2027_-_2028_Homeless_Prevention.pdf

26-002-Homeless-Prevention

2027 - 2028 HOMELESS PREVENTION

Pierce County

1501 Market St, Suite 420

Tacoma, WA 98402

RELEASE DATE: August 10, 2026

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: August 24, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: August 31, 2026, 2:00 pm

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/piercecountywa https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/%7bproject.government.code%7d

Pierce County

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

2027 - 2028 Homeless Prevention

1. Introduction

1.1. Pierce County's eProcurement System

1.2. Summary

1.3. Background

1.4. Objective/Scope of Work

1.5. Minimum Qualifications

1.6. Anticipated Contract Details and Expectations

1.7. Definitions

1.8. ADA

2. General Information for Proposers

2.1. RFP Coordinator

2.2. Timeline

2.3. Procurement Documents and RFP Holder's List

2.4. Questions and Answers

2.5. Pre-Proposal Meeting

2.6. Submission of Proposals

2.7. Public Records and Proprietary Material

2.8. Revisions to the RFP

2.9. Responsiveness

2.10. Contract and General Terms & Conditions

2.11. Costs to Prepare Proposal

2.12. No Obligation to Contract

2.13. Rejection of Proposals

2.14. Most Favorable Terms

Request For Proposal #26-002-Homeless-Prevention Title: 2027 - 2028 Homeless Prevention

2.15. Concern Resolution Process

2.16. Cooperative Purchasing

2.17. Title VI Compliance

3. RFP Questionnaire

3.1. Administrative, Organization, Threshold Review and Proposal Questions

4. Evaluation and Scoring

4.1. Evaluation Process

4.2. Proposal Scoring Method

4.3. Scoring Criteria

4.4. Funding Awards

4.5. Notification to Proposers

4.6. Debriefing of Unsuccessful Proposers

4.7. Protest Procedure

Attachments:

A - SAMPLE: Client Services Agreement

1. Introduction

1.1. Pierce County's eProcurement System

Welcome to Pierce County's eProcurement System. This system is inclusive to the procurement process, including submission of any questions and/or clarifications, the release of any addenda/notices, and submission of proposals. It is strongly encouraged that organizations responding to any procurement first read the entire procurement, paying close attention to the timelines, scope of work, eligibility, submission requirements, and specifically to the questionnaire section, which may include required attachments (when applicable), and ask for any clarifications regarding content and instructions early in the process.

1.2. Summary

Pierce County (hereafter referred to as “the County”), in alignment with the Pierce County

Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness (CPEH), has made approximately $1,100,000 available to provide homeless prevention services that assist low-income Pierce County households experiencing housing instability to remain safely housed and avoid entering homelessness. Homeless prevention services are intended to intervene before a household becomes homeless by resolving immediate housing crises, addressing barriers to housing stability, and connecting households with the resources necessary to maintain permanent housing.

Prevention services may include financial assistance for housing stabilization, interventions related to code enforcement actions, outreach and engagement, case management, coordination of services with partner organizations, and rapid response to disasters and inclement weather events. Services are designed to assist eligible low-income households experiencing housing instability who are not eligible for the County's Eviction Prevention Program. Contractors are expected to deliver housing-focused interventions that stabilize households, reduce the likelihood of homelessness, and connect households with mainstream benefits, community resources, and other services that support long-term housing stability.

In addition to responding to referrals, contractors will be expected to conduct targeted outreach activities as directed by the County to identify and engage specific populations or geographic areas determined to be at increased risk of homelessness. Target populations and outreach priorities may be modified during the contract term based on emerging community needs, available data, funding source requirements, or County priorities.

1.3. Background

In June 2026, Pierce County adopted an update to the Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness

(Pierce County 2025-2030 Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness), reaffirming the County's commitment to preventing and ending homelessness through a coordinated, data-informed homeless crisis response system. The updated CPEH documents the scale of homelessness in Pierce County and establishes strategies to achieve functional zero—a state in which any person experiencing a new episode of homelessness has immediate access to shelter and an appropriate permanent housing intervention.

https://www.piercecountywa.gov/7142/Eviction-Prevention https://flipbooks.piercecountywa.gov/395440b872.html

The updated CPEH identifies eight strategic goals:

1. Promote an equitable, accountable, and transparent homeless crisis response system.

2. Prioritize assistance based on the greatest barriers to housing stability and the greatest risk of harm while ensuring interventions are effective for all populations.

3. Prevent homeless episodes whenever possible.

4. Ensure adjacent systems address the needs of people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

5. Meet the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness.

6. Expand the permanent housing system to meet community need.

7. Strengthen the homeless provider workforce.

8. Ensure every person has access to stable housing that meets their needs.

This funding opportunity directly supports Goal 3: Prevent Homeless Episodes Whenever Possible.

