Go Back to Previous Page

BID FOR REVALUATION OF FOSTER COUNTY AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CAMA SOFTWARE/SYSTEM IN FOSTER COUNTY

Foster County, North Dakota

Foster County Tax Director’s Office

INVITATION TO BID FOR THE REVALUATION OF ALL RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCAIL REAL PROPERTY

WITHIN FOSTER COUNTY, NORTH DAKOTA AND FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF

COMPUTER-ASSISTED MASS APPRAISAL SOFTWARE/SYSTEM IN FOSTER COUNTY

You are invited to submit a bid for the revaluation of all residential and commercial real property in Foster County and for the implementation of computer-assisted mass appraisal software/system for use in Foster County.

Bids, including 1) the revaluation and reassessment services and the proposal for the implementation of the computer-assisted mass appraisal software/system, 2) financial information and costs, and 3) company information and references, must be received in the Office of the Foster County Tax Director by May 1, 2017 at 3:00 p.m., Central Daylight Time/Central Standard Time, to be considered. Bids will not be received in any office or department but that of the Tax Director. Bids sent via e-mail, telephone, or facsimile will not be accepted. Late proposals will be rejected. If you wish to bid please contact Karen Evans, Foster County Director of Tax Equalization, 1000 5th Street N, Carrington, ND 58421; phone 701-652-3060; e-mail kevans@nd.gov ; or www.FosterCounty.com for a copy of the complete request for proposal. Please address one copy of your submittal on 8½- x 11-inch paper in a sealed envelope as follows:

BID FOR REVALUATION OF FOSTER COUNTY AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CAMA SOFTWARE/SYSTEM IN FOSTER COUNTY

Karen Evans, Director of Tax Equalization

Foster County

1000 5th Street N

PO Box 257

Carrington, ND 58421

Wherever requested throughout this document, an individual’s or firm’s representative who is authorized to bind the contractor will sign on behalf of the individual or firm to indicate to the Foster County Tax Director that you have read, understand, and will comply with the instructions and all terms and conditions attached hereto. The Foster County Tax Director reserves the right to reject any or all bids, and to accept in whole or in part, the bid, which, in judgment of the bid evaluators, is the most responsive and responsible bid.

The bid shall be based on the following parcel/property counts:

Urban residential improved 919 parcels

Rural residential improved 334 parcels

Commercial improved 282 parcels

Large industrial (50,000 square feet or larger) 1site(s)

Licensed grain elevators 8 sites

Vacant land 602 parcels

The request for proposal can also be found on www.FosterCounty.com. For questions contact

Karen Evans, Director of Tax Equalization

Foster County

1000 5th Street N

PO Box 257

Carrington, ND 58421

(701)-652-3060

kevans@nd.gov

Definitions

CAMA—computer-assisted mass appraisal

Firm—qualified individual or company

Revaluation of Foster County—shall refer to the revaluation of all residential and commercial real property within Foster

County including the cities of Carrington, Barlow, Bordulac, Glenfield, Grace City,

Juanita, McHenry, Melville and property on Juanita Lake and the implementation of

computer-assisted mass appraisal software/system for use in Foster County

Revaluation, reassessment, reappraisal may be used interchangeably

RFP—request for proposal; the proposal being the revaluation of Foster County and implementation of CAMA software/system

Foster County request for proposal for county-wide revaluation and reassessment of all residential and commercial real property and implementation of computer-assisted mass appraisal software/system

General Information

Foster County has not had a mass reappraisal or mass reassessment of properties. Because the Foster County sales ratio has not been in compliance for the last three years, the State has mandated “… to reappraise all residential and commercial property. Foster County Commission to present a report of its plan for reassessment to the State Board of Equalization at its December 2015 meeting. The plan must consist of goals, deadlines and actions taken by Foster County officials. Foster County officials must provide semi-annual updates to the State Board of Equalization.” Foster County is now accepting proposals for reassessment of residential and commercial property in Foster County for tax year 2020 or earlier or as mutually agreed and for the implementation of a computer-assisted mass appraisal (CAMA) software/system.

