2027 - 2028 TxCDBG Program RFP Packet

Community
Development
10/8/2026
Block Grant
Request for Proposals for
Professional Administrative Services

October 8, 2026
Re: Proposed Funding for the 2027-2028 Texas Community Development
Block Grant Fund Program (2027-2028 TxCDBG)
Dear Administrative Service Providers:
Attached is the City of Groves' Request for Proposals (RFP) for professional grant writing and
administrative services. These services are being solicited to assist the City in its application and
administration of a contract, if awarded, from the 2027-2028 Texas Community Development Block
Grant Fund Program of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA).
The submission requirements for your proposal are included in the attached RFP. Respondents should
have past experience with federally funded programs. Please submit a proposal of services and
statement of qualifications as detailed in the submission requirements to:
Ms. Clarissa Thibodeaux, City Clerk
RFP for Professional CDBG Administrative Services
3947 Lincoln Avenue
Groves, TX 77 6 I 9-4604
The deadline for submission of proposals is 2:00 p.m. Monday, October 19, 2026. It is the
responsibility of the respondent to ensure that their proposal is received on time. Proposals received
after the deadline will not be considered for award, regardless of whether or not the delay was outside
the control of the submitting provider. The City of Groves reserves the right to negotiate with any
and all service providers submitting timely proposals, per the Texas Professional Services
Procurement Act and the Uniform Grant and Contract Management Standards.
The City of Groves is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Section 3 Residents,
Minority Business Enterprises, Small Business Enterprises, Women Business Enterprises, Labor
Surplus Area firms, and any other applicable disadvantaged businesses, including HUBs, are
encouraged to submit proposals.
Sincerely,
Clarissa Thibodeaux
City Clerk
3947 Lincoln Avenue, Groves, Texas 77619 Phone: (409) 960-5773 Fax: (409) 963-3388
www.grovestx.gov

RFP for Professional Administrative Services
The City of Groves (City) seeks a well-qualified and competent administration/management
firm/consultant (Provider) to assist the City in preparing an application for, and assisting with the
overall management of, its proposed 2027-2028 TxCDBG Program through the Texas Department
of Agriculture (TDA). The following sections outline the RFP.
1. Scope of Work
The professional administration/management firm/consultant to be hired is to provide application
and contract-related management services to the City, including but not limited to the following
areas:
A. Application preparation assistance;
B. Project management;
C. Financial management;
D. Environmental review;
E. Real property acquisition/ URA;
F. Construction management;
G. Civil Rights/Fair Housing/Equal Opportunity;
H. Housing rehabilitation/affordable housing (if applicable); and
I. Audit/Contract close-out assistance.
Please specify actual tasks to be performed under each of these categories.
2. Statement of Qualifications
The City seeks to contract with a competent professional administration/management
firm/consultant with experience in grants/contracts administration. Specifically, it is seeking those
consultant(s) or firm(s) with the following qualifications:
A. Related experience in managing federally funded local public works construction projects;
B. Related experience/background with specific project type;
C. Certified administrator of TxCDBG Program by TDA; and
D. Consultant/Firm is not debarred or suspended from the Excluded Parties List System
(EPLS) in the System for Award Management (SAM) www.Sam.gov .
In addition, please provide within your proposal a list of referrals from past local government
clients, as well as resumes of all employees who will or may be assigned to provide technical
assistance to the City on this project if your firm is awarded this management services contract.
3. Proposed Cost of Services
Provide your cost proposal to accomplish the Scope of Work by category outlined above and for
any additional activities required. The proposed budget must include all costs that are necessary
to successfully complete this project. Please note that the City of Groves will not use lowest/best
bid as the sole basis for entering into this contract.
The lowest/best price proposal will not be used as the sole basis for entering into this contract;
rather, an award will be made to the service provider(s) providing the best value, cost, and other
factors considered. The City reserves the right to negotiate pricing.
City of Groves RFP for Professional Administrative Services Page 1 of 40

If the cost of proposed professional administration services will exceed $100,000, then profit
(either % / actual cost) must be identified and negotiated as a separate element of the price of the
contract. To comply, the bidder must disclose and certify in its proposal the percentage of profit
being used.
