Grants/Technical Assistance
Northwest Illinois Capital Improvement Planning Program – posted July 11, 2023
Call for Applications
Program Application
Memorandum of Understanding
RFP/RFQs
RFQ-2023-11-01 Northwest Illinois Capital Improvement Planning Project (posted November 1, 2023)
Question 1: When is the latest qualifications can be submitted?
Any submission received by 11:59:59 pm or earlier on November 14 will be accepted.
Question 2: What are the communities’ experience with capital improvement planning?
Some communities have existing capital improvement plans or many years of project ideas; some communities are new to the process and might only develop project ideas as part of an annual budgeting process or on an as-needed basis.
Question 3: Is March 31, 2024, a hard deadline for completing the project?
Yes. Our funding must be obligated by December 31, 2023, and the project must be completed by March 31, 2024.
Question 4: Will local communities be on the consultant selection committee?
We will consult local communities, but they will not officially be part of the committee, which will consist of BHRC staff and board members.
Question 5: Is the number of communities participating a function of funds available?
Yes, although municipal ability to engage readily in the process plays a role. If a 6th community is engaged, it may be based in Lee County.
Question 6: How was the RFQ distributed?
Via Sauk Valley Media, to firms known to be working in the region, on BHRC’s website, and on APA-IL’s RFP/Q website.
Question 7: Are there length limitations to a response?
No, but we urge brevity and clarity that address the items contained in the scope.
Note: RFP-2023-08-30 has been removed; it will be modified and posted as a new opportunity at a later date.
RFP-2023-08-30 – Northwest Illinois Capital Improvement Plan Development Project | Project Costs Proposal Form
Question 1: How are the municipalities, to be involved in the project, being evaluated and selected?
The following units of local government have been selected for participation: Morrison, Polo, Oregon, and Carroll County. The City of Savanna may also participate as well as a sixth entity yet to be selected.
Question 2: Do you anticipate one or more municipalities of the six to be larger than 5K in population?
Only Carroll County.
Question 3: Will all communication between the ULG and consultant be handled through the BHRC regional planner? In other words, should the consultant expect to communicate solely through the BHRC regional planner throughout the project?
Yes, although there will likely be occasional remote meetings scheduled between the locality, BHRC, and consultant.
Question 4: Will electronic proposals be accepted?
Yes. Please see 3.4 in the RFP.
Question 5: Will the consultant be preparing a separate CIP plan for each the communities assigned to them?
The consultant is expected to provide advice (rough scoping and estimates) on individual projects. BHRC will prepare the CIP plans for each community.
Question 6: Are you asking for an estimated fee with our proposal?
The current RFP will be retracted and updated to address this question.
Question 7: The CIP plan will include a lot of information for each project the community submits to the consultant. The preparation time and fee for each CIP could very significantly depending on the number of projects that need to be evaluated.
The current RFP will be retracted and updated to address this concern.
Question 8: Is the $75,000 fee in the RFP the maximum fee you will allow per consultant selected?
$75,000 represents an approximate total ceiling for a single consultant to provide advice to BHRC concerning projects for up to six communities.
RFP-2023-05-15 – Steward and Caron Roads Industrial Corridor Strategic Plan | Attachment A – posted May 15, 2023 | Q&A updated June 8, 2023
Notes:
*Deadline extended to end-of-day June 19, 2023.
*Please notify BHRC at info@blackhawkhills.com in advance if you intend to respond to this opportunity.
Question 1: Are we able to extend the study area to east of I-39? We feel there may be some benefit when reviewing transportation scenarios.
Yes.
Question 2: Will you be providing the data for economic analysis? Or will we be gathering that data from the county and economic development corporation/chamber?
BHRC and partners have some useful data available, although the expectation is that chosen firm(s) will collect data directly from federal, state, and other sources.
2021-06 BHRC Project 309 – posted June 21, 2021
2020-11 Northwest Illinois Workforce Housing Study RFP – posted November 9, 2020; Q&A updated December 7, 2020
Question 1: Can you provide any information about the anticipated budget for the project? We expect to spend no more than $40,000 per county.
Question 2: Do all of the counties and municipalities named in the RFP intend to participate? This depends on each county’s ability to provide matching funds. At present, we anticipate participation from at least two counties.
Question 3: Is one proposal acceptable, with budgetary estimate breakdowns by county and for each of the two cities, or do the two cities require separate proposals?
We request separate proposals for each municipality (above and beyond the work for the entire county). These proposals may assume somewhat more in-depth and granular research is needed; or, you may indicate that sufficient analysis is contained in the county-level study to not require municipal analysis.
Question 4: Who is involved in the selection process? Various stakeholders from the region, including those representing chief elected officials, zoning administrators, economic development and main street organizations, workforce and social service agencies, and real estate.
Question 5: What are the funding sources for this work? If the counties or cities are sharing in the cost, have they already budgeted that cost? BHRC and participating counties and municipalities represent the funding sources for this work.
Question 6: Related to the preceding question, is there a chance that the various counties and cities decide to proceed at different times, and will this delay all work or would you want to proceed with each as they are ready? It is possible – likely, even – that the counties and municipalities will decide to proceed at different times; we expect to move forward individually as each entity indicates readiness to do so. Some may elect to not participate.
