RFA KONA 2025000280_AMD2.docx.pdf

Refugee Housing Stabilization Program (RHSP)

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

RFA (RFP) KONA 2025000280

Applications Due:

Monday, June 9th, 2025 at 11:59 PM local time

Bidnet Link:

Colorado Department of Labor & Employment - Bid Opportunities and RFPs | BidNet

Direct https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.bidnetdirect.com_colorado_coloradodepartmentoflaboremployment&d=DwMFaQ&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=pB5wTHATvVbtCYsAinpwvAT6zDcB5Gm_fs4pdud8N0I&m=_-W2gMtD0kwA99_rEXLnAiCeK3aLQgBNf8SgqdDwSOjLsGBJnftizNA8U4UA4ERH&s=Jxm2yb5sxLwW8LES6di85ia5a9FR8s_VAcf-ZW10Gr4&e= https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.bidnetdirect.com_colorado_coloradodepartmentoflaboremployment&d=DwMFaQ&c=sdnEM9SRGFuMt5z5w3AhsPNahmNicq64TgF1JwNR0cs&r=pB5wTHATvVbtCYsAinpwvAT6zDcB5Gm_fs4pdud8N0I&m=_-W2gMtD0kwA99_rEXLnAiCeK3aLQgBNf8SgqdDwSOjLsGBJnftizNA8U4UA4ERH&s=Jxm2yb5sxLwW8LES6di85ia5a9FR8s_VAcf-ZW10Gr4&e=

Table of Contents

I. PROJECT BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW 3

A. Introduction 3

B. Background 4

C. Current Status of Program 5

II. PROJECT BUDGET & FUNDING INFORMATION 5

A. Place of Performance 5

B. Funding Source 5

C. Funding Period 5

D. Funding Provisions 5

E. Budget Requirements 5

III. PROJECT REQUIREMENTS 6

A. Eligibility 7

B. Required Project Components 8

IV. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS 9

A. Reporting and Other Requirements 9

B. Reimbursement Requirements 9

C. Definitions 10

V. SELECTION, EVALUATION, & AWARDS 12

A. Evaluation 13

B. Use of Financial Risk Rating in Evaluation 13

VI. HOW TO APPLY 13

A. General Rules 13

B. Required Documents 20

C. Submission Instructions 21

1. General Information 21

2. Instructions for Electronic Applications 22

3. Questions and Inquiries 23

D. Pre-application Conference 24

E. Applicant Submission Documentation 24

F. Tentative Schedule of Activities 24 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LOXV9JUzpThCCr2r6zNMFGVb4EMZiM3f/edit#bookmark=id.3whwml4

I. Project Background and Overview

A. Introduction

The Colorado Refugee Services Program (CRSP) is seeking one or more organizations that are able to successfully administer a statewide Refugee

Housing Stabilization Program (RHSP). Assistance under this program is for individuals and households eligible for services from the US Department of

Health and Human Service’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). These individuals, also called ‘ORR-eligible individuals,’ include refugees, asylees, Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa holders, Cuban and Haitian Entrants, and additional populations . For the purposes of this RFA, we refer to these individuals as “refugees.”

The RHSP is designed to address the burden of high rental costs statewide. This program will provide refugee individuals and households with up to 6 months of rental assistance, security deposits, utility assistance and housing navigation services so refugees can increase stability and become integrated into their communities. Eligibility for the program is based upon immigration status and household income. Specific assistance amounts depend upon household size, demonstrated need, and available funding. Depending upon available funding, applicants may qualify for additional housing support beyond 6 months, but not to exceed 12 months total. The maximum monthly assistance payment a household is eligible for is based on number of ORR-eligible individuals in the household:

● ORR-eligible single adult or household of 2 ORR-eligible individuals: Up to $400/month

● Household of 3-5 ORR-eligible individuals: Up to $500/month

● Household of 6 or more ORR-eligible individuals: Up to $600/month

Services under the Refugee Housing Stabilization Program are:

1. Case Review: Reviewing and approving/denying applications for the RHSP based upon income and other factors. Confirming ORR eligibility using the process established through the Statement of Work.