1.4. Objective/Scope of Work

1.4.1. Description of Solicited Services

For the purpose of maintaining housing stability for eligible Pierce County households, the County is soliciting proposals from organizations to provide homelessness prevention services, which may include, but are not limited to:

• Financial assistance for housing stabilization (e.g., rental assistance and arrears, utility assistance, application fees, background checks, security deposits, and other eligible housing-related costs).

• Housing-focused case management and navigation tailored to each household's unique circumstances to promote housing stability and connect households to mainstream benefits, permanent housing resources, and supportive services.

• Proactive outreach and engagement activities, including targeted outreach to populations identified by the County.

• Coordination with community organizations and systems that provide complementary services

(e.g., aging and disability services, utility assistance, veterans' services, domestic violence programs, behavioral health providers, and other community resources).

• Interventions to prevent displacement resulting from code enforcement actions, including minor repairs, relocation assistance, or other eligible stabilization activities.

• Response to disasters, severe weather events, or other emergent situations to prevent households from entering the homeless crisis response system.

Funded providers will be expected to serve all eligible households, regardless of population or presenting need, consistent with a no wrong door approach to service delivery. In addition, each provider will be assigned one or more focus populations and will be expected to develop specialized expertise, conduct targeted outreach and engagement activities, and serve as a resource for other prevention providers through consultation, coordination, and referrals for households within their designated focus population(s). See Section 1.4.2 for additional information.

1.4.2. Program Requirements

Funded providers will be required to:

• Follow Housing First principles in which all households are presumed to be “housing ready.”

• Provide homelessness prevention services to all eligible households using a no wrong door approach to service delivery.

• Maintain active, documented partnerships with incoming and outgoing referrals.

• Utilize standardized intake tools/housing stability plan to ensure consistency of service delivery.

• Facilitate required Housing Quality Standard or NSPIRE inspections.

• Conduct targeted outreach and engagement activities for County-assigned focus populations and serve as a specialized resource for other funded providers serving those populations.

• Provide rapid engagement within 5 business days following receipt of referral from a local partner organization.

• Participate in the ongoing Prevention Collaborative to support alignment and problem-solving.

Data Collection and Reporting Requirements:

Funded providers shall maintain complete and accurate program records and comply with all County reporting requirements, including:

• Entering required client and service information into the Homeless Management Information

System (HMIS) or other County-designated data system.

• Tracking and reporting service utilization, including the type, amount, and duration of financial assistance and supportive services provided.

• Collecting and reporting information necessary for County performance monitoring, including household size, demographic information, referral source, eligible spending category, housing outcome at program exit, housing status following assistance, and other client outcomes required by the County.

• Maintaining documentation sufficient to demonstrate participant eligibility, expenditures, services provided, and compliance with contract requirements.

https://www.piercecountywa.gov/4805/Homeless-Management-Information-System-H https://www.piercecountywa.gov/4805/Homeless-Management-Information-System-H

Client Assistance Funding Caps:

To maximize the number of households served and ensure equitable distribution of limited program resources, available per household on a first-come, first-serve basis, client assistance is capped at the funding limits identified below. The County reserves the right to establish, modify, increase, or decrease client assistance funding levels during the contract term to respond to available funding, community needs, program utilization, program performance, or system priorities.

The cumulative amount of assistance provided across all Eligible Spending Categories (Housing

Preservation and New Housing Placement) shall not exceed the following limits during a rolling 12-month period:

• 1–2 person households: up to $3,750.

• 3–4 person households: up to $5,000.

• 5+ person households: up to $6,500.

Eligible Client Assistance Spending Categories:

Housing Preservation

• Rental assistance, including rental arrears and associated fees.

• Utility assistance and utility arrears.

• Other eligible housing-related costs necessary to prevent displacement, including costs associated with code enforcement actions or disaster-related housing stabilization.

New Housing Placement

• Security deposits.

• Hotel or motel costs necessary to secure permanent housing.

• Landlord administrative fees.

• Pet fees.

• Rental application fees.

• Background and credit check fees.

• First and last month's rent.

• First month's renter's insurance premium and/or required insurance deposit.

Focus Populations and Targeted Outreach

Pierce County will assign one or more Focus Populations to each funded provider. Providers are expected to develop expertise in the populations they serve and work collaboratively with community organizations, public agencies, and other service providers to coordinate assistance, make and receive referrals, and connect households to the full range of resources available to help prevent homelessness.

The Focus Population model is intended to strengthen partnerships, improve access to specialized resources, and ensure households receive coordinated prevention services tailored to their needs while maintaining a balanced, countywide homelessness prevention system.

Focus populations include:

• Families with dependent children, including those identified under the McKinney-Vento Act.

• Households experiencing domestic violence.

• Households displaced or at risk of displacement due to code enforcement actions or emergency situations.

• Immigrants and refugees.

• Older adults (seniors).

• People with disabilities.

