Request for Proposals for Public Engagement Consultant

KATHY HOCHUL, Governor RUTHANNE VISNAUSKAS, Commissioner/CEO
Request for Proposals
for
Public Engagement Consultant
Issuance Date: June 3, 2026
Submission Deadline June 25, 2026, 12pm, EDT
RFP Number: HCR-RFP260603
HOUSING TRUST FUND CORPORATION
641 LEXINGTON AVENUE NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022
www.hcr.ny.gov

Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 6
2. PURPOSE ............................................................................................................................................. 6
3. BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................. 6
3.1. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing ........................................................................................ 6
4. CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND MILESTONES ............................................................................ 7
5. Minimum Qualifications ...................................................................................................................... 8
i. Legal Status .............................................................................................................................. 8
ii. Experience ................................................................................................................................ 8
iii. Availability ............................................................................................................................... 8
6. SCOPE OF SERVICES ....................................................................................................................... 8
6.1 Main Deliverables & Timelines..................................................................................................... 8
i. Public Engagement Plan .......................................................................................................... 8
ii. Public Engagement Events ...................................................................................................... 8
a. Stakeholder Focus Groups ....................................................................................................... 9
b. Regional Public Meetings ........................................................................................................ 9
iii. Community Surveys................................................................................................................. 9
iv. Public Engagement Events & Community Surveys Report .................................................. 9
6.2 Corresponding Responsibilities ................................................................................................... 10
i. Outreach & Invitations........................................................................................................... 10
ii. Media Outreach ...................................................................................................................... 10
iii. Event Management ................................................................................................................ 11
iv. Technology ............................................................................................................................. 11
v. Accessibility ........................................................................................................................... 11
vi. Materials & Presentations ...................................................................................................... 11
vii. Recordkeeping/Reporting .................................................................................................. 12
6.3. Deliverable Reviews & Feedback .............................................................................................. 12
6.4 Questions and Answers ................................................................................................................ 13
6.5 Amendments and Addenda .......................................................................................................... 13
7. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS ............................................................................... 14
7.1 Intent to Submit Proposal ............................................................................................................. 14
7.2 General Instructions...................................................................................................................... 14
8. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................................... 15
8.1 TAB 1: Proposal Coversheet, Cover Letter, & Proposal Certification ..................................... 15
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8.1.1. Proposal Coversheet ............................................................................................................. 15
8.1.2. Cover Letter with Executive Summary (3 pages max) ...................................................... 16
8.1.3. Proposal Certification ........................................................................................................... 16
8.2 TAB 2: Technical Proposal (10 pages max) ............................................................................... 16
i. Table of Contents ................................................................................................................... 17
ii. Experience, Qualifications, and Capability Narrative ......................................................... 17
iii. Work Plan ............................................................................................................................... 17
iv. Disclosure Statement ............................................................................................................. 17
v. References .............................................................................................................................. 18
vi. Resumes .................................................................................................................................. 18
8.3 TAB 3: Cost Proposal................................................................................................................... 18
8.4 TAB 4: Administrative Proposal ................................................................................................. 18
8.4.1 TAB 4: Standard Clauses and Requirements ....................................................................... 19
8.4.2 Financial Capacity ................................................................................................................. 19
8.4.3 Insurance Requirements ........................................................................................................ 19
8.5 TAB 5: Equal Employment Opportunity Requirements ............................................................ 19
9. EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS ............................................................................. 21
9.1 Evaluation Overview .................................................................................................................... 21
9.2 Scoring .......................................................................................................................................... 21
9.3 Selection and Notification Process .............................................................................................. 23
9.4 Adverse Findings .......................................................................................................................... 24
10. Award OF CONTRACT .................................................................................................................. 24
REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY ............................................... 24
Appendix I ............................................................................................................................................... 25
Appendix II ............................................................................................................................................. 26
Appendix III ............................................................................................................................................ 27
Insurance Requirements.................................................................................................................. 27
ATTACHMENTS TO FOLLOW THIS PAGE ................................................................................... 35
ATTACHMENT I .................................................................................................................................. 36
Proposal Coversheet ........................................................................................................................... 36
ATTACHMENT II ................................................................................................................................. 40
Proposal Certification ......................................................................................................................... 40
ATTACHMENT III ................................................................................................................................ 41
Cost Proposal Template ...................................................................................................................... 41
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ATTACHMENT IV ............................................................................................................................... 42
FORM A: Intent to Submit Proposal ................................................................................................. 42
PROPOSAL CHECKLIST .................................................................................................................... 43
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HOUSING TRUST FUND CORPORATION
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT CONSULTANT
IMPORTANT NOTICE: A Restricted Period under the Procurement Lobbying Law is currently in
effect for this procurement process and will remain in effect until execution and approval of the
Contract(s). Proposers are prohibited from Contacts related to this procurement process with any
employee of the Housing Trust Fund Corporation ("HTFC" or Agency(ies) or Affiliate(s), other
than the Designated Contact Officer listed below.
