CITY_OF_NEWARK_-_PROGRAM_YEAR_2026_-_2027_EMERGENCY_SOLUTIONS_GRANT_(ESG)_GRANT_-_REQUEST_FOR_PROPOSALS.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

2026 - HUD ESG RFP - 01

CITY OF NEWARK - PROGRAM YEAR 2026 - 2027 EMERGENCY

SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG) GRANT - REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

City of Newark

47-63 Green Street, 1st Level

Newark, NJ 07102

RELEASE DATE: July 13, 2026

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: August 21, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: August 31, 2026, 10:30 am

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/newarknj https://secure.procurenow.com/portal/%7bproject.government.code%7d

City of Newark

CITY OF NEWARK - PROGRAM YEAR 2026 - 2027 EMERGENCY

SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG) GRANT - REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

I. Legal Notice II. Introduction

III. Instruction to Proposers IV. RFP Standard Information V. Proposer Qualifications

VI. Project Details VII. Evaluation Criteria

VIII. Vendor Submissions

Attachments:

A - W-9 (March2024)

B - Federal Debarment Form

Request for Proposals #2026 - HUD ESG RFP - 01 Title: CITY OF NEWARK - PROGRAM YEAR 2026 - 2027 EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG) GRANT - REQUEST

FOR PROPOSALS

1. Legal Notice

2. Introduction

2.1. Summary

The City of Newark, NJ will receive RFP responses via the City's e-Procurement Portal for 2026 - HUD ESG

RFP - 01, CITY OF NEWARK - PROGRAM YEAR 2026 - 2027 EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG) GRANT

- REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. RFP responses will be received until 10:30 am on Monday, August 31, 2026 and then publicly opened and read aloud. Any proposal received after 10:30 am shall not be accepted in the OpenGov system.

The City of Newark, Department of Health and Community Wellness, Office of Homeless Services

(OHS) is now accepting proposals from Newark organizations for inclusion in the City’s 2026-2027

HUD Entitlement Programs. The Request for Proposals (RFP) process will commence on Monday, July 13, 2026, and end on Friday August 21, 2026. Proposals MUST be submitted via the City’s electronic procurement system, Open Gov no later than Monday, August 31, 2026, at 10:30 a.m.

Only electronic proposals shall be accepted.

NOTE: It is important to note that this process should be completed well in advance of the bid deadline / bid opening. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE. The City's electronic procurement portal will not allow electronic bids to be submitted once the deadline has passed, even if you've already started the process. The deadline is based on the countdown timer found on the OpenGov bid submission page.

2.2. Background

CITY OF NEWARK

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND COMMUNITY WELLNESS

OFFICE OF HOMELESS SERVICES

EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANTS PROGRAM*

PROGRAM YEAR 2026-2027

TO IMPLEMENT ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES PURSUANT TO THE MCKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS ACT;

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND RAPID TRANSTION TO HOUSING (HEARTH) ACT OF 2009 AN THE

U.S DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PRINCIPALLY LOW-

INCOME NEWARK RESIDENTS, WHO ARE AT RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS AND THOSE

INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOMELESS.

THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUBMITTING A RESPONSE TO THIS RFP ON OR BEFORE THE TIME AND

DATE SPECIFIED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS IS SOLELY AND COMPLETELY THAT OF THE PROPOSER.

THE CITY OF NEWARK, OFFICE OF HOMELESS SERVICES WILL IN NO WAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

DELAYS OR LOSSES CAUSED BY THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE OR ANY OTHER OCCURRENCE.

*This ESG RFP will also be used to solicit proposals for the reprogramming of any prior year funds.

2.3. Contact Information

Project Contact:

Keisha Murphy

Project Director/Grants monitor

110 William Street

110 William Street

Newark, NJ 07102

Email: murphyk@ci.newark.nj.us

Phone: (973) 733-4479

Procurement Contact:

Keisha Murphy

Project Director/Grants monitor

110 William Street

110 William Street

Newark, NJ 07102

Email: murphyk@ci.newark.nj.us

Phone: (973) 733-4479

Department:

Administration

Department Head:

Eric Pennington

Business Administrator

2.4. Timeline

RFP Release July 13, 2026

Pre-Bid/Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-

Mandatory)

July 29, 2026, 11:00am

Council Chambers

Question Submission Deadline August 21, 2026, 5:00pm mailto:murphyk@ci.newark.nj.us tel:(973)733-4479 mailto:murphyk@ci.newark.nj.us tel:(973)733-4479

Submission Deadline August 31, 2026, 10:30am

3. Instruction to Proposers

3.1. Project Overview

The City seeks Proposals from qualified individuals or organizations with experience providing CITY OF

NEWARK - PROGRAM YEAR 2026 - 2027 EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG) GRANT - REQUEST FOR

PROPOSALS

3.2. Contract Term.

The contract term is one year - January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026.