Foster County’s estimated population is 3,356. The city of Carrington’s estimated population is 2,065. The true and full value of Foster County is $618,128,220 and that of Carrington is $235,564,489.

Foster County uses Software Innovations tax system software; the Auditor and Treasurer also use this software. For agricultural parcels, Sidwell’s geographic information system is used. All information regarding any property in Foster County is recorded on property cards; Foster County does not have CAMA software or a CAMA system. The Foster County Tax Office does not upload any tax-related information to any web-based sites. Foster County issues three to five building permits per year and receives quarterly, from the City of Carrington, a list of building permits. The City of Carrington issues 5 to 8 building permits for new homes per year.

Foster County has a Director of Tax Equalization who is being trained and certified by the State and who is a member of the North Dakota Association of Assessing Officers. The Foster County Office of Tax Equalization has a half-time assistant. Three townships have their own assessors; these assessors are being trained and certified by the State. The City of Carrington has its own assessor.

Purpose

This reappraisal is made for the purpose of equalizing assessments in Foster County, North Dakota in compliance with the State Laws of North Dakota and the rules and policies laid down by the North Dakota State Tax Department, as such laws, rules, and policies shall exist on the date this contract is initiated. The reappraisal of all property shall be divided between land and buildings. Values established shall be the fair and reasonable true and full values as of February 1, 2020 or a mutually agreeable year by February 1 of that year.

Scope

The firm will reassess all commercial and residential properties in Foster County (all townships and small cities) and the City of Carrington and complete the reassessment, in a professional manner, performing all the work required under this proposal in accordance with North Dakota Century Code 40-19. The firm shall implement CAMA software/system to support consistent tax assessment and equalization in Foster County according to North Dakota Century Code and guidelines of the State Tax Commissioner. The scope of the request for the CAMA software/system includes implementation (delivery, installation, and support) of the services, system interfaces, data conversion, and training. Work would commence on June 1, 2017 or earlier or as mutually agreed.

Foster County is soliciting proposals from qualified individuals or firms to provide revaluation and reassessment services for tax year 2020 or earlier or as mutually agreed. The services contract shall begin no later than

June 1, 2017 or earlier or as mutually agreed and end at the conclusion of the 2020 State Board of Equalization Meeting including any work for appeals. The assessing service pricing should include revaluation of all commercial and residential property in Foster County. Foster County Commissioners will award the contract.

Goals

One-hundred percent (100%) of the residential (city and rural residential) and commercial properties in Foster County are to be reassessed. CAMA software/system shall be implemented in the Foster County Tax Office during and/or after the reassessment.

Revaluation Services

The scope of the work from a qualified individual or firm shall include:

