Interim Housing and Supportive Services RFP 8 13 26.pdf

Rev. 3/2026- Services

Request for Proposal No. EDA126-OHS02-6461 Interim Housing & Supportive Services

San Bernardino County Office of Homeless Services

560 E Hospitality Lane Ste 200 San Bernardino, CA, 92415

August 13, 2026

Request for Proposal Interim Housing & Supportive

Services

No. EDA126-OHS02-6461

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose

The San Bernardino County Office of Homeless Services Department (County) is seeking Proposals from interested and qualified Proposers to provide Interim Housing funded under the Medi-Cal Transitional Rent benefit and Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) funding including rent and supportive services as specified in Section V. The number of awards will be determined by the quality of the proposals received.

B. RFP Contact

Office of Homeless Services Attn: Claudia Doyle 560 E Hospitality Lane Ste 200 San Bernardino, CA 92415

(909) 501-0610 Phone Claudia.Doyle@hss.sbcounty.gov Email

Proposals will not be accepted by email or facsimile. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the County Electronic Procurement Network (ePro). The completed and signed proposal must be received by the Deadline for Proposals specified in Section II – Proposal Timeline. All Proposers must register with the ePro system prior to the date and time to submit the proposal or they will be disqualified. Fax number and e-mail address may only be used to submit questions about ePro (not bid questions).

C. Budget The County estimates an aggregate budget of $24,582,183 for completion of this work during the full contract term. The County anticipates an aggregate budget of $9,830,180 in year one, $7,372,635 in year two, and $4,915,090 in year three. Year four would end on December 31st, 2029 and the aggregate budget for that year would be $2,464,278.

D. Contract Term

Services to be provided under this Request for Proposals (RFP) are outlined under Section V, Scope of Work. The Contract period will be for a maximum of 3 years and 2 months beginning in November, 2026 and ending on December 31, 2029.

E. Location of Services Location(s) where Services are to be provided, completed and managed are at proposer’s facilities, Countywide.

The Proposer must include in Proposal, Attachment H - Cost, all transportation, lodging, and per diem costs sufficient to pay its personnel and travel to the aforementioned locations.

F. Assistance to Proposers with a Disability

Proposers with a disability may request accommodation regarding the means of communicating this RFP or participating in the procurement process. For more information, contact the RFP Contact no later than ten (10) days prior to the Deadline for Proposals.

II. PROPOSAL TIMELINE

Release of RFP August 13th, 2026

Mandatory Proposal Conference August 24th, 2026 from 2:00-3:30 PM mailto:Claudia.Doyle@hss.sbcounty.gov

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Deadline for Submission of Questions September 1st, 2026 by 4:00 PM PST

Deadline for Proposals September 15th, 2026 by 4:00 PM PST

Date for Tentative Contract Award November 2026

Proposal Conference:

A mandatory Proposal Conference will be held:

Monday, August 24th, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM Room Name: Hollywood Room Department: Office of Homeless Services Address: Transitional Aged Youth (TAY) Center, 780 E Gilbert St San Bernardino, CA 92404

Attendance at the conference is mandatory. No Proposal will be accepted from any Proposer who fails to attend the Proposal Conference.

Questions regarding the contents of this RFP must be submitted in writing in ePro or via email to HomelessRFP@hss.sbcounty.gov on or before the Deadline for Submission of Questions. All questions will be answered, and both questions and answers will be posted as an Addendum to the RFP in ePro.

III. DEFINITIONS

Capitalized terms used in this RFP shall have the meanings given to them in the RFP and as defined below:

Board: The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA): A comprehensive 2024 California voter-approved reform that modernizes the state’s mental health funding to integrate substance use disorder treatment, prioritize housing, and intensive care for the most vulnerable populations, as well as expand preventative services across the state.

Crisis De-Escalation Training: An educational program that equips individuals with proven verbal and non-verbal communication skills to stabilize, reduce the intensity of, and safely defuse potentially violent or highly emotional situations.

Contract: The Contract between the County and the Proposer resulting from the award issued pursuant to this RFP to the successful Proposer.

Contractor: Any individual, company, firm, corporation, partnership or other organization to whom a contract award is made by the County.

Culturally Informed: An approach that acknowledges, respects and integrates a client or customer’s cultural background, values and lived experience into their care.

Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS): A system for the organize delivery of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services to eligible Medi-Cal members with SUDs by providing a continuum of care modeled after the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria for SUD treatment services.

Facilitator: A County Purchasing Department buyer or designated individual tasked with managing the processes of the evaluation panel.

Homeless Management Information System (HMIS): The County-designated Homeless Management Information System used to record, manage, and report participant-level data for homelessness programs mailto:HomelessRFP@hss.sbcounty.gov

Request for Proposal Interim Housing & Supportive

Services and services. HMIS supports coordinated entry, case management, housing navigation, program performance measurement, and compliance with applicable HUD, privacy, security, and data quality requirements.