3.3. Single Point of Contact.

From the date this RFP is issued until a proposer is selected and the selection is announced by the

Purchasing Agent, proposers may not communicate with any City staff, commissioners or officials regarding this procurement, except at the direction of the Purchasing Agent in charge of the solicitation.

Any unauthorized contact may disqualify the proposer from further consideration. Contact information for the single point of contact can be found in the #Introduction.

3.4. Review RFP.

Proposers should carefully review all instructions, mandatory requirements, specifications, standard terms and conditions set out in this RFP and promptly notify the Purchasing Agent identified above in writing of any ambiguity, inconsistency , unduly restrictive specifications, or error which they discovered upon examination of this RFP. This should include any terms or requirements within the RFP that either preclude the proposer from responding to this RFP or add unnecessary cost.

This notification must be accompanied by an explanation and suggested modification and be received by the deadline for receipt of inquires set forth below. The City will make any final determination of changes to the RFP.

3.5. Form of Questions.

Proposers with questions or requiring clarification or interpretation of any section within this RFP must address these questions in writing, via the ProcureNow Question/Answer Tab via the City's e-

Procurement portal, on or before, Friday, August 21, 2026 by 5:00 pm. Each question must provide clear reference to the section, page, and item in question. Questions received after the deadline may not be considered. All questions submitted and answers provided shall be electronically distributed to bidders following this solicitation on the City's e-Procurement Portal.

3.6. City Response.

The City will provide written answers to proposers’ questions. Any other form of interpretation, correction, or change to this RFP will not be binding.

3.7. Pre-Proposal Conference

No pre-proposal conference is scheduled.

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/newarknj/projects/270065/document?section=2602401

3.8. Acceptance of Standard Terms and Conditions/Contract.

By submitting a response to this RFP, proposer agrees to acceptance of the standard terms and conditions as set out in this RFP. Much of the language included in the standard terms and conditions reflects requirements of New Jersey law. Requests for additions or exceptions to the standard terms and conditions including any necessary licenses, or any added provisions must be submitted via the e-

Procurement Portal by the date for receipt of written questions and must be accompanied by an explanation of why the exception is being sought and what specific effect it will have on the proposer’s ability to respond to the RFP or perform the contract. Any material exceptions requested and granted to the standard terms and conditions language will be addressed in any formal written addendum issued for this RFP and will apply to all proposers submitting a response to this RFP. The City will make any final determination of changes to the standard terms and conditions.

3.9. Resulting Contract.

This RFP and any addenda, the proposer’s RFP response, including any amendments and any clarification question responses, shall be included in any resulting contract. The City’s contract contains the contract terms and conditions which will form the basis of any contract between the City and the selected proposer. In the event of a dispute as to the duties and responsibilities of the parties under this contract, the contract, along with any attachments prepared by the City, will govern in the same order of precedence as listed in the contract.

3.10. Mandatory Requirements.

To be eligible for consideration, a proposer must meet the intent of all mandatory requirements. The

City will determine whether a proposer’s RFP response complies with the intent of the requirements.

RFP responses that do not meet the full intent of all requirements listed in this RFP may be subject to point reductions during the evaluation process or may be deemed non-responsive.

3.11. Understanding of Specifications and Requirements.

By submitting a response to this RFP, proposer agrees to an understanding of and compliance with the specifications and requirements described in this RFP.

3.12. Proposer’s Signature.

The proposals must be submitted by an individual authorized to legally bind the business submitting the proposal. The proposer’s submission of a proposal in response to this RFP guarantees that the offer bas been established without collision and without effort to preclude the City from obtaining the best possible supply or service. Proof of authority of the person signing the RFP response must be furnished upon request.

3.13. Offer in Effect for sixty (60) Days.

A proposal may not be modified, withdrawn or canceled by the proposer for a sixty (60) day period following the deadline for proposal submission as defined in the Schedule of Events and proposer agrees in submitting the proposal.

3.14. Pay-to-Play Disclosure.

Business entities are advised of their responsibility to file an annual disclosure statement of political contributions with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) pursuant to N.J.S.A.

19:44A-20.27, if they receive contracts in excess of $50,000.00 from public entities in a calendar year.

Business entities are responsible for determining if filing is necessary. Additional information on this requirement is available from ELEC at 888-313-3532 or www.elec.state.nj.us.

3.15. Submitting a Proposal.

A. Content of Proposal. Proposer should address all requests for information and qualifications set forth in this RFP.

B. Failure to Comply with Instructions. Proposers failing to comply with the instructions in this RFP may be subject to point deductions.

C. Copies Required and Deadline for Receipt of Proposals. Proposers must submit one (1) proposal to the City via the e-Procurement Portal prior to 10:30 am on Monday, August 31, 2026.

D. Late Proposals. Regardless of cause, late proposals will not be accepted and will automatically be disqualified from further consideration. It shall be the proposer’s sole risk to assure submission by the designated time. Late proposals will not be accepted in ProcureNow system.