The County reserves the right to assign, modify, or reassign focus populations and outreach priorities during the contract term to respond to community needs, funding requirements, program performance, or system priorities.

1.4.3. Household Eligibility

A household may consist of one or more persons. To be eligible for assistance, the household must meet all of the following criteria:

1. Residency. The household resides in Pierce County.

2. Income. The household has a gross annual income at or below 50 percent of the Area Median

Income (AMI) for Pierce County.

3. Risk of Homelessness. The household is at imminent risk of homelessness. For purposes of this program, a household is considered at imminent risk if the household meets one or more of the

County eligibility criteria:

o Has moved two or more times during the 60 days immediately preceding the application due to economic hardship;

o Is temporarily living in the home of another person because of economic hardship;

o Has received notice that the right to occupy their current housing or living situation will terminate within 21 days of the date of application;

o Is living in a hotel or motel because the household lacks alternative adequate accommodations and is no longer able to pay the cost or the stay is no longer being paid by a charitable organization or Federal, State, or local government program;

o Is living in a single-room occupancy (SRO) or efficiency unit occupied by more than two persons, or in another housing unit with more than 1.5 persons per room; or o Is exiting a publicly funded institution or system of care and is at risk of homelessness upon exit.

4. Eviction Prevention Program Eligibility. The household is not eligible to receive assistance through the County's Eviction Prevention Program.

1.4.4. Eligible Costs

Eligible costs must be reasonable, necessary, and directly related to preventing homelessness, maintaining housing stability, or obtaining permanent housing. Please note that the Homeless Housing

Program Policies and Procedures provide additional details for eligible activities. Contracts are expected to know all funder requirements applicable to their projects.

Client Financial Assistance

• Rental assistance, including current rent, prorated rent, rental arrears, late fees, first month's rent, last month's rent, security deposits, and lot rent for manufactured homes or RVs.

• Utility assistance, including utility payments, utility arrears, and utility deposits.

• Housing-related fees necessary to obtain or maintain housing, including application fees, landlord administrative fees, background and credit check fees, renter's insurance, and other required occupancy costs.

• Temporary hotel or motel lodging when necessary to prevent homelessness and no appropriate shelter or housing alternative is immediately available. Hotel and motel assistance is limited to a maximum of 30 days per household.

• Housing stabilization expenses, including relocation assistance, code enforcement mitigation, landlord incentives, payment of housing-related debts necessary to obtain housing, legal expenses related to housing stability, and other County-approved housing stabilization costs.

• Household stabilization assistance directly related to maintaining or obtaining housing, including transportation assistance, employment-related expenses, minor safety improvements, essential household supplies, and other County-approved expenses necessary to resolve the housing crisis.

Program Operations

• Personnel costs, including salaries, wages, benefits, overtime, and payroll taxes for staff directly supporting the program.

• Housing stability services, housing search and placement, case management, intake and assessment, mediation, landlord engagement, outreach, and housing navigation.

https://docaccess.com/docviewer.html?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.piercecountywa.gov%2FDocumentCenter%2FView%2F113268%2FChapter-2---Prevention&url_hash=83a4a653168fdee5ea0d495c69206e137536ad794aae54b56c533223e2f05093&domain=piercecountywa.gov&found_on=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.piercecountywa.gov%2F7587%2FHomeless-Program-Policies https://docaccess.com/docviewer.html?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.piercecountywa.gov%2FDocumentCenter%2FView%2F113268%2FChapter-2---Prevention&url_hash=83a4a653168fdee5ea0d495c69206e137536ad794aae54b56c533223e2f05093&domain=piercecountywa.gov&found_on=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.piercecountywa.gov%2F7587%2FHomeless-Program-Policies

• HMIS and data collection, reporting, and program evaluation.

• Program operating expenses, including office space, utilities, communications, supplies, insurance, and technology necessary to administer the program.

• Training, professional development, and travel directly related to program delivery.

• Outreach materials and supplies.

• Equipment purchases necessary for program operations, subject to County approval.

Administrative Costs

Administrative costs that support the organization as a whole may include:

• Advertising & Communications

• Facilities Maintenance & Repairs

• Office Lease/Rent

• Insurance

• IT Support, Software, Computer Equipment

• Other Equipment

• Office & Operating Supplies

• Administrative Personnel Salaries & Benefits

• Professional Services (e.g., bookkeeping, audits)

• Utilities (including internet/phone, water, electricity, gas, etc.)

All amounts billed to administration by lead and subgrantees must be allowable, supported by actual costs, not double charged, and treated consistently in similar circumstances. Administrative expenses are limited to no more than 15% of the total direct program costs. Applicants must ensure that their proposed budgets reflect this cap on administrative spending.

Ineligible Expenses

Program funds may not be used for:

• Mortgage payments or homeowner assistance.

• Ongoing housing subsidy payments that are not directly related to preventing homelessness.

• Facility operating costs or rent attributed to units owned by the contractor.