2. Administration: Working with approved tenants and their landlords to provide rental assistance, security deposits, or utility payments, in accordance with programmatic guidelines. Provide payment to third party entities on behalf of eligible tenants.

3. Housing Navigation & Housing Stability Services: Working with approved tenants to provide supportive services that reduce barriers to accessing safe and affordable housing.

1 Status and Documentation Requirements for the ORR Refugee Resettlement Program. Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children & Families, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/policy-guidance/status-and-documentation-requirements-orr-refugee-resettlem ent-program https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/policy-guidance/status-and-documentation-requirements-orr-refugee-resettlement-program https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/policy-guidance/status-and-documentation-requirements-orr-refugee-resettlement-program

B. Background

The Colorado Refugee Services Program (CRSP) is the State agency designated by the Governor of Colorado under Senate Bill 19-230 and 45 CFR 400.5 to implement the State Plan for effective refugee resettlement within Colorado.

As of October 2024, CRSP is located in the Office of New Americans (ONA) within the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE).

CRSP does not offer any direct services but instead works through a constellation of grants and partners to achieve our goals. Our services and programs support refugees and the larger receiving community working together to build the social capital necessary to sustain a welcoming environment for refugees and build a stronger Colorado for all.

Mission: To facilitate the integration and inclusion of refugees into Colorado’s civic, economic, and social life.

Vision: All refugees have equitable access to opportunity and well-being.

CRSP provides State leadership, networking, monitoring, technical assistance, and systems navigation on behalf of individuals eligible for services

(ORR-eligible persons ) and the agencies that assist them. CRSP works in partnership with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), the

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), the Colorado

Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), CDLE, counties in which ORR-eligible individuals reside, local nonprofits, and businesses to promote self-sufficiency and integration.

CRSP’s coordinating function is important to note for this RFA as it is CRSP’s responsibility to provide oversight and coordination of public and private resettlement resources. This oversight ensures coordination among refugee service providers, as well as cooperation at a state level for a broad reach of services for refugees.

CRSP disburses funds that can only be used to serve ORR-eligible participants in their first 60 months after gaining an eligible status, with the exception of referral and interpreter services and citizenship and naturalization preparation services, for which there is no time limitation (45 C.F.R. 400.152(b)). CRSP funds programs based on funding availability and community priority.

2 Status and Documentation Requirements for the ORR Refugee Resettlement Program. Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children & Families, https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/policy-guidance/status-and-documentation-requirements-orr-refugee-resettlem ent-program https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/policy-guidance/status-and-documentation-requirements-orr-refugee-resettlement-program https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/policy-guidance/status-and-documentation-requirements-orr-refugee-resettlement-program

C. Current Status of Program

This is a new grant program under the Colorado Refugee Services Program at

CDLE.

II. Project Budget & Funding Information

A. Place of Performance

Applicant(s) physical place of business within Colorado or at approved remote, hybrid, and mobile work locations.

B. Funding Source

Federal Funding for Refugee Support Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement in accordance with 45 CFR Part 400, Subpart I including 2301CORSS, 2401CIRSSS, 2501CORSS, 2503CORCMA, 2601COTANF, and 90RW0059.

C. Funding Period

Federal Fiscal Year 2026, October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, with an optional additional extension through FFY2027.

D. Funding Provisions

1. Eligible Recipients for Service: The Refugee Housing Stabilization Program is funded by Refugee Support Services (RSS) from the Office of Refugee

Resettlement. The order of priority for support services is:

a. New arrivals in their first year in the U.S., are unemployed and engaged in workforce development activities

b. Employed refugees who are not receiving cash assistance

c. Unemployed refugees who are engaged in workforce development activities or are seeking employment

2. Within the available RSS funds from ORR, there are certain priority populations designated for support. Approximately 75% of the available funds have been designated by Congress for use by eligible Afghans and must be used for this population . Individuals and households from other nationalities will also be able to access the RHSP.

