IMPORTANT NOTICE

RFP2000004276 Rental Subsidy and Services Program (RSSP)

THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT (eBID)

SUBMISSIONS SHALL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ELECTRONICALLY VIA THE BONFIRE PORTAL

Fairfax County Government uses a procurement portal powered by Bonfire Interactive for accepting and evaluating proposals.

To register, visit https://fairfaxcounty.bonfirehub.com.

For additional assistance and technical questions related to a submission contact Bonfire at support.bonfire@eunasolutions.comor click on the link “Contact Bonfire Support here” under Need Help.

Registration and proposal submission in Bonfire is Mandatory. Solicitation Responses submitted by paper, telephone, facsimile (“FAX”) transmission, or electronic mail (e-mail) shall not be accepted.

Fairfax County strongly encourages offerors to submit proposals well in advance of the proposal submission deadline.

A proposal submission is not considered successful unless all necessary files have been uploaded and the ‘Submit & Finalize’ step has been completed. Offerors are responsible for the consequences of any failure to plan ahead in the submission of its Proposal.

Documents may be uploaded at any time during the open period. The official time used for receipt of proposals/modifications is the time stamp within the Bonfire portal. No other clocks, calendars or timepieces are recognized.

If, at the time of the scheduled proposal closing Fairfax County Government is closed due to inclement weather or another unforeseeable event, the proposal closing shall still proceed electronically through the Bonfire system

Technical Information: Uploading large documents may take time, depending on the size of the file(s) and your Internet connection speed. You shall receive an email confirmation receipt with a unique confirmation number once you finalize your submission.

It is the Offeror's responsibility to clearly identify and to describe the services being offered in response to the Request for Proposal. Offerors are cautioned that organization of their response, as well as thoroughness is critical to the County's evaluation process. The RFP forms must be completed legibly and in their entirety; and all required supplemental information must be furnished and presented in an organized, comprehensive and easy to follow manner.

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SPECIAL PROVISIONS RFP2000004276

1. PURPOSE AND INTENT:

1.1. The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit sealed proposals to establish a contract through competitive negotiation for the provision of all services for the local Rental Subsidy and Services Program (RSSP). The program supports low income who require rental subsidies and support services to achieve housing stability. Households benefitting from the program include those with physical, behavioral, and sensory disabilities, survivors of domestic violence, transition age youth (TAY), and those experiencing homelessness within Fairfax County, Virginia. The County of Fairfax, Virginia also includes the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, and the towns of Clifton, Herndon, and Vienna.

1.2. For purposes of this RFP, Attachments are defined as documents that offerors are required to complete and return as part of the submitted proposal. Appendices are for informational purposes only and do not require completion and/or submission.

2. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

2.1. The County uses Virginia's online electronic procurement system (eVA), to publicly announce contract awards, which requires Contractor registration. In anticipation of receiving an award, vendors should register by clicking the Register Now link on the eVA website homepage https://eva.virginia.gov/.

2.2. The current contract 4400010501 for these services can be viewed on the Fairfax County Contract Register.

2.3. All communications and requests for information and clarifications shall be directed at the following procurement official:

Arzoo Amiri Contract Specialist II Department of Procurement and Material Management Telephone: 703-815-5960 Email: arzoo.amiri@fairfaxcounty.gov

3. OPTIONAL PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE:

3.1. An optional pre-proposal conference shall be held on March 23, 2026 at 10:00 A.M. via Microsoft Teams web conferencing. Participants are required to register prior to the pre-proposal web conference. Use the registration URL (https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/4d2cd814-1949-4ead-b932-eaafd9adc4f0@a26156cb-5d6f- 4172-9d7d-934eb0a7b275 ) to register and receive the password to enter the meeting. Participants shall be asked to wait in the waiting room until the host allows the participants to join the meeting.

3.2. The purpose of the pre-proposal conference is to give potential offerors an opportunity to ask questions and to obtain clarification about any aspect of this Request for Proposal. Offerors may submit any questions pertaining to the RFP, in writing, prior to the pre-proposal conference to arzoo.amiri@fairfaxcounty.gov.

3.3. While attendance at this conference shall not be a prerequisite to submitting a proposal, offerors who intend to submit a proposal are encouraged to attend. Any changes resulting from this conference shall be issued in a written addendum to the solicitation.

3.4. To request reasonable ADA accommodations, call the Department of Procurement and Material Management ADA representative at 703-324-3201 or TTY 711. Allow seven working days in advance of the event to make the necessary arrangements.