Housing and Urban Development (HUD): The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which is the federal executive department responsible for national policies and programs that address housing needs, fair housing opportunities, and community development.

Housing First: the evidence-based model that uses housing as a tool, rather than a reward, for recovery and that centers on providing or connecting homeless people to permanent housing as quickly as possible. (WIC section 8255, subdivision (d)(1)).

Housing Quality Standards: Minimum habitability criteria established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to ensure that interim housing sites provide occupants with safe, sanitary, and secure environments.

Interim Housing Site: An interim housing site with bedrooms in which no more than two participants per bedroom are housed. An interim housing site will have common spaces such as the living room, laundry facilities, kitchen facilities and bathrooms.

Managed Care Plan (MCP): Refers to a health insurance system where California’s Medicaid program (Medi- Cal) contracts with private health plans to provide Medi-Cal coverage. In San Bernardino County, the Managed Care Plans are administered by Kaiser Permanente, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) and Molina.

Medi-Cal: California’s Medicaid program, providing comprehensive, free or low-cost medical, dental and mental health coverage to eligible low-income adults and other eligible groups. Medicaid is a joint federal and state public health insurance program that provides free or low-cost medical coverage to eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities.

Motivational Interviewing: A collaborative, person-centered communication approach designed to strengthen a person’s own motivation and commitment to change by exploring and resolving their ambivalence.

Naloxone: A life-saving medication that rapidly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose by blocking opioid receptors in the brain, which restores normal breathing within minutes.

Participant: means any individual served under this program, inclusive of Medi-Cal members. ‘Member’ will be used when referring to Medi-Cal eligibility or benefits.

Person Centered: An approach to client care, support and services that empowers individuals as having a central role in their own care, prioritizing their unique needs, goals, values and preferences rather than these aspects of their care being dictated to them by others.

Proposal: The offer to provide specific goods or services at specified prices and/or other conditions specified in the RFP.

Purchasing Agent: The Director of the County Purchasing Department.

Request for Proposal (RFP): The request for an offer from Proposers interested in providing the identified services sought to be procured by the County. The RFP specifies the evaluation factors to be used and contains or incorporates by reference contractual terms and conditions applicable to the procurement.

Services: The requested services described in this RFP.

Request for Proposal Interim Housing & Supportive

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Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS): Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health Services are Medi-Cal covered mental health services that are “carved out” of the broader Medi-Cal program and the services that are provided by the Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans. These services are provided by the County Mental Health Plans (MHPs) and “Access Criteria” refers to the eligibility criteria for these services. The eligibility criteria are conditions that place them at high risk of a mental health disorder (such as homelessness) or a diagnosed mental health disorder that causes significant impairment or a reasonable probability of significant deterioration in functioning or a reasonable probability of not progressing development as appropriate, or a need for specialty mental health services that are not included within the Medi-Cal managed care plans.

Subcontractor: An individual, company, firm, corporation, partnership or other organization, not in the employment of or owned by Contractor who is performing services on behalf of Contractor under the Contract or under a separate contract with or on behalf of Contractor.

Transitional Rent (TR): provides up to six months of rental assistance in interim and permanent settings to Medi-Cal Members who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, have certain clinical risk factors, and have either recently undergone a critical life transition (such as exiting an institutional or carceral setting or foster care).

Trauma Informed: An approach to care that is based on a collaborative, relational approach to health and human services that recognizes the widespread impact of trauma, actively fosters safety, and intentionally designs practices and policies to avoid re-traumatization. A trauma informed approach shifts the focus from “what’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”

IV. PROPOSAL CONDITIONS

A. Authorized Signatures All proposals must be signed by an individual authorized to bind the Proposer to the provisions of the

RFP.

B. Term of Offer

Proposals shall remain open, valid and subject to acceptance anytime within nine (9) months after the Proposal submission.

C. Required Review Proposers should carefully review this RFP for defects and questionable or objectionable material.

Comments from Proposers concerning defects and objectionable material in this RFP must be made in writing and received by the RFP contact prior to the deadline for submission of questions identified in Section II or at least ten (10) calendar days before the Deadline for Proposals (whichever occurs last).

This will allow issuance of any necessary amendments or addendums to the RFP. It will also help prevent the opening of a defective RFP and exposure of Proposals upon which an award could not be made.

Protests based on any omission or error, or on the content of this RFP, may be disallowed if not submitted in writing to the attention of the RFP Contact, prior to the deadline for submission of questions identified in Section II or at least ten (10) calendar days before the Deadline for Proposals (whichever occurs last).