3. As a proportion of the total budget, the vast majority of funds should be earmarked for direct client assistance, including rental assistance, security deposits, and utility assistance. Housing navigation services are an important element of this program, but should not constitute the majority of costs.

4. Allowable Costs:

a. Include those costs meeting 2 CFR 200.400 Cost Principles:

Allowable, Allocable, Reasonable. i.e. Salaries of staff performing

4 https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/orr/orr_pl-22-03-rss-asa.pdf 3 https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/programs/refugees/refugee-support-services https://acf.gov/sites/default/files/documents/orr/orr_pl-22-03-rss-asa.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/orr/programs/refugees/refugee-support-services direct work on the grant program, recipient support costs, program costs directly related to the grant program, etc.

5. Unallowable Costs Include:

a. Costs paid for by another State or Federal source covering the same activities in the proposed project

b. Organizational or individual Food and beverages

c. Gifts

d. Politically related activities

e. Entertainment

f. Fines and penalties

g. Donations

h. Fundraising activities

i. Individual memberships and subscriptions

j. Any activities related to the marijuana industry

k. Any other activity noted in 2 CFR 200.400 Cost Principles

E. Budget Requirements

Indirect (F&A) Cost Rate:

Indirect costs are those that have been incurred for common or joint objectives and cannot be readily identified with a particular final cost objective or grant account. Indirect costs may be called Facilities and Administration costs

(“F&A”) at some agencies.

Indirect costs are different from administrative costs in most cases. For example, a program employee can be considered administrative and not be included in an agency’s indirect costs.

Costs classified as indirect can differ depending upon your organizational structure and accounting practices but some common examples include depreciation on buildings and equipment, operating and maintenance costs of facilities, and general administrative expenses such as the salaries and expenses of executive officers and accounting or legal staff.

If Applicant’s agency/business maintains an indirect or F&A rate and

Applicant chooses to include this cost on the application budget, it is expected that the amount budgeted will reflect the agency’s/business’s currently approved rate. Be prepared to submit the following if utilizing a negotiated indirect cost rate:

1. Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (“NICRA”) – An entity that receives funding directly from the federal government is eligible to recover indirect costs by using a federally negotiated indirect cost rate from their Federal cognizant agency.

Alternatives to a negotiated indirect cost rate:

1. de minimis indirect cost rate - Organizations may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 15% of modified total direct costs as defined at 2 CFR

200.68. NOTE: The de minimis indirect cost rate is only available to organizations that have never had a federally negotiated indirect cost rate or have a currently expired federally negotiated indirect cost rate and are not under a provisional rate use status during reapplication.

2. Direct Charge All Expenses - Organizations may elect to direct charge all allowable expenses on their billings for each grant if an existing

Cost Allocation Plan has been submitted and approved. Billed costs will be subject to field review by the CDLE.

Regardless of the option chosen, CDLE requires all indirect rates to comply with generally accepted accounting principles and be fully supported by actual cost data.

III. Project Requirements

This RFA provides prospective Applicants with sufficient information to enable them to prepare and submit an application for consideration to satisfy the need for expert assistance in the completion of the goals for this RFA.

A. Eligibility

CDLE anticipates awarding 1-3 applicants, with total funding available between

$2 and $2.5 million. Collaboration between organizations to improve access to the program and streamline the assistance payment process is encouraged.

CDLE will determine the number and amount of awards based on the

Applicant’s eligibility and qualifications, geographic service area, best value, and available funds.

Mandatory Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be public or private nonprofit or for-profit organizations operating in Colorado. This includes community-based organizations with or without 501(C)(3) status, and public housing authorities, resettlement agencies, but excludes property management companies. Applicants must be able to demonstrate their ability to:

1. Serve all ORR-eligible populations (eligible individuals listed at PL

16-01),

2. Within the constraints of available funding and program guidelines, serve all ORR-eligible populations equitably regardless of age, ability, ethnicity, language, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, and/or race.

