US SLED #CS27-106

Independent consulting services for Utah RSDZ proposal evaluation

Utah is seeking an independent consultant to assess Regionally Significant Development Zone proposals and provide evidence-based recommendations. - Government buyer: State of Utah Division of Purchasing, for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) Zone Evaluation; attachments also refer to the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity (GOED). - Service requested: On-retainer, application-by-application evaluation of RSDZ proposals, with approximately 1–5 studies anticipated per year; this volume is not guaranteed. - Scope and deliverables: Review development plans, market conditions, financial projections, pro formas, debt and equity structures, and capital stacks; test tax-increment financing and revenue assumptions; assess public-subsidy need and size, regional benefits, resident and taxing-entity impacts, and jobs-housing balance. Verify statutory and policy requirements for Transit-Oriented, First Home Village, and Economic Development Opportunity zones, including energy and water considerations for proposed large-load data centers. Provide findings and a formal technical recommendation, which may recommend approval, modification, or rejection. - Fees and timing: Each engagement is capped at $20,000. Studies are generally due within 45 calendar days of receiving a proposal, with a possible 30-day extension. The consultant provides a progress update three weeks after receipt and must disclose conflicts within 10 days of receiving an application. The initial release describes a contract term of up to five years; the attachments describe a retainer for future studies without specifying the term. - Independence requirements: The consultant must be nonpartisan and quantitatively rigorous, demonstrate expertise in real-estate finance and development auditing, municipal economics and tax-increment financing, and urban planning and policy alignment, and have no advisory or financial relationship with the proposing municipality or county or other financially interested parties. - OEMs named: Huawei Technologies Company and ZTE Corporation are mentioned only in a certification restricting goods or services from those companies or their affiliates; neither is a requested supplier or product. - Products and quantities: No product purchases, product part numbers, or equipment quantities are specified.

Description

The State of Utah is seeking statements of qualifications from independent consultants to evaluate proposals for Regionally Significant Development Zones. Work includes reviewing development plans and applications, conducting market and financial analyses, assessing tax-increment financing and regional impacts, and producing a written report with a technical recommendation. The consultant will work on retainer for individual studies, with each study generally due within 45 days; the contract term is not to exceed five years. The scope states a maximum fee of $20,000 per engagement, and respondents must not include pricing with their qualifications.

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