4. CONTRACT PERIOD AND RENEWAL:

4.1. This contract shall be for three (3) years with two (2) one-year renewal options available or “as negotiated.

4.2. Automatic contract renewals are prohibited. Contract renewals must be authorized by and coordinated through the County’s Department of Procurement and Material Management (DPMM). The County reserves the right to renew the contract for any combination thereof, if agreeable to all parties.

4.3. The obligation of the County to pay compensation due the Contractor under the contract or any other payment obligations under any contract awarded pursuant to this Request for Proposal is subject to appropriations by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to satisfy payment of such obligations. The County’s obligations to make payments during subsequent fiscal years are dependent upon the same action. If such an appropriation is not made for any fiscal year, the contract shall terminate effective at the end of the fiscal year for which funds were appropriated and the County shall not be obligated to make any payments under the contract beyond the amount appropriated for payment obligations under the contract. The County shall provide the contractor with written notice of non-appropriation of funds within thirty (30) calendar days after action is completed by the Board of Supervisors. However, the County’s failure to provide such notice shall not extend the contract into a fiscal year in which sufficient funds have not been appropriated.

4.4. The County anticipates awarding Year 1 of the Contract to a single Offeror, with available funding of up to $3,000,000, subject to appropriation. The County reserves the right to award for less than the full amount based on program requirements and available funding. Offerors should propose cost-effective solutions consistent with the scope of services, independent of the estimated funding level.

https://eva.virginia.gov/ https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cregister/ mailto:arzoo.amiri@fairfaxcounty.gov https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/4d2cd814-1949-4ead-b932-eaafd9adc4f0@a26156cb-5d6f-4172-9d7d-934eb0a7b275 https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/4d2cd814-1949-4ead-b932-eaafd9adc4f0@a26156cb-5d6f-4172-9d7d-934eb0a7b275 mailto:arzoo.amiri@fairfaxcounty.gov

5. BACKGROUND:

5.1. Fairfax County is a vibrant and desirable community in which to live, work, and play for more than 1.1 million residents. The growing economy is creating more opportunities for jobs at every level of the income spectrum.

At the same time, workers who fill those jobs often struggle to find and keep housing that they can afford for themselves and their families. With rents continuing to rise and rental vacancies low, many critical frontline and essential workers are finding it increasingly difficult to find housing in the communities where they work.

5.2. One in five renters in the County pay more than 50% of their income for housing, requiring them to make difficult choices among what necessities they can afford. Poverty, discrimination, domestic violence, substance use disorders, and physical disabilities often compound a household’s challenge in finding and keeping housing. As a result, nearly 3,000 people experience literal homelessness in Fairfax County each year, while thousands more are at risk of homelessness.

5.3. The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH) was administratively established within Fairfax County Government in 2008 with the adoption of a local homelessness strategic plan by the Board of Supervisors. For more information please visit: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless/10-year-plan .

5.4. The Office to Prevent and End Homelessness (OPEH) identifies the following as fundamental principles and practices in the day-to-day operations of homeless and housing services:

a. Trauma Informed Care (TIC) is an approach in the human services field that assumes that an individual is more likely than not to have a history of trauma. For more information, visit https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/138924 .

b. Housing First centers on providing housing focused support by quickly moving households experiencing homelessness into housing and then providing support services, as needed. For more information, visit https://omeka.pdx.edu/housingfirst .

c. Person-Centered services are where the individual/household holds the decision-making power and exercises choice to accept housing and participate in services as informed by their identified goals.

d. Low Barrier is an approach that ensures easy access to shelter and housing by reducing barriers to program entry.

e. Harm Reduction, often coupled with Housing First, is a set of strategies aimed at minimizing health, social, and legal impacts associated with substance use or other high-risk behaviors. For more information, visit https://www.harmreduction.org .

f. Solution-Focused service delivery emphasizes building strengths and resources to foster positive change and achieve goals.

g. Progressive Engagement is a person-centered approach based on tailoring assistance to an individual or household’s needs and adjusting intensity of services based upon assessing what works best for them, their specific strengths, and presenting situation. For more information, visit https://endhomelessness.org/blog/what-is-progressive-engagement/ .

h. Cultural Humility is a commitment to providing services that consider the fluidity and subjectivity of language, culture, race, ethnic, gender identity, sexual orientation, abilities, etc. It requires staff to engage in ongoing self-reflection and to ensure that bias and power differentials do not create barriers to accessing or participating in program services.

5.5. In June 2018, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors adopted the Communitywide Housing Strategic Plan, which was produced by the Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), with the assistance of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC). Strategy C5 identified that Fairfax County needed to expand the scope of its local rental housing subsidy program (known as Bridging Affordability) and re-focus on meeting the needs of people with disabilities and other special needs (including survivors of domestic violence, and those experiencing homelessness). For more information, please visit:

https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/housing/communitywideplan .