3. Administer large sums of local, state, or federal rental, utility, and security deposit assistance funds, https://acf.gov/orr/policy-guidance/documentation-requirements-refugee-resettlement-program https://acf.gov/orr/policy-guidance/documentation-requirements-refugee-resettlement-program

4. Have strong financial and administrative systems in place to provide rental and other payments in a timely manner,

5. Analyze diverse forms of income documentation to ensure tenants/program participants meet Area Median Income (AMI) guidelines by county,

6. Adhere to all relevant housing rules and regulations,

7. Provide supportive services and guidance to tenants working to find and maintain safe and affordable housing,

8. Assist participants with completing RHSP applications, navigating technological issues and/or language barriers,

9. Issue payments electronically (preferred) or by check to property management companies, HOAs, tax authorities, insurance companies, public trustees, or any other entity as part of the assistance payment process,

10. Fulfill all grant expectations, including fiscal, programmatic, and data collection and reporting requirements,

11. Collect data and conduct outcome and financial reporting that support the goals and purposes of this RFA and fully meet the fiscal requirements of federal funding,

12. Target areas with high numbers of ORR-eligible individuals, including, but not limited to, Metro Denver, Pikes Peak Region, and Northern

Colorado.

B. Required Project Components

The Refugee Housing Stabilization Program must include Case Review, Administration, and Housing Navigation or Stability Services.

Case Review

A thorough case review must be completed to determine ORR eligibility, residency, and financial eligibility for the program.

Eligible individuals or households must:

1. Have an ORR-eligible status and be and within their first 5 years from arrival/date of initial eligibility;

2. Be a tenant of a residential premises in Colorado that is their primary residence; and

3. Have an annual household income of eighty percent or less than the Area

Median Income (AMI).

Case review efforts include:

1. Verifying tenant occupancy by matching the rental agreement and IDs

2. Verifying income to meet AMI guidelines by county. Analyzing tax returns, paystubs, W-2’s, award letters, bank statements and/or other forms of income verification to determine eligibility at set intervals;

3. Verifying ORR eligibility either through document review internally, or via a regularly scheduled submission of immigration documents to CRSP, dependent upon agency experience and capacity. Eligibility documents include I-94, I-551, I-766, and others to be detailed during the SOW development process; and

4. Conducting eligibility checks at required intervals, including: verifying income eligibility, reviewing if an individual or family is currently receiving cash assistance,determining if duplicate assistance payments are being made through another program, and ensuring unemployed participants are engaged in workforce development activities and actively seeking employment.

Administration

Administration includes all efforts related to processing and tracking payments for eligible tenants. These efforts include:

1. Develop or modify assistance application in coordination with CRSP;

2. Assist individuals or households with completing the RHSP application, addressing technological issues,and/ or overcoming language barriers;

3. Conduct quality assurance process for assistance applications;

4. Issue payments to property management companies, property owners, public trustees, or any other entity as part of the payment process;

5. Monitor and track payments made for all approved tenants; and

6. Complete and submit monthly invoices and reporting to CRSP in a timely manner.

Housing Navigation and Stabilization Services

The awarded grantee(s) will provide housing navigation and other housing-related stabilization services to prospective or existing tenants who are approved for assistance and who opt-in to receive additional support. Housing navigation and stabilization services should be customized to the tenants’ needs and reduce barriers to accessing and maintaining safe and affordable housing.

Services may include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Aid existing tenants in applying for utility assistance;

2. Develop an individualized budget or housing plan to meet housing goals;

3. Help prospective tenants find, secure, and maintain safe and affordable housing;

4. Navigate landlord-tenant communication and cooperation;

5. Host trainings or provide coaching on tenant rights and responsibilities;

and

6. Refer existing or prospective tenants to other CRSP-funded grantees or community programs for mental health, workforce services, English

Language Acquisition (ELA) or immigration legal services to support overall stability.

IV. Additional Requirements

A. Reporting and Other Requirements

All awarded grantees are responsible for meeting the following requirements, in addition to those outlined in the program Statement of Work, Grantee

Guidelines, and other related guidance provided by CRSP.