D. Incurred Costs

The County is not obligated to pay any costs incurred by Proposer in the preparation of a Proposal in response to this RFP. Proposers agree that all costs incurred in developing a Proposal are the Proposer’s responsibility.

E. Amendments/Addendums to RFP The County reserves the right to issue amendments or addendums to this RFP if the County considers that changes are necessary or additional information is needed.

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Changes to a Proposal or withdrawal of a Proposal will only be allowed if a request is received prior to the Deadline for Proposals. No amendments or withdrawals will be accepted after the Deadline for Proposals.

F. Best Value Evaluation As established in this RFP, the County realizes that criteria other than price are important and will award contract(s) based on the Proposal that best meets the needs of the County. The County seeks the optimal combination of quality, price, and various qualitative elements of the required Services that will provide the County the greatest or best value for its money.

G. Right of Rejection Offers must comply with all of the terms of the RFP, and all applicable local, state, and federal laws, codes, and regulations. The County may reject as non-responsive any Proposal that does not comply with all of the material and substantial terms, conditions, and performance requirements of the RFP.

Further, the County may reject a proposal from any entity that is a parent, affiliate, or subsidiary, or that is under common ownership, control, or management with any other entity submitting a Proposal in response to this RFP.

A Proposer may not qualify the Proposal nor restrict the rights of the County. If Proposer does so, the Proposal may be determined to be a non-responsive counter-offer and the Proposal may be rejected.

No Proposal shall be rejected, however, if it contains a minor irregularity, defect or variation. If the irregularity, defect or variation is considered by the County to be immaterial or inconsequential, the County may choose to accept the Proposal.

Minor irregularities may be waived by the Purchasing Agent when they are any of the following:

1. Do not affect responsiveness;

2. Are merely a matter of form or format;

3. Do not change the relative standing or otherwise prejudice other offers;

4. Do not change the meaning or scope of the RFP;

5. Are trivial, negligible, or immaterial in nature;

6. Do not reflect a material change in the work; or

7. Do not constitute a substantial reservation against a requirement or provision.

In such cases the Proposer will be notified of the deficiency in the Proposal and given an opportunity to correct the irregularity, defect or variation or the County may elect to waive the deficiency and accept the Proposal. The decision to provide a waiver shall in no way modify or compromise the overall purpose of the submittal, nor excuse the Proposer from compliance with all requirements if awarded a Contract.

This RFP does not commit the County to award a contract. The County reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals if it is in the best interest of the County to do so. The County also reserves the right to terminate this RFP process at any time.

H. Reserved

I. Clarification of Offers

In order to determine if a Proposal is reasonably susceptible for award, communications by the Facilitator for the evaluation panel are permitted with a Proposer to clarify uncertainties or eliminate confusion concerning the contents of a Proposal. Clarifications may not result in a material or substantive change to the Proposal. The evaluation by the panel may be adjusted as a result of a clarification under this section.

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J. Public Records Act All Proposals and other material submitted become the property of the County and are subject to release according to the California Public Records Act (Government Code § 7920.000). All Proposal information, including cost information, will be held in confidence during the evaluation and negotiation process.

Thereafter, Proposals are subject to becoming a non-exempt public record.

If a Proposer believes that any portion of its Proposal is exempt from public disclosure, it must indicate the specific portions believed to be confidential and not subject to disclosure on Attachment L - Public Records Act Exemptions. The Proposer also must include a brief description that sets out the reasons for exemption from disclosure. Each stated exemption must include a citation to supporting legal authority, including statutory authority or case law, to support exemption from the Public Records Act. Requested exemptions that do not meet the requirements of this section will not be considered.

The County will use reasonable means to ensure that such information is safeguarded, but will not be held liable for inadvertent disclosure of the information. Proposals marked “Confidential” in their entirety will not be honored, and the County might not deny public disclosure of any portion of Proposals so marked.

By submitting a Proposal with portions identified in Attachment L as “Confidential,” Proposer represents that it has a good faith belief that such portions are exempt from disclosure under the California Public Records Act. Proposer may be requested to obtain legal protection from disclosure should a Public Records Act request be received. In the event the County does not disclose the information marked “Confidential,” Proposer agrees to reimburse the County for, and to indemnify, defend (with counsel approved by County) and hold harmless the County, its officers, employees, agents, and volunteers from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, suits, judgments, fines, penalties, costs and expenses, including without limitation, attorneys’ fees, expenses and court costs of any nature arising from or relating to the County’s non-disclosure of any such designated portions of a Proposal.

K. Employment of Former County Officials Information must be provided in Attachment G regarding former County Administrative Officials (as defined below) who are employed by or represent Proposer. The information provided must include a list of former County Administrative Officials who terminated County employment within the last five years and who are now officers, principals, partners, associates or members of Proposer and should also include the employment and/or representative capacity and the dates these individuals began employment with or representation of Proposer. For purposes of this section, “County Administrative Official” is defined as a member of the Board of Supervisors or such member’s staff, Chief Executive Officer or member of such officer’s staff, County department or group head, assistant department or group head, or any employee in the Exempt Group, Management Unit or Safety Management Unit.

Failure to provide this information may result in the Proposal being deemed non-responsive.

L. Iran Contracting Act of 2010 In accordance with Public Contract Code section 2204(a), the Proposer certifies upon submission that the Proposer signing the Proposal is not identified on a list created pursuant to subdivision (b) of Public Contract Code section 2203 (https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement- Division-Resources-List-Folder/List-of-Ineligible-Businesses)as a person (as defined in Public Contract Code section 2202(e)) engaging in investment activities in Iran described in subdivision (a) of Public Contract Code section 2202.5, or as a person described in subdivision (b) of Public Contract Code section 2202.5, as applicable.

Proposers are cautioned that making a false certification may subject the Proposer to civil penalties, termination of an existing contract, and ineligibility to bid on a contract for a period of three (3) years in accordance with Public Contract Code section 2205. Proposer agrees that signing the Proposal shall constitute signature of this Certification.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/List-of-Ineligible-Businesses https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/List-of-Ineligible-Businesses

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M. Disclosure of Criminal and Civil Proceedings

The County reserves the right to request the information described herein from the Proposer selected for Contract award. Failure to provide the information may result in a disqualification from the selection process and no award of Contract to the Proposer. The County also reserves the right to obtain the requested information by way of a background check performed by an investigative firm. The selected Proposer may also be asked to provide information to clarify initial responses. Negative information provided or discovered may result in disqualification from the selection process and no award of Contract.

The selected Proposer may be asked whether the firm, or any of its partners, principals, members, associates or key employees (as that term is defined herein), within the last ten years, has been indicted on or had charges brought against it or them (if still pending) or convicted of any crime or offense arising directly or indirectly from the conduct of the firm’s business, or whether the firm, or any of it partners, principals, members, associates or key employees, has within the last ten years, been indicted on or had charges brought against it or them (if still pending) or convicted of any crime or offense involving financial misconduct or fraud. If the response is affirmative, the Proposer will be asked to describe any such indictments or charges (and the status thereof), convictions and the surrounding circumstances in detail.

In addition, the selected Proposer may also be asked to disclose whether the firm, or any of its partners, principals, members, associates or key employees, within the last ten years, has been the subject of legal proceedings as defined herein arising directly from the provision of services by the firm or those individuals. “Legal proceedings” means any civil actions filed in a court of competent jurisdiction, or any matters filed by an administrative or regulatory body with jurisdiction over the firm or the individuals. If the response is affirmative, the Proposer will be asked to describe any such legal proceedings (and the status and disposition thereof) and the surrounding circumstances in detail.

For purposes of this provision “key employees” includes any individuals providing direct service to the County. “Key employees” do not include clerical personnel providing service at the firm’s offices or locations.

N. Debarment and Suspension; California Secretary of State Business Entity Registration.

Proposer certifies in Attachment G that neither it nor its principals or subcontractors are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any federal department or agency. (See Attachment G and the following United States General Services Administration’s System for Award Management website https://www.sam.gov). Proposer also certifies in Attachment G that if it or any of the subcontractors listed in the Proposal are business entities that must be registered with the California Secretary of State, they are registered and in good standing with the Secretary of State.

O. Unsatisfactory Performance Proposer affirms that it has no record of unsatisfactory performance with the County in the twenty-four

(24) month period immediately preceding the date of issuance of this RFP.

P. Final Authority The final authority to award a contract(s) as a result of this RFP rests solely with the County Board of Supervisors, or as delegated by the Board of Supervisors.

Q. Reserved https://www.sam.gov/

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V. SCOPE OF WORK

A. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Transitional Rent program is locally administered by MCPs Kaiser, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) and Molina through the San Bernardino County Office of Homeless Services (OHS) (lead agency), in partnership with the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health (DBH). Eligibility and placement decisions will be made solely by these two County departments.

This benefit is being launched by the Medi-Cal MCPs for the behavioral health population of focus after July 1, 2026. The Medi-Cal members must meet eligibility criteria for either Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) or Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS). These two eligibility criteria mean that the member must be experiencing severe and persistent mental illness or a moderate to severe substance use disorder.

This Medi-Cal benefit covers the rental or bed cost for Interim Housing for up to six months. BHSA will fund supportive services and, as described in Section V.B.1, may also fund rent for up to an additional six months after Transitional Rent and for participants without Medi-Cal.

OHS is seeking proposers who can provide housing sites with supportive services staffing those housing sites. OHS is seeking proposals from all regions of San Bernardino County: Desert/Mountain region, East Valley region, Central Valley region and West Valley region. The housing sites must be client centered, housing first, culturally informed and trauma informed. The goal of these interim housing sites is to provide a site and supportive services that facilitate the participant’s journey toward a permanent housing destination.

B. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

1. This RFP seeks competitive proposals based on the cost and services provided, however, the funding sources set caps on portions of this RFP. Transitional Rent will be funded via the Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans (TR) and the BHSA. TR will be the funding source for up to six months for the rent portion and the monthly cap on amount for rent per member is set by the State annually. A process for determining the cap for a given Interim Housing site and region is described in detail under the deliverables and requirements section of the Project Description.

BHSA will be the funding source for rent after the “up to six months” funding from Transitional Rent, with a limit of an additional six months, and for Participants that do not have Medi-Cal. BHSA will also be the funding source for staffing, and the maximum allowable amount for staffing is determined by the County. The two funding streams are set forth below, with a description of the desired services for each funding stream.

2. Deliverables/Requirements:

1. FACILITY REQUIREMENTS & RENT PORTION OF RFP

a. Reimbursable Ceiling The allowable amount for rent is capped at a specific amount, determined by the setting type and the zip code. The State, in its guidance for the Transitional Rent Medi-Cal benefit, provided a reimbursable ceilings crosswalk tool for calendar year 2026 (Appendix A). This crosswalk sets forth the maximum billable amount for certain settings by zip code.

The County is requiring that these be shared interim housing sites with no more than two beds available per room.

On the crosswalk tool, if the Participant was only occupying one bed (assuming a household of one), then the billing code would be T006. Once the billing code is determined, the next step is to find that billing code and cross-reference it to the zip code for the region. If the

Request for Proposal Interim Housing & Supportive

Services interim housing site resulted in a billing code of T006 above and was in the zip code of 92376, then the monthly rate for the Participant would be $913.

Each applicant for this RFP must check the zip code for their interim housing site, confirm they will provide a site with no more than two beds per room and show that their proposal does not exceed the monthly rate for that site and location. If the proposer is using a daily rate, then they must ensure their daily rate does not exceed that amount on months with 31 days. Finally, if state guidance for future calendar years for the contract lessens the amount for a given zip code, then the provider must agree to accept the lesser rate if their bid was for more than the new rate.

b. INTERIM HOUSING SITE STANDARDS The proposer must provide a sanitary, safe, and habitable site for each Participant. For all interim housing sites, the County is required to ensure that the location meets minimum standards set by Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These standards are set forth in the Housing Quality Standards (HQS). OHS will conduct inspections of the facilities using a HUD certified inspector. If there are any deficiencies found in service provision or the physical facility, per the agreement, the proposer will be given the opportunity, within an appropriate amount of time, to correct these deficiencies. OHS reserves the right to increase the inspection frequency if deficiencies are identified.

Proposer must certify that they will provide a physical location conducive to the quality care and treatment of mentally ill and/or co-occurring individuals. The location will be evaluated for suitability as a trauma-informed housing site. At its core, a trauma informed setting is one in which Participants are safe, and the surroundings represent a comfortable, “home-like” state. In addition, a trauma informed setting prioritizes clear communication, privacy, a consistent daily schedule, and clear rules and structure to the site program. The items addressed below contribute to this type of setting.

a. Proposer(s) shall obtain and/or maintain a facility location that will be readily accessible by public transportation and be easily accessible to community services, educational resources, health care facilities, and employment opportunities, and shall be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California State Administration Code Title 24.

b. Proposer must state they will provide utilities and appliances in continual, correct working order, and ongoing maintenance, repair and/or replacement of beds, linens, flooring, paint, window coverings, fixtures, landscape, etc.

c. The facility shall appear neat, and be in good repair. Proposer(s) shall provide on-going maintenance, repair, and or replacement, as needed, of flooring, paint, window coverings, appliances, fixtures, etc. The facility and grounds shall be maintained in a manner consistent with other homes in the neighborhood.

d. Proposer must provide one or more (depending on number of participants per site) refrigerators in continuously functioning order for the storage of pre-packaged meals for Participants delivered by County third party contractors. In addition proposer must certify that they will provide working appliances for the heating or preparation of these meals, and plates, utensils and other items needed for consumption.

e. Participants must be provided with clean bed linens, blankets and pillows.

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f. Participants must be provided with access to functioning laundry facilities on site, so that bed linens can be washed on a weekly basis (and required as part of house rules). This includes a clothes washer and clothes dryer and the provision of laundry soap.

g. Proposer must certify the interim housing site will have and maintain a properly functioning cooling and heating system.

h. Proposer must certify that the interim housing site windows, sliding doors, etc., shall be in working order and door and window screens shall be intact with no tears.

i. Proposer must certify that bedrooms shall not be used as a passageway to other bedrooms and must each have their own dedicated entrance or must be accessible via a common hallway. The site shall have living, sleeping, bathing and toilet areas enclosed by permanent walls, floors, ceilings and doors.

j. Proposer must certify that each housing site must have a working landline telephone that is available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week for emergency and/or local use.

k. Proposer must ensure secure internet access sufficient for staff documentation and communication with County systems.

l. Proposer must certify that they will have policies at the site that ensure it is free of any alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or illegal substances. This RFP seeks proposers providing a Housing First program. Sobriety cannot be a condition of housing; however, the interim housing site must be free of the above substances to provide a setting conducive to the care, stabilization and recovery of Participants meeting the clinical risk eligibility for this program.

m. Proposer must certify that if they use video cameras, they will only be placed in common areas.

n. Proposer must prohibit firearms and weapons as defined by California Penal Code, including knives with blades >2.5 inches, batons, and pepper spray over legal personal use limits consistent with California Penal Code limits applicable to personal possession, except for law enforcement.

o. Proposer must certify that they will provide clean, functional, safe toilets and shower facilities for Participants. Personal hygiene supplies, such as, but not limited to, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, deodorant, lotion and feminine hygiene products shall be provided. Each Participant will be issued their own bath towel for use while at the site and Participant shall not be required to share towel with another Participant.

p. Proposer must certify that they will provide an individual, lockable storage box for each Participant. Boxes are to have two keys; one that is to be given to the Participant, and one is kept by the house manager. Boxes are to be kept in a secondary secured/locked location and are not to be kept in the Participant’s room. The house manager shall oversee these requirements and ensure Participants shall have access to their storage box upon request. Note:

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Participant owned over-the-counter medications and prescription medications are to be kept in the Participant’s locked storage box.

q. Proposer must certify that they will have an intake procedure that includes documentation of the Participant’s belongings, including a process for updating that list and a discharge process that involves going through this list to document that items were taken by the Participant upon discharge.

r. Proposer must certify that the house manager shall not dispense nor provide assistance to the Participant in taking prescription medication.

s. Proposer must certify that bedroom doors do not have locks that restrict house manager or County staff from complete access during required inspections.

t. Proposer must certify that due to Participant health and general hygiene concerns, no pets are allowed. Bona fide service animals as defined by applicable law are permitted without prior approval. Emotional support animals require contractor approval.

u. Proposer must certify that their house rules shall not allow smoking at the interim housing site other than outdoors in a designated area at least 15 feet from doorways, windows and intake vents.

v. Proposer must certify that each bedroom must provide a minimum of fifty (50) square feet per Participant and that there shall not be more than two Participants per room (i.e. at least one hundred (100) square feet for two Participants).

w. Proposer must certify that they will maintain appropriate business licenses, use permits and licenses and/or fire clearance, as designated by local ordinances. These licenses and/or permits shall remain current throughout the term of the contract and are subject to annual review.

1. When obtaining business licenses, proposers shall verify with the appropriate agency that the correct type of licenses is obtained for the services to be performed and for the number of Participants proposed to be served.

2. For Participant safety, fire clearances will be conducted/updated annually by an appropriate agency, at proposers’ expense, if not required annually be local ordinance.

x. In the event the Participant leaves without notice or does not return to retrieve their personal belongings, the proposer must certify that they will notify the OHS program manager immediately and will be responsible for storing Participant belongings, including prescription drugs, for thirty (30) days after the Participant has been discharged or removed from the site. Proposer shall inventory and securely store belongings for thirty (30) days; prescription medications shall be secured in a locked cabinet with log; after 30 days dispose per applicable laws and document disposition.

y. Proposer shall review house rules with Participants during intake and obtain acknowledgement of receipt (signature), without making compliance a precondition of admission.

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z. Proposer shall maintain and post an Emergency Disaster Plan and Earthquake

Preparedness Checklist consistent with current California Community Care Licensing templates (e.g., LIC 610D and LIC 9148).