5.6. The Rental Subsidy and Services Program (RSSP), formerly called Bridging Affordability, recommended expanding the scope of its local rental housing subsidy program to assist its lowest-income households find housing they can afford. RSSP focuses on meeting the needs of people with physical, behavioral, and sensory disabilities, survivors of domestic violence, transition age youth (TAY), and those experiencing homelessness within Fairfax County, Virginia.

5.7. The Rental Subsidy and Services Program has been designed to support flexibility to serve households prioritized and identified by the various human services partners as having the greatest need for time-limited rental subsidies and support services, including housing location and navigation, employment services, and intensive case management. Further, the Rental Subsidy and Services Program shall integrate important https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/homeless/10-year-plan https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/138924 https://omeka.pdx.edu/housingfirst https://www.harmreduction.org/ https://endhomelessness.org/blog/what-is-progressive-engagement/ https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/housing/communitywideplan concepts and best practices supported by OPEH as outlined in Section 5.4.

5.8. The Rental Subsidy and Services Program (RSSP) is funded through HCD and awarded, managed, and monitored by OPEH.

6. STATEMENT OF NEEDS: The Successful Offeror will provide these services.

6.1. The County is seeking an organization that shall bring additional resources through mental health counseling, workforce development and placement services, staff and volunteers, and other resources which would further enhance and supplement the providing of stable housing and assistance programs. This is not a requirement but rather a preference for the County.

6.2. The Rental Subsidy and Services Program components listed below must be seamlessly coordinated and executed to provide successful rental housing subsidies and support services to clients referred to the program.

Key to the success of the program is the coordination between HCD’s OPEH (Office to Prevent and End Homelessness) and nonprofit partners those providing services and those making referrals to the program-to ensure that subsidies and services are tailored to the individual needs of each household served.

6.3. Program Specific Requirements:

a. Target population: The goal of the Rental Subsidy and Services Program is to help meet the needs of the lowest income households who require rental subsidies and support services for housing stability. The program shall focus on serving households with physical, behavioral, and sensory disabilities, survivors of domestic violence, transition age youth (TAY) and those experiencing homelessness within the geographic territory of Fairfax County.

b. Adherence to OPEH’s Coordinated Entry Manual (See Appendix A) outlining eligibility and prioritization for all target populations.

c. Implement a program intake and orientation procedure to ensure that upon receipt of a referral from the Coordinated Entry System, program participants are promptly engaged for intake/eligibility, enrolled, and placed into suitable housing as quickly as possible. RSSP sets a goal of completing all entry processes within 60 days.

d. Provide supervision to ensure proper documentation of all services, including HMIS data, case management notes, assessments, housing stability plans and other required documentation.

e. Implement a grievance procedure and program participant feedback survey to empower program participants to share their concerns and suggestions.

6.4. Housing Location and Navigation Services: Provide professional level housing counseling, location, and navigation services. This includes, proactively seeking new housing opportunities, acting as a liaison between landlords and program participants as needed, negotiating leases, providing tenant’s rights and responsibilities awareness, and supporting the lease-up process. Additional details related to these services the Offeror is expected to provide are below: Unit Location: Identify housing opportunities for Rental Subsidy and Services Program participants and maintain a list of identified housing assist participants in. Unit location includes ensuring that selected units adhere to the following:

1. Rent Reasonableness: Units subsidized shall be subject to rent reasonableness determination made by HCD (utilizing rent determination program). In all cases, the rental subsidy shall pay more than the lesser of the rent (and utilities) or the HCD-determined reasonable rent.

2. Housing Quality Standards Assurance: Units subsidized by the program must continually meet Housing Quality Standards (HQS) and shall be required to be inspected up front and annually by an HQS-certified inspector (whether on the Offeror’s staff or obtained through other connected sources).

3. Tenants’ Rights and Responsibilities Education: Empower program participants to learn about tenant and landlord rights, how to be a good neighbor, and how to manage maintenance concerns. This support should be ongoing throughout the duration of program participation and include various education/engagement strategies and language accessibility.

4. Landlord Outreach and Recruitment: Engage, educate, and recruit landlords to support housing opportunities for program participants. Cultivate landlord relationships and partnerships to ensure a diverse inventory of potential housing opportunities through both corporate and private landlord opportunities.

5. Support Leasing and Move-in: Direct support to participant households during the lease-up process and subsequent move-in to their new housing. Ensures that all lease documents are signed and completed to ensure deposit and rental subsidy payments are in place. Coordinates move-in supports and resources with case management to aid household with successful start to lease/housing arrangement.