1. Submit accurate and timely service data reports

2. Submit monthly reimbursement requests / invoices and required backup documentation

3. Meet with CRSP Housing and Data staff for regular progress check-ins

4. Attend collaborative events, service coordination meetings, and other professional development opportunities as determined by the SOW

5. Complete required training related to CRSP requirements including the

Refugee Services Foundations web-based training curriculum

6. Report critical incidents per CRSP policy

7. Provide interpretation and translation

8. Additional requirements may be negotiated during the Award phase of this RFA.

Additional requirements may be negotiated during the Award phase of this RFA.

B. Reimbursement Requirements

This is a cost reimbursement grant. Reimbursements to Grantee shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the State of Colorado Grant Agreement and Statement of Work section for Reimbursement Requests and Payments.

Grantee shall submit monthly reimbursement requests that detail expenses with justification based on the approved budget by the 15th of the month following the month of expenditures. The reimbursement requests should clearly detail the actual approved costs related to the grant incurred during the time since the last reimbursement request was submitted. If there have been no incurred expenses for a given month, then a reimbursement request is not required for that month.

Reimbursement requests must include an expenditure report, typically generated from financial tracking software, to include, where appropriate and relevant: time sheets/timecards, program staff/employee time allocation forms, payroll reports from “official” payroll system or system of record, proof of purchases, itemized receipts, detailed account of all related expenses, related grant project objective & date of expenditure, or any other documentation that CRSP shall request in its sole discretion. Such supporting documentation shall be considered part of the Grantee Records and shall be kept for the duration of the Record Retention Period and Statement of Work of an awarded Grant Agreement.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i2j5ztel32NPFPPRLt-3dKs4OpDVXTc3/view

C. Definitions

1. Definition of Terms

i. Applicant: Organization applying to carry out all the programmatic and strategic requirements of this grant. This organization identifies the fiscal agent, grant administrator and any public and/or industry partners and subcontractors. This organization may also be the fiscal agent and the grant administrator.

ii. AMI: Area Median Income. A calculation completed for all counties and household sizes across Colorado.

iii. Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE): Oversees labor and employment in the State of Colorado. CDLE is home to the

Colorado Refugee Services Program, located within the Office of New

Americans.

iv. Colorado VSS: Colorado Vendor Self-Service is a website where companies and individuals are able to register and maintain vendor

(Applicant) account information. Solicitations for goods and services, as well as construction notices for State Agencies and State

Institutions of Higher Education are published on the website.

v. Community Integration: a dynamic, two- way process in which newcomers and the receiving society work together to build secure, vibrant, and cohesive communities. Core domains include employment, education, housing, health, citizenship and rights, social bonds, social bridges, social links, language and culture knowledge, safety and stability.

vi. CRSP: Colorado Refugee Services Program, the state refugee office.

vii. Indirect (F&A Cost Rate): Indirect costs are those that have been incurred for common or joint objectives and cannot be readily identified with a particular final cost objective or grant account.

Indirect costs may be called Facilities and Administration costs (F&A) at some agencies. Indirect costs are different from administrative costs in most cases (See Section II, Subsection E: Budget

Requirements).

viii. ORR: Office of Refugee Resettlement, the federal office overseeing refugee resettlement. ORR is located in the Department of Health and

Human Services.

ix. ORR eligible: For the purpose of this RFA, the term “refugee” may be used in place of “ORR eligible” and is used to describe any person

5 Ager, A., & Strang, A. (2008). Understanding integration: A conceptual framework. J. Refugee Stud., 21, 166.

eligible for Office of Refugee Resettlement services under 45 CFR

400.43, which include such populations as refugees, asylees, Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa holders, and Cuban/Haitian parolees.

