SELECTION
OF A MANAGING AGENT
Presented By: Albert F. Pennisi, Esq.
Pennisi, Daniels & Norelli, LLP
97-77 Queens Boulevard
Suite 620
Rego Park, New York 11374
(718) 459-6000
E-mail: afpennisi@pdnlaw.com
September 12, 2003
MANAGEMENT SELECTION
I Appoint a committee to evaluate
current management and identify new management
II Retain an independent management
consultant to advise and present recommendations to the committee
and the Board of Directors in the selection of management.
III The committee, along with the
consultant, should prior to the commencement of the process
of management selection, do the following:
- Throughly review the existing management.
- Prepare an outline of the strengths and weaknesses of
the current management in the following areas:
(i.) General Management eg. onsite
manager, effective management and back office
(ii.) Employee training, recruitment
and termination, labor relations, supervision, employee
relations, and personnel administration
(iii.) Finance eg. basic bookkeeping,
budgets, collections, investments, project funding, accounts
payable and receivable
(iv.) Maintenance and repair eg.
systems, follow-up and emergency service, environmental
and legal compliance
(v.) Capital projects eg. request
for proposals and bids, oversight of work and construction,
contract administration, oversight of engineers, architects
and overall project management
(vi.) Insurance and claims eg.
administration of insurance claims, litigation and insurance
review and placement and risk management
(vii.) Tenant-Shareholder relations
eg. day to day communications, resale policies and procedures,
collections and dispute resolution
(viii.) Administration eg. record
keeping, shareholder files and communications, building
plans and specifications, correspondence, contract administration,
finance and payroll, rental and resale, board and stockholder
relations, communications and follow-up, employment relations
in management, interface with consultants, accountants and
attorneys
(ix.) Communications, advice and
recommendations to the Board of Directors
(x.) The major reasons for the
selection of new management
IV The committee
and the consultant should prepare a Request for Proposal [hereinafter
“RFP”]. The RFP should be presented to the Board
of Directors for review and approval.
The RFP should include:
- A short history of the cooperative:
(i.) The Offering Plan and Amendments
(ii.) The corporate documents
eg. by laws, proprietary lease, written policy and procedures,
rules and regulations and resale policy
(iii.) The Mission Statement and
long range plan
(iv.) Plans and proposals for
the next one to three years re: maintenance, repair and
major capital projects and refinancing
- The Standards and Qualifications for a management company:
(i.) A history of the company
and its experience
(ii.) The names of the principals,
officers and senior management along with their resume,
background and experience
(iii.) Licenses held
(iv.) The number of communities
managed by the company. In addition, the location, number
and number of units in each community similar to the cooperative.
(v.) The insurance policies held
eg. errors and omissions, fidelity bond and general liability
(vii.) Professional organizations,
certificates and degrees of principals and senior management
(viii.) Name, title and experience
of the manager or management team who would be directly
responsible to manage the cooperative. In addition, a copy
of the resume for each of the aforesaid persons.
(ix.) The companies experience
in preparation of bids and project management for major
repairs and restoration and/or major capital projects. In
addition, if the company has an engineering department and/or
management staff with experience in major repairs and restoration
and/or major capital projects, along with the resumes of
that person or persons.
(x.) A request for written representation
by the company that:
(a.) Neither
the Company, any principal or agent of the Company, nor
to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any property
manager or other employee of the Company have been indicted
or convicted of any misdemeanor or felony, or are currently
subject to any criminal indictments or proceedings or any
criminal investigation. The Company performs background
checks on all employees prior to their employment.
(b.) Neither
the Company, any principal or agent of the Company, nor
to the best of the Company’s knowledge, any property
manager or other employee of the Company are subject to
any pending civil proceedings, or have executed any settlement
agreement, consent decree or similar document, from which
a reasonable person might question the Company’s ability
to fulfill its obligation under its management contract,
in accordance with the highest standards of conduct and
lawful behavior.
(xi.) A proposed management contract
proposed by the Cooperative.
(xii.) The particular requirements
of the Cooperative as to:
(a.) On site
manager and hours eg. days and hours per day.
(b.) On site
support staff eg. clerk, secretary or bookkeeper eg. days
and hours per day.
(c.) Oversight
senior management on site eg. days and hours per day.
(d.) Requirements
as to meetings after hours and/or annual meetings
- A request that the proposal by the management company
include a detailed description as to:
(i.) The Standards and Qualifications
set forth in paragraph IV. B above.
(ii.) The history of the company
eg. years in business, number of employees and titles, company
facilities, computer facilities.
(iii.) Names, addresses and telephone
numbers of no less than
(a.) Five trade
references
(b.) Five community
organizations managed by the company which are similar in
size and location to the cooperative. In addition, the names
of the president and treasurer of each community along with
their business and home telephone number.
(iv.) The proposal should include
a facilities report and recommendations by the company with
respect to the physical plant, equipment and systems of
the cooperative.
(v.) The proposal should address
the management contract as proposed by the cooperative as
to:
(a.) proposed
changes or additions to the contract
(b.) annual
management fee
(c.) Additional
fees and costs eg. court time, special board and annual
meetings, capital projects, construction management and
expenses, bonding and/or insurance fees
(vi.) Monthly, semiannual and
annual management reports, financial reports, accounts receivable
and payables, budget analysis and all other proposed reports.
Copies and sample reports should be provided with the proposal.
(vii.) A copy of the declarations
page of each current insurance policy should be provided.
(viii.) Provide a copy of the
proposed management contract.
V The Bidding Process
- Each management company should be advised as to the time
and date for the submission of all proposals.
- If the proposals are incomplete or untimely, that they
will be disregarded
- Management firms must be invited to a conference at a
specific date and time at the cooperative [“The Conference”].
- The Conference should be attended by the consultant, the
committee, the board of directors and officers of the cooperative.
- Preparation for the Conference should include the following:
(i.) Prepare copies of all documents
eg. certificate of incorporation, offering plan, board minutes
and amendments, by laws, proprietary lease, rules and regulations,
resale policy, mission statement, long range plan and policies
and procedures.
(ii.) Insurance policies of the
cooperative
(iii.) Financial information eg.
budget, financial statements, profit and loss statements.
(iv.) Sample managements reports
including accounts payable and receivable, arrears reports,
et al, mission statement, policies and procedures, short
term and long range plans for corporate projects and engineering
and/or architects reports.
(v.) As-built plans for the cooperative
and any additional building plans for work performed or
planned
(vi.) Report by legal counsel
re: litigation by or against the cooperative
(vii.) The name and address of
all current large vendors, contractors and suppliers
(viii.) Prepare written evaluation
reports to be filled out by the consultant, the committee,
Board Members and officers to be completed at the end of
the Conference.
(ix.) Schedule a meeting of the
committee and the consultant immediately after The Conference,
evaluate and/or choose the management companies who are
the finalists.
(x.) The consultant should then
perform her/his due diligence, research and report to the
committees and the Board within no less then ten (10) days
after the conference.
VI Management Selection
- The finalists should be selected by the committee, along
with the consultant.
- The committee should adopt a criteria and rating system.
- All the finalists should be personally interviewed. The
interview must include the proposed on site personnel, supervisors,
finance and back office personnel.
- A visit should be made to the company’s offices
and the on site offices at other communities.
- The committee and the consultant should make its choice
and recommend it to the Board, along with its written report.
The board of directors will select the new management.
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