning 701-857-4147, or by e-mail: . The RFP will also be posted at www.minotnd.org. 

All proposals received by the City Clerk by 12:00 pm (Central Time) on March 23, 2023, at (1025 31st Street SE, Minot ND) will be given equal consideration. Proposals received after 12:00 pm (Central Time) on March 23, 2023, will not be considered. Respondents must submit seven (7) full length written proposals with an attached hard copy of the cost proposal (see Exhibit A) and a PDF of the written and cost proposal. 

The digital version (PDF) of the written and cost proposals may be emailed or placed on a thumb drive and mailed with the written proposal. The consultant must verify that the email was received with the PDF attachment prior to 12:00 pm on the due date. Fax versions will not be accepted as substitutes for the written and cost proposals. Once submitted, the proposals will become property of the City of Minot. 

Questions must be directed to Brian Billingsley (phone number and email shown below). 

Brian Billingsley, AICP, Community & Economic Development Director 

City of Minot Community Development Department 

 701-857-4147

Note: This document can be made available in alternative formats for persons with disabilities by contacting Nicole Rivera, Administrative Clerk, at 701-857-4022 or . Note: Throughout this RFP, the City of Minot may be referred to as ‘City” or ‘Client’ and the consulting firm may be referred to as ‘Consultant’, ‘Contractor’, or ‘Firm’. 

I AGENCY OVERVIEW 

The City of Minot is the County Seat of Ward County, North Dakota. The City of Minot Community Development Department oversees all land use planning and building permitting within city limits and two miles beyond city limits. 

II BACKGROUND INFORMATION 

The Minot Micropolitan Statistical Area (muSA) consists of McHenry County, Renville County, and Ward County in north-central North Dakota. The population of the muSA has grown 11.5 percent since 2010, from approximately 69,540 to over 77,552. The City of Minot is the principal city of the Minot muSA and has a 2020 population 48,377, up 18.3% from 40,888 in 2010. The City is currently updating its comprehensive plan. The planning consultant hired by the City to update the plan is estimating the City will grow to a population of approximately 63,000 residents by the year 2040. For the purposes of this study, we are not seeking to study housing needs in McHenry County, Renville County and most of unincorporated Ward County. The projected growth expected to occur in the community, combined with the continued flood protection work expected to take place along the Mouse River, the recent groundbreaking on Minot North High School, the continuous housing needs of personnel based at the Minot Air Base, and the continued growth of the City as an agricultural, oil, commerce, and transportation hub of the region has resulted in concerns about the housing market and the extent to which the region is currently meeting the needs of its current and future workforce, as well as the needs of other sectors of the population, and the changes that may need to be implemented in the future to meet the housing needs of this growing metropolitan area. 

In 2017, a housing study entitled “Minot Housing Supply and Demand Analysis Update” (https://www.minotnd.org/DocumentCenter/View/2645/Minot-Housing-Supply--Demand-AnalysisUpdate-3-17?bidId) was completed. One of the recommendations of the study was to “develop 1,125 units of affordable housing over the next 10 years”. The study found that access to affordable housing for low-income workers is low in the region. Opportunities for first-time home buyers seem to have become even more limited in the years since the study was done, making workforce attraction and retention a concern. Recently, the City conducted a survey of community needs. A strong area of concern identified was housing, as it relates to workforce retention, attraction, and sustainability. The Minot City Manager has tasked the Community Development Department to find a consultant to write a broader housing study that analyzes housing needs across all age and income spectrums. 

The City of Minot Community Development Department has been asked to respond to the housing situation as part of their work with developers and agencies on residential subdivisions and programs; however, they are currently experiencing a severe lack of up-to-date data to inform and guide policymakers, housing agencies, developers, and non-profits involved in housing. City leaders struggle to balance concerns about small single-family residential lots with constant demands for more affordable owner-occupied housing opportunities. 

There are several anecdotal observations and experiences, such as: 

• First-time homebuyers are in competition with empty nesters and real estate investors for homes in the same price range. 

• People residing in mobile homes in the study area have experienced lot rent increases, resulting in ongoing affordability concerns. 

• The Souris River flood of 2011 wiped out hundreds of affordable housing units and ongoing efforts by the City to establish flood control will take out hundreds of additional housing units. 

• Housing options for service industry workers or attainable housing for families is scarce. 

• A variety of housing choices for an array of price points is not available, so households are choosing housing that is not preferred. 

