View the RFP here.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

Proposals are due Monday, February 9, 2026 at 4 pm

HOMEBUYER EDUCATION and TRAINING SERVICES

Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS), a nationally acclaimed not-for-profit housing corporation, is seeking proposals from independent consultants to plan and implement a pre-purchase homebuyer education program.  This program has a goal of providing first time homebuyers with the knowledge, skills and contacts that they need to successfully navigate the complex process of buying a home.  It works in conjunction with other INHS services offered to homebuyers, including financing, counseling and technical assistance with home improvement projects.

This program involves the completion of the following tasks:

1. Curriculum Development – The homebuyer education curriculum must meet the National Industry Standards for Homebuyer Education and Counseling and HUD’s Housing Counseling Program. It must provide at least eight hours of classroom training that covers a comprehensive list of homebuyer education topics.  The curriculum must include presentations by guest lecturers who represent professions that are involved in the residential real estate industry, including Realtors, bankers, attorneys, and home inspectors. Mandatory topics are: (1) renter rights; (2) the home buying process; (3) how to maintain a home; (4) budgeting; (5) fair housing; (6) identifying and reporting predatory lending practices; (7) rights for persons with disabilities; (8) and the importance of good credit; subject to change at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and NeighborWorks America’s direction.
2. Supplemental Educational Opportunities – INHS also provides supplemental classes on home inspection, wills and estates, seasonal maintenance, selling a home, and managing major home repairs. There are no standards for these classes, but they must be designed to provide useful and relevant information to prospective homebuyers and current homeowners.  For the home inspection classes, consultant must arrange for the classes to be held in actual homes where walkthroughs can be held.
3. Scheduling Classes – The consultant must schedule a minimum of eight classes a year. Previous classes have been scheduled in either four 2-hour sessions or two 4-hour sessions during either evenings or Saturdays.  The majority of the classes are held in a space owned by INHS in Ithaca, classes are also scheduled in adjacent counties and in a live online format.  Remote classes require the identification and reservation of appropriate meeting spaces.  The schedule must cover a program year that begins January 1.  The scheduling of classes also includes the scheduling of guest presenters.
4. Marketing – A marketing plan must be developed to recruit potential program participants. Marketing may include paid advertising, INHS web site, presentations to Realtors, lenders or other real estate professionals and brochures.
5. Administration – The consultant will be responsible for managing all aspects of the training program, including taking reservations for the classes, accepting payments, tracking attendance and communicating with participants both before, during and after classes.
6. Teaching – The consultant will have primary responsibility for teaching and managing the classroom education sessions.
7. Reporting and Compliance – The consultant will be responsible for collecting data about class participants and entering data in an online reporting system called CounselorMax. This data is used for reporting to two national data collection systems: NeighborWorks America and the S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
8. Tracking Successful Homebuyers – The consultant will monitor the success of class participants in buying homes and will obtain verification of purchase. This may be done through direct contact with homebuyers or through research of public records.  This information must be entered into the reporting databases.
9. Preparation of Class Materials – The consultant shall prepare PowerPoint presentations, classroom materials and course notebooks that are provided to the participants.
10. Coordination and Communication – The consultant will work independently but must coordinate activities with INHS Director of Homeownership.

Qualifications

1. Required: At least three years of experience working in a professional capacity in a for-profit or not-for-profit organization that is involved in real estate, housing development, lending or counseling services.
2. Required: At least two years of teaching experience in adult classroom education.
3. Desired: Specialized training in homebuyer education, homeownership counseling, fair housing, lending, real estate sales or similar fields related to homeownership.
4. Required: Must provide own transportation to classroom training sites.
5. Required: Must be able to successfully provide live online classes.

Compensation

The consultant will be compensated at an hourly rate agreed to by INHS and the consultant.  The consultant is responsible for all costs associated with travel and incidental business expenses.  Other expenses, such as the cost of advertising, printing, snacks, honorariums, etc. will be borne by INHS upon the submission of appropriate reimbursement documentation. The consultant will not be an employee of INHS and will be responsible for payments of personal taxes and related payroll expenditures.

Duration

The contract will cover a period of three years.  It may be renewed for additional one-year increments.

Submission of Proposals

Proposals shall be submitted in writing to

Delia Yarrow, Director of Homeownership
Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.
115 West Clinton St.,
Ithaca, NY 14850

Or via email at dyarrow@ithacanhs.org.

All proposals must include the following:

1. Documentation of qualifications.
2. Estimates of hourly time involved in completing each of the tasks outlined above.
3. Hourly rate for compensation.