• Construction, rehabilitation, or capital improvements, unless specifically authorized by Pierce

County.

• Encampment cleanup activities.

• Food or refreshments for staff, meetings, conferences, or community events, except limited outreach supplies approved by the County.

• Employee commuting costs between home and the employee's regular work location.

• Entertainment, gifts, or promotional items.

• Lobbying, political activities, fines, penalties, or legal settlements.

• Costs reimbursed through another funding source.

• Costs incurred outside the approved contract period unless expressly authorized by the County.

• Any expense that is not reasonable, necessary, adequately documented, or directly related to achieving program objectives.

• Any expense prohibited by federal, state, or local law or by County policy.

Financial Management and Internal Controls

Funded providers shall maintain written financial management procedures and internal controls sufficient to safeguard public funds and ensure that financial assistance is provided only to eligible households for eligible costs. At a minimum, these procedures shall address documentation requirements, eligibility verification, review and supervisory approval of assistance requests, payment processing, record retention, quality assurance, and other internal controls necessary to ensure compliance with program and contract requirements. At a minimum, providers shall:

• Verify household eligibility before authorizing financial assistance.

• Verify the identity of households and payees and maintain documentation supporting participant eligibility and all expenditures.

• Implement procedures to prevent duplicate assistance from multiple funding sources or providers.

• Maintain documentation demonstrating that each payment was necessary to obtain or maintain housing and was made in accordance with program requirements.

• Make payments directly to landlords, utility providers, vendors, contractors, or other third parties whenever practicable.

• Maintain accounting records and supporting documentation sufficient to permit financial reconciliation, monitoring, and audit.

• Immediately notify Pierce County of suspected fraud, misuse of funds, duplicate payments, falsified documentation, or other material program irregularities.

1.4.5. Performance Measures

Pierce County is moving to Performance Based Contracting, in alignment with Washington State

Department of Commerce and U.S. Housing and Urban Development. Performance Based Contracting allows funds to be utilized more strategically to meet the needs of the community and to drive continuous process improvement with all outcomes.

All funded projects are expected to meet or exceed the performance targets outlined below. The County will provide or publish monthly performance scorecards showing each project’s progress toward established measures. Projects will be formally reviewed at six-month intervals, beginning on the contract start date, to evaluate both performance outcomes and spending. Funding may be reallocated from lower-performing projects to projects demonstrating strong performance, effective service delivery, and timely expenditure of funds.

As part of Pierce County’s transition to a performance-based contracting model, all County-funded homeless service contracts will now be evaluated based on two key components determined by the priorities of Pierce County:

• Expenditure of Funds – 60% of total award.

• Progress Toward Performance Benchmarks – 40% of total award.

Projects that do not have qualifying data in HMIS (and therefore do not have data for a baseline performance) shall use the average performance of all similar projects as its baseline, until a unique baseline performance can be determined. For example, the average performance for each metric across all Prevention projects shall serve as the baseline for projects without qualifying data.

Performance targets are based on system-wide historical data and desired outcomes. If a project does not meet an established performance target, the project will be expected to meet the applicable growth benchmark, which are currently under development for the Homeless Prevention program, as the program is still in its early stages of implementation.

In alignment with the Greater Pierce County Continuum of Care, the County adopted the following performance targets for the resultant contracts:

Performance Measure Target Growth Benchmark

Exits to Permanent Housing 90% Under Development

HMIS Data Quality 95% Under Development

HMIS Timeliness 95% Under Development

Grant Spending Timeliness 100% Under Development

Corrective Action Plans

The County will review project performance against the contracted Statement of Work every six (6) months. If a contractor does not meet established performance targets or applicable growth benchmarks, the County may require the provider to develop and implement a Corrective Action Plan

(CAP). The CAP must be submitted to the County within 30 calendar days of notification and must clearly outline the specific actions, timelines, and strategies the provider will use to bring performance into compliance. Depending on the nature and severity of the performance concerns, the County may extend or shorten the timeframe for corrective action.

1.5. Minimum Qualifications

1.5.1. Proposer Eligibility

In order for an organization to be eligible to submit a proposal under this procurement, the organization must meet the following eligibility requirements:

A. Be one of the following:

o For-Profit o Non-Profit o Sole Proprietorship o Corporation/LLC/Partnership o City/County/State o Tribal Organization

B. Possesses a Washington State Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number.

C. Agrees that, if awarded funding under this RFP, Pierce County will assign one or more of the following Focus Populations to the organization during contract negotiations:

o Families with dependent children, including those identified under the McKinney-Vento Act;

o Households experiencing domestic violence;

o Households displaced or at risk of displacement due to code enforcement actions;

o Immigrants and refugees;

o Older adults (seniors); and o People with disabilities.