1. Posted lists of contacts must include, but is not limited to:

i. Fire/Paramedics

ii. Police/Sheriff

iii. Hospital/ER

iv. Adult Protective Services

v. Child Protective Services

vi. Poison Control vii.Program Specific Hotlines

viii. DBH Community Crisis Response Team (CCRT)

aa. Proposer must certify that they will have a Home Evacuation Plan mapped, posted and provided to all Participants upon arrival. Proposer certifies that they will execute periodic evacuation drills with Participants and document their completion for review by OHS program staff.

bb. Proposer must certify that part of their intake protocol for their interim housing site shall include the provision of Participant grievance procedures for the site.

cc. Proposer must certify that they will provide 24/7 access to OHS and DBH staff for the purpose of Participant and program needs as well as unannounced inspections.

dd. Proposer must certify that they will attend mandatory scheduled interim housing provider meetings.

ee. Proposer must certify that minor children shall not be allowed on the site at any time.

ff. Proposer must certify that if at any time it becomes necessary for the proposer to change the interim housing site location due to a problem with the facility or a loss of the lease, or a natural disaster outside of the proposer’s control, the proposer will notify the OHS program manager immediately and if a replacement site is identified, it will require OHS approval prior to resuming services.

gg. Proposer may be given the option to add new locations under this contract if proposer is selected. An amended contract will be required for this process.

hh. Proposer must certify that if they request to close a location or cease business with OHS, proposer must notify OHS via written requests at least 30 days prior to closing of the site to allow for relocation of Participants.

ii. Proposer must utilize a Participant sign in/sign out log on a daily basis. These logs must be completed by the Participant. These sheets must be stored by the proposer and provided to OHS upon request.

jj. Proposer certifies that they will provide all necessary documentation of Participant use of facilities for OHS to certify claims.

Request for Proposal Interim Housing & Supportive

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2. STAFFING REQUIREMENTS

a. Reimbursable Ceiling

OHS is setting a threshold for that portion of the cost of providing 24-hour-per-day supervised housing which pertains to staffing that caps reimbursement at $456 per day.

Under this reimbursable ceiling, OHS is seeking proposers who can competitively bid at or below that cost daytime coverage that is inclusive of daily programming for Participants from the hours of 8 AM to 8 PM. The daily programming is to be provided or overseen by the day-time house manager at a ratio of 1 house manager to 12 Participants. In addition, the proposer must provide overnight coverage that does not include programming. Because the night coverage does not require oversight of daily programing, night coverage can be provided at a higher ratio (up to 1 to 24) if the proposer is providing multiple interim housing sites. If the 1 to 24 ratio includes multiple interim housing sites, the house manager must be able to respond to any of the sites within 15 minutes during overnight coverage.

b. Staffing Expectations

a. House managers must have at least one year of experience serving individuals with behavioral health needs, or equivalent lived experience, and must pass background checks consistent with County policy.

b. Proposer(s) staff shall act as a community referral resource, referring Participants in need directly or by referral process to other services beyond their scope of service such as but not limited to; General Educational Development (GED) classes, higher education, vocational education, job training, resume writing, medical services, dental services, legal services, CalWorks, CalFresh, Medi-Cal, food banks, etc., as necessary.

c. Proposer must submit a proposed weekly programming schedule that will become part of the contract work plan, subject to County approved adjustments.

Programming can consist of but not be limited to the following suggested elements, organized by the proposer:

a. 1:1s with house manager for coaching, check-in on Participant’s progress toward housing goals, and coaching on house rules adherence.

b. Life skills groups or peer groups

c. Benefits topic groups (such as workshops on how to access various benefits in the County)

d. Daily chores (if applicable)

e. Mealtimes/Meal-service

f. Appointments with case manager for housing navigation or clinical/medical appointments.

g. Recreational activities

d. Proposer must certify that, within this reimbursable cost, they will provide for the following training areas:

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• Philosophical: Including trauma-informed, housing first, culturally informed and person-centered training to their staff to support them in effectively providing for supervision, safety, coaching on interim housing site rules, and daily programming.

• Basic Mental Health Training: In addition to training on philosophical guiding principles, staff must be trained in mental health basic skills such as motivational interviewing, crisis de-escalation, crisis incident response, incident reporting, and documentation.

• Physical Safety/Emergency Preparedness Training: Staff must be provided training on basic first aid, use of Naloxone and CPR. Staff must also have periodic training on emergency procedures, individual and agency emergency preparedness, fire suppression and proper use of fire extinguishers, as well as utility shut-off procedures.

e. Proposer must certify that the site will have a housing manager who is approved by OHS. If they live on-site, they must have separate sleeping quarters. The house manager must be physically on site to provide for and oversee daily programming, and for supervision and crisis response overnight. If the house manager is off-site for any reason, they must be able to report back physically to the site within 15 minutes.

f. The proposer must certify that their house manager will not have previous convictions with any correlation to their position that may cause risk for Participants at the site.

g. Proposer must certify that they will have at least one approved back-up house manager for each interim housing site.

h. Proposer must describe how they will coordinate with County housing navigators to support timely Participant transition to permanent housing.

i. Proposer shall prohibit personal visitors of House Managers while on duty or onsite. Proposer shall maintain a Participant visitor policy consistent with safety and program rules and provide it to OHS.

j. Proposer must certify and describe their onboarding protocols incorporating trauma informed and person centered practices, including scripted welcomes, orientation checklist, and timeline (within 24 hours of arrival).

k. Proposer must describe their policies staff will utilize for crisis intervention, including policies house manager staff will utilize for overnight response to critical incidents, depending on severity of incident, with escalation protocols tied to the severity of the incident.

l. Proposer must describe policies house manager staff will utilize for notifying OHS staff of critical incidents. Critical incident documentation must be submitted to OHS within 24 hours.

m. Proposer must describe policies their house manager staff will utilize for notifying

OHS if any individuals do not report back to the site for longer than a 24 hour period.

