Request for Proposals for Strategic Planning Consultant

‍Solicitation No. HATC-2025-01

Purpose

The Housing Authority of Travis County (HATC) is launching a strategic planning process that will outline its vision, goals, and objectives. The purpose of this Request For Proposals (RFP) is to solicit the services of a Strategic Planning Consulting Firm to facilitate the strategic planning process leading to a strategic plan that furthers the organization's mission; articulates the future vision; and exemplifies the organizational values.

The strategic plan document will serve as a vital tool and roadmap for HATC's Commissioners and staff to utilize in setting direction, forging partnerships, and allocating resources for the next five years.

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Background

The Housing Authority of Travis County (HATC) was created in 1975 by Resolution of the Travis County Commissioners’ Court and governed under the guise of Chapter 392 of the Texas Local Government Code. Our mission is to advance the creation of sustainable, equitable, and affordable housing for all. The organization achieves this by administering a range of programs and services designed to support families in their pursuit of stable housing and self-sufficiency.

One of the organization’s key initiatives is the management and maintenance of HUD Project-Based Rental Assistance (PBRA) units, as well as affordable family and senior developments (non-PBRA) - Carson Creek Homes, Manor Town, and Manor Town II Apartments, respectively. These units offer eligible families access to quality housing options that are within their financial means, thereby promoting stability and well-being. In addition to working closely with property owners and landlords, the organization ensures that each housing unit meets strict quality standards, ultimately providing residents with a comfortable and secure living environment.

Another critical aspect of HATC’s mission is the issuance of Housing Choice Vouchers. This program offers qualifying families the flexibility to choose rental units in the private market while receiving financial assistance from HATC. By collaborating with property owners and addressing potential barriers to housing access, HATC helps facilitate a smooth transition for voucher holders into their new homes.

Beyond simply providing housing options, HATC is committed to empowering our clients through various supportive services. The organization works in partnership with other community organizations to offer job training, educational programs, and access to essential resources. By fostering self-sufficiency among HATC residents, the organization contributes to building stronger communities and enhancing the overall quality of life for those it serves.

Currently, HATC provides services to its clients through:

• Affordable Housing - HATC maintains multiple affordable housing developments throughout Travis County. Specifically, this includes 6 separate developments with 174 total units, including 53 senior units within two adjacent developments.
• Rental Assistance – HATC administers 691 federally funded Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV), providing rental assistance to low-income individuals and families, in addition to special purpose vouchers and program assistance for disabled and homeless individuals.
• Supportive Services - The HATC Foundation 501(c)3 has outsourced service provision to BiGAustin to support HATC residents and program participants. BiGAustin is an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit organization which has served the Austin area community since 1992 with a mission to assist primarily low- to moderate-income individuals achieve success through entrepreneurship, training and education, and more. Services provided by BiGAustin to the HATC Foundation include, but are not limited to, financial literacy, digital literacy, career development, youth and senior programming, health screening and education, and scholarship programs.
• Multifamily Residential Development Partnerships - Travis County Facilities Corporation (TCFC) was formed, in accordance with the Public Facility Corporation Act, Chapter 303, Texas Local Government Code on January 10, 2001, to assist the Housing Authority of Travis County "in financing, refinancing, or otherwise assisting in the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, renovation, repair, equipping, furnishing, and placement in service of public facilities on behalf of the Authority." TCFC partners with mission-focused development entities to specifically expand affordable housing options for current and future Travis County residents.