Inspect the exterior and interior of all city and rural residential parcels.
1. The firm shall physically inspect 100% of the properties to be appraised and will carefully measure verifying all land and structure dimensions and list all improvements to be appraised. In the event that no one is available upon the initial visit, a callback card will be left with clear instructions for making an appointment to complete the interior inspection.
2. Appointments/inspections will be conducted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays or at a reasonable time and day as requested by the property owner and as mutually agreed.
3. The firm shall use the most current appraisal manual approved for use by the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner.
4. The firm will provide a digital photograph of each improved and vacant parcel. Any unique or unusual properties may require more than one picture.
Inspect the exterior and interior of all commercial parcels.
1. The firm shall physically inspect 100% of the properties to be appraised and will carefully measure verifying all land and structure dimensions and list all improvements to be appraised.
2. All internal inspections for commercial property will be done by appointment.
3. Appointments/inspections will be conducted between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays or at a reasonable time and day as requested by the property owner and as mutually agreed.
4. The firm will provide a digital photograph of each improved and vacant parcel. Any unique or unusual properties may require more than one picture.
The firm will inspect all industrial plants and licensed grain elevators.
The firm shall value all unimproved parcels.
The firm shall update market values on county- and city-owned land and public buildings for insurance purposes, depreciation, and to establish lease values.
The firm shall consider the cost, market, and income approaches in the valuation of all vacant and improved parcels of property by computer-assisted means.
Data Specifications
1. The inspection data will be recorded in the CAMA software/system including detailed notes about the structure.
2. Additional information including market data, building costs, sales, rental, leasehold improvements, and income and expense data will be collected as circumstances dictate.
3. Data collection for income-producing properties shall include rental rates, leasehold improvements, vacancy rates, and income and expense data. This information will be maintained in a secure location in the Foster County Tax Director’s office.
4. Documentation will be noted on each property listing/record card or in the CAMA software/system including time, date, and assessor for each inspection or attempted inspection. The person authorizing internal inspection shall sign said document.
5. The firm will measure all improvements to verify the accuracy of the existing sketches. All corrections including dimensions, labels, and new areas should be noted in the CAMA software/system. If the drawing is missing, the firm will create one in the CAMA software/system.
6. The firm will perform all square footage calculations and verify accuracy. All incomplete, unverified, and/or inaccurate measurements and/or calculations will be corrected at no additional expense to Foster County.
7. Any data deemed missing, illegible, or inaccurate will be corrected at no additional cost to Foster County.
8. The firm will make monthly progress reports to Foster County.
The contract goal shall be that 100% of all improved properties shall be inspected.

Reassessing Services

Foster County desires the following assessing services from a qualified individual or firm for property values for tax year 2020 or earlier, if mutually agreed.

Firm shall:

Account for all buildings destroyed or demolished.
Account for all new construction.
Review all sales information.
Review classifications including any shifts in classifications.
Correct legal descriptions as appropriate.
Process parcel divisions, lot line adjustments, new plats, annexations, and any other land divisions.
Sign the assessment roll affidavit.
Attend all Board of Review meeting(s) to defend assessed valuation(s) and work products on a mutually agreeable date/time.
Communicate openly and in a timely fashion with proper Foster County and City of Carrington personnel and the public, in the handling of all appeals, to ensure Board of Review has all available information to render its decisions.
Insure all procedures are properly completed for Board of Review proceedings.
Assessor shall ensure that employees maintain strict confidence regarding all privileged information received by reason on this agreement.
Perform

All of the work required to properly and professionally assess the residential and commercial real property within Foster County

Provide

Foster County with CAMA software/system that

contains a copy of all records created, together with file maps and descriptions and all associated digital photos. The data must be sufficient to produce a complete property record/field card for each parcel.
supports the modification of the true and full value based on taxation guidelines and changes in the North Dakota Century Code.
integrates with Foster County’s tax system software.
enables a tracking system for parcel changes and indicate what happens to the existing parcel information after a lot is split or combined.
supports the assessment sales ratio study as required by the Office of the State Tax Commissioner.
can be accessed and used by the assessor for the City of Carrington.
can incorporate existing property card data. The firm will provide a cost breakdown for the process of incorporating existing property card data for commercial and residential properties.

Foster County with final reports of assessed valuations after the Board of Review meeting.
Local or toll-free phone number for Foster County and City of Carrington officials and residents to contact firm’s assessor during regular Monday through Friday business hours and shall return calls within two (2) business days.
E-mail address for Foster County and City of Carrington officials and residents to contact Assessor and shall respond to e-mails within two (2) business days.
Digital photographs with comparable properties in preparation for Board of Review meeting(s) so that the Board and the petitioner have evidence of comparability.
Business cards to Foster County Courthouse and City of Carrington City Hall for distribution to the general public.

Will carry proper photo identification to assure the public of their identity and purpose for gaining access to private property, dress appropriately and conduct themselves in a reasonable manner.