6. Landlord/Tenant Mediation: Conduct mediation with landlords regarding rents, Housing Quality Standards inspections, and other concerns related to landlord and tenant relationships. The Offeror should develop a plan of engagement to support pro-active approaches to support successful mediation.

7. Unit Vacancies: Successful Offeror may only subsidize rent when the units are occupied by eligible households. However, if a program participant is institutionalized or hospitalized for a period anticipated to be less than 90 days, the subsidy may continue at the Successful Offeror’s discretion. The staff responsible for case management should notify the staff responsible for housing location and navigation services, as well as the staff responsible for the rental payments, if units are identified as vacant during inspections.

6.5. Rental Subsidies: Tailor rental assistance subsidies to the needs of each participating household. Through a client-centered approach, the Offeror should assess each household to determine an initial subsidy length (minimum 6-months) and a process for re-evaluating households to determine if more subsidy and support services are necessary and appropriate. While there is flexibility regarding program design, the Successful Offeror must provide rental subsidies meeting the following requirements:

a) Length of Subsidy: The Rental Subsidy and Services Program is a medium-to-long housing subsidy that should be tailored to the strengths and needs of participating households. Subsidies should be flexible, individualized, and progressive in manner with the goal of participating in households assuming the full rental payment by the time of exit. Medium Term is defined as 6 to 12 months of rental subsidy assistance and Long Term is defined as between 12 and 24 months. Participants, on average, are anticipated to be in the program for at least 6 months (length of program participation should be client centered). Uniform assessment tools should be utilized to ensure a consistent decision-making approach in determining the length of subsidy for each participating household. The Successful Offeror must clearly indicate to each household how the length of subsidy shall be determined, communicated, and how each household shall be evaluated at re-certification periods.

b) Income Verification: Confirm that participants meet the income requirements of the program upon receipt of the referral. Income limits and AMI are calculated by HUD and found at https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html. The program strives to serve County households who meet the HUD income definitions of “Extremely Low” (30% AMI and below) and “Very Low” (between 30-50% AMI). Commit to supporting the breakdown of households using the following guidance:

1. Serve a minimum of 60% of households designated as having “Extremely Low Income” (30% AMI and below).

2. Serve a maximum of 40% of households designated as having “Very Low Income” (between 30-50%

AMI).

Income resources must be thoroughly reviewed and verified at intake/eligibility and reviewed every three months through the duration of household participation. Households with zero income are eligible to participate in RSSP.

c) Tenant Rent Responsibility: Households are expected to pay at least 30 percent of their household’s gross income toward rent and utilities. Successful Offeror may propose alternate tenant rent responsibility, such as the tenant paying less than 30 percent of their income for rent and utilities or more than 30 percent as it is assessed to be appropriate through progressive engagement. Alternate rent should not exceed 50% of a household’s gross income. The Offeror must provide clear documentation and communication regarding each household’s rent responsibility and a clear timeline when any rent responsibility changes may go into effect. The Offeror is expected to collect and track rental ledgers for each enrolled participant to ensure that program financial assistance responsibilities are fully executed for active households.

d) Utilities: Use utility allowances to determine tenant rent responsibility. Utilities approved under the allowance include electricity, gas (heating and/or cooking), water/sewer, and trash. Cable, phone, and internet costs are not approved under the utility allowance.

e) Continuing Subsidy: Continued subsidy support for households whose income rises above initial eligibility limits should be limited to six months. Each household should be assessed and provided with support services to assist in successfully exiting the program without negatively affecting the household’s housing stability. Have a clear policy and procedure that outlines a successful program exit.

https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/il.html

6.6. Case Management: Provide case management services that support enrolled households with obtaining and maintaining housing stability using best practices, such as trauma informed care, housing first, solution-focused, harm reduction, cultural humility, and progressive engagement. Case Management services are to be offered to all members of an enrolled household and not just the primary head of household. Collaborate with other Fairfax County Government partners (s.a. Community Services Board, Department of Family Services, Neighborhood and Community Services), community-based organizations, and other vendors that may provide additional support service to program participants. Case management services should include:

a) Initial Assessment: Each household must be provided with an initial assessment including strengths-based inventory, identification of barriers, resource evaluation, health and behavioral health supports, and initial housing goals.

b) Service and Housing Stabilization Plans: Following the assessment, a service plan with short-term and long-term goals related to supportive services and housing stabilization should be drafted and signed by the household and case manager. The service plan must be regularly engaged with during case management services and evaluated every 90 days to ensure accuracy. Service plans should be updated and changed based upon the household’s expressed goals at any point throughout their enrollment in services.