The assignment of one or more Focus Populations is at the sole discretion of Pierce County, and no applicant is guaranteed assignment to any particular population, including its highest-ranked preferences. Funding associated with assigned Focus Populations will be negotiated during contract development. Pierce County anticipates allocating approximately $20,000 for each assigned Focus

Population to support outreach, coordination, and specialized activities that is in addition to applicant’s project award. However, the final amount may be less than $20,000 per Focus Population based on the negotiated scope of work, available funding, the number of Focus Populations assigned, and County priorities.

1.6. Anticipated Contract Details and Expectations

1.6.1. Term

The initial period of performance of any contract resulting from this procurement is anticipated to begin on or around January 1, 2027 and end on December 31, 2027. Amendments extending the period of performance, if any, shall be at the sole discretion of the County. The County reserves the option to extend contracts for four additional terms of 12 months each, not to exceed a total contract duration of five years. However, no Contractor will be guaranteed an extension.

1.6.2. Value

The total value of this procurement is anticipated to be $1,100,000. The County anticipates awarding multiple contracts through this procurement. The County may award all, some, or none of the available funding based on the proposals received that, in the opinion of the County, is in the best interest of the

County.

The total funding available under this Request for Proposals (RFP) is limited and may be distributed among multiple providers. Applicants should request funding that reflects the scope of services they propose to provide. The County may adjust award amounts, budgets, or service expectations based on the proposal received that, in the opinion of the County, is in the best interests of the County.

1.6.3. Contract Expectations

Successful applicants must use Pierce County funding only after all other available and eligible funding sources, including private, state, and federal funds, have been pursued and billed first.

Additional federal, state, or local funds may become available during the contracting cycle and allocated through this solicitation. Funding may only be awarded for the same scope of services as described in this solicitation.

Any contract awarded as a result of this procurement is contingent upon the availability of funding. If funding is withdrawn, reduced, suspended, reallocated, or otherwise modified after contract execution, Pierce County may amend, renegotiate, withdraw funding from, or terminate the contract as necessary to reflect the available funding and applicable funding requirements and conditions.

Pierce County is moving toward a performance-based contracting approach. Performance measure data, as described in Section 1.4.5 of this solicitation, along with any additional performance outcomes or deliverables negotiated in the final contract agreement, may be used throughout the contract cycle to inform County decision-making.

1.7. Definitions

• “AMI” means Area Median Income as defined by the HUD.

• “Apparently Successful Proposer (ASP)” means a proposer selected as an entity to perform the anticipated services, subject to completion of contract negotiations and execution of a written contract.

• "Applicant," "Bidder," and "Proposer" mean an organization, agency or provider that submits a formal response to this procurement.

• "Application," "Bid," or "Proposal" mean a formal response to this solicitation.

• “CFR” means Code of Federal Regulations.

• “Client,” "Participant," "Household," or "Member" means an individual (or individuals) who receives services, or is eligible to receive services, under this procurement.

• “Contractor” means an individual or organization whose proposal has been accepted by the

County and has been awarded a fully executed, written contract.

• “CPEH” means Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness.

• “HMIS” means Homeless Management Information System.

• “Housing First” is a homeless assistance approach that prioritizes providing permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness, thus ending their homelessness and serving as a platform from which they can pursue personal goals and improve their quality of life.

• “HUD” means the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

• “PCHS” means the Pierce County Human Services Department.

• “Procurement” means the process by which the County obtains services.

• “Request for Proposal (RFP)” or "Solicitation" means this document and its attachments in which needed goods and/or services are identified and organizations are invited to provide information as to how they propose to meet the County's needs.

• “RCW” means Revised Code of Washington.

• “WAC” means Washington Administrative Code.

1.8. ADA

The County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Bidders should contact the RFP

Coordinator to request an accommodation.

https://endhomelessness.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Housing-First-Fact-Sheet_Aug-2022.pdf

2. General Information for Proposers

2.1. RFP Coordinator

The RFP Coordinator is the sole point of contact in the County for this procurement. All communications between the Proposer and the County upon release of this RFP shall be with the RFP Coordinator.

Anne Marie Edmunds

Procurement & Contract Specialist

Email: annemarie.edmunds@piercecountywa.gov

Phone: (253) 798-7456

Department:

Human Services

Until the County has completed the evaluation process and issued notices to Proposers, the following communication restrictions apply to this RFP:

• Proposers are to rely solely on written statements issued by the RFP Coordinator.

• Any communications other than written statements issued by the RFP Coordinator will be considered unofficial and non-binding on the County.

• Communication directed to parties other than the RFP Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Proposer.