4. Evaluation Criteria
The proposal received will be evaluated and ranked according to the following criteria using the
rating sheet enclosed:
Criteria Maximum Points
Experience of the Firm 30
Prior Work Performance 30
Capacity to Perform 20
Proposed Cost 20
Total 100
5. Submission Requirements
The following items must be included in the respondent's submission:
A. A copy of your current certificate of insurance for professional liability;
B. Statement of Conflicts of Interest (if any) the service provider or key employees may
have regarding these services and a plan for mitigating the conflict(s). Note that the City
may, in its sole discretion, determine whether or not a conflict disqualifies a firm, and/or
whether or not a conflict mitigation plan is acceptable;
C. System for Award Management. Service Providers must have a current registration in
the System for Award Management (https://www.sam.gov/SAM/). The Service Provider
and its Principals must not be debarred or suspended, nor otherwise on the Excluded Parties
List System (EPLS) in the System for Award Management (SAM). Include verification
that the Service Provider as well as its Principals are not listed (are not debarred) through
the System for Award Management (www.SAM.gov). Enclose a printout of the search
results that includes the record date. This clearance information should be included in the
Service Provider's Proposal. The clearance in the Service Provider's proposal must be re-
verified prior to award;
D. Form CIQ, (enclosed). Texas Local Government Code Chapter 176 requires that any
vendor or person who enters or seeks to enter into a contract with a local government entity
disclose in the Questionnaire Form CIQ the vendor or person's employment, affiliation,
business relationship, family relationship or provision of gifts that might cause a conflict
of interest with a local government entity. Questionnaire form CIQ is included in the RFP
and must be submitted with the response;
E. Certification Regarding Lobbying (enclosed). Certification for Contracts, Grants,
Loans, and Cooperative Agreements is included in the RFP and must be submitted with
the response;
F. Form 1295 (enclosed). Effective January 1, 2018, all contracts and contract amendments,
extensions, or renewals executed by the City require the completion of Form 1295
"Certificate of Interested Parties" pursuant to Government Code 2252.908. Form 1295
must be completed by the awarded vendor at the time of the signed contract submission.
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Form 1295 is included in this RFP for your information. Form 1295 requires the inclusion
of an "unsworn declaration" which includes, among other things, the date of birth and
address of the authorized representative signing the form; and
G. Required Contract Provisions. Applicable provisions (enclosed) must be included in all
contracts executed as a result of this RFP.
6. Disclosure of Legal Proceedings and Investigations
To protect the interests of the City and ensure the selection of responsible and qualified vendors,
Respondents shall disclose any pending, unresolved, or ongoing civil lawsuits, arbitrations,
mediations, administrative proceedings, governmental investigations, regulatory enforcement
actions, dispute resolution proceedings, or criminal matters involving the Respondent or its
principals, officers, directors, partners, managing members, or any individual or entity holding a
controlling interest.
For each matter disclosed, Respondents must provide a brief description of the allegations, the
parties involved, and the current status of the proceeding. Respondents shall specifically identify
any matter involving allegations of fraud, corruption, professional misconduct, criminal conduct,
misappropriation of confidential or proprietary information, ethical violations, or other conduct
that may reasonably bear on the Respondent's integrity, responsibility, or fitness to perform
services under a public contract.
By submitting a Proposal or Statement of Qualifications, the Respondent certifies that all
disclosures provided are true, complete, and accurate as of the submission date and agrees to
promptly notify the City of any material changes prior to contract award. Failure to provide
required disclosures or the submission of incomplete or inaccurate information may result in a
determination that the Respondent is non-responsive or non-responsible, rejection of the
submission, termination of any resulting contract, or the exercise of any other remedies available
under applicable law.
The information provided pursuant to this section may be considered by the City in evaluating the
Respondent's responsibility, integrity, and ability to successfully perform the proposed contract.