3.16. Cost of Preparing a Proposal.

A. City Not Responsible for Preparation Costs. The costs for developing and delivering responses to this RFP and any subsequent presentations of the proposal as requested by the City are entirely the responsibility of the proposer. The City is not liable for any expense incurred by the proposer in the preparation and presentation of their proposal or any other costs incurred by the proposer prior to execution of a contract.

B. All Timely Submitted Materials Become City Property. All materials submitted in response to this

RFP becomes the property of the City.

4. RFP Standard Information

4.1. Authority

This RFP is issued under the authority of the City of Newark. The RFP process is a procurement option allowing the award to be based on the attached Evaluation Criteria. No other evaluation criteria, other than as outlined in the RFP, will be used.

4.2. Proposer Competition

The City encourages free and open competition among proposers. Whenever possible, the City will design specifications, proposal requests, and conditions to accomplish this objective, consistent with the necessity to satisfy the City’s need to procure technically sound, cost-effective services and supplies.

4.3. Public Information

All information received in response to this RFP, including copyrighted material, subject to public disclosure and may be made available for public viewing after the time for receipt of proposals has passed with the following four exceptions: (1) bona fide trade secrets meeting the requirements of the

Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Title 30, chapter 14, part 4, MCA, that have been properly marked, separated, and documented; (2) matters involving individual safety as determined by the City; (3) any company financial information requested by the City to determine vendor responsibility, unless prior written consent has been given by the proposer and (4) other constitutional protections, or as otherwise not subject to disclosure according to OPRA guidelines.

4.4. Purchasing Agent Review of Proposals

Upon opening the proposals received in response to this RFP, the Purchasing Agent in charge of the solicitation will review the proposals and separate out any information that meets the referenced exceptions in Section 2.2.1 above, providing the following conditions have been met:

• Confidential information is clearly marked and separated from the rest of the proposal.

• The proposal does not contain confidential material in the cost or price section.

• An affidavit from a proposer’s legal counsel attesting to and explaining the validity of any trade secret claim asserted by the proposer.

Information separated out under this process will be available for review only by the Purchasing Agent, the evaluation committee members, and limited other designees. Proposers must be prepared to pay all legal costs and fees associated with defending a claim for confidentiality in the event of an open public records request from another party.

4.5. Initial Classification of Proposals as Responsive or Non-Responsive

All proposals will initially be classified as either “responsive” or “non-responsive.” Proposals may be found non-responsive any time during the evaluation process if any of the required information is not provided; the submitted price is found to be excessive or inadequate as measured by attached

Evaluation Criteria; or the proposal is not within the plans and specifications described and required in the RFP. If a proposal is found to be non-responsive, it may be subject to point deductions.

4.6. Determination of Responsibility

The City will determine whether a proposer has met the standards of responsibility. Such a determination may be made at any time during the evaluation process if information surfaces that would result in a determination of non-responsibility. If a proposer is found non-responsive, the determination must be in writing, made a part of the procurement file and mailed to the affected proposer.

4.7. Evaluation of Proposals

The City will evaluate the proposals and recommend whether to award the contract to the firm determined to best meet the needs of the City or, if necessary, to seek discussion in order to determine the firm to be selected. All responsive proposals will be evaluated based on stated evaluation criteria.

The City may consider such factors as accepted industry standards and a comparative evaluation of all other qualified RFP responses in terms of differing quality and contractual factors. These will be used to determine the most advantageous offering to the City.

4.8. Completeness of Proposals

Selection and award will be based on the proposer’s proposal and other items outlined in this RFP.

Submitted responses may not include references to information located elsewhere, such as internet websites or libraries, unless specifically requested. Information or materials presented by proposers outside the formal response or subsequent discussion may not be considered.

4.9. Opportunity for Discussion and/or Oral Presentation/Product Demonstration

After receipt of all proposals and prior to the determination of the award, the City may initiate discussions with one or more proposers should clarification be necessary. Proposers may also be required to make an oral presentation and/or product demonstration to clarify their RFP response or to further define their offer. In either case, proposers should be prepared to send qualified personnel to the City of Newark to discuss technical and contractual aspects of the proposal. Oral presentations/demonstrations, if requested, shall be at the proposer’s expense.

4.10. Contract Award

Contract awards, if any, will be made to the proposer who the City determines who best can provide the services required and provides all required documents. Formal contracts incorporating this RFP, including attachments hereto, and the selected proposals, will be executed by all parties

4.11. Termination of Contract

The City reserves the right to terminate any contract entered into as a result of this RFP provided written notice has been given to the proposer at least thirty (30) days prior to such proposed termination date.

4.12. Excise and Sales Tax

The prices herein shall not include any Federal or Excise Taxes of Sales Tax imposed by any state or municipal government. All taxes must be deducted from prices quoted and must be shown separately under items where applicable. The City will not furnish Federal Tax Exemption certificates unless the tax is shown separately. The City's purchase order (Vendor's Copy) will serve as the State Tax Exemptions

Form.

4.13. Tariffs Surcharges

1. All applicable tariffs’ fees must be clearly itemized and supported by official documentation from the corresponding regulatory authority, for example the United States International Trade Commission, The Department of Commerce and the like.