Applicant agencies must be able to serve all populations eligible for services under 45 C.F.R. 400.43.

x. Receiving Community: Long standing residents of Colorado who form an important part of refugee integration and wellbeing. They may be native-born individuals or immigrants and they can be encouraged to contribute to integration through volunteering, employing refugees, or simply creating welcoming communities.

xi. Refugee: For the purpose of this RFA, the term “refugee” refers to an

“ORR-eligible individual” who is eligible for Office of Refugee

Resettlement services under 45 CFR 400.43, which include such populations as refugees, asylees, Special Immigrant Visa holders, certain Humanitarian Parolees, Victims of Human Trafficking, and

Cuban/Haitian parolees. Applicant agencies must be able to serve all populations eligible for services under 45 C.F.R. 400.43.

xii. RFA: This solicitation is a Request for Applications; however for purposes of publishing on the State of Colorado solicitation notification website, the term RFP (see next definition) is used.

xiii. RFP: A Request for Proposals is the avenue of publishing this solicitation on Colorado VSS.

xiv. Tenant: An ORR-eligible individual or household that has been approved for rental or other assistance and is receiving assistance/housing navigation services through the Refugee Housing

Stabilization Program.

V. Selection, Evaluation, & Awards

CDLE will conduct a comprehensive, fair, and impartial evaluation of the applications received in response to this solicitation. The objective of the evaluation is to determine the applications that most effectively meet the goals and requirements of this grant. This application will be awarded to the

Applicant(s) whose application, conforming to the solicitation, will be most advantageous to CRSP, CDLE, and the State. Failure of an Applicant to provide any required information and/or failure to follow the response format set forth herein may result in reduced ranking and/or disqualification. It is the

Applicant’s responsibility to assure all required materials are included.

Applicants should not assume they would have an opportunity for written clarifications or revisions of applications, so they should submit their most favorable application as the initial application. Applicants may be provided an opportunity to respond to written clarifications or an Application Review as part of the evaluation process. Determination of the eligibility for award range will be based on the written applications, so Applicants are cautioned to ensure that their applications adequately convey the soundness of their approach and understanding of the requirements.

A brief overview of the evaluation process follows:

1. Review of all the applications received for compliance with the RFA.

2. Preliminary evaluation or scoring of all applications.

3. Requests for clarification may be made. Any or all Applicants may be asked for such clarification. Such requests may be made at this point in the evaluation process and/or subsequent to an oral presentation (if requested).

4. Final evaluation scoring of all applications.

5. Funding Requests of qualifying Applicants will be evaluated and compared to available funding.

6. Recommendation for award.

Clarifying questions and oral presentations may require revisions to original applications. If so, the Applicant will be given a reasonable timeframe in which to formulate and submit written responses to the questions and to provide any related revisions to their initial application. Such revisions will be at the option of the Applicant, but will be limited to the guidelines included within CDLE’s requested clarifications. No additional written materials will be permitted. Adjustments to budget will also be allowed, but only to the extent such revisions are reflected in, and are consistent with, the application revisions.

A. Evaluation

An Evaluation Committee has been established to review the merit of the applications received in response to this RFA. Evaluation of applications will be based on all information received, including any clarifications, oral presentations, and any other sources of information deemed appropriate by the

Evaluation Committee. The award decision is a business judgment reflecting an integrated assessment of the relative merits of the applications using the factors set forth below in no particular order:

1. Demonstration of experience administering local, state, or federally funded programs, including previous experience in administering a state or federally funded rental, utility, and security deposit assistance program;

2. Demonstration of capability and scalability of the organization’s staffing to administer the project components outlined in section III B of this

RFA;

3. Demonstration of strong financial and administrative systems in place to provide rental, utility, and security payments in a timely manner;

4. Demonstration of ability to effectively review cases for initial and ongoing eligibility;

5. Demonstration of ability to effectively outreach to, support, and engage tenants from diverse backgrounds;

6. Demonstration of experience and success providing housing navigation or other housing services;

7. Demonstration of the ability and/or willingness to provide statewide services OR services that target geographic areas with high density of resettled refugees as outlined in section III A of this RFA; and

8. Demonstration of relationships with existing refugee service providers.

Additional Weight will be added for the following components:

1. Organizations led by refugees/immigrants or that demonstrate a staffing model that hires bilingual and/or bicultural staff with lived experience;

2. Organizations demonstrate that they can equitably serve all participants regardless of status through other financial awards; and

3. Ability to adapt to changing resettlement patterns (including fluctuations in the numbers of newly arriving families, countries/cultures of origin of newly arriving families, patterns of where families relocate after arrival to Colorado, etc.) and adjust programming based on the current needs of the refugee and receiving communities.