Request for Proposal Interim Housing & Supportive

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3. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS

a. ISL (Individual Service Level) Reporting for Interim Housing Sites: Proposer shall collect and report all Participant-level service, housing, and related expenditure data required by the County to support Individual Service Level (ISL) reporting under BHSA, including any housing, housing support, transportation, flexible funding, or other non-Medi-Cal services provided under this Agreement. Data shall be submitted in accordance with County timelines, reporting specifications, and CalMHSA/DHCS requirements which are available at the following link:

https://www.calmhsa.org/isl/. Contractor shall comply with CalMHSA/DHCS requirements as updated.

b. Proposer shall comply with County identified requirements for house managers to utilize and enter information into HMIS as it pertains to the supportive services provided by the house managers to the participants while in the Interim Housing Site, including training, data quality standards, confidentiality requirements and County policies and procedures.

c. Proposer(s) shall establish a plan to be used in the event of Program or Contract termination. It should provide for the responsible and orderly transition of Participants to another OHS or DBH approved facility for services. The plan shall include a provision for furnishing OHS and/or DBH with all Participant information and any documents necessary for this transition.

d. Proposer(s) will cooperate with County requirements for tracked outcome measures and key performance indicators as shown below: :

• Percentage of successful program completion (Target > 70%).

• Percentage of participants connected to supportive services by proposers staff, broken out by type of supportive service (Target >90%).

• Percentage of staff completing required trainings within 3 months of hire (Target 100%)

• Facility inspection compliance rate, including tracking of issues identified through inspection, and time to correct by proposer (Target >90%).

• Participant satisfaction KPIs, including a process for tracking Participant satisfaction with program, Participant’s feelings of safety, Participant’s feelings of being respected and treated fairly by staff, and percentage of complaints and complaint resolution (Target >70% positive).

• Timeliness of invoice submission (Target 100%).

• In addition county will be tracking and monitoring metrics in the following areas:

➢ Time from referral to placement

➢ Critical incident reporting timelines (less than 24 hours)

➢ Length of stay tracking to measure how quickly clients are transitioned to long term housing

e. Proposer(s) shall administer staff and provide management systems and have a written Personnel Policy and Procedures Manual and written interim housing https://www.calmhsa.org/isl/

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Services policies and procedures manual. The written policy and procedures manual shall contain, at minimum, but not limited to, the following for all staff:

• Recruitment Procedures

• Screening and Selection Procedures

• Training and Orientation Procedures

• Personnel File Documentation Requirements

• Duties and Assignments (Job Description)

• Protection of Confidentiality Procedures

f. Proposer(s) shall maintain a Participant information file that contains, at minimum, but not limited to:

• Personal data form (contact and emergency contact information)

• House Rules or program participation agreement, signed by the Participant

• Criteria for discharge, signed by the Participant

• Release of confidential information form, as needed for each stakeholder

• Evidence of Participant’s safety training for the facility

VI. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

A. General

1. All interested and qualified Proposers are invited to submit a Proposal for consideration. Submission of a Proposal indicates that the Proposer has read and understands the entire RFP, including all appendixes, attachments, exhibits, schedules, and addenda (as applicable) and that all concerns regarding the RFP have been resolved.

2. Proposals must be received by the designated date and time. All Proposers must register with the ePro system prior to the date and time to receive the proposal or they will be disqualified.

Late or incomplete proposals will not be accepted. Electronic response must be submitted through the San Bernardino County Electronic Procurement Network (ePro) https://epro.sbcounty.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml. System-related issues in ePro shall be directed to the Purchasing Department at (909) 387-2060. For procurement questions involving ePro, please contact the RFP Contact identified in Section I, Paragraph B - RFP Contact.

3. The Proposer acknowledges that its electronic signature is legally binding. Submittals in ePro will be opened from the system’s encrypted lock box after the deadline and evaluated as stated in this RFP.

4. Reserved

5. Proposals must be submitted in the format described below. Proposals are to be prepared in such a way as to provide a straightforward, concise description of capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP.

https://epro.sbcounty.gov/bso/view/login/login.xhtml

Request for Proposal Interim Housing & Supportive

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