RFP UEZ 5-Year Strategic Plan

Agency:	Hillside township
State:	New Jersey
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541611 - Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
Posted Date:	Mar 27, 2026
Due Date:	Apr 22, 2026
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Township of Hillside, New Jersey

Request for Proposals for

CONSULTANT

FOR THE CREATION OF THE

Township of Hillside

Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ)

5-Year Zone Development Plan

Deadline for all Submissions

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026, 3:00 PM

Return all Proposals to:

Rayna E. Harris, Municipal Clerk

Hillside Municipal Building

1409 Liberty Avenue

Hillside, NJ 07205

Request for Proposal

Create a 5-Year Development Plan as required by the UEZA

For Hillside Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ)

Pursuant to provisions of Local Public Contracts Law N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5 (1) (a) (ii),

The Township of Hillside and the Hillside Urban Enterprise Zone (HUEZ) are seeking

proposals from qualified consultants to provide services in creating a preliminary 5-

year Zone Development Plan for its Urban Enterprise Zone Program.

You are hereby requested to submit a proposal that provides the Township with

information to evaluate your firm with regard to the following factors:

A) Experience and reputation in the field.

B) Knowledge of the subject matter

C) Availability to attend all required meetings.

D) Availability for personnel, facilities, equipment and other resources to provide

services.

E) Qualifications/experience of personnel/organization, including list/status of

major projects.

F) Any other factors your firm wishes the Township to consider in evaluating

the firm’s ability to perform the respective professional services by the

Township.

Bidders are required to comply with the requirements of N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et. seq.

and N.J.A.C. 17:27-1 et. seq., Affirmative Action requirements, N.J.S.A. 19:44A-

20.4 et. seq., P.L. 2004, Chapter 19 (as amended by P.L. 2005, c.51)

All proposals will be evaluated on the basis of that which is the most advantageous

to the Township, taking into consideration the above factors.

Please be further advised that the Township reserves the right to reject all

proposals.

The Township reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in whole or in part

and to waive such informalities as may be permitted by law.

Introduction

The Hillside 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 percent 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

HUEZ 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 they 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 5-Year Zone Development Plan will be submitted to the local governing body for

approval. Then be submitted to the NJ Urban Enterprise Zone Authority for approval.

Scope of Services

The consultant will work with Hillside UEZ to develop a 5-year roadmap to guide us in order to achieve

its goals and objectives in stimulating economic growth and redevelopment within the township. The

plan should include (but not limited to) the following elements:

I. Introduction, Community overview and Plan Development Process

A. Introduction of the joint UEZ Community

B. Regional and Municipal Setting/Location of the Existing UEZ with Map

1. Economic/Social Conditions in the joint UEZ Community Unemployment

2. Economic Conditions

a) Municipal Distress Index

b) Supply and Demand Market Analysis

3. Income and Poverty

4. Educational Attainment

5. Housing Characteristics

6. Workforce Characteristics

C. Process of Plan Development

1. Community Organization Outreach, including minority outreach.

2. Business Outreach, including minority outreach.

3. Survey of residents and business on what they would like to see in the UEZ.

II. Milestones, Accomplishment and Benefits Milestones

A. Description of the Municipality’s Previous UEZ Projects

B. Impacts from Zone Sales Tax Act

C. Summary of Zone Benefits and Uses from Past Projects

III. UEZ Economic Development Vision, Goals and Objectives

A. Vision for the Hillside UEZ

B. Economic Goals and Objectives

C. Coordination with Other Plans, Programs, and Projects

1. Hillside Business Improvement Districts (BID’s)

2. County and Regional Plans and Programs

3. Municipal Programs and Special Development Designations (Opportunity Zones,

Areas in Need of Redevelopment, Empowerment Zones)

4. State Agencies (NJEDA, NJRA)

D. Proposed Changes to UEZ Boundaries w/justification

1. Expansion and Deletion of Area (zero net gain)

2. Spider legs can be eliminated.

E. Major Initiatives for Next 5 years for Municipality

1. Matching grant programs for construction or rehabilitation

2. UEZ Micro/Mini Loan/Incentive Program

3. Redevelopment initiatives/projects

4. Façade matching grants

5. Improvement of public infrastructure

6. Training programs

7. Special Events

8. Planning and Professional Services

9. Securing vehicles, equipment, machinery, etc.

10. Attending multi-day conferences, seminars and trainings

IV. Marketing and Implementation

A. Existing and Proposed Partnerships and Their Roles in

Marketing and Implementation

B. Other Funding and Implementation Resources

C. Proposed UEZ Program Structure and Budget Outline for Municipality

1. Proposed Operational Structure with Program Controls Preliminary Budget

Framework

a. Proposed Projects with Total Budget

b. Public Safety (not to exceed 25 percent of funding)

c. Administration Expenses (not to exceed 10 percent of funding)

D. Timeline for Implementation

E. Outline of Proposed Metrics and Measurements of Success

V. Summary and Next Steps

A. Local and Municipal Approvals as needed.

B. Approvals by NJ Urban Enterprise Zone Authority (UEZA)

C. Authorization and Implementation

Proposal Requirements

Proposals should include (but not limited to) 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 respondents’ 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. Liquidated Damages the successful respondent

must complete this project within 12 weeks from the date of the contract

award. There will be a specific start date and end date in the contract. For

each day, the project is delayed/not completed a $500 per day fee will be

subtracted from the contractor’s final invoice. Hillside UEZ will consider

extenuating and extraordinary circumstances that may delay project

completion.

4. Fees – for entire scope of services, total “not to exceed” $125, 000. Provide an

itemized breakdown of proposed costs for each service and hourly rates for all

team members on the project. The Township reserves the right to negotiate the

services and cost based upon support from internal staff.

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

RFP UEZ 5-Year Strategic Plan

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