Contractor Support Services Procurement Policy & Procedures
The information found herein will serve as Grow America's, formerly the National Development Council’s, documented procurement policy & procedures for Procurement.
Background
Established in 1969 at the beginning of the community development movement, Grow America, formerly the National Development Council, has played an integral role in shaping the strategies and methodologies that have set the standards of excellence in the practice of local economic development, affordable housing, and community development. For over 50 years, Grow America's staff has worked with nonprofit and public sector practitioners in every one of the 50 states, more than 100 entitlement cities and counties, and hundreds of small cities to help leverage public funds in exchange for community development projects that generate long-term and sustainable community wealth. In early 2020, Grow America was retained by several communities throughout the United States as a third-party administrator or subrecipient for their residential and small business assistance/loan programs and/or to provide professional and technical advisory services on a variety of community development, affordable housing, and economic development activities. As such, Grow America is providing opportunities for Independent Contractors to assist in these lines of business.
Procurement of Independent Contractors
To comply with federal procurement requirements when acting as a subrecipient, the procurement method utilized by the Grow America for Independent Contractors is cited below:
Competitive Proposals are typically used for professional services (with a fixed price or cost reimbursement contract) such as a Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Qualifications (RFQ), or Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ). Competitive proposals require a pre-determined evaluation method from an adequate number of qualified sources.
Grow America's has adopted a Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ) Process that complies with 2 CFR§200.318 through § 200.327. Through this process, Grow America:
- Provides an opportunity for full and open competition;
- Ensures the use of small and minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms when possible;
- Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) is defined as a business which is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled on a daily basis by one or more (in combination) American citizens of the following ethnic minority and/or gender (e.g. woman-owned) and/or military veteran classifications:
- African American;
- Asian American;
- Hispanic American;
- Native American;
- Hasidic Jew;
- Persons with disabilities; and
- Other individuals who can prove social and economic disadvantage.
- Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) is defined as a business which is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled on a daily basis by one or more (in combination) American citizens of the following ethnic minority and/or gender (e.g. woman-owned) and/or military veteran classifications:
- Women Business Enterprise (WBE) is a business concern that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women, that:
- Must be U.S. citizens or Legal Residents;
- Whose business formation and principal place of business are in the U.S. or its territories; and
- Whose management and daily operation are controlled by women.
- Whose business formation and principal place of business are in the U.S. or its territories; and
- Must be U.S. citizens or Legal Residents;
- Includes cost or price analysis on an annual basis for recurring contractor roles;
- Evaluation and documentation of contractor’s integrity, compliance with public policy, record of past performance, and financial and technical resources;
- Ensures that the contractor has not been suspended or debarred;
- Prohibits the use of statutorily or administratively imposed state, local, or tribal geographic preferences in evaluating bids or proposal;
- Excludes contractors that may have an unfair competitive advantage, and
- Maintains records to detail the history of procurement considerations.
Procurement by Micro-Purchases
Procurement by micro-purchase is the acquisition of supplies or services, the aggregate dollar amount of which does not exceed the micro-purchase threshold of $10,000 (§200.67 Micro-purchase). To the extent practicable, Grow America will distribute micro-purchases equitably among qualified suppliers. Micro-purchases may be awarded without soliciting competitive quotations if the price is considered reasonable.
Procurement by Small Purchase Procedures
Small purchase procedures are those relatively simple and informal procurement methods for securing services, supplies, or other property that do not cost more than the Simplified Acquisition Threshold of $250,000. If small purchase procedures are used, price or rate quotations must be obtained from at least three qualified sources (oral or written price quotations must be documented).
Section 3
Section 3 and its implementing regulation at 24 C.F.R. Part 75 requires subrecipients to ensure that employment, and other economic and business opportunities generated by HUD financial assistance be directed, to the greatest extent feasible, and consistent with existing Federal, State and Local laws and regulations, to low- and very low-income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government housing assistance, and to business concerns which provide economic opportunities to low- and very low-income persons. The Section 3 requirements apply for all contractors and subcontractors performing work on Section 3 project(s), which by definition exceeds the $200,000 threshold, or in the instance of designated Lead Hazard projects, $100,000. These Section 3 projects are held to the employment and training, contracting, and meeting HUD established benchmarks for Section 3 Workers and Targeted Section 3 Workers.