Lobbying Law Designated Contact Officer:
Kathryn Mazzeo, Associate Counsel
New York State Homes and Community Renewal Housing Trust Fund Corporation
38-40 Broadway, Hampton Plaza, 5th Floor
Albany, NY 12207
Email: Kathryn.Mazzeo@hcr.ny.gov
If you have inquiries regarding this Request for Proposal ("RFP")or would like to contact the HTFC
regarding matters not relating to Lobbying Procurement Law Contacts, please forward inquiries via
electronic email to contractunitinfo@hcr.ny.gov. citing the RFP page and section, no later than the
date identified in the Calendar of Events and Milestones section of this solicitation. The subject line
of the email should indicate "2026 Public Engagement Consultant RFP".
Further information regarding the Procurement Lobbying Law policies of the Agency(ies) is available
in the Agencies' Standard Clauses and Requirements for Solicitations, hyperlinked herein as Exhibit A.
1Affiliates shall mean the other agencies comprising New York State Homes and Community Renewal being the New
York State Housing Finance Agency, State of New York Mortgage Agency, New York State Affordable Housing
Corporation, State of New York Municipal Bond Bank Agency, and Tobacco Settlement Financing Corporation.
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1. INTRODUCTION
New York State Homes and Community Renewal ("HCR") consists of all the major housing and
community renewal agencies of the State of New York ("State" or "NYS"), including the Housing
Trust Fund Corporation ("HTFC" or "Agency"). HCR includes other agencies (i.e., Affiliates) not
directly involved in this Request for Proposals process.
The mission of the Housing Trust Fund Corporation is to further community development through
the construction, development, revitalization and preservation of low-income housing, the
development and preservation of businesses, the creation of job opportunities, and the development
of public infrastructures and facilities.
2. PURPOSE
The HTFC is issuing this RFP to seek a consultant, who will assist the Agency's Fair and Equitable
Housing Office ("FEHO") with public engagement that informs an assessment of fair housing report.
The public engagement consists of (i) a Public Engagement Plan, (ii) Public Engagement Events (iii)
Community Surveys and (iv) a Public Engagement Report, as further described in the "Scope of
Services" section of this RFP.
The contract resulting from this RFP process will be for a one-year term, subject to approval by the
Agency's Board of Directors ("Board").
3. BACKGROUND
To fulfill New York State's statutory obligation and New York State Homes and Community
Renewal's ("HCR") commitment to affirmatively further fair housing, the Fair and Equitable
Housing Office ("FEHO") spearheads an Assessment of Fair Housing ("AFH") throughout the state.
The AFH process consists of robust quantitative data analysis as well as input from New York State
residents, community leaders, nonprofit organizations, and housing professionals - culminating in a
report ("Report") that examines key fair housing issues and outlines goals and strategies to address
such issues. The Report is published to the general public and submitted to the legislature.
