White Flag Response Partner

Wake County is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to service providers, faith-based organizations, and other interested partners seeking to participate as White Flag Response Partners in the coordination and operation of emergency shelter. This initiative is designed to support community-led efforts to provide temporary emergency shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness during severe weather conditions, specifically when a White Flag declaration is in effect.

The White Flag Response Partner will be required to maintain an MOU with each shelter site, outlining roles and responsibilities. Wake County, as the Lead Agency, will provide strategic leadership and coordination around White Flag season planning, including responsibility for contracting with the Partner and Wake County Emergency Management. Partners responsibilities are inclusive of site maintenance, security, and management of incidents, transportation, and other operational needs.

Staffing

Operational Staffing Plan requires ability to operate on an "on-call" basis, and must provide adequate staffing/volunteers for:

• Logistics (Set up of congregate shelter or motel shelter arrangements)
• Registration
• Meal Pick-Up and Distribution
• Secure Storage of Belongings
• Overnight Supervision/security (Congregate shelter only)
• Clean-up
• Egress from Shelter

Minimum staffing requirement: 2 staff per site at all times. Staffing models may vary based on capacity/demand of shelter and logistics off each site.

Security

Partner is responsible for developing a security plan in collaboration with the designated shelter facilities and making every reasonable effort to provide trained security officers during hours of White Flag operation, in congregate shelters.

Meals

Partner will make every reasonable effort to ensure there are food options for guests each night, in partnership with community resources, to include both dinner and breakfast, typically in a "grab and go" or brown bag meal.

Facilities

Facilities providing Congregate Shelter and/or Non-Congregate (Motels) must pass or have passed an annual inspection by Wake County or provide a completed and passed inspection report from a local or other State regulatory agency, as designated; be located in Wake County; and be approved by Continuum of Care Department Director.

Partner shall be responsible for ensuring basic hygiene maintenance and operations in the identified facility or facilities. [...] Partner will ensure facilities are returned to the condition they were prior to the White Flag deployment.

Homeless Management Information System & Coordinated Entry

All White Flag shelter stays must be recorded in the CoC designated Homeless Management Information (HMIS) system per workflows and training provided by Wake County staff.

Guest Reporting Requirements

The Shelter Coordinator/Manager shall e-mail the CoC Director or designated manager, a White Flag Shelter Census Report for that respective site, by 10:00 a.m. the following morning.

Responses must be submitted electronically through the Wake County Bonfire Portal, prior to the deadline, for consideration.

Required Response Documents

1. White Flag RFP Response Form (complete provided form)
2. Narrative Summary (description provided below, not to exceed 10 pages)
3. Budget Worksheet (complete provided template)
4. Certificate of Insurance (if awarded contract a COI will need to be issued listing Wake County as the certificate holder)
5. Most recent audit report
6. Most recent monitoring reports

Evaluation

• Organization background & staffing plan (20 pts)
• Organization experience & shelter capacity (20 pts)
• Effective Practices/Approach, Cost, and Leveraged Resources (20 pts)
• Risk Assessment (includes Financial & Program Management) (20 pts)
• Operational/Implementation Readiness (20 pts)

Contract Period

Contracts resulting from this RFP will be for a period of one (1) year and may renewed annually for up to four (4) more years, for up to a cumulative total of five (5) years.

Funds will be provided on a reimbursement basis, of actual expenses.

Commercial General Liability, with limits not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate.