Revaluation - Town of Pownal

Start Date: September 04, 2024
End Date: October 07, 2024
Type: Requests for Proposals (RFP)
Phone: 2076884611
Email: administrator@pownalmaine.org

RFP for Revaluation

The Town of Pownal, Maine is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to perform a revaluation of all real and personal property in the Town, effective April 1, 2027. Firms interested in providing the revaluation services are invited to deliver five (5) sealed copies of the proposal by 2pm on Monday, October 7, 2024 to:

Town of Pownal Revaluation Proposal

Attn: Rebecca Taylor-Chase

Town of Pownal

429 Hallowell Road

Pownal, ME 04069

Scope:

It is the express intent that the revaluation project shall include but not be limited to:

The just value of each parcel of taxable and tax-exempt real estate with separately expressed land and building values as well as total property values.

The scope of the project to include full measure and list plus photos.

Definition of Value:

Appraisals shall be made based on the definition of just value contained in 36 MRSA, 701-A.

Town Data:

The estimated population as of the 2020 census is 1566.

The last revaluation was completed in 2016.

The town has a total area of 22.9 square miles.

The approximate number of accounts as of April 1, 2024 are as follows:

736– One-to-Three Family

46 – Tax Exempt

1 – Mobile Homes

161 – Vacant Land Parcels

1 – Utility

2- Commercial

There are a total of 947 Real Estate and 8 Personal Property Accounts.  The Town acknowledges that there are more Personal Property Accounts in Pownal and requires these new accounts be assessed and taxed as part of this revaluation.

Requirements:

Each firm responding to this solicitation must address the following items in their proposal:

• The proposal shall address all information pertaining to the contractor’s technical and managerial approach to completing this project, as well as the proposed price, timetable, and staffing plan. The proposal must address at a minimum each of the items set forth in the request for proposals to be considered.
• A detailed description of the process proposed to be undertaken to complete the property revaluation. Such description shall identify the key components, with the level of effort to be performed at each step.
• A list of municipalities for which the firm has completed a property revaluation as a stand-alone project or as part of a full town/city-wide revaluation.
• Each firm providing revaluation services must provide evidence that supervisors are Certified Maine Assessors and field personnel should also be Certified Maine Assessors. Bidders shall state their current supervisor to field pickup ratio.
• All contractor personnel shall carry suitable ID cards, which shall include a current photograph.
• A firm engaged in performing a municipal revaluation in Maine must file a copy of the current grading and pricing schedules used with the State Tax Assessor. In addition, a firm must file and maintain with the State Tax Assessor a resume that includes the number of people regularly employed by the firm and their qualifications.
• Upon completion of the total property revaluation, the firm must present to the Town a complete set of property record cards that detail the construction of each building.
• At the completion of the revaluation, the selected firm will make themselves available to meet with taxpayers to review the new valuations.
• The firm must be able to assure that the project will be completed by April 1, 2027 or a mutually agreed upon date before the start of the project. Failure on the part of the chosen firm to complete all work on or before the agreed upon date shall be cause for payment of liquidated damages by the chosen firm to the Town at the rate of $100 per working day. Any liquidated damages may be deducted from the contract sum owed the company.
• All contractors must be experienced working with Trio software.
• Proposals will include a list of staff that will serve the Town during the revaluation process.
• Proposals will include all costs associated with scope of work including anticipated time needed for the meetings with taxpayers to review new valuations. Proposals should also include a daily rate for additional taxpayer meetings if needed.

Insurance:

• The chosen firm shall carry and maintain in force-Worker’s Compensation Insurance, General Public Liability and Property Damage Insurance including vehicle coverage and professional liability insurance with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate. The town shall be named as an additional insured on the liability policy.
• The Town may require the contractor to submit a performance bond in the amount of 100% of the contract through a bonding company licensed to do business in the State of Maine.
• Copies of all certificates of insurance showing policies covering insurance required for this revaluation project shall be filed with the Town and approved by the Town prior to the commencement of any work on the revaluation project.
• The Contractor agrees to defend and indemnify the Town against claims for bodily injury, accidental death, and property damage, which may arise in the performance of the contract, and, in all other aspects, to hold the Town harmless from both inadvertent and negligent acts of the contractor, its employees and agents.

Items Supplied by the Town:

The Town will provide the following to the chosen firm to aid in the revaluation project:

• All available building permit information.
• All available zoning information.
• All available ownership information.
• All available land classification information related to current use classification.
• All available sales data.
• Land dimensions and total acreages or estimates of same on all parcels or access to deeds for same.
• Assistance during the informal reviews to resolve discrepancies due to land size, boundaries, etc.
• One set of full-size tax maps and one set of reduced size tax maps.
• Office space for use by the chosen firm’s staff working on the revaluation project.
• Office space for the conducting of informal hearings.

Selection:

Firms will be selected using the following criteria:

• Experience providing residential, commercial, and industrial revaluation services in Maine.
• Ability to perform the scope of work by April 1, 2027, or a date mutually agreed upon before the start of the project.
• Experience working with Trio software.
• Price.

The Town reserves the right to reject all proposals, in whole or in part.

Award:

Bids will be opened at the Select Board meeting on October 15, 2024 at the Pownal Town Office.  The Select Board reserves the right to interview all firms before awarding the bid.  A final firm will be selected to enter into contract negotiations with the Town no sooner than October 28, 2024 or a date to be determined.