Description

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE:  There will not be a pre-proposal conference for this sourcing event.SERVICE DESCRIPTION, FUNDING AND CONTRACTING INFORMATION PURPOSE AND OVERVIEWMultnomah County is seeking Proposals from qualified entities, to which it may provide a license to cultivate 3 acres of arable land held by the County through an easement from the land owner to create a farming collaborative that is community-based, for the purposes of building agricultural capacity and promoting economic development in under-resourced and underserved communities with an emphasis on the Black/African American and African immigrant communities. The opportunity seeks to provide fresh, locally, and organically grown, culturally relevant produce to promote healthy eating in under-resourced and underserved communities, to provide a nurturing space for sharing skills, and to promote economic development and social cohesion with an emphasis on fostering opportunities to build and cultivate a culture of Black health in Multnomah County.The selected entity will be granted a license to use 3 acres of arable land (the “Easement Area”) for farming, with access to municipal water and off-street parking.  Additionally, the County will provide one shipping container and may also transfer ownership of capital assets such as a tractor and tractor attachments, hand tools, high tunnel, and other implements of farming for use at the Easement Area. The license will be granted for a five-year time period, with the option for the County to renew for five additional one-year periods. Renewal will occur annually, based upon the successful completion of agreed upon performance measures and program deliverables.Other than the license to use the land and the potential transfer of surplus farming equipment, the County will not provide ongoing direct financial assistance. All utility bills including water and electricity and other costs associated with the farming operation will be the responsibility of the awarded Proposer. INTRODUCTION AND PROGRAM HISTORYCommunity Reaps Our Produce and Shares (CROPS) is a Multnomah County initiative that began in 2009 and was established to address hunger, a growing public health concern, and its links to obesity and chronic diseases. The CROPS Farm, located on a formerly vacant lot in Troutdale, was managed by a full-time Multnomah County staff person and tended to regularly with the help of an engaged volunteer base of 15-20 dedicated individuals for 5 days per week. Annually, approximately 15,000 pounds of fresh and organically-grown produce was donated to SnowCap Community Charities and other local organizations and groups. In addition to helping people in need, the CROPS initiative enabled people to eat healthier, provided a nurturing space for skill sharing and community service, and fostered a place to build community.GOALS, VALUES AND OTHER IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONSMultnomah County’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health program (REACH) and the County’s Office of Sustainability are collaborating to offer a license to an awarded Proposer to create a community-based farm (formerly the CROPS Farm) on the Easement Area in Troutdale, Oregon. The awarded Proposer entity will work in concert with the Multnomah County Office of Sustainability and REACH Program to ensure program deliverables and performance measures are met annually with the goal of improving key health indicators and reducing socioeconomic disparities. The REACH nutrition strategy seeks to empower farmers to grow locally-grown, culturally-specific produce, which will support economic development by fostering skill building, agricultural training, and partnerships between local economically disadvantaged farmers, local business, and institutional markets. The awarded Proposer entity will be required to submit an annual report providing updates on the annually agreed upon deliverables and to host and conduct a minimum of three farm tours for REACH partners and ACHIEVE Coalition members, in lieu of attending the monthly ACHIEVE Coalition Meetings. The REACH Program works in partnership with ACHIEVE Coalition, faith and community-based organizations and systems to improve the health of those impacted with the highest rates of disease and other key health indicators and socioeconomic disparities.  Examples of these efforts include: weekly community supported agriculture farm shares, enhancing healthy food procurement and sales; establishing/supporting food hubs; establishing a network of food sales outlets; establishing group purchasing collectives; developing tools; exploring innovative practices; and making improvements to local programs/systems.  In addition, this opportunity aims to enhance the creation of a robust Black-led local food economy that develops an Equitable Food Oriented Development (EFOD) model within East Multnomah County that builds and enhances skills and capacity, increases employment, and expands access to locally-grown, fresh, culturally appropriate and healthy food that supports the REACH program’s objectives and Multnomah County’s Black COVID Response, Recovery and Rebuilding plan.  Through strategic collaborations between local and regional food economy influencers, policy and decision makers will empower and ensure Multnomah County’s disadvantaged farmers and food entrepreneurs can supply the local food systems, while operating at the nexus of a vibrant, healthy community environment that supports nutrition, social cohesion and economic mobility.FUNDINGThe awarded Proposer will be provided a license to use the Easement Area. The County will not pay the Proposer nor will the Proposer pay the County. This is a non-revenue agreement. The County may, however, work with the Proposer to identify funding opportunities, identify opportunities to fund capital projects, and seek opportunities for programming partnerships. Proposer may seek to leverage its Contract with the County to fund the purchase and construction of additional infrastructure, such as a greenhouse, barn and farm equipment. Proposer will submit plans and obtain  approvals from the County, the CROPS farm owner and local governmental agencies for the construction of any fixture, building and infrastructure. Proposer will be responsible for all utility costs.  