This is a service / maintenance or supply contract in Kennebunk, Maine. Contact the soliciting agency for additional information.

The Town of Kennebunk is seeking proposals for the creation of a Housing Needs Plan. The primary objective of the plan is to assess Kennebunk's need for residential housing and recommend policies and actions. The proposed Scope of Services should be based on Tasks 1-3. However, supplemental recommendations are welcome and may also be included. Task 1 - Data Package: The Bidder will collect and interpret data on current housing inventory, occupancy, diversity of units and affordability in the Town of Kennebunk and comparison communities, as identified and approved in advance. The data package shall also include an inventory analysis of developable land for both public and private owners. Some of this data is available in the Town's 2022 Comprehensive Plan, however the Bidder should supplement it as informed by with staff, planning records and outreach to landlords and tenants and others who can provide data which contributes to this information. The proposal should identify the housing data elements recommended for the HNA. Task 2 - Specific Housing Creation Goals: The Bidder will draft specific housing creation goals, which shall include a targeted total number of housing units to create over the next 10 years, and may also include types of housing, size of housing units (bedrooms), split of rental/ownership housing and range of affordability (50%-120% of area median income). These goals should incorporate information from the State of Maine Housing Production Study released in October 2023. They should also be responsive to ongoing planning efforts at the regional level. Task 3 - Municipal Strategies for Housing Production: The Bidder will investigate land use regulations, financial incentives, site development and other policies to align town development requirements with housing unit targets. Recommendations should be wide-ranging and potentially include affordable housing creation methods not currently in use in the Town. Recommendations should align with available affordable housing funding programs, reflect the limited amount of land available for development and ready availability of infrastructure. Policy recommendations should be responsive to recent changes in State legislation like LD 2003 and should use recent housing development successes and failures as instructive to policy options. The Bidder will recommend other affordable housing production actions, including but not limited to use of municipal land or town purchase of land for development of affordable housing, affordable housing TIFs or other measures which may relieve the financial burden of affordable housing creation. Purpose and Background The Town of Kennebunk is seeking proposals from qualified and experienced firms to conduct a Housing Needs Plan to guide and prioritize housing policies and actions. Furthermore, the Town of Kennebunk is facing a shortage of housing of all types and at all levels of affordability that relates to a regional, State and national housing crisis. The Only Village in the World So Named The Town of Kennebunk (pop. 11,566), located in York County (pop. 216,732) and within the Greater Portland - South Portland Metropolitan area (pop. 552,916), is a quintessential Maine seacoast town with a vibrant year-round community and a growing influx of tourists from around the globe. Access to Kennebunk is convenient via I-95, U.S. Route 1, the Amtrak Downeaster in neighboring towns to both the North and South, and via the Kennebunk River by boat. By car Kennebunk is 20 minutes from Maine's largest city, Portland, and 1 hour and 15 minutes from Boston, MA. The RSU-21 school system offers a highly rated scholastic and athletic program, making Kennebunk a great place for kids to grow up. People are friendly, caring, and involved in community life - they know their neighbors and look out for them. There is an active artists' community, a well-stocked library, an evergrowing museum, service clubs, and many churches. One of Kennebunk's strengths is the close relationship it maintains with other nearby towns, particularly Kennebunkport and Arundel. These towns "play well together", offering complementary services and cooperating to regionalize functions when possible. Because they present such a united front, visitors are often surprised to learn that the towns are not all one entity, and that when standing in Kennebunk, they are not in Kennebunkport, which still, perhaps due to long-time association with the Bush family, has greater name recognition. The Kennebunks are frequently listed as a choice vacation destination and coastal living spot in popular travel and coastal magazines. Known for historic properties, attractive shops and restaurants, and the draw of the ocean and other natural amenities, the area is cherished by visitors and residents alike. Residents value the "small-town charm" that is embodied in neighborhoods of older, small-scale subdivisions, sidewalks and shade trees, the relative absence of national chain merchants, the clustered nature of commercial offerings, the village structure of Downtown, Lower Village, and West Kennebunk, locally-owned businesses, views of salt marshes, and significant outdoor recreational activities provided by Town beaches, walking trails, bicycle paths, kayaking, surfing, and commercial boat trips. The Town of Kennebunk reserves the right to reject any or all submissions, to waive technical or legal deficiencies, to proceed or not with any proposal or process, negotiate such terms and conditions of any proposal, agreement, lease or other contract that may be in the best interest of the Town, and to terminate or amend this process at any time. The Town of Kennebunk is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to recruit and support a broadly diverse community. All qualified Bidders are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation (including gender identity and expression), physical or mental disability, religion, age, genetic predisposition, and any other characteristics protected by law. RFP Coordinator All communication regarding the RFP must be made through the RFP Coordinator identified below: Meghan Rochefort Community Development Department Phone: 207-604-1303 E-mail: MRochefort@kennebunkmaine.us Submitted Questions Due All questions must be received by the RFP Coordinator identified above by the question submission deadline of: April 24, 2024, no later than 4:00 p.m., local time. Contract Terms The Town is seeking a cost-efficient proposal to provide services, as defined in the RFP, for the anticipated contract period defined below. Please note, the dates below are estimated and may be adjusted, as necessary, in order to comply with all procedural requirements associated with the RFP and the contracting process. The actual contract start date will be established by a completed and approved contract. The terms of the anticipated contract will be within May 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025. Number of Awards The Town anticipates making one (1) award as a result of the RFP process. Post Question Responses April 26, 2024 Notification for Bidder Interviews May 3, 2024 Interviews with Bidders May 6-10, 2024 Refer Preferred Bidder to Select Board May 28, 2024 Negotiation, Due Diligence and Contracting June 3-7, 2024 Project Kickoff Meeting June 14, 2024 Draft Report Due August 15, 2024 Public Meeting Presentation of Findings August 21, 2024 Final Report August 23, 2024 The method of Contractor Selection has not been Determined at this time.