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Request for Proposals – UDC Business Plan, Economic Analysis

The UDC is seeking an Independent Contractor to develop a long-term fiscal sustainability plan for the Upper Delaware Council Inc. and/or to update a 1995 Lehigh University economic analysis titled Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River: Impact of the River Management Plan on the Finances of Local Governments in NY and PA. Sealed bids due by 6/28 and project completion by 12/1/21. Complete RFP available below and here. Contact Executive Director Laurie Ramie at: UDC, P.O. Box 192, 211 Bridge St., Narrowsburg, NY 12764, (845) 252-3022 or laurie@upperdelawarecouncil.org.

DATE ISSUED BY UPPER DELAWARE COUNCIL: May 26, 2021

PROPOSAL DUE DATE: June 28, 2021; PROJECT COMPLETION: By Dec. 1, 2021

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)please provide separate bids per project:

(1) Development of Upper Delaware Council, Inc. Long-Term Fiscal Sustainability Plan;

(2) Economic Analysis Update: “Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River: Impact of the River Management Plan on the Finances of Local Governments in New York and Pennsylvania”, prepared by the Fairchild-Martindale Center for the Study of Private Enterprise, Lehigh University, dated November 6, 1985, by J. Richard Aronson, Professor of Economics, and Vincent G. Munley, Associate Professor of Economics.

INTENT:

The Upper Delaware Council (UDC), a 501(c)3 organization incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with a certificate to do business in New York State, seeks a qualified contractor to: (1) create a long-term business plan to guide the UDC’s fiscal operations and recommend strategies for how to diversify its currently constrained funding sources; and/or (2) review the above-referenced 1985 study which outlined the economic costs and benefits of implementing the 1986 River Management Plan to evaluate the ultimate accuracy of its projections and conclusions, and to do a comparative analysis based on current land value and other relevant data for the 15 Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River municipalities located in five counties of New York and Pennsylvania.

BACKGROUND:

(1) The UDC has operated on a $300,000 annual budget through a series of five-year renewable Cooperative Agreements with the U.S. Department of the Interior/National Park Service since its 1988 establishment, with no inflationary adjustments or contribution of the 20% shares from voting members New York State and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to fulfill the 60% federal/40% states cost-sharing ratio envisioned in the River Management Plan for a $500,000 budget scenario. As a result of the flat-level funding, the UDC has been forced to reduce its programming, staffing, and financial assistance available to members. Additionally, payment of the UDC’s expenses to carry out its Cooperative Agreement tasks is subject to monthly reimbursement requests, no unencumbered funds are allowed to carry over from one federal fiscal year (Oct. 1-Sept. 30) to another, and the availability of allocations derived from a line item in the budget of the National Park Service Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River is impacted by processing delays, continuing resolutions and government shutdowns associated with adoption of the federal budget.

(2) Re-examining the referenced economic analysis will provide a case study to verify the real impacts that the 1978 Congressional designation of the Upper Delaware River’s 55,574.5 acres into the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System had on the communities within that boundary, while providing an opportunity to demonstrate the current and potential value or detriment on the local tax base, municipal expenditures, and revenues.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND DELIVERABLES:

The consultant will perform all tasks necessary to research, draft, finalize, and present the Upper Delaware Council Fiscal Sustainability Plan and/or River Management Plan Economic Analysis. This will include data gathering; interviews; and review of documents, financial records, and resources such as audit reports, budgets, UDC federal and state funding authority outlines, and regional economic studies to be provided by UDC staff. A final report will be presented to the UDC membership which meets in full on the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at 211 Bridge St. in Narrowsburg, NY or convenes by special meeting. Work will proceed under the direction of the UDC Executive Director, with progress reports requested at regular intervals. This is a grant-funded project which has a program expiration date of December 31, 2021. No incidental expenses such as for lodging or meals will be authorized. Payment shall be made within 30 days of invoice(s) approval. The UDC is a tax-exempt organization.

PROJECT TIMELINE:

Deadline to submit proposals – Monday, June 28, 2021

Anticipated bid award date – Thursday, July 1, 2021

Project completion date – On or by Wednesday, December 1, 2021 (5 months)

Potential presentation date – Thursday, December 2, 2021 (to be mutually determined)

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS:

Each proposal should include a scope of work, methodology, fixed cost bid inclusive of travel, labor estimate, project schedule, payment terms, and qualifications.

Proposals will be accepted by sealed bid, with one copy to be submitted by the U.S. Postal Service, delivery company, or electronically (all responses will be confidential), to be directed as follows:

Upper Delaware Council
ATTN: RFP Response
P.O. Box 192
211 Bridge Street
Narrowsburg, NY 12764
laurie@upperdelawarecouncil.org (Executive Director Laurie Ramie)

The UDC reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, and to choose a bid in the best interests of the organization. Subconsultants, subcontractors, and joint ventures are permitted to submit proposals.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Proposers may contact UDC Executive Director Laurie Ramie at (845) 252-3022 or laurie@upperdelawarecouncil.org with any questions related to this project.

A copy of the 1985 “Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River: Impact of the River Management Plan on the Finances of Local Governments in New York and Pennsylvania” (Lehigh University) is available here.

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