7. Affirmative Contracting
If the awarded vendor (prime) uses subcontractors, small and minority businesses, women's
business enterprises, veteran-owned businesses, and labor surplus area firms must be included in
the solicitation. The following affirmative steps are required of the prime contractor:
(B) Placing qualified small and minority businesses, veteran-owned businesses and women's
business enterprises on solicitation lists;
(C) Assuring that small and minority businesses, and women's business enterprises are
solicited whenever they are potential sources;
(D) Dividing total requirements, when economically feasible, into smaller tasks or quantities
to permit maximum participation by small and minority businesses, and women's business
enterprises;
(E) Establishing delivery schedules, where the requirement permits, which encourage
participation by small and minority businesses, and women's business enterprises;
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(F) To ensure a wide distribution and potential participation to as many administrator firms as
possible, refer to https://lsadata.org/ when you develop your administrator email list.
8. Deadline for Submission
Proposals must be received no later than 2:00 p.m. Monday, October 19, 2026. It is the
responsibility of the submitting entity to ensure that the proposal is received in a timely manner.
Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered for award, regardless of whether
or not the delay was outside the control of the submitting firm. Please submit four bound
copies of your proposal, in addition to an electronic version in .pdf format on one flash drive,
in a sealed envelope marked "RFP for Professional CDBG Administrative Services" inside
an outer envelope addressed to the following:
Ms. Clarissa Thibodeaux, City Clerk
RFP for Professional CDBG Administrative Services
3947 Lincoln Avenue
Groves, TX 77619-4604
Any questions or requests for clarification must be submitted in writing via EMAIL to
cthibodeaux@grovestx.gov at least three business days prior to the deadline. The City of
Groves may, if appropriate, circulate the question and answer to all service providers
submitting proposals.
Required RFP Forms as provided in the RFP must be submitted, or the proposal may result in
disqualification.
City of Groves RFP for Professional Administrative Services Page 4 of 40

Sample Contract - Administration/Professional Services
DISCLAIMER: This sample draft document was developed for TxCDBG grant projects and does
not include all applicable provisions. This document has important legal consequences. Please
consult with your legal counsel with respect to its completion or modification to ensure that it
follows any appropriate local, state and federal laws applicable. The City reserves the right to
change this sample contract.
1. Agreement
THIS AGREEMENT, entered into this _____ day of __________________, 2026, by and between
the City of Groves, hereinafter called the "City", acting herein by _______________________
hereunto duly authorized, and _______________________________ hereinafter called "the
Contractor", acting herein by ______________________________.
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, the City of Groves desires to [implement/construct/etc.] the following:
_________________________________ [describe project] under the general direction of the
Texas Community Development Block Grant (hereinafter called "TxCDBG") Program
administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture; and Whereas the City desires to
engage_____________________________ to render certain [professional /administration]
services in connection with this TxCDBG Project, Contract Number ______________.
NOW THEREFORE, the parties do mutually agree as follows:
1. Scope of Services
The Contractor will perform the services set out in Part II, Scope of Services.
2. Time of Performance - The services of the Contractor shall commence on
__________________________. In any event, all of the services required and performed
hereunder shall be completed no later than ________________________.
3. Local Program Liaison - For purposes of this Contract, the City Manager or his designated
authorized representative will serve as the Local Program Liaison and primary point of
contact for the Contractor. All required progress reports and communication regarding the
project shall be directed to this liaison and other local personnel as appropriate.
4. Access to Records - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),
Inspectors General, the Comptroller General of the United States, the Texas Department of
Agriculture (TDA), and the City, or any of their authorized representatives, shall have
access to any documents, papers, or other records of the Contractor which are pertinent to
the TxCDBG award, in order to make audits, examinations, excerpts, and transcripts, and
to close out the City's TxCDBG contract with TDA.
5. Retention of Records - The Contractor shall retain all required records for three years after
the City makes its final payment and all pending matters are closed.
6. Compensation and Method of Payment - The maximum amount of compensation and
reimbursement to be paid hereunder shall not exceed $_________________. Payment to
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the Contractor shall be based on satisfactory completion of identified milestones in Part III
- Payment Schedule of this Agreement.
