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REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

 
Request for qualifications will be received by the Ascension Parish Government at the Ascension Parish Government Purchasing Office, 615 East Worthey St., Gonzales, LA 70737 until September 11, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. (CT) for the following:
 

Relocation and Buyout Plan

 
STATEMENT OF WORK
Ascension Parish Government (Parish) is soliciting Requests of Qualifications (RFQ) for a vendor to provide legal guidance and a plan for a relocation and buyout program specifically for the West Bank of Ascension Parish.
 
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The RiverPlex MegaPark is in South Louisiana between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The property of approximately 17,000 contiguous acres of undeveloped land covers over 10 miles of Mississippi River frontage and dock locations. The overlay district for the land includes 1,900 acres of light industrial, 3,413 acres of medium industrial, and 10,947 acres of heavy industrial uses. It also includes 644 acres for mixed use. The West Bank Industrial Overlay has been created to establish expedited re-zoning. There are some areas within this overlay that are currently being utilized as residential. The Parish is seeking the appropriate agency and plan to develop a buyout and relocation program on a voluntary basis.
 
SCOPE OF WORK
This is a task generated contract and shall be costs as bid and awarded based on the hourly rate schedule adopted as part of the contract. Each task will be created by a scope and request for proposal. Each proposal shall accompany the estimated costs breakdown of the task. A final Notice to Proceed shall be issued for each acceptable proposal for the applicable task, as accepted or modified by the project manager.
 
This should include the ability to accurately define if and how the Parish can fund the program, and if not, what entities/companies should be approached with the plan created from this RFQ. The Parish is looking for a company that can provide at a minimum the items detailed below:
 
At a minimum the contract shall include three public meetings in a mutually agreed upon location on the West Bank of the Parish:
 

• Kickoff meeting to inform the residents of the plan and process
• Midway as an update to the residents of the progress and modify the plan if results are not aligning with the goals of the contract
• Contract ending and sharing results and next steps

 
 
 
Door to door surveys to collect a pre-determined set of digital data, that can be collected, analyzed and mapped on a GIS map. Questions such as: How long have you lived here? Did your family live on this property before you? Do you own, rent? Do you have a title for the land? Do you want to relocate if that was an option for you or would you like to stay on this land? Any other questions to include here? Photographs of every residential structure identified that is occupied.
 
A successful Buyout Program relies on two strong pillars: a well-conceived buyout process and a planned revitalization effort. The document should detail the steps only for the buyout process, however when designing the buyout process, the grantee must have a firm grasp of the revitalization effort – its goals, priorities, locations and timeframes – so that appropriate incentives can be put in place to encourage buyout participants to resettle in the revitalized areas. This means having clear objectives for the buyout area as well as a plan for resettlement of the buyout participants and the revitalization of other areas that will attract households to stay in the community now and in the future. There must be an area that is appropriate for relocation, with adequate housing and business development opportunities. If such opportunities do not exist, there must be a plan for construction, development, and economic incentives to develop the area. The plan must extend beyond resettlement to a long-term vision for a healthy, vital community – 5, 10, and 20 years into the future.
 
The buyout program must have a clear plan for both the buyout area – its boundaries and end use – as well as for resettlement. A strong program will have:
 

• Clear delineation of the buyout area
• Appropriate end use that meets community needs for public space
• Identification of areas targeted for resettlement
• A plan for revitalization of areas targeted for resettlement

 
Challenges this plan will need to address include but are not limited to:
 

• The relocation of property owners is critical to the resident retention and community revitalization goals of the program. To be successful, the program must: 
  • Persuade participants to stay in the community and relocate to the targeted areas
  • Provide a continuum of options to participants that allow them to participate  

 

• Provide flexibility in program timing and a range of support and incentives to allow property owners the time they need to develop their own plans and to support them in the relocation when they are ready. Support and incentives can include (specifically where these funds would come from):
  • Relocation funds
  • Rental assistance
  • Downpayment and mortgage assistance

 
 

• Business planning support
• Financial counseling
• The condition a property owner must leave the property in
• A clear marketable title (all liens, mortgages and other encumbrances should be satisfied at the time of closing)
• Move-out deadlines with clauses consistent with municipal squatter ordinances
• Disclosure affidavits for unseen or non-permitted property damage (e.g. underground tanks)
• Estimated cost of relocation based on different available areas of the Parish.

 
All questions regarding the RFQ shall be submitted to the Purchasing Department via email at [email protected] by 3:00 p.m. local time (CT) on August 26, 2025. Responses will be coordinated with the Project Coordinator and posted on the www.centralauctionhouse.com by 3:00 p.m. local time (CT) no later than September 2, 2025.
 
Firms/individuals who are interested in providing services requested under this RFQ must submit six (6) copies of the information specified in this section.  The information shall be received in hard copy (printed) by: Ascension Parish Government, Purchasing Department, 615 East Worthy Street, Gonzales, LA 70737 on or before 3:00 p.m. (CT) on the date specified in the Schedule of Events.  Electronic submittals are permitted via http://www.centralauctionhouse.com; however (6) hard copies must still be submitted within 24 business hours of the proposal submission deadline (i.e. the Monday following the submission deadline since Parish buildings are closed on Fridays). 
 
The Parish reserves the right to disqualify any bid, request for quotes, response to a request for qualifications, or request for proposals if it is determined that the submitting business entity is not in good standing with the Louisiana Secretary of State or is not authorized to do business in the State of Louisiana.
 
Ascension Parish Government reserves the right to reject all proposals for just cause.
 
 
DONALDSONVILLE CHIEF            PLEASE PUBLISH 8/14/2025, 8/21/2025, 8/28/2025
GONZALES WEEKLY                       PLEASE PUBLISH 8/14/2025, 8/21/2025, 8/28/2025