PARTNERSHIPSThe County seeks a single entity to serve as the primary party responsible for the scope of services outlined below. Partnerships, however, are welcome. The Proposer entity seeking a license for use of the Easement Area can include partner organizations that will also benefit from the use of the Easement Area through the primary Proposer. The Proposer should provide a letter of support and/or partner agreement from potential partner organizations. SCOPE OF SERVICESThe County seeks a Proposer who will embrace the spirit of the CROPS program and support REACH work plan goals by creating a farm that invites the community, including Black and African community members, to learn, teach, participate and engage with food production, and heal through connection to nature and community. The County believes that services provided should utilize a “trauma informed” approach and service providers that are culturally specific. In addition, the County also values sustainability and natural resource stewardship. A successful Proposer will have a proven and demonstrated track record that embraces and demonstrates how these values will be put into action at the farm site on the Easement Area.The County would also like to promote intergenerational, community-based farming that creates measurable and sustainable environmental, social, cultural, and economic impacts in communities. Farm operations on the Easement Area will allow the successful Proposer to sell food commercially to meet the needs of individual households and/or institutional buyers and to defray Proposer’s operational costs. An ideal Proposer would also embrace the training of new farmers, work to create a robust local food economy, increase employment within under-resources and underserved communities, expand access to fresh, healthy food, and promote regenerative and sustainable farming practices.   The successful Proposer will perform services in three principal areas:(a)  ENHANCE HEALTHY FOOD AND PROCUREMENT SALESFood Access: Proposer's farming operations on the Easement Area will increase nutritious cultural meals for schools, seniors, youth serving agencies and justice involved youth, will address food access, and will reduce food insecurity, thereby investing in communities where access to fresh fruits and vegetables is limited.Economic Development: Proposer’s farming operations will be elevated and sustained by piloting and documenting a purchasing model to serve commercial markets, such as institutional contracts, and, in turn, Proposer will train new farmers, increase sustainable job training for food related professional industries and markets, with an emphasis on Black and African immigrant and refugee farmers.Agricultural Training: Proposer will work with the REACH Program to identify, develop and implement training through Community Educational Workshops, Summer Works, Greenhouse Management Training, and more.County Programs: Hands of Wonder, the REACH Program and Multnomah County Prevention Health Promotion Unity will also utilize the Easement Area for training and program needs and purposes.(b)  ENCOURAGE SOCIAL COHESIONCommunity Farming: The Easement Area will provide designated spaces for community partners’ food production.Social Gathering: The Easement Area will be used for culturally-specific community events, serve as a location for community building, and will host educational tours and other pro-social activities.Farm Visits: Proposer will provide school- and community-based tours, in order to increase exposure to the agriculture industry for the community of Multnomah County, with an emphasis on the Black community.(c) REPORT on PERFORMANCE MEASURES and EVALUATION Performance measures, reporting timelines and evaluation goals will be refined and agreed upon with the awarded Proposer during contract negotiation. Proposer will be expected to provide timely reporting on the following performance measures, as well as actively participate and contribute to the outcome evaluations. Performance measures may include: Total pounds of produce grown Total pounds of food distributed (sold and donated)  Total monetary value of food distributed (i.e. Community Supported Agriculture) Income generated by under-resources and underserved farmers, food entrepreneurs or partners # of volunteers and hours worked on farm # of employees and hours worked on farm Demographics of participating under-resources and underserved farmers # of contracts or MOUs secured with under-resources and underserved farmers, food entrepreneurs, and partners # of people receiving training, capacity building, education and skill-building # and types of trainings offered # of events hosted (i.e. site visits, educational tours, markets, presentations, briefings)  Purchasing model developed Identified policy, systems and environmental changes Dollar value of Leveraged Funds  CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONThe County will initiate contract negotiations with the responsive and responsible Proposer with the highest scoring proposal. Multnomah County may, at its option, elect to negotiate general contract terms and conditions, services, pricing, implementation schedules, and such other terms as the County determines are in the County’s best interest. If negotiations fail to result in a contract, the County reserves the right to terminate the negotiations and initiate contract negotiations with the next highest scoring, responsive and responsible Proposer. This process may continue until a contract agreement is reached.CONTRACT AWARDThrough this RFP process, the County is seeking to award one contract. Award, as determined by the County, will be made to the responsible Proposer whose Proposal the County determines is most advantageous to the County, based on the evaluation process and evaluation factors described in this RFP. Multnomah County strongly encourages the participation of Minority-Owned, Women-Owned, and Emerging Small Businesses and Organizations in providing these services. CONTRACT TERMFixed term with options. The contract term shall be five (5) years. The County shall have the option to renew this contract for five (5) additional one (1) year period(s). Renewal will occur annually, based upon the successful completion of agreed upon performance measures and program deliverables.INSURANCE REQUIREMENTSExhibit 2 of the Sample Contract reflects the minimum insurance required of a Contractor to provide this service. Additional insurance coverage may be required depending on the key features of service delivery chosen by the Contractor. Final insurance requirements will be subject to negotiation between, and mutual agreement of, the parties prior to contract execution.MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS At the time of proposal submission, Proposers must meet the following minimum requirements. Failure to provide any of the required documents or meet any of the below requirements shall result in rejection of the Proposal. The Proposal response must be received by Multnomah County Purchasing no later than 4:00 P.M. local Portland time on the proposal submission deadline. The Proposer must certify that it agrees to the Proposer’s Representation and Certification terms in the Prerequisite page of the Sourcing Event. At the time of Contracting, Proposers must meet the following minimum requirements. Failure to provide any of the required documents or meet any of the below requirements shall result in cancellation of the contract: Proposers must be legal entities, currently registered to do business in the State of Oregon (per ORS 60.701). Proposers must submit verification that all insurance requirements are met.

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