Request for Information: Loan Officer

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION / NOTICE OF INTENT TO DESIGNATE SOLE SOURCE/SOLE BRAND
The Purchasing Division is publishing this notice pursuant to the Broward County Procurement Code section, 21.25, Sole Source/Only Reasonable Source, and 21.26, Sole Brand. The Purchasing Division intends to award a contract without competition if it is determined to be in the best interest of the County. 
This Request for Information (RFI)/Notice of Intent to Designate Sole Source/Sole Brand is intended to ascertain whether the commodity or service specified below is currently available from multiple providers/brands. The following products are thought to be available from only a single source/brand.  
Commodity/Services Required:  A financial institution that will support a full-time loan officer who will provide Broward County specific outreaches and services, within and for the local communities, servicing both single and multi-family housing, and meet with residents in their neighborhood.
Background: The loan officer will be responsible for hosting community town hall events and working to build awareness of funding availability and promotion alongside assistance in accessing federal financial incentives as part of the Inflation Reduction Act while working to develop a network of reliable contractors that could quickly complete the projects. The loan officer would serve as a dedicated asset within the Broward community working to develop partnerships with other community-based groups to broaden beneficial impacts, providing leverage for additional grants and philanthropic investments.
The financial institution will provide the following services and certifications: 1.  Access to affordable and innovative financing for sustainable property improvement, with a primary focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and climate resilience in low-and moderate-income neighborhoods. 2.  Provide services to under-banked and unbanked low-and moderate-income communities via unsecured micro-loans. 3.  Recruits and screens local contractors which will promote green jobs and enhance the local economy, and offers programs serving veterans, female heads of household, disabled people, and individuals with less than stellar credit scores who must otherwise rely on high interest rates credit cards, payday loans, pawn shops, and/or have no financing options at all. 4.  Offers financial products to landlords and affordable housing developers through loans that improve properties that are sustainable, energy efficient and climate resilient. 5.  Certified Non-Profit Green bank 6.  Certified U.S. Treasury Department Community Development Financial Institution.
Determination of Other Interested Vendors: The intent of this RFI/Notice is to determine if there are any other interested and qualified vendors that meet or exceed the specifications and requirements for the products or services described in this notice.  If you are capable of meeting or exceeding the specification requirements for this product or service, any such vendor must submit a response electronically through Periscope S2G and provide at a minimum, the following information: 1. The name of the interested party; and 2. A detailed explanation consisting of documentation showing that there are other qualified sources for the identified services herein. 3. Supporting information or product literature for any product to assist in determining if the product or service is comparable.  4. Information regarding their ability to supply the commodities or contractual services described or written explanation or other documentation contesting the proposed designation as a Sole Source/Sole Brand.
Prospective Vendors will be considered only if they provide documentation demonstrating that they are capable of meeting or exceeding the specification requirements stated herein.
Additional Comments: All Vendor responses will be evaluated by the Director of Purchasing who shall have sole authority in deciding what is comparable and in establishing the approved equal status of the commodity or service offered by the vendor. The Director of Purchasing shall consider such submittals and notify all submitting vendors of the decision whether to designate as a Sole Source/Brand, which decision shall not be subject to objection, protest, or appeal.
Questions and Answers: The County provides a specified time for Vendors to ask questions and seek clarification regarding this Request for Information (RFI)/Notice of Intent to Designate Sole Source/Sole Brand. All questions or clarification inquiries must be submitted through Periscope S2G by the date and time referenced. The County will respond to all questions via Periscope S2G.