• There are not enough housing options for in-migration populations to allow the study area to be a community of choice in comparison to peer cities throughout the State, and not enough choices to satisfy prospective members of a workforce needed to support a well-rounded economy. 

• Seniors and empty nesters do not have age-appropriate attractive housing choices at attainable price points to allow for downsizing and ease of property maintenance. 

III PROJECT PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to collect data and document the housing needs and demands of the region in conjunction with a market analysis for both the very near-term and out to the year 2033 (ten-year forecast). In addition to data analysis, the scope of the study includes providing case study examples that demonstrate how to successfully implement the type of housing that is needed and desired. Further, the scope of the study includes specific programmatic solutions that may be exercised by the City of Minot to induce the desired housing outcomes. The programmatic solutions should be a compilation of other larger cities’ practices in North Dakota and novel approaches that abide by limitations that may exist at the state or federal level. Local leaders and development officials are concerned that steps taken to meet today’s needs and demands contribute to the long-term sustainability and quality of our housing market, rather than becoming blighted and unsustainable at some point in the future. The study area will include the City of Minot, ND, the two-mile unincorporated jurisdiction surrounding the city, and the Minot Air Force Base. In addition, some consideration shall be given to the nearby communities of Burlington and Surrey. Local leaders are interested in how the housing and demographic inputs impact the housing market as a whole, and to what extent policies and laws are affecting housing development.

IV SCOPE OF WORK AND PERFORMANCE TASKS

 Below are tasks the Consultant is expected to complete as part of this project:

Task 1 – Project Management and Coordination  

The Consultant will be required to manage the study and coordinate with any subconsultants, as well as be responsible for all documentation and equipment needs. The Consultant will identify a project manager from their team to act as the direct point of contact for the City of Minot’s project manager. The Consultant should expect monthly (or, at times, bi-weekly) progress meetings with the City to discuss the status of the project, seek any guidance, clarification, or information, and discuss any issues or concerns regarding the project. The Consultant should expect additional meetings with the Minot City Council on an as-needed basis. We anticipate that these meetings will usually be virtual web-based meetings.

Additionally, the Consultant should expect to prepare monthly progress reports, submit adequate documentation of any and all travel and expense receipts, and prepare and submit invoices on a monthly basis. When submitting progress reports, the Consultant and subconsultant(s), if applicable, will be required to outline the following: 

 • Performed work during the reporting period. 

• Upcoming tasks. 

• Upcoming milestones. 

• Status of scope and schedule. 

All invoices, travel and expense receipts, and progress reports, are due to the City’s project manager no later than the 2nd Thursday of each month to ensure invoices are processed in a timely fashion. 

Task 2 – Data Collection

Data necessary to conduct the analysis shall be collected and documented as part of the study. These data components will be used to establish existing conditions, and will be critical to the identification of issues and both short term and longer-term needs. 

Consultants should identify the data necessary to conduct the needs analysis and respond to the questions and concerns as described in Task 4, as part of their proposal. 

Data collected should include information about the existing housing program and incentives within the study area, and their level of effectiveness. 

If feasible, data collection should be able to be geo-coded and illustrated in maps to further illustrate where growth and change is occurring. Ideally, common census units should be used to understand factors graphically with maps. 

At the conclusion of this study, data collections and assemblies should be shareable with the client for future use in GIS or other data management software as coordinated with the Client. 

Task 3 – Public and Stakeholder Input 

The Consultant will propose an approach to stakeholder engagement, which shall ultimately be placed in a public outreach and communication plan, to be reviewed and approved by the Study Review Committee (SRC). The consultant should propose how the team would handle both virtual and in-person meetings.  

SRC membership may include representation from the City of Minot, Minot Association of Builders, Minot Air Force Base, Minot Housing Authority, and Minot Area Chamber EDC. 

Focus groups related to the housing, development, mortgage/finance, and real estate industries should be recommended by the consultant team with input from local SRC members. The study participants are also interested in the experiences of recent home buyers and those currently searching for a home to buy. 

The consultant should explain the extent to which input from the general public is also important to this project, and consultants need to present an approach to gathering input from the public. The consultant should include in their scope of work a plan to gather input and experiences from recent home buyers or prospective home buyers (currently searching) representing different price points within the local market. 

