Kansas City details procurement, M/WBE and prevailing‑wage rules for Housing Trust Fund awardees

Kansas City Housing Trust Fund staff described the procurement, certification and labor‑compliance steps applicants and awardees must follow if selected for Round 6 funding.

Evan Shirelli, division manager for local initiatives, named Janine Cruickshank as the senior procurement officer assigned to Housing Trust Fund agreements and listed the documents applicants should plan to provide: a certificate of good standing from the Secretary of State, an E‑Verify memorandum of understanding and affidavit, a W‑9, a city tax clearance letter demonstrating no outstanding city tax liability, and a Unique Entity ID (UEID) issued by SAM.gov. Shirelli said a certificate of insurance and contractor licensing (listing the City of Kansas City as additionally insured) will be required after award.

Shirelli summarized the city’s M/WBE expectations: for construction services over $300,000, staff typically sets goals of 15% city‑certified MBE participation and 15% city‑certified WBE participation; for professional services over $160,000, goals are commonly 13% each; and for renovations or repairs over $160,000, goals are commonly 11% each. He said CREO (the Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity department) sets project‑specific goals, manages certification and monitors utilization.

Under municipal code cited by staff (presenter referenced ordinance 231,017 and sections including 3,457, 3,437 and 3,441), awardees must submit a contractor utilization plan (CUP) and notarized letters of intent (LOIs) to subcontract. If proposers cannot meet established goals they must follow the municipal code’s good‑faith efforts procedures and may request a waiver under the process Shirelli described.

Shirelli described the Contract Compliance and Labor Standards division (CCLS) role in protecting workers: CCLS monitors contracts requiring more than 800 construction labor hours and cost estimates above $300,000, and oversees prevailing wage/Davis‑Bacon application where applicable. He said Missouri’s prevailing wage rates are county‑specific and scope‑specific; projects that include federal or other funding sources that trigger prevailing wage must apply the higher of the state or federal wage orders. Contractors must submit certified payroll records via the city’s eComply system, and final payment requires an affidavit of prevailing wage compliance.

Shirelli also covered permit, plan and inspection basics: projects governed by the International Residential Code (one‑ and two‑family homes) and the International Building Code (three or more units) must submit required plan sets through the Compass KC portal; structural plans for 3+ unit projects require architect or engineer seals. Inspections are scheduled through Compass KC or by calling the city planning office.

For compliance or workforce questions Shirelli named Jared Dillard as division manager of CCLS and encouraged awardees to engage with CREO and CCLS early in the contracting period to set achievable goals and avoid corrective action.