Contractor Application Process
Grow America utilizes an online system to manage the Contractor Application Process. To be considered, Independent Contractors must first register with the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov. Once registered, independent contractors should complete the six-part application provided herein: 1. Contractor Services Application; 2. W-9 Form; 3. Non-Disclosure Form; 4. Vaccination Safety and Travel Policy for Independent Contractors; 5. Upload COVID-19 Vaccination Card; and 6. Wire Transfer Form (Optional). Once the contractor application has been submitted, Grow America will assesses experience, conduct onboarding, negotiate rate based on role and verify that prospective contractors are not debarred utilizing the System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) or on the Limited Denial Participation List. Prospective contractors are required to have at least two years of work experience in at least one of the following areas: small business lending; federal grant administration; accounting; legal; residential lending; housing development; and residential and/or commercial underwriting. Once onboarding is complete, Grow America will match the contractor with the available assignments available and issue a contractor agreement or work order will be executed with the Independent Contractor.
Conflicts of Interest
The Contractor warrants that to the best of its knowledge and belief which the work under this contract is performed and except as otherwise disclosed, it does not have any organizational conflict of interest which is defined as a situation in which the nature of work under future contracts and a contractor's organizational, financial, contractual or other interests are such that the Award of the contract may result in unfair competitive advantage. The Contractor's objectivity in performing the contract work may be impaired. The Contractor agrees that if after award it discovers an organizational conflict of interest with respect to this contract or any task/delivery order under the contract, he or she shall make an immediate and full disclosure in writing to the Operations Support Director which shall include a description of the action which the Contractor has taken or intends to take to eliminate the conflict. In the event the Contractor was aware of an organizational conflict of interest before the award of this contract and intentionally did not disclose the conflict to the Operations Support Director, Grow America may terminate the contract for default.
Cost and Price
Grow America performs price analyses in connection with every procurement action for all procurements. The method and degree of this analysis is dependent whether the procurement action. Rates for each established/recurring contractor role were established by conducting an independent assessment of the market and rates in comparable geographic areas. These rates are assessed annually.
Contractor Support Services Application Portal
https://ndc.smapply.io/prog/ContractorSupportServices
See instructions for completing the Contractor Application form here.
Contractor Support Services
Contractor Support Services Procurement Policy & Procedures
The information found herein will serve as Grow America's, formerly the National Development Council’s, documented procurement policy & procedures for Procurement.
Background
Established in 1969 at the beginning of the community development movement, Grow America, formerly the National Development Council, has played an integral role in shaping the strategies and methodologies that have set the standards of excellence in the practice of local economic development, affordable housing, and community development. For over 50 years, Grow America's staff has worked with nonprofit and public sector practitioners in every one of the 50 states, more than 100 entitlement cities and counties, and hundreds of small cities to help leverage public funds in exchange for community development projects that generate long-term and sustainable community wealth. In early 2020, Grow America was retained by several communities throughout the United States as a third-party administrator or subrecipient for their residential and small business assistance/loan programs and/or to provide professional and technical advisory services on a variety of community development, affordable housing, and economic development activities. As such, Grow America is providing opportunities for Independent Contractors to assist in these lines of business.
Procurement of Independent Contractors
To comply with federal procurement requirements when acting as a subrecipient, the procurement method utilized by the Grow America for Independent Contractors is cited below:
Competitive Proposals are typically used for professional services (with a fixed price or cost reimbursement contract) such as a Request for Proposals (RFP), Request for Qualifications (RFQ), or Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ). Competitive proposals require a pre-determined evaluation method from an adequate number of qualified sources.
Grow America's has adopted a Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ) Process that complies with 2 CFR§200.318 through § 200.327. Through this process, Grow America:
- Provides an opportunity for full and open competition;
- Ensures the use of small and minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms when possible;
- Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) is defined as a business which is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled on a daily basis by one or more (in combination) American citizens of the following ethnic minority and/or gender (e.g. woman-owned) and/or military veteran classifications:
- African American;
- Asian American;
- Hispanic American;
- Native American;
- Hasidic Jew;
- Persons with disabilities; and
- Other individuals who can prove social and economic disadvantage.
- Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) is defined as a business which is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled on a daily basis by one or more (in combination) American citizens of the following ethnic minority and/or gender (e.g. woman-owned) and/or military veteran classifications:
- Women Business Enterprise (WBE) is a business concern that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more women, that:
- Must be U.S. citizens or Legal Residents;
- Whose business formation and principal place of business are in the U.S. or its territories; and
- Whose management and daily operation are controlled by women.