2.2. Timeline

Proposal Release Date: August 10, 2026

Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-Mandatory): August 14, 2026, 1:00pm

Join Zoom Meeting https://piercecountywa.zoom.us/j/9469990491

Meeting ID: 946 9990 4918

One tap mobile

+12532050468,,94699904918# US

+12532158782,,94699904918# US (Tacoma) https://piercecountywa.zoom.us/j/94699904918 https://piercecountywa.zoom.us/j/94699904918

Question Submission & Concern Resolution

Request Deadline:

August 24, 2026, 4:30pm

Proposal Submission Deadline: August 31, 2026, 2:00pm

Evaluation Process Completion: October 9, 2026

Estimated Date of Notice to

Successful/Unsuccessful Proposer(s):

October 14, 2026

Deadline for Unsuccessful Proposers to Request a Debriefing:

Five business days after Date of Notice to

Unsuccessful Proposers

Hold Debriefing Conferences: October 22-23, 2026

Estimated Date of Contract Execution: January 1, 2027

The County reserves the right to revise the above timeline.

2.3. Procurement Documents and RFP Holder's List

PROPOSERS WHO REGISTER AND DOWNLOAD RFP DOCUMENTS will be automatically added to the

FOLLOWERS' list in the County's eProcurement Portal. Notifications for solicitation updates, addendum and other procurement information will be sent to all who register on the Pierce County eProcurement

Portal.

2.4. Questions and Answers

Proposers may submit questions through the County's eProcurement Portal, under the Question &

Answer Section, no later than 4:30 pm on the date set forth in Section 2.2. Proposers must be registered in the eProcurement Portal software to submit questions, receive addendums and notifications, and ultimately submit a proposal. Proposers may only rely on written statements issued by the County. Any oral communications are unofficial and are not binding on the County.

2.5. Pre-Proposal Meeting

A virtual or in-person Procurement Workshop will be conducted by Pierce County staff at the time, date, and location as indicated in the Procurement Schedule section of this RFP.

Pre-proposal meeting attendance is not required but is highly encouraged for all organizations considering a response to this solicitation. It is the County’s belief that attending the meeting will assist proposers in presenting the best possible request for funding. During the Pre-Proposal Meeting

Workshop, Pierce County staff will give an overview of the procurement, the procurement process, an overview of the requirements, and will also be available to answer questions and provide technical assistance. Please have the instruction/proposal packet available as well as any questions that the organization may have related to the procurement. The County will be bound only to written answers provided in response to questions. Questions arising during the Procurement Workshop will be documented and answered in the eProcurement Portal.

2.6. Submission of Proposals

2.6.1. Deadline

The proposal must be received by the time/date as indicated in Section 2.2.

2.6.2. Attachments

Follow instructions carefully - if attachments are provided under this solicitation, they are to be utilized as part of the proposal - do not replace or use the organization's own format, as the proposal may be deemed "non-responsive" or "not eligible."

2.6.3. Instructions

All proposals are evaluated on the completeness and quality of the content. Only those Proposers providing complete information as required will be considered for evaluation. The County will not contact the organization for correction of proposals and Proposers are strongly encouraged to carefully review their proposals for completeness and accuracy before submitting. For proposals to be considered responsive and move to the review process, the Proposer must, under Section 3, RFP Questionnaire:

• Acknowledge all required “confirmations.”

• Complete all required attachments, to include uploading any supplemental documents requested in attachments; and

• Submit the following materials as part of the proposal.

o Budget Worksheet_Prevention (Question 4.7)

2.6.4. Additional Resources/Helps

This section provides a curated list of help articles addressing common questions and challenges proposers may encounter during the Request for Proposal process. The resources below are intended to offer clear guidance, practical solutions, and relevant information to support a smooth and successful submission. Proposers are encouraged to review these materials as needed to better understand requirements, resolve issues, and navigate the process with confidence.

• Vendor Registration

• Following a Project

• Getting Started with Subscriptions

• How to Submit a Question in OpenGov

• How to Submit a Proposal Response in OpenGov

• How to Edit or Withdraw a Proposal after Submission in OpenGov https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/article/dceacbcf-203c-4b0d-aa57-550043bb0dc0 https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/article/82615c2a-a6e1-46ed-9b33-ec542acf013d https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/article/c7a5affa-e073-4d5a-8d87-b6eadcf343a9 https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/article/12c62371-147b-45f4-9bcd-cf2ce5f58259 https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/article/8e675a48-dad3-4759-9bae-6b4cb7970d21 https://opengov.my.site.com/support/s/article/4f4218bf-7da6-4fc6-b0c3-7eade0776ebe

2.6.5. Technical Assistance Available

Technical Assistance (TA) is available for this procurement for qualified small organizations. A small organization, for these purposes, is defined as having less than 20 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) staff and an operating budget less than $4 million in the fiscal year prior to applying. Interested organizations will need to fill out the attestation form here and Human Services staff will reach out shortly thereafter with instructions and next steps in selecting a TA provider. Please note that TA may be subject to funding availability and not all requests may be able to be funded.

2.6.6. Electronic Submissions Only

Only electronic submittal via the County's eProcurement Portal shall be accepted for this procurement.

