Village of DeForest, Wisconsin Request for Proposals

Fiscal Impact Analysis

OVERVIEW

The Village of DeForest (the "Village") is seeking proposals from firms to create a Fiscal Impact Analysis Tool (the "Tool") that serves as a framework for Village staff to use to evaluate the fiscal impacts on municipal services of different development proposals. The framework should enable staff to more accurately estimate public revenues and expenditures associated with current and future land use decisions within the Village, including comprehensive plan amendments, annexations, zoning decisions, and development and subdivision approvals. Data inputs to the analysis should include Village funded services including, but not limited to, public safety, water and sewerage, solid waste, capital projects, recreation, and emergency services. Analysis should also take into consideration the impact of regional services including, but not limited to, education and library systems and those of adjacent municipalities.

COMMUNITY BACKGROUND

The Village of DeForest covers roughly 9.5 square miles located in Dane County, Wisconsin, twenty minutes from the State capital in Madison. Between 2010 and 2020, Dane County's population grew by over 84,000 residents and the economy added over 38,000 jobs. This employment growth more than doubled the statewide growth rate over the same period. Projections anticipate rapid population growth to continue through 2040, with over 89,000 new households to be added county-wide and households in the Village nearly doubling. The Village has already experienced a 36% increase in population since the 2010 census, growing from 8,936 to an estimated 12,164 in 2024.

From 2020 to 2024, the total estimated annual value of new construction within the Village increased from approximately $51 million to over $240 million. The greatest portion of that increase has come from multiple family residential and large industrial developments, indicative of a changing development market in the community. The Village is uniquely positioned in Dane County, with large swaths of undeveloped land situated along major inter-, and intra-state transportation corridors. It is anticipated that more industrial and warehouse facilities will be developed in the coming years, bringing additional job growth and subsequent residential demand.

The Village is the exclusive service provider of water/wastewater to most of its residents and businesses and contracts with a third party for solid waste/recycling. Additional services, including infrastructure maintenance, are provided for by the Village's general fund. The overall 2025 Budget for all funds, including enterprise utilities, is just under $58,000,000. The General Fund provides for the Village's general service operations such as public safety, roads, parks, and general government operations. The General Fund's primary revenue source is property taxes, at approximately 63%. The Village uses shared revenue and license, permit, and other fees to supplement the general fund.

As the Village grows in population and continues to add new land through annexation, the Tool should assist in facilitating discussions regarding the fiscal sustainability of the Village and specific departments and services. Of particular focus is the impact that any proposed individual development would have on the General Fund and the provision of services. Analysis should incorporate existing data and assumptions from a variety of sources including, but not limited to, the Village, Dane County, DeForest Area School District, DeForest Windsor Fire and EMS, Capital Area Regional Planning Commission, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District, and other service providers. The Tool should allow the Village to evaluate the fiscal impact of land use decisions, including comprehensive plan amendments, annexations, re-zonings, and development and subdivision approvals, using the data gathered in the analysis.

SCOPE OF WORK

Submissions to this RFP should be responsive to the following scope of work:

1. Analysis Phase
   1. Kickoff meeting to set project expectations, timeline, communication methods, and preliminary data analysis.
   2. Coordination with Village staff and external stakeholders to identify and acquire pertinent data.
   3. Review of existing local, regional and state planning documents.
2. Model Development Phase
   1. Phase kickoff meeting with Village staff, including overview of data acquired, discussion on data gaps, and discussion regarding proposed methodology.
   2. Creation of evaluation tool.
   3. Periodic check-ins with Village staff to review progress and make adjustments.
3. Integration and Training Phase
   1. Final deliverable meeting with select Village staff.
   2. Presentation of deliverables to Village Board and Planning and Zoning Commission.
   3. Training session(s) with Village staff regarding how to use the Tool, including instructions for updating the Tool as various inputs within the Village change.
4. Final Deliverables
   1. Fiscal Impact Analysis Tool,
   2. Standard Operating Procedure and Instruction Manual for using and updating the Tool,
   3. Brief report describing the development of the Tool, including data sources, methodology, assumptions, and limitations.
   4. Final presentation to Village Board and Planning and Zoning Commission.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Firms responding to this RFP must demonstrate knowledge and experience in real estate valuation, economic development, demographic analysis, municipal service provision, infrastructure planning, and property tax policies.

Submissions should include:

1. Overview of firm, including any similar work performed, relevant project team members, and references,
2. Technical proposal with price and activities the firm will undertake to respond to the Scope of Work, including:
   1. Description of proposed methodology to create the Tool,
   2. Anticipated timeline, including start date, relevant milestones, and expected completion date,
   3. Breakdown of costs and any additional services recommended,
   4. Description of data needed and method to acquire.

RFP TIMELINE

The following provides the schedule of events for this RFP through contract finalization and approval. The Village reserves the right to amend this schedule at its sole discretion at any time through a published Addendum. All times are posted in Central Standard Time (CST).

February 7:  Request for Proposals (RFP) Issued

February 8 - 18:  Written Inquiries on RFP Accepted until 4:00 PM on Feb. 18

February 21:  Written Responses to RFP Inquiries Available

March 7, 2:00 PM:  RFP Submission Deadline

March 11-13:  Finalist Interviews Conducted

March 18:  Village Board Awards Contract

March 25:  Fiscal Impact Analysis Commences

SUBMISSION PROCESS

All proposals must be submitted as set forth in this RFP and must conform to posted deadlines.

The Village will be accepting written inquiries from February 8 - 18 regarding this RFP. Please submit questions via e-mail to Alex Allon, Community Development Director, allona@deforestwi.gov. Written responses will be posted at www.deforestwi.gov and distributed to those submitting questions no later than February 21. Firms shall be responsible for reviewing the most updated information related to this RFP before submitting a proposal.

Final proposals should be delivered in electronic format in one (1) document either via e- mail allona@deforestwi.gov or via external drive through the mail service (120 S. Stevenson Street, DeForest WI 53532). All submissions must be received by 2:00 p.m. on March 7 and should be addressed to Alex Allon, Community Development Director.

Proposals should address all submission requirements set forth in the RFP, and any exceptions must be clearly identified. Failure to fully address all items in the proposal may be grounds for rejection. The Village of DeForest reserves the right to reject all responses and to waive any informality, and proposals may be withdrawn or modified in writing prior to the submission deadline. Any request for withdrawal must be in writing by the contact person named on the outside of the envelope or by the person who submitted via email, and each firm may submit only one proposal. The Village of DeForest is not committed to entering into an agreement or contract regarding the scope of services included in this request and reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals and to discontinue contract negotiations at any time. The Village of DeForest is not financially responsible for any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal.

The Scope of Work may not include all services required to complete the project. The submitting firm shall be responsible for determining the extent of information needed to reach an appropriate project completion.

The Village of DeForest is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SELECTION PROCESS

A selection committee will analyze and evaluate all submitted proposals in response to this request. Top-scoring firms will be chosen for further evaluation, including interviews with the selection committee.

SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

To be considered, interested parties must submit the following by 2:00 p.m. on March 7:

1. Letter of interest
2. Overview of firm, including any similar work performed, relevant project team members, and references.
3. Technical proposal: this should include all subitems listed in the RFP submission requirements.
4. Proposed cost: detailed pricing structure, including all expected costs and payment terms.
5. List of professional references: provide 3-5 professional references with current contact information, with at least two being local governments.