c) Case Management Contacts and Home Visits: Provide comprehensive supportive case management to enroll households through regular contact (including face-to-face engagements). At a minimum, case management contacts should include at least one successful (1) face-to-face engagement per month and at least two (2) additional contacts. Face-to-face engagements may include meetings in the community, accompanying households to referral appointments, or other opportunities that may support stable progression through the program. Additional contacts may include phone or video calls, email, text messages, and mail correspondence. All contact attempts and successful engagement must be documented in the household’s file and in HMIS. For households who have not obtained stable housing through the program, more intensive engagement efforts should be considered to support successful housing location, navigation, and placement. Once a household has successfully obtained housing, case management through face-to-face home visits should occur monthly. Demonstrate case management strategies that support successful engagement and reduce potential barriers to participation by the household.

d) Community Case Management Supports: Continue to provide case management that supports both housing stability and connections to and with vital community resources. These resources include (but not limited to) services identified in 6.4.4 – 6.4.7. Additionally, community case management may involve accompanying households to vital events and services, including housing related court dates, medical/behavioral health appointments, probation engagements, immigration appointments, etc.

e) Exit Plans and Stable Housing: Continually assess and support households with service that shall support successful exits to stable housing within the identified medium or long-term assistance time frames. The Offeror should develop strategies to assist households who may not be able to cover the full “Fair Market Rent” (FMR) following exit from RSSP. These may include applications to voucher and move-on opportunities, other housing opportunities, first time homeowner program, etc.

6.7. Employment Services: Offer and provide access to employment service coordination, workforce development, and job placement and retention services to enrolled households. Successful Offeror should provide the following services:

a. Employment Service Coordination: Upon intake into the program, enrolled households should be introduced to available employment services provided directly by the Offeror or through available community resources. In coordination with the Case Manager, households interested in pursuing employment services should be assessed to determine their employment service needs, which may include: 1.) to gain stable employment, or 2.) to increase income. The Offeror shall work with program participants to complete a strengths-based employment assessment, identify and coordinate employment support resources, identify gaps in employment resources, and identify potential training and skill development opportunities.

b. Workforce Development: Directly provide or through connected community resources provide services that help support job readiness and training/skill development. Services may include, but not limited to activities, such as resume building, interview etiquette, mock interviews, basic computer literacy, and skills assessment. The Successful Offeror may consider direct support to households pursuing skilled training or certifications to support employment outcomes as outlined within the household’s service plan. Households may also be assisted with accessing educational opportunities that can lead to employment, including English as a Second Language (ESL), basic adult education, computer skills, and other educational and training programs.

c. Job Placement & Retention: Directly provide or refer household to connected community resources that provide job placement services. The Offeror should maintain a working knowledge of the employment market and develop a sustainable network of employers that have positions available related to expressed career interests and skill sets of enrolled households. As needed, the Offeror may offer and provide employment retention support to enrolled households through employer engagement as authorized by the household.

6.8. Access to Health and Behavioral Health Services: Support households with connections to Fairfax County Public Health Centers, Community Services Board (CSB), and/or other Medicaid, Medicare, or private pay health and behavioral health services based upon the expressed need of the household. Have a clear understanding of the available services and resources available across the community or in proximity to the households’ stable housing as needed.

6.9. Public Benefits and Community Resources: Assist program participants in accessing all benefits for which they are eligible. These may include, but not limited to: SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, TANF, Veterans Benefits, and Social Security benefits. Have a strategy to assist households eligible to apply for Social Security benefits (SSI and SSDI) with a connection to the SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) services, whether offered directly by the Offeror or through collaboration with a SOAR certified specialist. Assist program participants by providing referrals to mainstream goods and services in the community as identified through case management engagements or current service plan. Resources may include, but are not limited to emergency food assistance, furniture, employment and training, healthcare, childcare, benefits, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, and any other identified needs for services. Provide follow-up on submitted referrals to support successful engagement and access to needed services and goods.

6.10. Financial Planning: Assist enrolled households with preparing monthly budgets, managing expenses, and developing strategies that may support on time rent and utility payments, transportation support, basic needs expenses, and management/payment of a household’s debt. Financial planning should help identify savings and expense goals identified by the household, including but not limited to debt repayment, first-time homeownership, education savings plans, etc. Services should also support connecting households to credit report and credit repair services, financial education services, and tax preparation assistance. Financial planning is considered as an available service through RSSP and not incorporated within determining eligibility or continued participation in services. For zero income households, financial planning may involve developing a perspective budget when income sources become available.

6.11. Flexible Financial Assistance: Flexible financial assistance shall be determined for each household based upon their unique circumstances. The purpose of this financial assistance shall be to assist the household in establishing and maintaining stable housing. Offerors should reference the Office to Prevent and End Homelessness Direct and Rental Assistance Guidelines (Appendix B) to ensure compliance with rental and financial assistance requirements and restrictions.