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Scope of Work

The Housing Authority of Travis County (HATC) seeks proposals from experienced Strategic Planning Consulting Firms. HATC’s goal is to have strategic planning proceed as expeditiously as possible that includes a detailed methodology on how the consulting firm will design the Strategic Planning Process. The proposal for services should include, at a minimum, the following goals for this Five-Year Plan which will cover the period from January 1, 2026, thru December 31, 2030:

1. Ensure an inclusive and equitable Public Engagement Process with:
   a. Internal and external stakeholders (Board of Commissioners (BOC), staff, landlords, residents, and community partners).
2. Review and conduct research on other housing programs and models for addressing affordable housing challenges in other large cities.
3. Establish Key Performance Indicators & Strategic Outcomes for:
   a. The Housing Authority of Travis County
   b. Housing Authority of Travis County Foundation
   c. Travis County Facilities Corporation
   d. Travis County Development Corporation
   e. HATC’s Housing, Rental Assistance Programs, and Homeless initiatives
   f. Supportive Services
4. Identify Key Strategic Partnership Opportunities
5. Recommend Policy and Programmatic Actions
   a. Completing a SWOT analysis (or similar process) to assess the internal and external environment. We expect the consultant to assist with analyzing the organization's strengths and weaknesses and help identify external opportunities and threats, which will influence our plan.
6. Recommend Resource Allocation of current and future HATC Tools and Resources
   a. Drafting a Strategic Planning Document that is a useful roadmap for Commissioners and staff in decision-making and the future allocation of resources.

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Phase I - Community Engagement and Data Analysis

HATC understands that addressing affordable housing needs is a complex task that requires an integrated effort among many partners. Thus, the Authority is committed to engaging with these partners as an essential component of the planning process.

The Consultant shall solicit input from internal and external stakeholders utilizing various engagement methods, including surveys, meetings, interviews, and focus group sessions. The BOC will establish a small stakeholder roundtable to provide guidance, as needed, during the planning process.

The Agency's broad stakeholder community includes the Board of Commissioners, staff at all levels, the Resident Advisory Board, Public Housing Residents, Housing Choice Voucher Participants, 3rd Party Supportive Service Providers, Landlords, and other identified community stakeholders.

During Phase I, HATC will work with the selected Consultant to identify pertinent studies, plans, and datasets to inform the Strategic Plan. The Consultant will review existing documents to identify trends, issues, and objectives that may affect the Strategic Plan. Such documentation includes County Comprehensive and Annual Action Plans, HATC's current Five-Year Action Plan and Annual Statement, Moving To Work (MTW) Supplement, Homeless Continuum of Care Plan, and other relevant planning documents. The Consultant will identify and analyze shared priorities and goals in the plans reviewed.

During this work phase, the Consultant will perform the following tasks:

• Outline the role of the Consultant, the Board of Commissioners, and the Executive Staff in the overall planning process.
• Develop a detailed work plan with timelines for completing work tasks and producing a final strategic plan within the established timeframe (estimated six months).
• Design and facilitate structured processes that will lead to a board-adopted strategic plan with buy-in from stakeholders.
• Coordinate meetings/retreats with Board of Commissioners, and Executive Staff.
• Analyze the local environment that includes internal and external trends as well as an overall organizational analysis.
• Engage agreed-upon stakeholders utilizing various methodologies identified in the overall project plan.
• Review all other organization plans, including the HUD-required Five-Year Plan and Annual Statement, and others identified, to determine whether existing plans include strategic goals and objectives to integrate into the Strategic Plan or if these “plans” are standalone documents.
• Evaluate the current infrastructure that supports the organization’s primary business lines, including Administration (Communications, Information Technology, Human Resources, Board Governance), Real Estate Development, Rental Assistance, Supportive Services, and Housing Operations.

Upon completion of Phase I, the Consultant will synthesize major findings into a written Evaluative Report. The Report will include a compilation of survey responses, focus groups, interview summaries, and a SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunity, threat) analysis. The Evaluative Report will be a major resource informing the Strategic Plan.

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Phase II - Draft and Final Strategic Plan Documentation

During Phase II, the Consultant will facilitate the Board of Commissioners and Executive Staff in crafting and formalizing the Strategic Plan informed by the Phase I deliverables detailed above.