The consultant should also include in their scope of work a plan to seek input and experiences from households on the lowest spectrum of the market, such as those who are fully dependent upon social security, or those for whom housing costs exceed thresholds considered ideal from an affordability perspective. Seniors living in subsidized housing are also a group of interest. 

The City maintains an up-to-date list of local media outlets that can be used for press releases regarding public input opportunities. Public notices and social media boosts shall be paid for out of the project budget. If direct mailings are needed to large numbers of recipients, the City will work with the consultant and local partners to determine the best approach to paying for printing and postage. 

Website options for the project could consist of either a project website, or content provided for a housing study page within City’s website. Proposals should explain your team’s recommended approach. 

Task 4 – Analysis of Existing Conditions 

Based on the data collected as part of Task 2 and the input collected as part of Task 3, the consultant shall conduct an analysis of the existing conditions and those of the recent past by analyzing the data with respect to the housing supply and demand of the study area. 

In addition to documenting the housing needs of our study area, our study partners are interested in documenting how many housing units, by type and price point, are gained or lost due to the following on a yearly basis: 

• New construction. 

• Restored from damage (rehabilitated). 

• Converted from nonresidential (i.e. existing building reconfigured to housing). 

• Conversion of owner-occupied to rental or vice versa. 

• Conversion of single-family housing to vacation rental or secondary housing, or vice versa. 

• Conversion of single-family housing to multiple family, or vice versa. 

• Lost to demolition/disaster. 

• Damaged or condemned. 

• Existing residential building converted to nonresidential. 

• Other actions that have resulted in significant changes to the overall housing supply. 

Questions that need to be answered by the analysis include: 

• Are there unmet housing needs in the study area? If so, what are those needs and what are the characteristics of the population groups experiencing those needs? 

• How much housing does our study area need, both in the short term, and throughout the remainder of the study period, and what are the characteristics of the housing units that are needed? Based on population trends, how is that need likely to evolve? 

• What is the demand for housing at various price points? What are the primary drivers of demand and how much is driven locally vs. from in-migration from other markets? Does this differ across housing type or price point? 

• What housing types are needed to fulfill the gaps in our housing supply? 

• With respect to all of the above, what geographic areas, product types or price segments have the greatest imbalance between supply and demand? 

• Are there significant numbers of households that are “over housed”, and is that due to a lack of other housing choices that meet their needs? What is the relationship between this and other segments of the population that is seeking housing alternatives? 

• Are segments of the population with different demographics and different financial situations competing for the same types of homes (e.g. first-time home buyers and empty nesters who are scaling down)? If so, what are these groups, and how do their needs compare? 

• Does the cost of raw/undeveloped land prohibit or hinder the development of new housing projects? 

• What other data is needed for our jurisdictions to successfully apply for housing-related grant applications, and can that be provided with this study? 

• How does the local housing market compare to peer markets? Are there relative strengths and/or weaknesses? 

 • What programmatic solutions are other larger cities in North Dakota exercising that the City of Minot could mimic to achieve the desired housing outcomes? 

•  What other novel programmatic solutions may be available to achieve the desired housing outcomes? 

The study must also provide:

• An analysis of the balance between rental and owner-occupied housing stock, housing type, and related housing information by jurisdiction and, to the extent feasible, census geographies within the jurisdictions. 

• Availability of housing stock for first time homebuyers.

• Types and features of housing and neighborhoods desired by first time homebuyers. 

• Availability of housing stock for empty nesters and seniors. 

• Types and features of housing and neighborhoods desired by empty nesters and seniors. 

• Condition of existing housing stock within various price ranges. 

• Perceived or real issues that impact the desirability of existing housing stock at various price points. 

• Along with a summary of the housing programs and incentives that exist in the community, how effective are these programs at meeting the needs of different segments of the population? 

• A summary of housing needs and issues identified in recently completed plans (e.g. Comprehensive Plan of the City).

• A summary of housing trends in the country that may arrive in the region or that policy makers should be aware of. 

The findings of Task 4 shall be provided in a document that uses graphics, maps, and text to explain the findings of the analysis. Infographics are preferred as a way to illustrate and summarize key findings, but more detailed data and written material is also important for users who need to delve into the details of the data used to complete the analysis. 

Task 5 – Strategy for Meeting Short Term Needs

 At this time, several developments and projects have been initiated that have the potential to change the housing demand in the metropolitan area. A few examples of the economic activity within the area include:

 • Minot North High School – The community recently passed a bond to construct a new high school on the north side of the city. The new high school will alleviate overcrowding issues at the Magic City Campus high school. The school will open in the 2024-2025 school year. 