No hard copies, emails, or fax submittals shall be accepted. The accepted forms of submitted materials are .pdf, png., jpeg., and MS Office formats such as docx. and xlsx.

2.6.7. Addenda & Notices

Applicants must acknowledge and confirm each addendum and notice issued under this solicitation. The system will not allow final submission unless all required confirmations are checked.

2.6.8. No Exceptions for Late Responses

Proposers should allow sufficient time to ensure timely receipt of the proposal by the County’s e-procurement System, OpenGov. Late responses will not be accepted and will be automatically disqualified. The County assumes no responsibility for delays caused by Proposer's technical related system errors.

2.6.9. County Property

All proposals and any accompanying documentation become the property of the County and will not be returned.

2.7. Public Records and Proprietary Material

• Organizations should be aware that any records they submit to the County or that are used by the County even if the organization possess the records, may be public records under the

Washington Public Records Act (RCW 42.56). The County must promptly disclose public records upon request unless a statute exempts them from disclosure. Organizations should also be aware that if even a portion of a record is exempt from disclosure, generally, the rest of the record must be disclosed. Exemptions are narrow and specific.

• Organizations should clearly mark any record they believe is exempt from disclosure.

2.8. Revisions to the RFP

In the event it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, addenda will be published in the

County's eProcurement Portal.

https://www.cognitoforms.com/PierceCounty2/SmallOrganizationAttestationFormForTechnicalAssistance

All amendments and notifications of cancellation shall be posted in the County's eProcurement Portal. If you did not receive this solicitation via the County’s eProcurement Portal, please register there to receive further notifications.

The County also reserves the right to amend or add to, retract from, or cancel this Procurement at any time, in whole or in part, and without penalty.

In the event of a conflict between amendments or between an amendment and this Solicitation

Document, the document issued latest in time shall control.

2.9. Responsiveness

All proposals will be reviewed by the RFP Coordinator to determine compliance with administrative requirements and instructions specified in this solicitation. The Proposer is specifically notified that the

County may reject or withdraw a proposal at any time as nonresponsive for any of the following reasons:

• Incomplete proposal,

• Failure to comply with any part of this solicitation or any Attachments to this procurement,

• Submission of incorrect, misleading, or false information.

The County also reserves the right, however, at its sole discretion to waive minor administrative irregularities, which are defined as variances which do not provide an applicant an advantage or benefit over other applicants.

2.10. Contract and General Terms & Conditions

The ASP will be expected to enter into a contract which is substantially the same as the Sample Contract and its General Terms and Conditions attached as Exhibit C. In no event is a Proposer to submit its own standard contract terms and conditions in response to this solicitation. If a Proposer has a concern regarding a certain General Term & Condition, they can raise the issue per the Questions and Answers section of this solicitation.

2.11. Costs to Prepare Proposal

The County will not be liable for any costs incurred by the Proposer in preparation of a proposal submitted in response to this RFP, in conduct of a presentation or interview, or any other activities related to responding to this RFP.

2.12. No Obligation to Contract

This RFP does not obligate the County to contract for services specified herein.

2.13. Rejection of Proposals

The County reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any and all proposals received without penalty and not to issue a contract as a result of this RFP.

2.14. Most Favorable Terms

The County reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the proposal submitted. Therefore, the proposal should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms which the

Proposer can offer. There will be no best and final offer procedure.

The ASP should be prepared to accept this RFP for incorporation into a contract resulting from this

RFP. Contract negotiations may incorporate some or all of the Proposer’s proposal. It is understood that the proposal will become a part of the official procurement file on this matter without obligation to the County.

2.15. Concern Resolution Process

This procedure is available to potential Proposers who are contemplating submitting a proposal in response to this RFP. Only Concern Resolution submissions (Submissions) concerning the following subjects shall be considered:

• A claim that the solicitation unnecessarily restricts competition.

• A claim the solicitation evaluation or scoring process is unfair or flawed, or

• A claim the solicitation requirements are inadequate or insufficient to prepare a response.

Proposers submitting a concern about this procurement shall follow the procedures described below. Submissions that do not follow these procedures shall not be considered. If a Proposer registers a concern against this solicitation, the issue(s) cannot be raised again during the protest period.

All submissions must be in writing and signed by the submitting party or an authorized Agent. The submission must be sent to the Procurement Coordinator, or designee, and needs to be received no later than 4:30 pm, local time, Tacoma, WA, per Section 2.2 Timeline, and must clearly articulate the basis for the submission. The Proposer submitting a concern must also include a proposed remedy.

Upon receipt of a submission, a submission review will be held by the County. The RFP coordinator will respond to submissions in writing and the Finance & Enterprise Services Department Director will be notified of all submissions and provided a copy of the County’s response. A copy of the response to the submission, including any changes to the solicitation, will also be posted in County's eProcurement

Portal.

The concern resolution process does not include an appeal process.