7. Indemnification - The Contractor shall comply with the requirements of all applicable
laws, rules and regulations, and shall exonerate, indemnify, and hold harmless the City and
its agency members from and against any and all claims, costs, suits, and damages,
including attorneys' fees, arising out of the Contractor's performance or nonperformance
of the activities, services or subject matter called for in this agreement or in connection
with the management and administration of the TxCDBG contract, and shall assume full
responsibility for payments of Federal, State and local taxes on contributions imposed or
required under the Social Security, worker's compensation and income tax laws.
8. Miscellaneous Provisions
a. This Agreement shall be construed under and in accord with the laws of the State of Texas,
and all obligations of the parties created hereunder are performable in Jefferson County,
Texas.
b. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and
their respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors and
assigns where permitted by this Agreement.
c. In any case one or more of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall for any reason
be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality, or
unenforceability shall not affect any other provision thereof and this Agreement shall be
construed as if such invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provision had never been contained
herein.
d. If any action at law or in equity is necessary to enforce or interpret the terms of this
Agreement, the prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable attorney's fees, costs, and
necessary disbursements in addition to any other relief to which such party may be entitled.
e. This Agreement may be amended by mutual agreement of the parties hereto and a writing
to be attached to and incorporated into this Agreement.
9. Extent of Agreement
This Agreement, which includes Parts I-IV, [and if applicable,] including the following
exhibits/attachments: _____________________________ represents the entire and
integrated agreement between the City and the Contractor and supersedes all prior
negotiations, representations, or agreements, either written or oral. This Agreement may
be amended only by written instrument signed by authorized representatives of both City
and Contractor.
IN WITNESSETH WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement by causing the same to
be signed on the day and year first above written.
BY: BY:
Local City Official Contractor's Authorized Representative
Printed Name Printed Name
Title Title
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2. Scope of Services
The Contractor shall provide the following scope of services (choose contracted services):
A. Project Management
1. Develop a recordkeeping system consistent with program guidelines, including the
establishment of a filing system.
2. Maintenance of filing system.
3. Provide general advice and technical assistance to the City personnel on implementation
of project and regulatory matters.
4. Assist in the procurement of professional consulting engineering services through the
request for proposal process, if applicable, and as required by the TxCDBG regulations.
5. Furnish City with necessary forms and procedures required for implementation of project.
6. Assist the City in meeting all special condition requirements that may be stipulated in the
contract between the City and TDA.
7. Prepare and submit to TDA documentation necessary for amending the TxCDBG contract.
8. Conduct re-assessment of environmental clearance for any program amendments.
9. Prepare and submit quarterly reports (progress and minority hiring).
10. Prepare Financial Information Report or City.
11. Establish procedures to document expenditures associated with local administration of the
project.
12. Provide guidance and assistance to City regarding acquisition of property:
* Submit required reports concerning acquisition activities to TDA;
* Establish a separate acquisition file for each parcel of real property acquired;
* Determine necessary method(s) for acquiring real property;
* Prepare correspondence to the property owners for the City's signature to acquire the
property or to secure an easement; and
* Assist the City in negotiation with property owner(s).
13. Maintain TxCDBG Property Management register for any property/equipment purchased
or leased.
14. Serve as liaison for the City during any monitoring visit by staff representatives from either
TDA or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
B. Financial Management
1. Assist the City in proving its ability to manage the grant funds to the state's audit division.
2. Assist the City in establishing and maintaining a bank account (Direct Deposit account)
and/or separate local bank account, journals, and ledgers.
3. Assist the City in submitting the required Accounting System Certification letter, Direct
Deposit Authorization Form (if applicable), and/or Depository/Authorized Signatory form
to TDA.
4. Prepare all fund drawdowns on behalf of the City in order to ensure orderly, timely
payments to all contracting parties within the allotted time period.
5. Review invoices received for payment and file back-up documentation.
6. Provide general advice and technical assistance to City personnel on implementation of
project and regulatory matters.
7. Assist the City in establishing procedures to handle the use of any TxCDBG program
income.
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