• Trinity Hospital – Trinity Hospital occupies several buildings in downtown Minot. Trinity is building a state-of-the-art facility on the far southwestern side of the city that will attract new housing starts in the surrounding neighborhood. Trinity will be moving into the new hospital later this year. Trinity also will be abandoning several of their downtown buildings. For the purposes of this study, these properties should be studied for potential long-term mixed use and/or downtown housing projects. 

• Sentinel Project – The United States Air Force will be replacing their aging Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile system that is situated in proximity to the City. The project is expecting to begin in 2028-2029 and last approximately five years in duration. During that Request for Proposals (RFP) - Minot Housing Needs and Market Analysis 8 timeframe, we are expecting over 2,500 contractors and laborers to relocate to Minot and they will need a suitable place to live.

These are just a sampling of some of the significant projects that have the potential to change the demand for housing in the study area within the very short term. Leaders within the metro community need to gain an understanding of what this growth in employment will translate to in terms of housing needs. How do our communities address these needs, demands, and expectations and still meet the on-going needs of other elements of the workforce? 

Task 6 – Strategy Beyond the Short Term

 As part of this task, the SRC is interested in receiving answers to the following questions:

1. Looking beyond the next two to three years, approximately how many homes will be needed, and at what price points? 

2. To meet the projected needs, what can the City do to change their policies or regulations to better meet the needs of the workforce at all levels? This may include addressing housing options for households who are not currently in the workforce due to retirement or other reasons. What best practices are being used by other communities? 

3. What scenarios need to take place for the study area to successfully meet the needs of the community as a whole to ensure long term sustainability, rather than short term workforce needs? 

4. Based on stakeholder and public input, what neighborhood and housing features should be emphasized in the housing supply? 

Along with answering the questions posed above, the analysis should provide case studies where cities or other entities have successfully completed projects or created an environment that utilizes best practices that help fulfill the need and demand for workforce housing or other types of housing that indirectly help meet the needs for workforce housing. The case studies should also demonstrate how housing needs were met while also balancing competing community goals, such as good urban design. The case studies should describe the project, the needs that were met, and the strategy used in making the development or redevelopment possible. 

Task 7 – Development of Draft and Final Report

 Proposals should discuss the consultant team’s approach to the development of the draft and final report. To a large degree, the SRC is most interested in receiving data in a format that can be broken down into a fine-grained level that will help them understand the housing situation in small areas within their community, with the understanding that the final report will consist of a document that is less granular, and presents information and recommendations in a format that can be understood and digested by the public and policy-makers. 

Detailed data collection and analyses should be presented in appendices. Spreadsheets and other data products shall be provided throughout the process for review and use by SRC members. 

Along with the draft and final report, the scope of work shall include an Executive Summary, which shall highlight and summarize the most significant characteristics of the City. 

Task 8 – Adoption Process

After presenting the findings of the analysis and the final draft of the study to the SRC, the consultant is expected to assist City staff by providing presentation materials and tools that can be used to inform local governing and advisory boards and committees about the findings of the study. In addition, the consultant is required to include a virtual or in-person presentation of their findings to the Study Review Committee and Minot City Council in their scope of work.

 V IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

1) Consultant Selection 

Advertise for Consultant Proposals                                         2/01/2023 

Due Date for Proposal Submittals (by 12:00 pm)                   3/23/2023 

Review Proposals/Identify Finalists                                        3/23/2023 – 3/31/2023 

Interview Finalists                                                                   4/17/2023 and 4/21/2023 

Consultant Notice                                                                   4/24/2023 

City Council Approval of Consultant                                       5/01/2023 

Contract Negotiations                                                             5/04/2023 

Approval of Contract                                                              After Contract Negotiations 

Signed Contract                                                                     Immediately after City Council approval 

Notice to Proceed                                                                  Immediately after signed contract 

2) Project Development

Project completion is desired within six months to one year after entering into contract. Proposals must include a schedule that shows completion timeframes for project milestones and for the final product. 

 VI EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

Selection Committee. The Client, through the City Manager, will establish a Selection Committee to recommend to selection a Consultant to the City Council. The committee will likely consist of members of the Study Review Committee. 

