REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) Commercial Broker

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

Commercial Broker

All proposals must be submitted to Proposals email (tender@lastmilehealth.org) by November 30, 2022. 

OBJECTIVE

To support its growing staff and needs, Last Mile Health (LMH) is seeking/searching for a partner Commercial Broker to support in identifying suitable options for office and warehousing space in Monrovia. 

The commercial broker will report to the Deputy Country Director for Administration but may also advise a wide range of other LMH leaders, including the Director of Operations, Country Director, Managing Director of Operational Services.

ABOUT LAST MILE HEALTH

Last Mile Health (LMH) partners with governments to demonstrate that professionalized Community Health Workers (CHWs)–integrated into the primary healthcare system–can reduce mortality and morbidity rates in remote communities and contribute to the global effort to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). LMH’s program theory posits that the community health workforce can effectively manage and deliver high-quality primary care when they are skilled, supplied, supervised, salaried, and integrated within government-led health systems. LMH believes that CHWs must also be supported with strong information systems, smart policies, and financing. This workforce ultimately increases access to healthcare and health equity, improves health outcomes in rural and remote communities, and serves as the first line of defense against epidemics.

LMH began in Liberia’s remote, last mile communities and is now growing to support four countries in sub-Saharan Africa aiming to deploy 50,000 CHWs to serve 100 million patients. Across Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone, they partner with the government to strengthen health systems, upskill the health workforce, and deliver community-based care and treatment. This methodology supports their goal of expanding access to high-quality primary care within reach of people living in rural and remote communities. LMH’s research and advocacy efforts promote the adoption of best practices and policies in community health globally—from how to design and build national programs to how to pay for them. Over the next decade, LMH hopes to catalyze a critical mass of exemplary government-led community health systems, delivering quality primary care for last mile communities in low- and middle-income countries.

COMMERCIAL BROKER SERVICES

LMH is accepting proposals to provide commercial real estate brokers expertise. The commercial broker should prepare a comprehensive market study of available space options, along with an interpretation and assessment of relevant market trends to expand LMH’s office and warehouse capacity. Below are potential deliverables expected from the commercial broker:

1.  A strategic analysis of LMH’s growth needs

1. 1. Analyze LMH space requirements
   2. Review and incorporate LMH’s geographical parameters
   3. Insights into renovation costs
   4. And other options for facilitating growth identified by the commercial broker

2. Strategic market analysis of the commercial real estate market in Monrovia

1. The identification of a new office building(s)
2. Assist client in determining appropriate shortlist of candidate buildings
3. Advice regarding building and property rental valuation, including suitability for leasing
4. Outline of the necessary investments and timeline needed for its recommendations
5. Conduct due diligence investigation of each potential site’s specific suitability for LMH’s requirements as well as ownership financial strength
6. Demonstrated understanding of effects local laws and building codes
7. Prepare presentations comparing alternatives to client

3. Translating analysis into actionable plans and support to realize LMH’s growth needs.

1. Project plan for the relocation of the current Monrovia office into new turn-key offices, offices that require investment and renovations, satellite offices/warehouses, or other outcomes based on analysis.
2. Prepare and negotiate landlord lease and/or building agreements for existing and future locations
3. Solicit draft transaction documents from selected landlords
4. Coordinate execution of all transaction documents, evidence of insurance, Non- Disturbance Agreements, etc.
5. Progress updates and maintain timely telephone and e-mail contact with assigned staff when there are active interests and transactions.

CURRENT OCCUPANCY INFORMATION

Currently there are around 70 people based in the Monrovia office. The people are dispersed into various rooms. Teams need to sit together to work effectively and there is a strong co-location work culture. Additional offices are needed for testing/interview rooms for candidates and are needed to host visiting international staff or partner organizations staff.

The Tubman Blvd. office is currently over capacity for warehousing.

FUTURE OCCUPANCY INFORMATION

The below information is based on an internal study completed by LMH. LHM will expect the commercial broker to conduct a parallel analysis of the special requirements of the LMH Monrovia office to compare with the internal study. The below information is provided as a reference for prospective bidders.

A new Monrovia office space that will accommodate future expansion of staff in the office. The search should project staff hiring for 3-5 years and look for space capable of supporting such growth. We are projecting that the staffing footprint will continue to increase by 9-10% over the next five years. Over the next five years, with moderate growth, the LMH Monrovia office could see a 73% increase of the 2022 population from 73 to 126. While these figures cannot be certain, we recommend the next office should have the capacity to support 126 staff for the next five years.

It is recommended that LMH move to an office space that can accommodate its base-level warehouse storage needs and that has additional room for expansions when new commodities are entered into the stores. While assessing new office spaces some key warehousing best practices that should be followed include:

• Adequate space to segregate the different categories of products we store 
• Adequate spacing to allow for easy access to products during Physical Inventory
• Adequate Ventilation within the warehouse
• Provision of a receiving bay for products to be received in the warehouse
• Maintaining separate warehouse areas for receiving, packing, quarantine, storage, and having office in the warehouse.

In total it was found that LMH needs 1069m3 to meet its future warehousing needs.

PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

The proposal should include the following clearly labeled sections to coincide with this RFP:

• Description of your firm including size of firm, location, number, and nature of the professional staff to be assigned to the LMH.
• Staff experience and training, including a brief resume for each key person listed. Describe experience (with proven effectiveness) your firm or organization has in pertinent real estate experience.
• Experience in assisting similar entities, including any and all services for for-profit, public-sector, or non-for-profit agencies. 
• Additional services offered through your firm, if any that may be relevant to the sale or lease of property.
• The proposed term and fee schedule, including your commission rate and any other costs for leasing or selling property and how the rate varies in the event there is another broker involved in the transaction.

This RFP represents the requirements for an open and competitive process. Proposals will be accepted until December 5, 2022. Any proposals received after this date and time will not be accepted. All proposals should include:

• Description of experience or projects providing services identified.
• Evidence of relevant experience.
• For commercial brokers that are not able to provide all services or have all experience, a description of solutions for meeting those needs.
• Three relevant client references. Note: References will not be contacted until after an interview and not without explicit consent from the bidder.
• Detailed description of rates and relevant billing details, including ability to provide a detailed and itemized monthly bill. Please note availability and expectation around billable hours.
• Proof of insurance, business registration, general and professional liability coverages.

Proposals must be submitted via email to: 

• tender@lastmilehealth.org
• Subject line: RFP - Commercial Broker

LMH strongly encourages proposals from women and minority-led firms. Additionally, LMH encourages proposals from firms that may not meet all experience requirements but have solutions for meeting those needs.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

LMH will evaluate proposals considering a variety of factors. A proposal that is non-responsive to any element may be eliminated from consideration. The evaluation will be based on an integrated assessment of the proposal, including but not limited to, the following:

• Commission Structure: Competitiveness of pricing proposal (40 points)
• Experience and Qualifications: Demonstrated prior experience with transactions of similar scope and complexity and the effectiveness of your proposed real estate transaction process in a municipal context (40 points)
• Key Personnel and Resources: Demonstrated competence and experience of firm’s personnel responsible for performing work and providing services (20 points)