Preparation of 5 Year UEZ Plan

The City of Union City Requests Proposals From Individuals/Firms

Interested in Providing Services for the Preparation of the 5 Year Urban

Enterprise Zone Development Plan

Pursuant to the Fair and Open Process described under N.J.S.A. 19:44A-1, et seq., the City of Union City (“City”) seeks Proposals (“RFP”) from individuals/firms that wish to provide services for the preparation of the Five Year Urban Enterprise Zone Development Plan. This contract will be awarded as an “extraordinary unspecifiable services (EUS) agreement”, as defined by the Local Public Contracts law, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5 (1) (a) (ii).  All candidates are required to comply with N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27 et seq. as amended. (Affirmative Action). Proposers shall submit proof of registration with the New Jersey Division of Taxation prior to the award of contract but preferably with their proposal. The successful firm/individual must have significant experience in providing such services for a municipality. The successful individual/firm will provide the City with the following services relating to, but not necessarily limited to:

Introduction

The City of Union City UEZ is one of 32 designated Urban Enterprise Zones encompassing 37 municipalities in the State of New Jersey. The Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) Program, enacted in 1983, is an Affiliate of the Department of Community Affairs. The program's charter is to foster an economic climate that revitalizes designated urban communities and stimulates their growth by encouraging businesses to develop and create private sector jobs through public and private investment.

To accomplish its charter, business incentives are provided to certified zone businesses through a 50% reduced sales tax collection on certain retail sales, and sales tax exemptions on a limited amount of qualified business purchases. In addition, a portion of the sales taxes collected in Urban Enterprise Zone communities are given back as Zone Assistance Funds (ZAF) that can be utilized in the community for projects that will meet the goals and objectives set out in the 5-year Development Plan.

Project Overview

The Union City UEZ is seeking a qualified consultant to prepare a preliminary 5-year zone development plan as required by the recently enacted amended UEZ legislation. The zone development plan will set forth the boundaries of the enterprise zone and include findings of fact concerning the economic and social conditions existing in the enterprise zone, and each municipality's policy and intentions for addressing these conditions, and may include proposals respecting:

1. Utilizing the powers conferred on the municipality by law for the purpose of stimulating     investments and economic development of the zones;
2. Utilizing State assistance through the provisions of P.L.1983, c.303 (C.52:27H-60 et seq.) relating to State tax benefits and enterprise zone assistance funds;
3. Securing the involvement in, and commitment to, zone economic development by private entities, including zone neighborhood associations, voluntary community organizations supported by residents and businesses in the zone;
4. Utilizing the powers conferred by law to revise municipal planning and zoning ordinances and other land use regulations as the pertain to the zone, in order to enhance the attraction of the zone to prospective developers;
5. Increasing the availability and efficiency of support services, public and private, generally used by and necessary to the efficient functioning of commercial and industrial facilities in the area, and the extent to which the increase or improvement is to be provided and financed by the municipal government or by other entities.

The preliminary zone development plan will be submitted to the Union City Board of Commissioners for approval. The plan will then be submitted to the New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zone Authority for approval.

Scope of Services

The consultant will work with the municipality to develop a 5-year roadmap for the UEZ to follow in order to achieve its goals and objectives in stimulating growth and redevelopment within its boundaries. The plan should include the following elements:

1. Introduction, community overview, and plan development process
   
   Introduction of the joint UEZ Community
   
   Regional and Municipal Setting/Location of the Existing UEZ with Map
   
   Economic and Social Conditions in the joint Enterprise Zone Community
   
   Unemployment
   
   Economic Conditions
   
   1. Municipal Distress Index
   2. Supply and Demand Market Analysis

Income and Poverty

Educational Attainment

Housing Characteristics

Workforce Characteristics

d.  Process of Plan Development

• Community Organization Outreach (including minority outreach)
• Business Outreach (including minority outreach)
• Survey of residents and business on what they would like to see in the UEZ

1. UEZ milestones, accomplishments, and benefits

• Description of each municipality's Previous UEZ Projects
• Impacts from Zone Sales Tax Act
• Summary of Zone Benefits and Uses from Past Projects

1. UEZ economic development vision, goals and objectives

• Vision for the UEZ
• Economic Goals and Objectives
• Coordination with Other Plans and Programs
  
  County and Regional Plans and Programs
  
  Municipal Programs and Special Development Designations (Opportunity Zones, Areas in Need of Redevelopment, Main Street, Empowerment Zones, etc.)
  
  State Agencies (NJEDA, NIRA, etc.)
• Proposed Changes to UEZ Boundaries w/justification
  
  Expansion and Deletion of Area (zero net gain)
• Major Initiatives for next 5 years for each Municipality
  
  Loan programs for construction or rehabilitation
  
  Redevelopment initiatives/projects
  
  Façade grants
  
  Improvement of public infrastructure
  
  Training programs
  
  Special Events
  
  Cleaning and Maintenance of Commercial Corridors
  
  Planning and Professional Services

1. Marketing and implementation

• Existing and Proposed Partnerships and Their Roles in Marketing and Implementation
• Other Funding and Implementation Resources
• Proposed UEZ Program Structure and Budget Outline for each Municipality
  
  Proposed Operational Structure with Program Controls
  
  Preliminary Budget Framework
  
  Proposed Projects with Total Budge
  
  Public Safety (not to exceed 25% of funding)
  
  Administration Expenses (not to exceed 10% of funding)
  
  Timeline for Implementation
  
  Outline of Proposed Metrics and Measurements of Success

1. Summary and next steps

• Local and Municipal Approvals as needed
• Approvals by NJ DCA/Zone Authority
• Authorization and Implementation

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should include the following information:

1. Approach - describing how the respondent will accomplish the scope of work and requirements as listed herein.
2. Qualifications - showing how the respondent's firm and assigned team members are qualified to provide the scope of work and requirements as listed herein.
3. Project Schedule - showing key task target dates (including surveys, community meetings, public meetings and staff team meetings) and estimated task duration.
4. Fees - for the entire scope of services with a total "not to exceed" amount listed pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:27H-60 et. seq. Provide and itemized breakdown of proposed cost for each service and hourly rates for all team members to the project. The City reserves the right to negotiate the services and cost based upon support from internal staff.
5. Letter of Intent (submit with proposal)
6. Non-Collusion Affidavit (submit with proposal)
7. Statement of Ownership Disclosure (form provided. Submit with proposal);
8. Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran Form (submit prior to the award of contract but preferably with the proposal. Form provided)

9.   Russia/Belarus Disclosure Form (submit prior to award of contract but preferably with the proposal. Form provided)

10. Business Registration Certificate (submit prior to the award of contract but preferably with the proposal)

11. Statement, see attached, executed by a corporate officer, member, partner or sole proprietor certifying that there are no prior or pending ethics complaints against them or their company (submit with proposal)

12. Affirmative Action Statement (form provided)

13.The successful proposer must comply with the requirements set forth in the Mandatory Equal Employment Opportunity language included herewith (Exhibit A).

Sealed proposals will be publicly opened by the Union City Clerk in her offices at 3715 Palisade Avenue, 2nd Floor, Union City, New Jersey, 07087 at 10:00 a.m. on April 25, 2024. Proposals must be received no later than 10:00 a.m. on April 25, 2024 by:

Hilda I. Rosario,

Acting City Clerk

3715 Palisade Avenue, 2nd Floor

Union City, New Jersey, 07087

Please submit one original and one (1) copy of the RFP. Use white 8 ½” x 11” paper.

NOTE:    Addenda to this RFP may be posted on the City’s website www.ucnj.com. up to ten days prior to the time for the receipt of proposals.