2. The City shall not pay surcharges beyond tariffs’ fees established by regulatory agencies or guidelines.

3. Vendors must comply with all applicable tariffs regulations and provide proof of adherence upon request.

4.14. Statutes and Ordinance

No officer, or employee, elected or appointed in any municipality shall be interested directly, or indirectly, in any contract or job for work or materials, or the profits thereof, or services to be furnished or performed for such municipality (R.S. 40:69A 163 Chap.210--P.L. 1950).

Pursuant to P.L. 1971, c. 198 (40A:11-18) the proposer must agree to comply with the provision of

American goods and products to be used where possible.

On all contracts for public works, the respondent must comply with the provisions of R.S. 34:11-56, et.

seq., which law provides that laborers, workers and mechanics while engaged on work under the contract shall work not more than eight hours in any one day, except as otherwise provided for in said statute, and that the prevailing rate of daily wages in the locality where the work is performed shall be paid to the mechanics, workmen and laborers engaged in the work under the contract. It is understood and agreed by the Contractor that, in addition to the abovementioned provision, the said Contractor will obey and comply with the Laws of the State of New Jersey, and in the event said Contractor shall violate the provisions of New Jersey State Statutes Annotated, R.S. 34:11-56, and Chapter 213, Public Laws of the State of New Jersey 1962, or any other statutes of the State of New Jersey, then this contract shall be voided at the option of the City of Newark. The Contractor shall pay to all mechanics, workmen and laborers employed in the work contained under this contract the prevailing rate of wages pursuant to the provisions of New Jersey Statutes Annotated; R.S. 34:11-56 and shall further comply with all of the provisions of New Jersey Statutes Annotated; R.S. 34:11-56. The Contractor further agrees that he shall comply with Chapter 213, Public Laws of the State of New Jersey 1962. The provisions of same shall be considered part of these specifications. It is further understood and agreed that all labor employed by the Contractor on this project shall be such as will work with other trades employed on the project so that there will be no dissension between trades. All labor employed on this project shall conform to local labor Union practices.

Pursuant to Revised Statutes 10:2-1 et seq., Respondent agrees that:

• In the hiring of persons for the performance of work under this contract or any subcontract hereunder, or for the procurement, manufacture, assembling or furnishing of any such materials, equipment, supplies or services to be acquired under this contract, no contractor, nor any person acting on behalf of such contractor or subcontractor, shall, by reason of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, gender identity or expression, affectional or sexual orientation or sex, discriminate against any person who is qualified and available to perform the work to which the employment relates.

• No contractor, subcontractor, nor any person on his behalf shall, in any manner, discriminate against or intimidate any employee engaged in the performance of work under this contract or any subcontract hereunder, or engaged in the procurement, manufacture, assembling or furnishing of any such materials, equipment, supplies or services to be acquired under such contract, on account of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, gender identity or expression, affectional or sexual orientation or sex.

• There may be deducted from the amount payable to the contractor by the contracting public agency, under this contract, a penalty of $ 50.00 for each person for each calendar day during which such person is discriminated against or intimidated in violation of the provisions of the contract.

• This contract may be canceled or terminated by the contracting public agency, and all money due or to become due hereunder may be forfeited, for any violation of this section of the contract occurring after notice to the contractor from the contracting public agency of any prior violation of this section of the contract.

• This contract may be canceled or terminated by the City of Newark, and all money due or becomes due hereunder may be forfeited, for a second or any subsequent violation of the terms or conditions of this section of the contract.

All contracts and purchases of materials and supplies are subject to the provisions of Section 2:4-14 of the City Administration Code, Revised Ordinances of the City of Newark, New Jersey, which follows:

(a) All contracts hereafter made by or on behalf of the City of Newark or any of its departments or subdivisions with any corporation, person or persons for the performance of any kind of work or the sale, furnishing or delivery of any material or supplies of any nature shall contain a provision that the laborers, workers and mechanics engaged in said work or in the manufacture, sale or delivery of said material or supplies shall not work more than eight hours in any one day while so engaged; and that the said laborers, workers and mechanics shall be paid the prevailing rate of wages for the type of work to be done in the territory in which it is to be performed; and shall contain a further provision that the violation of the foregoing provision shall constitute a breach of the Contract, and that the said foregoing provision shall be considered to be a contractor for the benefit of said workers, laborers and mechanics upon which said laborers, workers and mechanics shall have the right to maintain action for the difference between the prevailing rate of wages and the wages actually received by them; and all such contracts shall contain the further provision that in case any dispute arises as to the amount of the prevailing rate of wage, said dispute shall be referred to the Commissioner of Labor of the State or to such person as will be designated by said Commissioner of Labor as an arbitrator to settle said dispute, the parties to be bound by decision of such arbitrator.

(b) All advertisements for Request for Proposals and all specifications in pursuance of any law requiring the advertisement for Request for Proposals shall include specific reference to this section.