Question 7: Would this be one contract with BHRC? Yes.
Question 8: Who do you anticipate are the “participating stakeholders” mentioned in Section 2? Please describe who you think needs to be included in meetings to present findings and recommendations, and how many separate meetings that may require. Principal stakeholders include: county and municipal officials, zoning administrators, economic development and main street organizations, workforce and social service agencies, real estate and housing developers, and state/federal agencies represented in the region. The quantity of meetings is less important than representation of these various interest areas.
Question 9: Are you seeking policy and ordinance reviews for each city/village in each county? What about implementation strategies specific to each municipality? We expect at least a review of county-level ordinances for participating counties and a review of municipal-level ordinances for participating municipalities. Furthermore, we expect implementation strategies for participating municipalities (as well as for participating counties).
Question 10: Regarding the Cost Information spreadsheet, is it acceptable to submit one locked spreadsheet with 9 tabs (one for each of the 6 counties, 2 municipalities, and for the region as a whole) or do you prefer that we submit 9 separate locked spreadsheets/files? Multiple tabs are fine.
Question 11: Can you describe what GIS layers BHRC has readily available? GIS data concerning parcels and land use are generally decentralized, although BHRC has access to county and some local-level data.
Question 12: Similarly, does BHRC have access to or maintain any inventory of proposed or planned development in the region – including residential and non-residential uses? BHRC has access to but does not regularly maintain records that addresses these data points.
Question 13: Does BHRC already have a somewhat recent employment projection (by industry sector) for the individual counties or region in the aggregate? BHRC does not have a projection specific to employment; however, it does anticipate declining population overall in the workshed and region.
Question 14: Regarding the emphasis on workforce housing, can you clarify how much (or if any) of the anticipated housing assessment and strategic plan may need to also dive into below-market rate housing needs? We do not know to what extent housing affordability and the lack of mixed-income housing impacts our region, although we suspect that access to quality, affordable housing (multi-family or otherwise) impacts seniors and young families the most.
Question 15: Are there any workforce development goals the outcomes of this study will be used to support? Please refer to our 2019-2024 CEDS. In general, workforce is one of the region’s greatest issues (plenitude of jobs vs. dearth of workers).
Question 16: Are there any priority metrics for analysis related to COVID-19 and housing? Is COVID-19 impacting housing demand and supply, as well as cost, in our region?
Question 17: In submitting separate proposals for each county and city, does BHRC prefer one document containing sections for each distinct area or are separate PDF documents required for each proposal? Separate documents for each proposal are not required.
2019-01-11 NWIL Trail Wayfinding and Signage Guidebook RFP (January 11 to February 15, 2019)
Question 1: Can you provide any information about the anticipated budget for the project? Estimated total cost is discussed in Section 4.2. of the RFP. We ask respondents to quote each trail listed under the “Specific Placement on Selected Trails” (Section 2.4.) separately. Trails or portions of trails may be omitted from the Guidebook Project if required for budgetary or other reasons.
Question 2: Is BHRC willing to treat the design of the wayfinding signage and the guidebook as separate projects from the planning and logistics of the sign placements and government restrictions? BHRC will accept proposals from respondents that use subcontractors for signage and guidebook design or vice-versa; however, BHRC prefers solutions from a single source with ample planning and design experience, with particular preference for the former.
Question 3: Is the guidebook aimed at landowners/operators or users? The guidebook is aimed at landowners/operators.
Question 4: Regarding 1.3, “Specific Placement on Selected Trails” – is it right to interpret this item as a roll-out design for the three named trails? Are you looking for design fees only and not any fabrication/install costs? It is right to interpret this item as a roll-out design for each of the three named trails. BHRC is seeking both design and fabrication/install cost estimates.
Question 5: How many public engagement meetings do you anticipate? May the meetings be held on one day? We are open to various approaches, as long as there is sufficient public engagement for the general design/planning guidelines and design/planning for specific trails.
Question 6: What do you anticipate the $40,000 covering? Our desire is that the stated amount covers general design/planning guidelines and design/planning for specific trails identified, including estimates for fabrication/installation (not actual fabrication/installation materials, labor, etc.).
Question 7: Can you comment on quoting this project? We prefer that the general design/planning guidelines and design/planning for specific trails identified be quoted separately (at least four identifiable costs in total).
Public Comment
• 2020-09 Northwest Illinois Trails – Wayfinding Sign Guide PC – posted September 28, 2020 *Send your comments to daniel.payette [at] blackhawkhills.com
• 2019-2024 CEDS – posted April 30, 2019
Jobs
Regional Planner – posted November 19, 2021
Regional Planner (December 1, 2020 to June 30, 2022) – posted November 24, 2020
Regional Planner (September 1, 2020 to June 30, 2022) – posted August 4, 2020, updated August 5, 2020
*Send your response and resume to daniel.payette [at] blackhawkhills.com.
Temporary Complete Count Coordinator (spring 2020) – posted…
Temporary Assistant GIS Mapping Specialist (summer 2019) – posted February 4 to February 18, 2019
Temporary Project Coordinator – Trails (summer 2019) – posted February 21 to March 7, 2019