The Consultant will facilitate a Board Retreat to begin drafting a Strategic Plan informed by the Evaluative Report, which will be presented for review and discussion at the outset of the board retreat. The overriding objective of the board retreat is to develop a planning framework with the following deliverables:

• Review and assess, and/or revise the Mission Statement so that it effectively captures the Agency’s fundamental purpose.
• Review and assess our core values to ensure they are future-oriented and aspirational.
• Review and assess our current and potential impact of HATC’s programs and initiatives.
• Craft strategic goals and objectives that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely (SMART).
• Summarize the role of HATC, including its organizational structure and funding.
• Outline themes and issues related to HATC and its affiliate’s branding.

Following the board retreat, the Consultant will prepare a strategic plan document incorporating the organizational framework that the commissioners and Executive staff developed during the board retreat. Specific deliverables include:

• A Strategic Plan document that embodies the newly formed mission, vision, values, goals, and objectives.
• Determine the relationship between other "plan" and "policy" documents and incorporate them as appropriate into the Strategic Plan document.
• Design a reporting tool that captures performance metrics and methodology. This tool can be used to monitor and track the agency's progress toward achieving plan goals and objectives.
• Draft an Executive Summary that encapsulates the Strategic Plan that can be used for ongoing stakeholder engagement, press releases, grant writing, and other purposes.
• Conduct a final board retreat with the BOC and senior staff, during which the Consultant will present the Strategic Plan and Ancillary Documents for discussion and feedback.
• Finalize Strategic Plan, Reporting Tool, and Executive Summary, completing the engagement.

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Statement of Proposal

The HATC requests that interested firms submit a proposal containing the following:

• Cover letter, which identifies the firm’s primary contact person(s) for the proposal.
• Provide a thorough description of your firm and the services it provides. Include bio information on key staff members, the firm’s age, location, focus, and a description of typical and existing clients.
• Describe the methodology for how your firm would design the strategic planning process.
• A pricing proposal.
• Describe your upcoming schedule and ability to design and begin facilitation subsequent to the awarding of the contract, May 1st, 2025.
• List of references for which similar services are or have been provided.
• Statement of Work:
• • Provide the description and approaches to the work to be performed in the Scope of Services.
• Acknowledgement of the requirement to execute the HATC’s Professional Services Agreement, attached hereto as Exhibit A.
• • Provide the proposed fee, pricing structure, and invoice schedule. Please include a cost per hour, per position along with the estimated number of anticipated hours for completing the scope of work. The Price Proposal may include additional or alternative services available.
• Written acknowledgment of understanding of Form HUD-5369 B - Instructions to Offerors Non-Construction. The form must be fully completed, executed where provided, and submitted as part of this proposal.
• Form HUD-5369-C - Certifications and Representations of Offerors, Non-Construction Contract. The form must be fully completed, executed where provided, and submitted as part of this proposal.
• Non-Collusive Affidavit. This 1-page form must be completed, notarized, and submitted as part of this proposal.

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Submission Requirments and Deadline

The entire Submission Package shall stand alone and include full responses to all RFP instructions. The Submission Package must not exceed 10 pages of 8 ½” X 11” paper, single-spaced. Submit proposals electronically to the attention of Patrick B. Howard, Executive Director and CEO, [email protected], under the following heading:

SUBMISSION PACKAGE FOR STRATEGIC CONSULTANT ENCLOSED

by no later than 4:00 P.M. on April 16th, 2025.

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Criteria and Selection

HATC will use the criteria listed below, in the priority shown, to make its selections:

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Questions

All questions must be submitted electronically to the attention of Itzel Diaz Cornejo, Executive Assistant, [email protected]

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Notes

The Housing Authority of Travis County (HATC) reserves the right to reject any and all qualifications received in response to this request. The HATC is not obligated to award a contract solely based on this request or to otherwise pay for information solicited. Information received will be considered contractual in nature and will be used in validation and evaluation of qualifications and in any subsequent contractual agreement.

All data and information submitted by the Respondents in response to this RFP may become public information, as provided by the Texas Open Records Act, Texas Government Code. The HATC does not assume responsibility for asserting legal arguments for confidentiality on behalf of the Respondent.

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