- Whose business formation and principal place of business are in the U.S. or its territories; and
- Must be U.S. citizens or Legal Residents;
- Includes cost or price analysis on an annual basis for recurring contractor roles;
- Evaluation and documentation of contractor’s integrity, compliance with public policy, record of past performance, and financial and technical resources;
- Ensures that the contractor has not been suspended or debarred;
- Prohibits the use of statutorily or administratively imposed state, local, or tribal geographic preferences in evaluating bids or proposal;
- Excludes contractors that may have an unfair competitive advantage, and
- Maintains records to detail the history of procurement considerations.
Procurement by Micro-Purchases
Procurement by micro-purchase is the acquisition of supplies or services, the aggregate dollar amount of which does not exceed the micro-purchase threshold of $10,000 (§200.67 Micro-purchase). To the extent practicable, Grow America will distribute micro-purchases equitably among qualified suppliers. Micro-purchases may be awarded without soliciting competitive quotations if the price is considered reasonable.
Procurement by Small Purchase Procedures
Small purchase procedures are those relatively simple and informal procurement methods for securing services, supplies, or other property that do not cost more than the Simplified Acquisition Threshold of $250,000. If small purchase procedures are used, price or rate quotations must be obtained from at least three qualified sources (oral or written price quotations must be documented).
Section 3
Section 3 and its implementing regulation at 24 C.F.R. Part 75 requires subrecipients to ensure that employment, and other economic and business opportunities generated by HUD financial assistance be directed, to the greatest extent feasible, and consistent with existing Federal, State and Local laws and regulations, to low- and very low-income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government housing assistance, and to business concerns which provide economic opportunities to low- and very low-income persons. The Section 3 requirements apply for all contractors and subcontractors performing work on Section 3 project(s), which by definition exceeds the $200,000 threshold, or in the instance of designated Lead Hazard projects, $100,000. These Section 3 projects are held to the employment and training, contracting, and meeting HUD established benchmarks for Section 3 Workers and Targeted Section 3 Workers.
Contractor Application Process
Grow America utilizes an online system to manage the Contractor Application Process. To be considered, Independent Contractors must first register with the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov. Once registered, independent contractors should complete the six-part application provided herein: 1. Contractor Services Application; 2. W-9 Form; 3. Non-Disclosure Form; 4. Vaccination Safety and Travel Policy for Independent Contractors; 5. Upload COVID-19 Vaccination Card; and 6. Wire Transfer Form (Optional). Once the contractor application has been submitted, Grow America will assesses experience, conduct onboarding, negotiate rate based on role and verify that prospective contractors are not debarred utilizing the System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) or on the Limited Denial Participation List. Prospective contractors are required to have at least two years of work experience in at least one of the following areas: small business lending; federal grant administration; accounting; legal; residential lending; housing development; and residential and/or commercial underwriting. Once onboarding is complete, Grow America will match the contractor with the available assignments available and issue a contractor agreement or work order will be executed with the Independent Contractor.
Conflicts of Interest
The Contractor warrants that to the best of its knowledge and belief which the work under this contract is performed and except as otherwise disclosed, it does not have any organizational conflict of interest which is defined as a situation in which the nature of work under future contracts and a contractor's organizational, financial, contractual or other interests are such that the Award of the contract may result in unfair competitive advantage. The Contractor's objectivity in performing the contract work may be impaired. The Contractor agrees that if after award it discovers an organizational conflict of interest with respect to this contract or any task/delivery order under the contract, he or she shall make an immediate and full disclosure in writing to the Operations Support Director which shall include a description of the action which the Contractor has taken or intends to take to eliminate the conflict. In the event the Contractor was aware of an organizational conflict of interest before the award of this contract and intentionally did not disclose the conflict to the Operations Support Director, Grow America may terminate the contract for default.
Cost and Price
Grow America performs price analyses in connection with every procurement action for all procurements. The method and degree of this analysis is dependent whether the procurement action. Rates for each established/recurring contractor role were established by conducting an independent assessment of the market and rates in comparable geographic areas. These rates are assessed annually.
Contractor Support Services Application Portal
https://ndc.smapply.io/prog/ContractorSupportServices
See instructions for completing the Contractor Application form here.