Questions and Answers_Student Loan Counseling.pdf
PDF 134 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 21260612171032
- Issued by
- Philadelphia County, Philadelphia City, Pennsylvania
About this file
This Questions and Answers document pertains to the City of Philadelphia's Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) student loan counseling RFP (Opportunity #21260612171032). The RFP seeks qualified nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status to provide one-on-one student loan counseling services to low and middle-income Philadelphia residents. Responses are due August 7, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Philadelphia Time, with a pre-proposal meeting scheduled for June 30, 2026 at 11:00 a.m., and applicant questions due July 13, 2026. The contract will commence October 1, 2026 and conclude June 30, 2027, with the City retaining an option to extend for up to four additional one-year terms. The service delivery model requires providers to offer both in-person and virtual counseling options, maintain a physical site in Philadelphia, and serve approximately 25 participants per week, with each full-time staff member anticipated to serve twenty to twenty-five clients weekly.
Key operational requirements include mandatory subcontracting with a legal aid organization to address complex student loan matters such as collections and Borrower Defense cases, with the relationship structure to be designed by the applicant. The selected provider must join the National Student Debt Counselors Network (NSDCN) upon contract commencement at no cost and complete the Student Loan Counselor Core Training through EdCap's network, which includes asynchronous learning and monthly counselor meetings; staff training should begin only after award. The contract is structured as cost-reimbursement with a maximum award of $250,000, requiring applicants to have financial capacity to pay program costs upfront and submit monthly invoices with itemized service breakdowns. Applicants demonstrating Local Business Entity or Local Impact Certification status under Mayoral Executive Order No. 04-12 receive positive evaluation consideration. The City will provide an information phone hotline through the Mayor's Office of Education for client referrals, while the selected applicant bears responsibility for conducting additional outreach to potential participants. Current educational materials addressing recent student loan law developments will be made available to support counseling services.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Local Business Entity Cert.pdf | ||
| Appendix B - Tax and Regulatory Status and Clearance Statement.docx | DOCX document | |
| LGBTQ Data Form.pdf | ||
| Pre-Proposal Meeting_Student Debt RFP Briefing.pdf | ||
| General Consultant Services.pdf | ||
| RFP Submission Checklist 7-2025 rvsd.pdf | ||
| RFP_Student Loan Counseling.pdf | ||
| Appendix E - Cost Proposal Template.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet |
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Text version
City of Philadelphia Questions and Answers
Opportunity #: 21260612171032
Question #
RFP
Section
Reference Question Department Response 1 3.1 How many borrower participants does the Department anticipate being served per day?
The Department outlined an expectation for 25 participants per week.
There is not a set goal per day.
2 3.1 Is the RFP project concerned with students in high school getting the right counseling to avoid longer term issues ?
This program is intended to serve individuals who have existing student loan debt. High school students would not fit that criteria.
3 3.1 Does the City anticipate doing outreach that would generate calls to the referral line and then referrals out to the contract awardee, or would that primarily be the responsibility of the contract awardee?
Outreach will be a shared responsibility. The Mayor's Office of Education will be establishing an information phone hotline, where City staff can identify clients to refer to selected Applicant. The selected Applicant will be responsible for conducting outreach to potential participants who could benefit from services.
4 3.1 Does the Department have a preference towards virtual or physical appointments?
The Department expects that the provider will utilizing virtual sessions as an option. However, applicants must propose their capacity for in-person sessions for clients that cannot participate in virtual sessions.
5 3.1 Can the Department provide additional clarity on the expectations for virtual and in-person services?
The selected Provider will be required to offer in-person and virtual options to clients. Applicants should propose how these options will be provided. See section 3.1 General Requirements for detailed information.
6 3.1 Should the applicant plan to subcontract with a legal aid organization?
Yes, the respondent should anticipate subcontracting with a legal aid provider to advise when necessary.
7 3.1 Can the Department provide additional clarity on the role of the legal services subcontractor? Is the subcontractor intended to provide guidance, or to receive client referrals?
The roles within the relationship should be established by the respondent and the legal aid organization. At minimum the legal aid organization should advise the organization on complex student loan issues.
8 3.1 How would a legal aid agency support the awardee and under what circumstances does your department see the support?
There are instances when a borrower's student debt situation becomes a legal matter. Collections or Borrower Defense are examples. The Department expects the awarded applicant to obtain legal help from a legal aid partner when necessary. How the relationship is built can be designed by the applicant.
9 3.1 Does the Department have a minimum staffing requirement for this program?
No. Interested Applicants should propose a staffing structure and budget within the RFP limits.
Opportunity Name: Student Loan Counseling
10 3.1 Can the Department provider clarity on training expectations for staff assigned as counselors?
Counselor training should only begin once awarded the grant. EdCap convenes a national network open to any organization doing this line of work. After award, the selected organization should reach out to Edcap to join the network, follow the asynchronous learning and participate in monthly counselor meetings.
11 3.1 The RFP indicates that the service provider will join the National Student Debt Counselors Network (NSDCN) and complete the Student Loan Counselor Core Training prior to delivering services. Is there a cost associated with the NSDCN training, and if so, what is the cost, and are the funds for that training allocated outside of the scope of the funding available under this RFP?
The NSDCN network is only for organizations that are actively engaged in delivering student loan counseling services. Applicants are not required to join the NSDCN network to be eligible for consideration under this RFP. The selected Applicant must join upon commencement of the contract. There are no costs associated with joining the network.
12 3.1 Will education materials be available that acount for more recent developments in student loan law such as the SAVE litigation and
HR1.
Educational materials about recent changes to student loan law will be made available.
Q&A
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