4.15. City’s Rights Reserved

While the City has every intention to award contracts as a result of this RFP, issuance of the RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the City to award and execute any contract. Upon a determination that such action would be in its best interest, the City, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to cancel or terminate this RFP; reject any or all proposals received in response to this RFP; waive any undesirable, inconsequential, or inconsistent provisions of this RFP which would not have significant impact on any proposal; not award if it is in the best interest of the City not to proceed with contract execution; or if awarded, terminate any contract if the City determines adequate funds are not available.

4.16. Non-Discrimination in Employment

The proposer shall agree to comply with all Federal and State legislation and regulations governing Fair

Employment Practice, including but not limited to Title VI of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, Executive

Order 11246 September 1965 and the rules, regulations and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.

No employee of the City of Newark or a member of the immediate family of an employee of the City of

Newark may submit a proposal for this contract, nor should an employee of the City of Newark be an employee of the contractor submitting a proposal on this contract.

4.17. Indemnification and Insurance

The proposer shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless all City members and agents of the City against claims, demands, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) without limitation, and claims of personal or bodily injury or death. The proposer shall maintain for the duration of the contract, at its own expense, insurance as required in the Scope of Work.

4.18. Primary Insurance

The bidder’s insurance coverage shall be primary insurance with respect to the City of Newark, its officers, officials, employees, volunteers and program participants and shall apply separately to each project or location. Any insurance or self-insurance maintained by the city of Newark, its officers, officials, employees, volunteers and program participants shall be excess of the bidder/vendor’s insurance.

4.19. Additional Insured Status

The City of Newark is to be listed as additional insured for liability arising out of activities performed by or on behalf of the bidder/vendor. This can be achieved by providing (A) and (B) below:

A. The following language on the face of the insurance certificate: The City of Newark is included as additional insured.

B. Provide the City with a copy of the Additional Insured Broad Endorsement Form.

4.20. Worker’s Compensation Insurance

Workers Compensation insurance shall be maintained in full force during the life of the contract, covering all employees engaged in performance of the contract pursuant to N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(a) and

N.J.A.C. 12:235-1.6.

4.21. General Liability Insurance

Special Provisions for All Awarded Proposals

A. Letter/Certificate from NJ Attorney General Confirming Charitable Registration

Subrecipients are required to provide a copy of the Letter/Certificate issued by the State of

New Jersey Attorney General confirming charitable registration.

B. Certificate of Insurance (Required Coverage and Endorsement)

If the organization is selected as a sub-recipient, the organization becomes a sub-recipient and must provide a certificate of insurance from an insurer with a Best’s rating of no less than

A- indicating compliance with the required coverage to the City of Newark. The SUB-RECIPIENT must notify the CITY immediately, of any material change in insurance coverage, such as changes in limits, coverage, change in status of policy, etc. As part of the certificate of insurance submission a broad endorsement form/additional insured endorsement form that lists the City of Newark as additional ensured must also be included (see Appendix 2 for an example of the form). The CITY reserves the right to require complete copies of insurance policies at all times.

A. General Requirements: The SUB-RECIPIENT shall maintain for the duration of the contracts, at its cost and expense, insurance against claims for injuries to persons or damages to property, including contractual liability, which may arise from or in connection with the performance of the work by the SUB-RECIPIENT, it agents, employees, representatives, assigns or subcontractors. This insurance shall cover such claims as may be caused by any negligent act or omission and shall be in the amounts of

$1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate.

B. Primary Insurance: The SUB-RECIPIENT’S insurance coverage shall be primary insurance as respect to the CITY, its officers, officials, employees, agents, and representatives shall apply separately to each project or location. Any insurance or self-insurance maintained by the CITY, its officers, officials, employees or volunteers shall be in excess of the SUB-

RECIPIENT’S insurance and shall not contribute with it.

C. Workers Compensation Insurance: The SUB-RECIPIENT shall maintain for the duration of the contract, at its cost and expense, Workers Compensation Insurance in the statutory amounts pursuant to N.J.S.A. 34 et seq.

D. Additional Insured Status: The CITY must be listed as additional insured for liability arising out of activities performed by or on behalf of the SUB-RECIPIENT. As part of the certificate of insurance submission a broad endorsement form/additional insured endorsement form that lists the City of Newark as additional ensured must also be included (see Appendix 2 for an example of the form).

E. Special Conditions: The insurer must indicate on the Certificate of Insurance that it agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City of Newark, NJ its agents, servants, and administrators from any and all complaints arising out of work or duties to be performed under this contract between the City of Newark and the SUB-RECIPIENT.