The Consultant selection process will be administered under the following criteria: 

• 20% - Cost of proposed work 

• 20% - Understanding of project objectives, proposed approach, work plan, and management techniques 

• 20% - Experience with similar projects and familiarity with the regional issues 

• 20% - Expertise of the technical and professional staff assigned to the project 

• 20% - Current workload and ability to meet timeline 

The Selection Committee, at the discretion of the Client, will entertain virtual and in-person presentations for the top candidates to provide additional information for the evaluation process. The presentations will be followed by a question and answer period during which the committee may question the prospective Consultants about their proposed approaches. 

A Consultant will be selected based on an evaluation of the proposals submitted, the recommendation of the Selection Committee and approval by the Minot City Council. 

The Client reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive minor irregularities in said proposal, and reserves the right to negotiate minor deviations to the proposal with the successful Consultant. 

The Client reserves the right to award a contract to the firm or individual that presents the proposal, which, in the sole judgement of the Client, best accomplishes the desired results. The RFP does not commit the Client to award a contract, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of the contract in response to this request or to procure or contract for services or supplies. The Client reserves the right to withdraw this RFP at any time without prior notice. All proposals, whether selected or rejected, shall become the property of the Client. 

VII PROPOSAL CONTENT 

The purpose of the proposal is to demonstrate the qualifications, competence, and capacity of the Consultant seeking to provide comprehensive services specified herein for the Client, in conformity with the requirements of the RFP. The proposal should demonstrate qualifications of the firm and its staff to undertake this project. It should also specify the proposed approach that best meets the RFP requirements. The proposal must address each of the service specifications under the Scope of Work and Performance Tasks. 

The Client is asking the Consultant to supply the following information. Please include all requested information in the proposal to the fullest extent practical. 

1) Contact Information. 

Name, telephone number, email address, mailing address and other contact information for the Consultant’s Project Manager. 

2) Introduction and Executive Summary. 

This section shall document the Consultant name, business address (including telephone, email address(es)), year established, type of ownership and parent company (if any), project manager name and qualifications, and any major facts, features, recommendations or conclusions that may differentiate this proposal from others, if any. 

3) Work Plan and Project Methodology.

Proposals shall include the following, at minimum: 

a) A detailed work plan identifying the major tasks to be accomplished relative to the requested study tasks and expected product as outlined in this RFP; 

b) A timeline for completion of the requested services, identifying milestones for development of the project and completion of individual tasks. 

c) List of projects with similar size, scope, type, and complexity that the proposed project team has successfully completed in the past. 

d) List of the proposed principal(s) who will be responsible for the work, proposed Project Manager and project team members (with resumes). 

e) A breakout of hours for each member of the team by major task area, and an overall indication of the level of effort (percentage of overall project team hours) allocated to each task. Note that specific budget information is to be submitted in a cost proposal as described below in Section VIII, Submittal Information and Exhibit A, Cost Proposal Form. 

f) A list of any subcontracted agencies, the tasks they will be assigned, the percent of work to be performed, and the staff that will be assigned. 

g) List of client references for similar projects described within the RFP. 

h) Ability of firm to meet required time schedules based on current and known future workload of the staff assigned to the project. 

i) The nature of the counting equipment proposed and details of the reliability and proven capability of the equipment to gather accurate, reliable data. 

4) Signature. 

Proposals shall be signed in ink by an authorized member of the firm/project team. 

VIII Submittal Information

PDFs of technical proposals should be emailed to or placed on a thumb drive and mailed with seven (7) hard copies of the full-length proposal with the attached cost proposal to the contact person as defined below:

United States Postal Service 

Mikayla McWilliams 

City Clerk 

City of Minot

P.O. Box 5006 

Minot, ND 58702 

UPS/Fed EX 

Mikayla McWilliams 

City Clerk 

City of Minot 

515 2nd Avenue SW 

Minot, ND 58701 

Proposals shall be received by 12:00 pm (Central Time) on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at the City of Minot City Hall. Minority, women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises are encouraged to participate. The full length of each proposal should not exceed thirty (30) pages; including any supporting material, charts or tables. 

Exhibit A – Cost Proposal Form 

Cost Proposal Form – Include this completed cost form (see below) as an attachment to the written proposal as part of the overall RFP response. The cost estimate should be based on a not to exceed basis and may be further negotiated by the City of Minot upon identification of the most qualified Consultant. Changes in the final contract amount and contract extensions are not anticipated. 

REQUIRED BUDGET FORMAT

 Summary of Estimated Project Cost