City Council Agenda Report
March 4, 2025
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Alex Hamilton, Interim Director of Community Development Bethani Cardenas, Housing Manager
Rosio Medina, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT: AMENDMENT NO. 1 - TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT
FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, HOME
INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM, HOME AMERICAN RESCUE
PLAN AND NORWALK HOUSING AUTHORITY; AND AUTHORIZATION FOR
TWO ON-CALL AGREEMENTS TO PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE
CONSULTANT SERVICES
Background:
On July 16, 2024, City Council approved an agreement with MNS Engineers, Inc. (MNS) to continue their services for the development of the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI). This agreement includes drafting the Five-Year Consolidated Plan (Con Plan) for 2025-2030, the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Norwalk Housing Authority Administrative Plan, and Project Based Voucher (PBV) contracts.
The agreement ensures that MNS will continue to provide the City with administrative services related to CDBG, HOME, and Housing programs, as well as support for the Affordable Housing development projects, such as The Walk and Project Homekey. The department collaborates closely with MNS to ensure that deliverables related to operations and reporting are completed promptly, and in compliance with all federal regulations. MNS will continue to offer guidance and assistance throughout this process to complete all pending tasks.
MNS is currently assisting CDBG with finalizing the Five-Year Con Plan and First Year 2025- 2026 Annual Action Plan, including the AI. The MNS team prepared the City’s current Five-Year 2020-2025 Con Plan. This amendment would further allow them to assist in finalizing the
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Amendment No. 1 for Administrative Services and Approval of Two On-Call Administrative Services Agreements
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proposed tasks before the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s deadline of May 15, 2025.
The City issued a request for proposals to provide administrative consultant services on September 30, 2024. The proposal due date was October 31, 2024 and two firms (Consultants) submitted proposals. Following is a list of the qualified bidders:
a. MNS Engineers, Inc.
b. Advanced Avant-Garde Corporation
City staff determined that both firms are needed based on their expertise, prior experience, staff augmentation and special projects to provide on-call administrative consultant services to the CDBG and Housing departments.
The Consultants demonstrated the ability to augment City staff, provide needed expertise that will be utilized, as needed, to fulfill specific needs within all CDBG and Housing programs.
Consultants shall provide consulting services on an “on-call” basis for various tasks. There is no minimum or maximum number of task orders to be issued to each Consultant. The City will issue a purchase order for each individual task order based upon agreed-to task order proposals submitted by Consultant. City staff will review individual task order proposals, which will include the scope of services, assigned personnel, work schedule and fees.
Fiscal Impact:
There will be no impact to the General Fund. CDBG, HOME, HOME ARP, and the Norwalk Housing Authority are funded solely by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Citizens Advised:
N/A
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
N/A
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council:
a. approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement with MNS Engineers, Inc. for additional professional services in the amount of $85,000; and authorize the City Manager to execute the amendment, on behalf of the City, in a form approved by the City Attorney; and
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b. approve agreements with MNS Engineers, Inc. and Advanced Avant-Garde Corporation to provide on-call Community Development Block Grant and Housing Administrative Consultant Services and Additional Services for a term of three years from the date of execution, in an amount of $150,000 each annually; and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreements, and any amendments provided there is funding in the budget and it is within the City Managers signing authority, on behalf of the City, in a form approved by the City Attorney.
Attachments:
N/A