F. Amounts: All insurance shall be written up for the following limits of liability:

Bodily Injury Liability Insurance: $1,000,000.00 each person

$1,000,000.00 each occurrence

Property Damage Liability Insurance: $1,000,000.00 each person

Professional Liability: $1,000,000.00

4.22. Other Provisions

1. Both parties agree to comply with all requirements of the Federal Health Insurance Portability and

Accountability act of 1996 (“HIPPA”) as may be amended from time to time, and the corresponding

HIPPA regulations for the confidentiality and security of medical information. If awarded the bid, the contract shall:

• Not share or disclose protected health information other than as permitted or required by law

• Use appropriate safeguards to protect the confidentiality of the information

• Report any use or disclosure not permitted

Proposer, by execution of the contract, shall thereby indemnify and hold the City of Newark harmless from any and all liabilities, claims, actions, costs and penalties which may be incurred as the result of the failure of the contractor to comply with the requirements of HIPPA or any other statute or case law protecting the privacy of persons using its services.

2. The City of Newark shall retain all of its rights and interest in any and all documents and property both hard copy and digital furnished by the City to the successful proposer (contractor) for the purpose of assisting the contractor in the performance of the contract. None of the documents and/or property shall, without the written consent of the City, be disclosed to others or used by the contractor or permitted by the contractor to be used by their parties at any time except in the performance of the resulting contract.

3. Award of any contract pursuant to these specifications shall in all cases be subject to availability of funds duly appropriated for these purposes. Any contract as awarded shall immediately cease to be in effect at such time as funds cease to be available for these purposes.

4. Proposers shall comply with the applicable regulations of the Secretary of Labor, United States

Department of Labor, made pursuant to the so-called "Anti- Kickback Act" of June 13, 1934 (48 Stat.

948:62 State. 862; title 18 U.S.C., Sec 874; and Title 40 U.S.C. Section 276c) and any amendments or modifications thereto.

5. Proof of licensure for any activity regulated by the State of New Jersey and required to do the work required under this specification, for either the firm or the person responsible for the work, shall be provided as required by the City of Newark.

4.23. Payment Terms

Although total contract costs will not be the determining factor, budget or allocations of funds will be considered.

• For the Services set forth in the Scope of Work, the Proposer shall submit a Rate Schedule for services related to the Proposal (cost details), including the hourly rate of each of the individuals who will be performing the services.

• The Proposer shall be paid hourly rates for typical classification of personnel for the program.

The Proposer shall provide with its statement of qualifications a list of all persons anticipated to provide work on the contract and their job classifications.

• The Proposer shall submit a detailed invoice, including hours of work performed, rates and disbursements, including incidental costs. Proposer shall execute the standard City purchase order as a requirement for payment.

5. Proposer Qualifications

5.1. References

Proposers shall provide a minimum of three (3) references that are using services of the type proposed in this RFP. The references may include the state, county government or municipalities where the proposer, preferably within the last three (3) years, has successfully completed three (3) contracts of this type. At a minimum, the proposer shall provide the entities name, the location where the services were provided, contact person(s), contact’s position, customer’s telephone number, a complete description of the service type, dates the services were provided, and cost of services. These references may be contacted to verify proposer’s ability to perform the contract. The City reserves the right to use any information or additional references deemed necessary to establish the ability of the proposer to perform the conditions of the contract.

5.2. Resumes/Company Profile and Experience

Proposer shall specify how long the individual/company submitting the proposal has been in the business of providing services similar to those requested in this RFP and under what company name. A resume or summary of qualifications, work experience, education, skills, etc., which emphasizes previous experience in this area should be provided for all key personnel who will be involved with any aspects of the contract.

5.3. Detail and Supporting Documentation

Contractor will provide sufficient detail, information, supporting documentation or examples of the following:

• Name of Individual assigned primary responsibility for the project.

• Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of anticipated sub-contractors.

• Organization’s experience with governmental agencies: Federal, State, County, and Local.

• Detail experience in administering similar projects. Explain the extent of your experience, how each element is addressed and whether the service is done in-house or contracted out.

• Describe how your firm ensures good communication with clients (client report mechanisms, etc.)

• Has contractor worked with New Jersey counties or municipalities on previous projects? Is contractor familiar with the terrain of the City of Newark?

5.4. General Abilities/Method of Providing Services

Proposer should provide a description of the work plan and the methods to be used that will convincingly demonstrate to the City what the proposer intends to do, the ability to accomplish the work, and how the work will be accomplished.

• The proposal submitted in response to the RFP may be used as an example of a professional document produced by the contractor.

• The contractor should have experience in all aspects of administering similar projects.

Contractor and staff must be familiar with Federal and State statutes, regulations, and procedures.

• The contractor must have the ability to work with the government agencies at various levels, Federal, State, and Local. History of good working relationships with counties and municipalities, specifically in New Jersey is helpful.

6. Project Details

6.1. Important Instructions for Electronic Submittal

The City of Newark is accepting electronic bid submissions. Bidders shall create a FREE account with

Procure Now by signing up at https://secure.procurenow.com/signup. Once you have completed account registration, browse back to this page, click on "Submit Response", and follow the instructions to submit the electronic bid.

(OHS) is now accepting proposals from Newark organizations for inclusion in the City’s 2026-2027

HUD Entitlement Programs. The Request for Proposals (RFP) process will commence on Monday, July 13, 2026, and end on Monday, August 31, 2026. Proposals MUST be submitted via the City’s electronic procurement system, OpenGov no later than Monday, August 31, 2026, at 10:30 a.m.