In addition to rental subsidy, security deposits, and utility related costs, financial assistance can also include the following types:

a) Rental Application Fees

b) Rental Application Holding Fees

c) Moving Expenses

d) Automobile Repair Assistance

e) ID and Vital Document Assistance

f) Transportation Expense Assistance

g) Job Training and Education Expense Assistance

h) Household Items

6.12. Data Collection and File Management: Maintain accurate program files for all matched and enrolled households. All electronic records are required to be entered and maintained in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) as the primary documentation source for all households/participants that meet the criteria for inclusion in the database. Electronic files must be maintained according to guidelines provided by OPEH and be available for regular monitoring and data quality audits. Offerors may utilize their own secure electronic file management system, but all required data elements and inputs must be entered into HMIS per the OPEH HMIS Policy and Procedure (Appendix C) Provide a template case file (electronic and/or paper file) for approval, which should be reviewed annually and updated as needed. Fairfax County shall provide enough licenses to HMIS if Successful Offeror requires them. Training shall be provided and required for access. Follow OPEH HMIS Policy and Procedures and submit monthly data quality reports, as described in the OPEH Program Manager and the HMIS Lead. Paper/physical files are expected to be maintained in a manner outlined in the OPEH Standard Operating Guidelines (Appendix D) and other governing program requirements as issued by OPEH. Files are subject to regular monitoring and program audits by OPEH.

6.13. Staffing Structure and Background Checks: Responsible for recruiting and hiring qualified professionals (or subcontracting services) that shall be able to perform the services outlined within the scope of work and to meet the outcome measures outlined within the RFP. Consider the requirements outlined in the RFP to help determine the need to hire or subcontract for any licensed or certified professionals, including but not limited to Social Workers, Counselors, Workforce Development Professionals and other human service fields. All personnel serving in direct service roles with enrolled households should demonstrate the capacity and interest of working with vulnerable populations who have experienced homelessness, providing trauma-informed, and person-centric services. Hired or subcontracted personnel in direct services must be able to engage enrolled households through assessment and case management, be able to support households with stabilization during crisis situations, be sensitive to and respectful of each enrolled household’s language, culture, and values, and support households with moving toward stable housing and self-sufficiency. Personnel must also be able to draft and complete written documentation for case services and reports, monitor and manage program activities and resources, follow program protocols and standard operating guidance, and ensure the safety and security of program operations and data. Offerors are strongly encouraged to employ staff with lived experience. People with lived experience are those directly affected by social, health, legal, housing, or other issues and by the strategies that aim to address those issues. This experience gives them insights that can inform and improve systems, research, policies, practices, and programs. When we say lived experience, we mean knowledge based on someone’s perspective, personal identities, and history, beyond their professional or educational experience. The Successful Offerors are responsible for ensuring adequate supervision and monitoring of staff through a clear management structure that supports regular one-to-one supervision, development, and performance management. The Successful Offeror must ensure a diverse approach to service engagement with enrolled households that supports direct face-to-face engagement through home visits, community case management, and collateral engagement with landlords, community support organizations, and other authorized entities approved by the participant. Case Management and supportive service hours should be made flexible to ensure maximum support of enrolled households, including delivery of services during non-traditional work hours, weekends, and holidays (as needed). Offerors may provide services through a hybrid model (in-person/remote combination) if the offeror is able to meet the scope of work and outcome requirements outlined in the RFP and the majority of service delivery is provided through face-to-face engagement with clients and in support of housing navigation/location.

6.14. Ensure the execution of a succession and continuity of service plans in the event of staff turnover and vacancies to maintain and meet contract commitments and deliverables under the RFP.

6.15. The following requirements outline expectations for background checks for all personnel operating under the RFP Scope of Work:

a. Successful offerors are expected to have a written background screening criterion. The criteria should include what reports shall be run, what findings may cause the applicant to be denied, and appeal process for the applicant, and how often the background screenings shall be checked.

b. Successful offeror is expected to satisfactorily complete a criminal background check on all employees working on the contract. Background check results are expected to be maintained for audit purposes and routine monitoring by OPEH, for the duration of the resulting contract.

c. All checks must be completed on applicable staff prior to their starting employment for staff not yet hired by the contractor upon award of contract. For staff currently employed by the successful offeror, background checks must be current within 12 months of program start and should be renewed according to the offeror’s criteria outlined in Section 7.2.f.1

d. Staff providing transportation to program participants under this contract must undergo and satisfactorily complete a Department of Motor Vehicles driving record check. Driving records checks must be updated every two years.