3.1. Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing
In December of 2021, Governor Hochul enacted a law that reaffirms New York State's obligation
to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing ("AFFH"). The State's AFFH law details that agencies who
administer programs related to housing and community development must undertake meaningful
actions to:
* Eliminate Disproportionate Housing Needs
* Reduce Disparities in Access to Opportunity
* Eradicate Patterns of Residential Segregation and Racially or Ethnically Concentrated Areas
of Poverty (R/ECAPs)
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* Enforce and Maintain Compliance with the NYS Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), which
Prohibits Housing Discrimination
* Engage the Public in the Development and Advancement of Fair Housing Policy
In 2024, HCR published an AFH report titled "Fair Housing Matters NY," which consists of
quantitative data analysis and input from New York state residents, community leaders, nonprofit
organizations, and housing professionals. The resulting AFH Report detailed seven key fair housing
issues throughout the State, along with eight goals and corresponding strategies to address such
issues. The AFH Mapping Snapshot was subsequently published to accompany Fair Housing Matters
NY, providing an online interactive mapping tool that highlights some of the major findings and goals
detailed throughout the report and geographically illustrates how fair housing issues impact New
Yorkers throughout the state. In adherence to the State AFFH law, HCR intends to conduct another
AFH and publish a report in 2027, for which it is now seeking a public engagement consultant.
4. CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND MILESTONES
HTFC reserves the right to modify this schedule at its discretion. Notification of changes in
connection with this RFP will be made available to all interested parties via the HTFC webpage at:
https://hcr.ny.gov/procurement-opportunities
It is the responsibility of the respondents to the proposal ("Proposer(s)") to check the above
referenced webpage regularly for notifications relating to this RFP.
EVENT DATE
Issuance of Request for Proposals June 3, 2026
Intent to Submit Proposal June 9, 2026, 12:00pm, EDT
(Optional but highly encouraged)
Deadline for RFP Questions June 9, 2026, 2:00pm, EDT
Deadline for Responses to RFP June 16, 2026
Questions
Deadline for Proposal Submission June 25, 2026, 12:00pm, EDT
Interviews (if necessary) To Be Determined
Anticipated Selection Date * July/August 2026
* The HTFC contract resulting from this RFP process will be subject to the approval of the HTFC Board and may also be subject to annual review by
the HTFC Board.
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5. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
To be considered for this solicitation, Proposers must meet the following pre-requisites:
i. Legal Status
The Proposer must be a registered for-profit or not-for-profit entity.
ii. Experience
The Proposer must demonstrate at least 2 years of experience providing public outreach and
engagement efforts to non-profits and government.
iii. Availability
The Proposer must confirm that existing staff has the availability to complete the scope
within the timeline set forth in this RFP.
6. SCOPE OF SERVICES
HCR is committed to fostering a statewide dialogue on the policies, regulations and practices related
to fair housing. The public engagement component of the Report is critical to creating a meaningful
examination of barriers to housing and opportunity. This section details the main deliverables and
corresponding responsibilities of the successful Proposer ("Consultant").
6.1 Main Deliverables & Timelines
The anticipated engagement period will run from approximately July 31, 2026, through December
30, 2026. Should unforeseen circumstances disrupt this schedule, the Consultant and FEHO will
engage in discussions to establish amended timelines for the deliverables.
i. Public Engagement Plan
Within 10 business days of the effective date of the contract, the Consultant must submit a
complete Public Engagement Plan ("PEP") to FEHO staff for review. The PEP shall include
details for each of the main deliverables listed and further described below, including
deadlines for deliverables, dates and locations, media and outreach plans, and updated lists of
internal and external stakeholders to be invited. The PEP is flexible and dynamic but must be
robust. FEHO must approve the PEP before proceeding with the remainder of the engagement.
The PEP must be finalized by the Consultant within one month of the effective date of the
contract.
ii. Public Engagement Events
The Consultant will carry out Stakeholder Focus Groups and Regional Public Meetings
(together, the "Public Engagement Events") as set out below. These shall be completed
within 4 months of the effective date of the contract.
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a. Stakeholder Focus Groups
The Consultant will organize and conduct 14-16 virtual stakeholder focus groups
("Focus Groups") with fair housing stakeholders throughout New York State (e.g.,
housing developers, fair housing organizations, other state agencies, public housing
authorities, etc.), with the purpose of obtaining feedback on fair housing concerns for
varying groups of stakeholders. For each of these Focus Groups, the Consultant will
be responsible for the invitations/outreach, event management, technology,
accessibility, materials and the recordkeeping/reporting, all as further explained below
in Section 6.2: Corresponding Responsibilities.
b. Regional Public Meetings
The Consultant will organize and facilitate 4-6 in-person Regional Public Meetings
("Public Meetings") and two (2) WebEx/call-in Public Meetings with the general
public. The locations of the public meetings shall be determined in consultation with
FEHO. The Consultant will make a brief presentation on the AFH process and fair
housing background and will create structured time and space for dialogue and
listening on fair housing issues concerning participants. The Consultant will facilitate
the conversation with prompts and interactive activities, as approved by FEHO. For
each of these public meetings, the Consultant will be responsible for the media
outreach, invitations/ outreach, event management, technology, accessibility,
materials and presentations and the recordkeeping/reporting, all as further explained
below in section 6.2: Corresponding Responsibilities.
iii. Community Surveys
The Consultant will update and disseminate two community surveys ("Community Surveys")
on housing discrimination and fair housing more broadly, to be completed by (1) fair housing
stakeholders throughout New York State (e.g., housing developers, fair housing
organizations, other state agencies, public housing authorities, etc.), and (2) the general
public. In addition to formulating the Community Surveys, the Consultant will be responsible
for the invitations/ outreach, technology, accessibility and recordkeeping/reporting with
respect to this deliverable, all as further explained below in section 6.2: Corresponding
Responsibilities. The Community Surveys must be translated into Spanish, Chinese, Russian,
Haitian Creole, Bengali, Korean, Yiddish, Italian, Arabic, Polish, French and Urdu. The
Community Surveys shall be released within 1.5 months from the effective date of the
contract.
iv. Public Engagement Report
The Consultant will compile and summarize the results of all the Public Engagement Events
and all of the Community Surveys and generate them into a report ("Public Engagement
Report") within ten (10) business days from the date of the last Public Engagement Event.
The Public Engagement Report will be reviewed and revised in collaboration with FEHO.
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More information regarding FEHO's review of deliverables is detailed below in section 6.3:
Deliverable Reviews and Feedback.
6.2 Corresponding Responsibilities
As part of the deliverables listed above, the Consultant will be responsible for the following:
i. Outreach & Invitations
The Consultant will invite and otherwise engage a broad range of stakeholders involved with
and/or affected by fair and affordable housing issues. These include but are not limited to fair
housing organizations and advocates, developers, public housing authorities, municipal
officers, local and state government agencies, Section 8 program administrators, community
advocacy and support organizations, legal services organizations, faith-based organizations,
recipients of CDBG and HOME funding, and the general public.
As part of this responsibility, the Consultant will:
* Create a stakeholder list from existing lists provided by FEHO and original research
by Consultant.
* Create and distribute invitations, including flyers translated into Spanish, Chinese,
Russian, Haitian Creole, Bengali, Korean, Yiddish, Italian, Arabic, Polish, French and
Urdu, that can be posted and distributed by the invitees either on social media, email
or by physical posting.
* Manage all invitations, track RSVPs and conduct appropriate follow-up, which may
include individual calls.
* Coordinate concerns and requests regarding transportation, translation, accessibility,
and technological capabilities.
ii. Media Outreach
The Consultant will secure media outlets to notify the public of upcoming Public Engagement
Events and Community Surveys. Placement in these media outlets should include information
in other languages as appropriate and information about accessibility and translation services.
As part of this responsibility, the Consultant will:
* Facilitate placement of upcoming Public Engagement Events and Community
Surveys in social media and local community/municipal calendars
* Track the response rate from each ad and the population of those who responded -
the Consultant should ask each attendee/participant how they heard about the Public
Engagement Event/Community Survey
* Provide and staff a telephone hotline and email address for interested parties to get
more information about upcoming Public Engagement Events in their region
* Deploy innovative techniques to maximize public participation in Public
Engagement Events and Community Surveys, particularly among populations who
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