6.2. Scope of Work or Project Details

Processing of Proposals is the intake office for all proposal submissions. OHS determines whether a proposal is eligible for Emergency Solutions Grants Program funding and meets national program objectives under federal regulations. OHS convenes a review committee to evaluate proposals for eligibility based on federal and local program priorities, quality, and cost effectiveness.

The highest rated proposals will be considered and funded under 2026-2027 HUD entitlement awards. The 2026 Annual Action Plan is currently available for review. This RFP solicits proposals from organizations to deliver projects, services, or activities that are consistent with the ESG priorities and objectives identified in the City of Newark’s 2026 Annual Action Plan.

Program Overview

The interim rule, published in the Federal Register on December 5, 2011, revises the regulations for the Emergency Shelter Grants program by establishing the regulations for the Emergency

Solutions Grants program, which replaces the Emergency Shelter Grants program. The change in the program’s name, from Emergency Shelter Grants to Emergency Solutions Grants, reflects the change in the program’s focus from addressing the needs of homeless people in emergency or transitional shelters to assisting people to quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness.

The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH Act), signed into law on May 20, 2009, consolidates three of the separate homeless assistance programs administered by HUD under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act into a single https://secure.procurenow.com/signup grant program, and revises the Emergency Shelter Grants program and renames it as the

Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program. The HEARTH Act also codifies into law the Continuum of Care planning process, a longstanding part of HUD’s application process, to assist homeless people by providing greater coordination in responding to their needs.

The City of Newark has the responsibility of making use of ESG funds, as part of implementing a

“Continuum of Care” to address the issue of homelessness and to coordinate activities with other non-profit service providers and organizations. This RFP seeks to solicit proposals that will improve the quality of existing emergency shelters for the homeless and provide certain essential and preventative services to address homelessness.

Eligible Activities

The City of Newark’s ESG program provides resources for the following program components:

Rapid Re-Housing; Homelessness Prevention; and Emergency Shelter.

• Rapid Re-Housing: ESG funds may be used to provide rental assistance, first month’s rent and security deposit and short/medium-term rental assistance, and housing search and placement, as necessary, to help a homeless individual or family who is literally homeless (per HUD’s definition) move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in that housing. Projects awarded funding through Rapid Rehousing will be required to coordinate with other County and State Rapid Rehousing funds. Rapid Rehousing programs may include funding for rental assistance as well as case management to provide the necessary support services to stabilize program participants in housing.

• Homelessness Prevention: ESG funds may be used to provide short/medium-term rental assistance to prevent an individual or family from moving into an emergency shelter and/or homelessness situation. Payment of rental arrears consists of a one-time payment of rental arrears, excluding late fees.

• Essential Services: ESG funds may be used to pay for emergency temporary housing on a limited basis, not exceeding (30 – 90 days) stay at a shelter or hotel/motel, as a bridge to placement in permanent housing. These funds may pay for individual bed nights at a shelter or hotel/motel if no appropriate emergency shelter is available for a homeless household, at a hotel/motel.

Case management – To provide assistant in obtaining necessary documents for permanent housing placement

*** NOTE: Sub-Recipients may not use more than 7% of the total allocation to pay salaries/personnel expenses, including those for case management.

Applicants are encouraged to review the City of Newark’s 2025 Annual Action Plan, consider the funding priorities identified and submit proposals that support the City in achieving its desired goals and objectives. Proposals submitted outside of the specified ESG priority funding areas will not be considered.

Technical Assistance

The City of Newark will host technical assistance workshops for organizations that intend to solicit financial support under the ESG and HOPWA programs. The workshops will introduce the City’s

2026-2027 funding priorities and provide clarification on all phases of the pre-award and post-award processes, eligible activities, proposal preparation, the contracting process, program outcomes and expectations, and compliance with local and federal standards.

The schedule for the workshop series is provided in Appendix 5. If you have specific questions, regarding the eligibility of proposed activities and/or their compliance with national objectives or technical questions regarding specific activities proposed for grant funding under the ESG program, please contact the Office of Homeless Services at (973) 733-4479.

Process of Making Awards

Proposals will be evaluated by a selection committee. Based on its evaluation, the Selection

Committee will make recommendations for which applicants to fund and at what level. The recommendations will be presented to the City Council for approval. The review, approval, and program delivery steps are as follows:

A. Review of applications by Selection Committee.

B. Recommendations prepared for City Council by Selection Committee.

C. “Apply and Accept Resolution” by City Council for HCDA funding (HOPWA and ESG).

D. “Budget Insert” approval by City Council for ESG funding and sub-recipients.

E. Award Letters sent out requesting updated information from ESG sub-recipients.

F. Preparation of contracts for ESG sub-recipients.

G. Approval of ESG funded contracts by City Council.

H. Completion of deliverables by sub-recipients – must be during the 2026 calendar year.

Evaluation Considerations

The process for reviewing ESG proposals is designed to increase efficiency and standardize the evaluation of proposals. The Office of Homeless Services intends to ensure transparency and the delivery of unbiased recommendations to the Municipal Council for approval of awards to the selected nonprofit partners. New applicants and those organizations that have previously been funded are encouraged to apply.