B. Use of Financial Risk Rating in Evaluation

After the final decision to recommend for award and prior to final awarded agreement, the financial risk assessment rating determined as high risk from the submitted Risk Assessment Questionnaire or FRMS shall be applied in the form of additional monitoring and technical support to the awarded organization’s

Statement of Work.

VI. How to Apply

A. General Rules

The State of Colorado, Department of Labor and Employment seeks

Applications in accordance with the specifications in this RFA. Office of

Management and Budget (“OMB”) Uniform Guidance (Title 2 of C.R.S., subtitle

A, Chapter II, Part 200) applies to this solicitation and any awards.

Responses must be submitted as specified in this announcement. Applications that fail to follow all of the requirements may not be considered.

CDLE reserves the right to cancel this RFA at any time without penalty.

1. Discrepancies

Should the Applicant find any part of the solicitation to be discrepant, incomplete or otherwise questionable in any respect, the Applicant shall be responsible to call such matters to the attention of CDLE immediately. Failure to do so shall be at the Applicant’s risk.

Amendments and modifications to this solicitation will be official only if published on Colorado VSS and Bidnet. Applicants shall not rely on verbal statements that alter this solicitation.

2. Addendum or Supplement to Request for Application

In the event that it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFA, addendum/modification will be published on Colorado VSS and Bidnet. It is incumbent upon an Applicant to carefully and regularly monitor

Colorado VSS and Bidnet for any such postings.

3. Valid Application Period

All aspects of an applicant’s application, including budget, will be firm for the entire period of performance noted in the Funding Provisions section of this RFA.

4. Withdrawal of Applications

Applications may be withdrawn by the applicant prior to the established due date and time.

5. RFA Response Material Ownership

CDLE has the right to retain the original application response and other application response materials for its files. As such, CDLE may retain or dispose of all copies as is lawfully deemed appropriate. Application response materials may be reviewed by any person after the "Notice of

Intent to Award" has been posted on Colorado VSS, subject to the terms of Section 24-72-201 et seq., C.R.S., as amended, Public (Open) Records.

Applicant expressly agrees that CDLE may use the materials for all lawful

State purposes, including the right to reproduce and distribute copies of the material submitted for purposes of evaluation, and as part of the resulting grant agreement, and to make the information available to the public in accordance with the provisions of the Public Records Act.

6. Selection of Applications Notice

Upon review and approval of the Applications and the Evaluation

Committee’s recommendation for award, CDLE will issue a “Notice of

Intent to Make an Award” via BidNet to all Applicants.

7. Acceptance of Application Content

The contents of the application response (including persons specified to implement the project) of the successful applicant will become binding obligations if an award action ensues.

Failure of the successful Applicant to accept these obligations in a grant agreement, purchase order, or similar authorized acquisition document may result in cancellation of the award.

8. Insurance

Awarded Applicant(s) who are not State of Colorado Agencies or

Institutions of Higher Education shall agree to CDLE’s Insurance

Requirements (Attachment E, Model Grant Agreement, Section 10 –

Insurance).

Awarded Applicant(s) shall provide a copy of a valid proof of insurance coverage (i.e., insurance certificate(s)) within seven (7) business days of the Notice of Award date of the Grant Agreement. Applicants must affirm that they will be able to obtain all insurance requirements and maintain for the duration of the period of service.

9. Ownership of Grant Agreement Products/Services

Applications, upon established RFA submission deadline, become the property of the State of Colorado. All products and/or services produced in response to the grant agreement resulting from this RFA will be the sole property of the State of Colorado, unless otherwise noted in the RFA or grant agreement. The contents of the successful Applicant’s application will become contractual obligations.

