RFQ No. ACH-900626.V4 Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool, Round 4

It is the intent of these specifications, terms, and conditions to identify a pool of qualified vendors interested in providing housing and homelessness services to Alameda County through the Alameda County Health’s (AC Health) Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool.

Vendors that meet the Bidder Qualifications (see Section I.D. below) for one or more of the following service categories will be eligible to provide services to the County through a Standard Services Agreement:

• Housing Community Supports;
• Health and Supportive Services;
• Interim and Permanent Housing Administration; and
• Homelessness Prevention Services.

AC Health intends to increase the availability of services for persons currently, formerly, or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and/or unstably housed by funding the following service types in each of the four aforementioned service categories.

Only qualified and approved vendors will have the opportunity to provide the services requested by AC Health. AC Health will keep the RFQ open on a regular basis to allow vendors to become qualified as they become eligible.

The Vendor Pool shall provide housing and homelessness services to people who are currently, formerly, or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and/or unstably housed, who may also be survivors of domestic violence, intimate partner violence, gender-based violence or trafficking including households fleeing to Alameda County but currently living in another jurisdiction and special populations, including but not limited to, transition-aged youth (TAY), seniors, and veterans experiencing homelessness.

AC Health intends to increase the availability of services through funding of direct services, program start-up services, capacity-building and technical assistance services, and innovation services in each of the four service categories:

• Direct Services: Provides services directly to the target population;
• Program Start-Up Services: Initial activities required prior to launching a new program. Services may include site preparation, recruiting, hiring, and training new staff, and other program implementation costs;
• Capacity-Building and Technical Assistance Services: Supports the efforts of the County to develop capacity or provide technical assistance to help establish, expand, or improve service delivery performance; and/or
• Innovation Services: Evidence-based best practices and integrated approaches that differ from traditional models and/or previously untested services in Alameda County that may lead to positive outcomes.

The specific activities listed under each service category below are examples and may not be exhaustive of the actual services provided under contract.

**Housing Community Supports (HCS)** (including, but not limited to):

• Using a Housing First orientation, help homeless and formerly homeless clients obtain, move-into and keep their homes;
• Outreach and engage clients referred by County staff to support their transition from homelessness into housing; [...]
• Capture data in real-time on all clients served in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to provide information about enrollment, services needed and provided, and performance outcomes.

**Health and Supportive Services** (including, but not limited to):

• Case management;
• Peer support activities;
• Mental health care, such as assessment, crisis counseling, individual and group therapy, and peer support groups; [...]

**Interim and Permanent Housing Administration** (including, but not limited to):

• Real estate search, including establishing relationships with private and non-profit property owners willing to assist the County in their goal of reducing homelessness; [...]
• Provide emergency shelter services for people experiencing a housing crisis which includes but is not limited to operating emergency shelters; [...]

**Homelessness Prevention Services** (including, but not limited to):

• Provide a wide range of support services for people at risk of homelessness to stabilize their housing situation and prevent them from becoming homeless for the first time or from returning to homelessness and/or to helping individuals with retaining permanent housing; [...]
• Eviction prevention counseling and advocacy including direct legal services, and collaboration with other support service providers to prevent eviction and displacement and help clients integrate into the community.

**Submission method:** All proposal documents must be completed, successfully uploaded, and submitted online through County of Alameda Procurement Portal [https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/acgov] BY **2:00 p.m.** on the due date specified in the Calendar of Events. No hardcopy, email (electronic), or facsimile proposals will be considered.

Please read *EXHIBIT A – Bid Response Packet* carefully. Incomplete Bid Reponses will be rejected. The following pages require signatures:

• *Exhibit A – Bid Response Packet*, Bidder Acceptance
• *Exhibit A – Bid Response Packet*, Debarment and Suspension Certification

All questions regarding these specifications, terms, and conditions are to be submitted in writing through the “Question & Answer” tab of this project in the County of Alameda Procurement Portal [https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/acgov] by the date(s) specified on the Calendar of Events.

Bidder must be regularly and continuously engaged in the business of providing services to people currently, formerly, or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and/or unstably housed for at least three (3) years of the last ten (10) years (cumulative experience will be accepted).

Bidders applying to provide Direct Services, Program Start-up Services, and/or Innovation Services must also meet the following Additional Minimum Qualification: Bidder must be currently certified, at the date of bid submission, to use Alameda County’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) or agree to become a participating agency in HMIS prior to contract award.

**Contract term:** The contract term, which may be awarded pursuant to this RFQ, will be up to three years. By mutual agreement, any contract, which may be awarded pursuant to this RFQ, may be extended for an additional two-years.