Foster County Services

Foster County shall provide to the firm, as it is able:

Office space, desks, and chairs at the Foster County Courthouse.
Meeting space to meet with the public at the Foster County Courthouse.
Relevant maps and rural plat book(s).
Information about parcel splits and combinations, building permits, and property transfers as requested.
Access to records from the Foster County Auditor’s office and the Foster County Recorder’s office.
No materials shall be removed from any Foster County office without written permission of the principal of the office. The firm is directly responsible for the return of all records removed.
Copies, as requested, of all existing property record cards for each parcel included in the project and mailing of photocopied property record cards at the firm’s request.
Access to Software Innovations for transfer of parcel numbers, ownership, property address, legal descriptions, and classifications.

Timeline and requirements for submission

Foster County has made every effort to include enough information in this request for proposal (RFP) for an individual or firm to develop a responsive proposal describing their qualifications, professional expectations, and service fees. Foster County reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and to use any ideas in a proposal, unless protected by copyright, regardless of whether that proposal is selected. Submission of an RFP indicates acceptance by the firm of the conditions contained herein.

Foster County reserves the right to reject any and all RFPs, cancel all or part of the RFP, waive any minor irregularities, and request additional information from those who submit a proposal. Foster County shall not reimburse those who submit a proposal for any expenses incurred in preparing proposals, or, if it desires, any interviews that it may choose to conduct. This RFP does not obligate Foster County to accept or contract for any services. The firm’s response to the RFP shall be in a sealed envelope labeled “BID FOR REVALUATION OF FOSTER COUNTY AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CAMA SOFTWARE/SYSTEM IN FOSTER COUNTY” and shall address all of the following:

Firm name, address, telephone number and contact person.
One-page statement of interest and qualifications.
Brief description of the scope of similar client relationships and name of the contact person including address, telephone number, and e-mail address.
Description of individual or firm, including brief history, the number of employees and assessment background, location, years in business, etc.
Firm’s philosophy regarding ethics, specifically addressing conflicts of interest.
Firm’s ability to work with a client with a need for services that may include in addition to regular work week hours, service time at nighttime or weekend tasks.
Firm’s technical capabilities to offer full service for the assessment and the CAMA software/system including installation, implementation, training and continuing service under a single contractual agreement.
The firm shall be licensed, bonded, and insured to work in the State of North Dakota and shall identify the jurisdictions in North Dakota that have used the firm’s service for reassessment and that are using the CAMA software/system.
Firm’s current and projected work load and its ability to meet schedules.
Firm’s specific abilities to provide the required professional services.
Three references of other clients for which the firm has provided similar professional services. Reference information shall include
1. Name of client.
2. Project name.
3. Contact person.
4. Address.
5. Telephone number and e-mail address.
6. Key personnel assigned to the referenced project.

Selection Criteria

Award will be made to the responsible firm whose proposal is determined to be most advantageous to the reassessment and equalization of residential and commercial property in Foster County and whose proposal implements via CAMA software/system the maintenance of equalization of residential and commercial property in Foster County. The relative weight of the evaluation criteria follow.

Experience and qualifications—40 %

Cost—40%

Quality of proposal—20%

Discussions, negotiations, and best and final offers may be requested. Proposals do not become public records until after an award is made.

Addenda

Should any question posed by interested individuals or firms be significant in nature, Foster County shall issue an addendum to the RFP. Any changes, amendments, for addendums to this RFP will be sent by e-mail only to those firms who have provided contact information. The RFP shall be submitted as required.

Open records/Proprietary Information

Foster County recognizes that in responding to this RFP, the firm may provide proprietary information to clarify and enhance their response. To the extent permitted by law, Foster County will keep confidential such information provided that the information submitted is arguably proprietary, the proprietary information is submitted in a separate book or section, and the separate book or section is clearly identified as containing proprietary information. Labeling a complete proposal as proprietary may be a cause for rejection of the RFP. The firm should note that Foster County’s files are available for public review pursuant to North Dakota Open Records Law.