Before submitting a proposal, organizations should consider the following:

• Capacity to complete the requested forms and submit the required documentation by the, August 31, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. deadline.

• Capacity to deliver proposed services, prior to contract execution, and meet expected program outcomes;

• Ability to comply with municipal and federal standards related to the Emergency

Solutions Grants (ESG) program;

• Ability to participate in the local HMIS (Foothold); and

• Current standing with the City of Newark, including performance on grants from previous programs years, and status of accounts with the Departments of Water and Sewer Utility, Division of Revenue Collection, and Special Taxes.

Threshold Criteria

Applicants and applications must meet the following minimum requirements in order to receive funding:

• Good Standing with City: These requirements are described above. Good standing will be verified prior to execution of the funding contract.

• Good Standing with State and Federal Governments: If the applicant is a corporation or partnership, it must in good standing with the State of New Jersey regarding corporate registration requirements, employee tax withholding and other legal requirements. If the applicant is organized as a tax-exempt nonprofit, its federal tax exemption must be approved and in good standing. An applicant may not be debarred by any federal agency.

• Benefit to Low- and Moderate-Income Persons: Proposed activities should benefit persons who are at 30% or below area median income (AMI).

• RFP Requirements: An application must be complete and must conform to all requirements of this RFP in order to be considered.

Scoring Criteria for ESG Applications:

Applications will be ranked and rated based on the following criteria and maximum possible scoring points per criteria, with 100 points possible.

• Benefit to Homeless and At-Risk of Homelessness Persons: Points will be given to activities that benefit at least 80 percent homeless or at-risk of homelessness persons. (0-

4 points)

• Efforts to secure other funding. Points will be awarded based on the applicant’s documented efforts to secure other funding for the activity. (0-4 points)

• Collaboration. Points will be given for a demonstration of collaboration in service delivery through documented evidence, including thorough description of verifiable organizational partnerships and/or contractual agreements in the proposal. Maximum points will be awarded for three or more such collaborations. (0-4 points)

• Application professionalism. Points will be awarded based on layout and completeness of responses. Applications that have not been signed will not be considered. (0-4 points)

• Activity need. The activity will be evaluated in terms of the documentation and justification of the need for the activity. Activities with excellent documentation and justification will be awarded the maximum points. (0-4 points)

• Consolidated Plan priority. Activities addressing high priorities, as identified in Newark’s

Consolidated Plan, will be awarded maximum points. (0-4 points)

• Cost reasonableness and effectiveness. The activity will be evaluated in terms of: 1) its impact on the identified need, and 2) its implementation costs and funding request relative to its financial and human resources. Evaluation will include the cost incurred per person per unit, project budget, and the justification for a particular level of funding. (0-

8 points)

• Activity implementation. Points will be awarded to applicants based on documentation and information provided, showing that the resources, such as funding, staffing, established partnerships, etc., needed to implement the proposed activity are available and ready. Maximum points will be given to activities that are ready to move forward quickly. These criteria take into consideration factors that may accelerate or slow down the ability to implement the activity in a timely manner. (0-8 points)

• Activity implementation – outcomes. Points will be awarded to applicants based on documentation and information provided that demonstrates what the project will accomplish and how the effectiveness, success, and implementation of the project will be measured. (0-8 points)

• Experience. The experience of the applicant, including the length of time in business, qualifications and tenure of project staff, and experience in undertaking projects of similar complexity as the one for which funds are being requested, will be evaluated. (0-

8 points)

• Past performance – activity evaluation. The applicant will be evaluated in terms of its past performance in relation to any local, state, or federal funding program. The past performance will refer to attainment of objectives in a timely manner, expenditure of funds at a reasonable rate, and compliance with the contract, including but not limited to submission of reports and adherence to the Scope of Services. For those applicants that have not received HUD entitlement program funding from the City of Newark in the past, allocation of points up to the maximum may be awarded, dependent upon thorough documentation of similar past performances. (0-8 points)

• Past performance – organizational evaluation. The applicant will be evaluated in terms of its past performance and business relationship with the City of Newark, including documented reports, recommendations, and input from City of Newark agencies and local non-profits or other organizations that have a prior history of oversight, monitoring, and/or working directly with the applicant. (0-8 points)

• Activity management. Points will be awarded to applicants based on documentation and information provided, showing that the resources needed to manage the proposed activity are available and ready, and that the commitment for operation and maintenance, where applicable, has been certified. In addition, for applicants that have received HUD entitlement program funds in the past, their record of maintenance for the funded activity will be evaluated. (0-14 points)

HMIS Requirements

Sub-recipients of ESG funding must participate in the local Homeless Management Information

System…