Westchase last conducted a Request for Proposal (RFP) for property management in 2007. Voting Members and the WCA Board agreed it was time to research what services exist as industry best practices for property management. In May 2022, the WCA Board created an exploratory committee to investigate the current standards for property management services and the state of the market in our region. Based on those findings, the board screened candidates to form an RFP Committee in April 2023. Following more than a year of exhaustive research, the RFP Committee shared its findings with the WCA Board during a special meeting on July 8, which was open to the public.
Committee members include John Mogge, RFP committee chair, RFP exploratory committee member; Theresa Lanzar, RFP committee vice-chair and recorder; Eric Holt, chair exploratory committee, RFP member; Michiel Oostenbrink, RFP member, WCA board member; Rick Goldstein, RFP member, WCA board member; Dyan Pithers, RFP member; and Russ Crooks, RFP member. Attorney Kathleen Reres with Shumaker served as an advisor.
Mogge led with an overview of the roles of the committee and the board in the RFP process. The Committee was charged with developing the RFP (bid package); gathering responses; developing criteria for evaluation; evaluating and identifying candidates; and presenting their findings to the board. The board retains the ultimate authority to review, approve, reject or modify RFP criteria and request additional information.
Mogge noted the overarching objective of the RFP is to preserve and enhance all property values.
Other objectives include:
- Proactively assess, maintain and upgrade the association’s assets.
- Offer members “state of the art” property management company services with an acceptable assessment impact.
- Maintain in-person and secure virtual membership access to the association’s functions and property managers.
- Limit the WCA’s legal liabilities and meet all statutory requirements.
The committee received interest from 13 companies who attended an open house in February. Of those, nine completed the RFP. From those nine, four were deemed fully qualified.
The committee underwent a two-step evaluation process to achieve best value – namely, the best technical service Westchase can afford. Following a pre-screening process, they considered the technical proposal, which encompassed 10 sections covering everything from facilities maintenance to administrative record-keeping, followed by the price proposal. In their evaluation of the final four candidates, the committee sought to achieve a consensus view. “Everyone had the same material and evaluated the material independently,” Mogge said.
The results are as follows:
First recommendation: Inframark. Four of six committee members evaluated and ranked this company as their first choice. They received the highest technical score at 759.
Second recommendation: Real Manage/Grand Manors. Five of six committee members evaluated and ranked this company as their second choice. One ranked it number four. They received a combined technical score of 721 and achieved the highest technical ranking for section 1 (Facilities).
Third recommendation: Greenacre (incumbent). Two of seven committee members evaluated and ranked this company as their first choice and two of seven ranked it their fourth choice with the remainder ranking it their third choice. (Note: Goldstein only had a ranking for Greenacre, explaining his scoring “heavily weighted to financial assessment impact with comparatively lesser weight to technical capabilities.”) Greenacre received a combined technical score of 623 with three RFP deviations for technical and contract provisions (these were not disclosed in the meeting).
The fourth choice, Castle, was eliminated by the committee during evaluations due to proprietary concerns.
The board was privy to a master document with detailed information on each candidate and information that went into overall scoring. They also received a cost breakdown sheet for each company. Mogge added that all of companies would have a positive impact on assessments
“We think continued due diligence through an interview process with whatever companies you choose to move forward with is important,” Mogge said. “That would lead to a best and final negotiation from a commercial perspective.”
He added that the committee felt it was important to engage Shumaker going forward, especially with contract negotiations. The committee had also prepared letters for the board to send out to those who are no longer being considered.
“Personally, my view is that you have a really solid technical requirements document in the RFP that can be converted into a contract…any of those companies, if held to account, can do the work. It’s just a matter of where you want to go with it,” Mogge said.
He added that there is a competitive market, so there is room to negotiate.
The Board voted 5-2 to interview Inframark and Greenacre (incumbent).
For a recap of discussions before and after the board vote, as well as a recap of the presentation to the Voting Members, click here.