6.16. Provide a staffing plan that outlines all direct roles proposed and indirect roles that shall support the Scope of work outlined within the RFP. Each proposed role should have examples of position descriptions that support RSSP service delivery. The following staffing plan requirements are found below:

a. Management Level: The Offeror’s staffing plan must ensure an adequate level of supervisory and management positions. Management/Supervisory roles should be directly related to supporting the day-to-day services of RSSP. Identified positions must provide clear qualifications and justifications related to education, professional experience, and management/supervisor experience.

b. Case Management: The Offeror’s staffing plan must ensure an adequate level of case management personnel to support the proposed number of households to be served annually by the program. Case Management is expected to deliver “intensive case management” and carry no more than 15-20 cases at any time. Positions must provide clear qualifications and justifications related to education and professional experience.

c. Housing Navigation: The Offeror’s staffing plan must ensure an adequate level of housing navigation personnel to support the proposed number of households to be served annually by the program.

Positions must provide clear qualifications and justifications related to education and professional experience.

d. Employment, Health/Behavioral Health, Benefits, and Financial Planning: The Offeror’s staffing plan must ensure an adequate level of direct personnel, subcontracting, or community referral plan to support the proposed number of households annually by the program. Positions and services must be clear in the qualifications, justifications, and expectations related to ensuring services are available to all eligible and interested participants.

6.17. Language Access Services: The Successful Offeror must ensure that all households enrolled in the program are able to receive services in their primary language. The offeror must have an organizational policy that provides detail in how the organization provides communication assistance services to individuals who are non- English proficient (NEP), have limited English proficiency (LEP), have a hearing or visual impairment that impacts their communication, or otherwise would benefit from additional resources to help them communicate effectively. Language assistance services include both oral and written (forms, documents) services. These services are designed to facilitate effective communication with staff and to provide NEP/LEP individuals with meaningful access to and an equal opportunity to participate fully in the services, activities, or other programs administered by the organization.

6.18. Critical Incident Reporting: The Successful Offeror is required to complete an OPEH Critical Incident Report when serious incidents occur within the scope of any contracted program with OPEH. Use of the OPEH Incident Report (Appendix E) for all critical incidents involving program households, operations, and services is required.

Incident reports should be as descriptive as possible when providing details of the incident. They should serve as an objective account of what happened, who was involved, and what the outcome was. Once completed, contracted providers should email the incident report to OPEH as outlined within the Standard Operating Guide (Appendix D). Successful Offerors should consistently evaluate Critical Incident Reports throughout the contract year by way of incident report reviews. These reviews should assist with informing continual program development and procedures that may help reduce future occurrences.

6.19. Coordinated Entry System (CES): The Successful Offeror is required to participate in the Fairfax County Coordinated Entry System. Participation involves program representation at CES meetings, By-Name List (BNL) reviews, providing vacant opportunities for match in the CES, and accepting matches for eligibility review and program enrollment. The Offeror must complete required CES training and abide by the operating guidance of the Coordinated Entry Systems Manual (Appendix A) RSSP participants must be matched through Coordinated Entry, unless otherwise outlined within the Coordinated Entry Systems Manual.

6.20. Program Quality Assurance and Compliance: The Successful Offeror shall implement a formal process for ensuring quality assurance and compliance of the Rental Subsidy and Services Program (RSSP). A copy of this formal process, including a Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), shall be provided to OPEH within 120 days of contract issuance and shall be revised annually (Appendix F). This process shall include actions to be taken or conducted by an identified and appropriate supervisory staff member or members, along with a timeline for which the established COOP process shall follow to ensure that enrolled households encounter limited to no interruptions in services identified under the contract. Quality assurance actions include, but are not limited to:

a. Successful onboarding and completed agency training of staff assigned to the contract

b. Training plan to ensure completion of County required training (per 6.10)

c. Clear position descriptions of each role designated to the contract and responsible for carrying out any/all aspects of the Scope of Work.

d. Staff supervision plan that ensures consistent supervision of direct service staff, including one-to-one supervision meetings (no less than biweekly), case/client reviews (monthly), field supervision (quarterly), and other agency identified practices to support quality service delivery by staff.

e. Internal program “audit” by successful offeror to ensure complete documentation and case files of all clients served (biannually)

f. Active participation in scheduled provider meetings with OPEH

g. Active participation in scheduled “By Name List” meetings with OPEH/Coordinated Entry

h. Monthly HMIS Data Quality reports and other data requirements per HMIS Standard Operating Guidance

i. Critical Incident Report trend analysis and response plan

j. Data Safety and Security policies regarding secure work environments, communication standards, encryption practices, data loss prevention, record retention policies, and reporting of data safety, breach, or loss concerns

6.21. Staff Training: OPEH regularly offers professional training opportunities to Fairfax County Continuum of Care (CoC) partners. The mission of OPEH Training and Development Opportunities is to increase the availability of mission specific, professional training and development opportunities that equip and enhance community partners ability to effectively serve those at risk or experiencing homelessness. OPEH strategically provides opportunities that are designed to build valuable skills, knowledge, and understanding of homeless services and housing best practices, resources, community services, benefits, and programs used to serve, measure, and report progress and results the CoC is making in the effort to prevent and end homelessness. The OPEH Standard Operating Guidance (SOG) (Appendix D) outlines training that employees and leadership of contracted services providers shall be expected to attend within the first year of being awarded a contract under this RFP.