2.16. Cooperative Purchasing

The Washington State Interlocal Cooperation Act, Ch. 39.34 RCW, authorizes public agencies to cooperatively purchase goods and services if all parties agree. By responding to this RFP, Consultants agree that other public agencies may purchase goods and services under this procurement or contract at their own cost and without Pierce County incurring any financial or legal liability for such purchases.

Pierce County agrees to allow other public agencies to purchase goods and services under this procurement or contract, provided that Pierce County is not held financially or legally liable for purchases and that any public agency purchasing under such procurement or contract file a copy of this invitation and such contract in accordance with RCW 39.34.040.

2.17. Title VI Compliance

Pierce County, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to

2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of

Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises as defined at 49 CFR Part 26 will be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

3. RFP Questionnaire

3.1. Administrative, Organization, Threshold Review and Proposal Questions

1. Administrative Questions

1.1. Proposer Confirmation*

As an authorized representative of the Proposer, having carefully examined the Request for Proposals, propose to furnish services in accordance therewith as set forth in the attached proposal.

I further agree that this proposal will remain in effect for not less than sixty (60) calendar days from the date that proposals are due, and that this proposal may not be withdrawn or modified during that time.

I hereby certify that this proposal is genuine and not a false or collusive proposal, or made in the interests or on behalf of any person not therein named; and I have not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any Contractor or supplier on the above work to put in a false proposal or any person or corporation to refrain from submitting a proposal; and that I have not in any manner sought by collusion to secure to myself an advantage over any other contractor(s) or person(s).

In order to induce the County to consider this proposal, the Proposer irrevocably waives any existing rights which it may have, by contract or otherwise, to require another person or corporation to refrain from submitting a proposal to or performing work or providing supplies to Pierce County, and Proposer further promises that it will not in the future directly or indirectly induce or solicit any person or corporation to refrain from submitting a response or proposal to or from performing work or providing supplies to Pierce County.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

1.2. Ownership and Copyright of Submitted Materials*

By submitting a proposal, I agree that all documents, reports, proposals, submittals, working papers, or other materials prepared by the Proposer pursuant to this proposal shall become the sole and exclusive property of the County, and the public domain, and not property of the Proposer. The Proposer shall not copyright, or cause to be copyrighted, any portion of items submitted to the County in response to this procurement.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

1.3. Supplemental Attachment Confirmation*

I confirm I have reviewed the content of the following attachments included under this RFP: Sample

Agreement and any other documents as identified as "sample" in the Attachments section and acknowledge I understand and agree to these requirements should my organization receive a contract as a result of this proposal.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

1.4. Insurance Requirements*

By submitting a proposal, I understand and agree that if awarded funding from this RFP, the organization must be able to meet all insurance requirements based on services being purchased, prior to contract execution, and types of insurances may include, but are not limited to:

• Commercial General Liability Insurance: Required on all contracts. Standard levels are $1M occurrence/$2M aggregate (may be higher/lower, depending on value of contract and type of service).

• Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance: Required when the Contractor uses owned, rented, or leased automobiles to complete the services as required per the contract. Higher coverages may be required for fleet/large passenger vehicles.

• Workers Compensation Insurance: As required by Washington State.

• Professional Liability or Errors and Omissions Insurance: If the Contractor provides services such as analysis, consulting, counseling, daycare, legal, medical, nursing, pastoral, medical, or other services that require professional licensing.

• Abuse and Molestation: If the Contractor will be working directly with youth under the age of

18, elderly, disabled or other vulnerable populations.

• Cyber/Privacy and Security Insurance: If the Contractor is doing work that could give the

Contractor access to personal or sensitive information from within the County's network or on the Contractor's personal computer, or lead to breaches of security, leading to a loss of privacy or identity theft.

• Crime/Employee Dishonesty Insurance: If the Contractor is in the custody or control of Pierce

County funds such as cash, credit cards, checks or physical property.

• Other insurance(s) applicable to services being purchased: Such as Excess or Umbrella Liability

Insurance if the contract is in excess of $500,000.

In addition:

• Pierce County shall be named as an "Additional Insured" which must be provided in the insurance endorsement; and

• Insurance requirements also apply to any subcontractors hired by the main Contractor to deliver services, where applicable.

Please see "Exhibit D" in the SAMPLE AGREEMENT under attachments to see full insurance requirements. If you have questions regarding insurance requirements, please submit them through the “Question & Answer” section of the RFP.

☐ Please confirm

1.5. Debarment Certification*

As an authorized representative of the Proposer, I certify to the best of my knowledge and belief that the organization and its principals:

A. Are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal department or agency;

B. Have not within a three-year period preceding this proposal been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (Federal, State, or local) transaction or contract under a public transaction; violation of Federal or State antitrust statutes or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property;

C. Are not presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a government entity

(Federal, State, or local) with commission of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (1)(b) of this certification; and

D. Have not within a three-year period preceding this proposal had one or more public…