Questions and Answers_Financial Counseling.pdf

City of Philadelphia RFP Question Template

Opportunity #: 21260611111709

Question #

RFP

Section Reference Question Department Response 1 2.1 How many awardees will the Department award this RFP to? The Department has the discretion to award funding to multiple awardees. The total award made to one or multiple awardees will not exceed the maximum compensation listed in the RFP.

2 3.1 Can the Applicance subcontract with another organization to deliver these services.

The selected Applicant will be responsible for directly providing client service delivery. If Applicant opts to utilize subcontractors, they should provide information in their proopsal ocnsistent with RPF requirements.

3 3.1 Does CEO anticipate that services commencing immediately on October 1, 2026, or will there be flexibility for a short implementation period to finalize staffing, onboarding, workflows, and referral coordination?

The Department anticipates coordinating with the selected Applicant to develop an onboarding and training timeframe upon commencement of the contract.

4 3.1 What are the anticipated primary referral sources for the program (e.g., CEO-funded providers, City departments, self-referrals, community partners, workforce organizations, housing providers), and what proportion of referrals is expected from each source?

Applicants should be prepared to do marketing and outreach around financial counseling services and be the primary referral source.

5 3.1 Can the Department identify the target population for this RFP?

Who is eligible to be a client to be served by this program?

For the purposes of this RFP, a client is defined as an individual. The RFP is intended to assist low to moderate income individuals with their personal finances. There is not a set income threshold for eligibility.

Clients must be Philadelphia residents.

6 3.1 Is the RFP intended to serve only clients that are new to an organization. If an organization has an existing client base of residents who meet the program's eligibility requirements, may the organization offer financial counseling services to those clients?

Any Philadelphian is eligible for services, whether they are an existing client of the organization or a new client of the organization.

7 3.1 Does CEO have a target number of unduplicated clients the selected provider is expected to serve during the initial contract term (October 1, 2026–June 30, 2027), or should applicants propose their own service volume based on available funding?

The provider should propose their service volume and staffing structure, based on the requirements listed in the RFP and the total amount of funding.

8 3.1 If an applicant proposes both virtual and in-person counseling, may in-person services be delivered at partner/community-based locations in Philadelphia that provide confidential counseling space, or must all in-person services occur at a site directly operated by the applicant?

Yes. Applicants should provide information regarding the physical site(s) they intend to utilize and ensure that the location has sufficient private space to provide financial counseling services.

Opportunity Name: Financial Counseling

9 3.1 The RFP states that each full-time staff person should provide a minimum of fifty (50) individual financial counseling sessions per month. Is this intended as a required contractual minimum or as a planning benchmark that may be adjusted based on client complexity, outreach responsibilities, and retention work?

Each full time staff person or equivalent, upon completion of training and onboarding, will be expected to provide a minimum of 50 individual financial counseling sessions per month. The Department will coordinate with the selected Applicant regarding service delivery needs. Sessions can be provided to new or continuing clients.

10 3.1 The RFP indicates that providers should deliver an average of two

(2) free financial counseling sessions per client. Should applicants treat this as a required service standard for staffing and budgeting purposes, or as a desired target?

This is a benchmark the provider should seek to meet or exceed over the lifecycle of the contract.

11 3.1 Section 3.1 requires a comprehensive housing and financial health assessment for each client. Is CEO expecting the selected provider to have formal housing counseling expertise, or is the housing component intended primarily as a screening and referral function?

The Department anticipates housing counseling being incorporated through screening and referring clients.

12 3.1 The RFP references support related to legacy planning. Would CEO clarify the expected scope of this work? For example, is the expectation limited to financial education and referral, or should applicants propose direct support around wills, estate planning, and related matters?

The Department anticipates legacy planning being incorporated through informational resources and referrals.

13 3.1 The RFP allows applicants to propose additional services that support the stated outcomes. Can we use approaches that integrate trauma-informed engagement, and behavioral coaching into the financial counseling model, provided the core Financial Empowerment Center requirements are met?

Yes.

14 3.1 In addition to the metrics listed in the RFP, will CEO establish specific performance targets for the selected provider, such as minimum numbers of clients served, repeat sessions completed, debt reduced, savings increased, or credit score improvements?

Yes.

15 3.1 Must financial counselors hold Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund Financial Empowerment Center certification prior to contract start, or may certification be completed during implementation?

No. The Department will coordinate with selected Provider on training requirements and expectations for Financial Counselors.

16 3.2 Will CEO provide a required reporting template, case management platform, and/or standardized metrics?

CEO will provide a template to guide programmatic reporting, respondent may propose amendments or alternate reporting templates, subject to CEO's approval.

17 3.2/4.1 Are client incentives or direct financial support allowable expenses under this grant? Examples might include modest participation incentives, savings match programs, or small grants to help participants resolve barriers to financial stability (such as paying off a collections account) when tied to the goals of the Financial Empowerment Program.

No.

18 3.2/4.1 Can CEO confirm which costs are allowable under this contract, particularly for outreach/marketing, technology platforms, staff training, credit-report access tools, interpretation/translation, client supportive services, and indirect/administrative costs?

Section 3.2 contains detailed information on the cost structure for this opportunity. Section 4.1 contains detailed information regarding proposed budget requirements.

The applicants’ proposed price must include all costs that will be charged to the City for the services and tangible work products the Applicant proposes to perform and deliver to complete the project, including, but not limited to, costs for the following, if the Department is to pay for them: employee compensation and fringe benefits;

communication; printing; administrative expenses; bonding; acquisition of real estate; rent, utilities, maintenance and security related to real estate; travel (reimbursable only at rates approved by the Department);

project management; development; testing; implementation;

maintenance; training; and all other work proposed.

19 4.1 Is there a maximum allowable indirect or administrative cost rate under this RFP, or may applicants use their own indirect cost methodology?

The maximum allowable indirect cost rate under this RFP is 15%. The administrative cost rate can be up to 5%. Applicants should clearly communicate the calculation for indirect cost and administrative cost rates necessary to perform the services described in the RFP. See section 4.1 for detailed budget requirements.

20 3.2 Could you provide additional guidance regarding the expected monthly invoice format and any required supporting documentation? For example, are there standard invoice templates, reporting requirements, or documentation expectations that awardees should anticipate?

The selected applicant would be required to submit monthly invoices, with supporting documentation, an expenditure report, and a copy of their general ledger.

21 6 The RFP references the following requirements: BIRT, LBE, and

CAL

Must these certifications and registrations be in place at the time of proposal submission, or may they be obtained after award and prior to the execution of the contract?

Local Business Entity (LBE) certification is not a requirement under this RFP. If an applicant meets the requirements of a certified Local Business Entity (LBE), the Department strongly recommend that they get certified.

The Business Income & Receipts Tax (BIRT) is a responsibility for the organization awarded the contract, as applicable. See the City's webpage for additional information about this responsibility:

https://www.phila.gov/services/payments-assistance-taxes/taxes/business-taxes/business-taxes-by-type/business-income-receipts-tax-birt/

The Commercial Activity License (CAL) is a responsibility for the organization awarded this contract, as applicable. See the City's webpage for additional information about this responsibility:

https://www.phila.gov/services/permits-violations-licenses/get-a-license/business-licenses/activity/get-a-commercial-activity-license/

Q&A