The Washington State Department of Commerce hereafter called "COMMERCE,” is initiating this Request for Qualifications and Quotes (RFQQ) to solicit proposals from those interested in participating in a project to provide services to the state related to construction review, monitoring and evaluation for projects administered by the Multifamily Housing Unit (MHU) including, but not limited to, projects funded through the Housing Trust Fund (HTF), the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF), and the HOME program in accordance with federal, state and local laws and regulations.  MHU provides grants and loans to eligible recipients for the construction or acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable housing across the state to serve households with low-income and special needs. The Department of Commerce (COMMERCE) management has determined these services must be performed to reduce the state’s risk of loss and to ensure projects are built to last the length of commitment referenced in the HTFs contracts. The purpose of the RFQQ is to solicit qualifications, experience, recommended approach/methodology and fixed cost for the required services.

Funds for these low-income housing projects are primarily awarded through a competitive application process. Project size ranges from “tiny” homes (individual insulated, electrified, and heated structures that may or may not include plumbing), stand-alone detached structure used as a single dwelling unit (a/k/a single family home) to large multi-household/multi-structure complexes. The number of units in a project can range significantly. Applicants eligible for funding include local governments, housing authorities, nonprofit community, neighborhood based organizations, federally-recognized Indian tribes in Washington State; and regional or statewide nonprofit housing assistance organizations. Construction services are procured by the project sponsor (applicant), either directly or with the assistance of a third-party developer. Specific bidding and contracting procedures may vary, depending on the fund sources invested in a project. 

The funds  allocated to be administered by MHU is determined per biennium.  Funding for the 2025-2027 biennium is estimated to be $500 million; it is anticipated that 250 to 3000 projects will be funded in this biennium.

The objective of this RFQQ is to engage an organization that has experience and expertise in providing construction review and evaluation for a large affordable housing construction loan portfolio spread across the State of Washington. Activities to be completed under the contract will include services incidental to the performance of providing construction coordination for cost estimate/plan and specification review, providing pre-construction evaluation, providing on-site construction draw inspection of project-related expenses to include verification that the Accessibility Standards and Evergreen Sustainable Development Standards (ESDS) committed to in the initial design are implemented, and provide evaluation, recommendation and monitoring activities to construction completion and release of retention.  In addition to these, and when necessary, ensure the contractor is compliant with Build America Buy America (BABA) Act,  Davis-Bacon Act and HUD Section 3 monitoring and compliance requirements, including verification that all reporting and records related to the project’s labor standards,  and all work environments meet the minimum employment requirements, subject to any applicable privacy or confidentiality laws for projects funded with State of Washington-administered federal funds including, but not limited to, HOME and National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) funding.