6.22. Participant Feedback: The Successful Offeror must develop and execute a methodology for collecting, measuring, and utilizing participant feedback regarding services provided through RSSP. The format to collect participant feedback must be relevant to the key services provided within the scope of work and captured twice per year for those actively enrolled in the program. Additionally, feedback surveys at exit must also be collected.

The Successful Offeror is expected to draft a template for these feedback surveys and provide a clear methodology to support participant feedback engagement that accounts for language accessibility, electronic/digital equity and access, and a strong completion rate. The Successful Offeror should also develop a review and implementation plan that supports continual quality assurance that incorporates participant feedback.

6.23. Outcome Measures: The Successful Offeror must track key performance measures throughout the operation of the Rental Subsidy and Services Program (RSSP). Outcome measure requirements may change as identified by OPEH in collaboration with the contracted provider to evaluate the program and system needs. The following outcome measure goals are required to be tracked and reported on by the contracted provider:

a. Enrolled RSSP households move into a housing unit in an average of 60 days or less from the day of intake.

b. At least 80 percent of RSSP households exiting the program are exited to permanent housing destinations.

c. At least 75% or households that exit to permanent housing retain some form of housing and not return to the homeless services system within the 12-months following program exit.

The Successful Offeror must also develop and select 2-3 additional performance outcomes related to the activities within the Scope of Work that they shall measure to showcase their performance on the contract.

6.24. Reporting: The Successful Offeror shall be responsible for submitting monthly reports on the services and outcomes of RSSP to the designated OPEH Program Manager by the 15th day of month following the reporting period (Example: September due by October 15th). Reports should be generated through the standard reports available in HMIS and formatted into a reporting template developed by the successful offeror.

The monthly report should include the following for the reporting period and aggregate a “Year to Date” (YTD) and “Grant to Date” (GTD) Value. Some data elements report households (all people within) or individuals (each person):

a. Program Participant Status by household type (Adult Only, Households w/ Children, Transition Age Youth, DV Households), to include:

1. Number of New Referrals

2. Number of New Enrollments

3. Number of Declined/Ineligible Referrals

4. Number of Active Households

5. Number of Exited Households

6. Number of Households Newly Housed

7. Number of Households in Active Housing Navigation

8. Number of Households Applying to Other Permanent Housing

b. Exit Destination: Per household type, report on:

1. Successful Exits to Permanent Housing

2. Non-Successful Exits to Homelessness or Unstable Housing

c. Average number of days from Program Entry to Stable Housing

d. Employment Services:

1. Number of individuals engaged with Employment Services

2. Number of individuals who gained employment

3. Types of employment gained (industry)

4. Average salary of new employment obtained

e. Behavioral Health Services:

1. Number of individuals referred to services

2. Number of individuals successfully engaged with referral

f. Benefits Services

1. Number of households referred to SOAR

2. Number of households obtaining SSI/SSDI or other income benefits

3. Number of households obtaining Medicaid, Medicare, or other health insurance benefit

4. Number of households newly enrolled in SNAP

g. Staff Training: Identification of training completed by program staff (Staff name, title of training and completion date)

h. Outcome Measures specific to Section 6.12 and those identified by the Successful Offeror for inclusion in program evaluation.

6.25. Fairfax County Responsibilities

a. County staff shall assist in facilitating the transfer of program participant case records (as needed) upon award of contract.

b. County staff shall provide training on the use of HMIS, the “Partner’s Portal” SharePoint site, and the Point-in-Time count and Housing Inventory Count survey.

c. Count staff shall offer a variety of training opportunities to Successful Offeror.

d. County staff shall support and maintain the HMIS database used by Successful Offeror to report data on services provided and program participants served.

e. An OPEH Program Manager shall provide technical assistance, guidance, and support.

f. Program Managers responsible for contract monitoring shall review program policies, manuals, forms, and other documents as needed to ensure they reflect the best practices outlined in this request for proposal.

g. County staff shall facilitate regular contract monitoring of budgets, invoices and supporting documents, performance measures, data quality,…