10. Incurring Costs

The State is not liable for any cost incurred by the Applicant prior to issuance of a legally executed grant agreement, purchase order, or other authorized acquisition document. No property interest, of any nature, shall occur until a grant agreement is awarded and executed.

11. Rejection of Applications

CDLE reserves the right: 1) to reject any or all applications; 2) to waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received as determined by CDLE; and 3) to accept any portion of an application or all items in an application if deemed in the best interest of CDLE.

Failure of an applicant to provide any information requested in this RFA

(and in the manner or format required in this solicitation) may result in disqualification of the application.

12. Parent Company/Vendor Identification

If an Applicant is owned or controlled by a parent company, the name, main office address and parent company's tax identification number shall be provided in the application. The tax identification number provided must be that of the applicant responding to the RFA. The Applicant must be a legal entity with the legal right to contract.

13. External Communications, Outreach, and Logos

External communications and outreach pertaining to this RFA or award are not permitted without prior written approval from CDLE’s

Government Policy and Public Relations Office. External communications and outreach include, but are not limited to, news releases, advertising and marketing materials.

Awarded Applicant’s use of CDLE or project logos are not permitted without prior written approval from CDLE’s Government Policy and

Public Relations Office.

14. Past Performance

Each Applicant’s past performance shall be reviewed as part of the

State’s overall evaluation. This evaluation will take into account past performance information as a part of such Applicant’s application including but not limited to, information regarding previous State grant performance, predecessor companies, key personnel who have relevant experience, and subcontractors performing major or critical aspects of the service(s), if such information is relevant. Applicants without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available will receive a neutral past performance rating.

15. Applicant Agreements

The successful Applicant is required to enter into a formal Grant

Agreement (“Agreement”) with CDLE. The Grant Agreement incorporates standard State terms including Special Provisions.

The Model Grant Agreement is linked in Attachment E to this RFA.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek advice from legal counsel regarding such grant exceptions. Applicants should not assume any term or condition in this RFA or in Attachment E links are negotiable.

In the event the parties are unable to enter into a grant agreement, CDLE may elect to cancel the "Notice of Intent to Make an Award" letter and make the award to the next eligible applicant whose application would subsequently have received the award.

16. Pricing

Except as otherwise disclosed in Applicant’s submission of a quote, Applicant certifies that the prices have been arrived at independently without any consultation, communication, agreement with, or knowledge of the contents of the quote by any other competing

Applicant.For purposes of this paragraph, “consultation, communication, agreement with, or knowledge” does not include knowledge of prices gained through availability of established price lists or catalogs made available to the public by the competing Applicant. No attempt has been made or will be made by the Applicant to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit an application for the purpose of restricting competition.

All prices and fees contained in application responses, shall be firm for the award period of the grant agreement.

17. Remedies

If an Applicant disagrees with the determination of whether that

Applicant should have received an award or with a determination of its compliance with the requirements of this RFA, the application will have the following remedies:

● Federal Program Remedies - if a federal program under which funding is provided for the Grant provides for an appeal process, then CDLE will follow the appeal process provided for by the federal program

● State Award Remedies - if there is no federal appeal process available as described in the prior section, the Applicants may submit their appeal to the CDLE Procurement Official, who shall review the appeal and make a final determination , unless the authority for making this determination is otherwise specified by law. The sole remedy for Applicants shall be potential funding depending on availability of funding.

● Grant Agreement Disputes - if the Applicant has a dispute related to the agreement to which they are a party, then the dispute shall be resolved in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

● Contracts - any protest, appeal, or dispute related to a contract shall be resolved in accordance with the Procurement

Code.

18. Resident Applicant Preference

Per Colorado Revised Statutes, Section 24-103-906, a resident Applicant may be allowed a preference against a non-resident Applicant equal to the preference given or required by the state in which the non-resident

Applicant is a resident.

19. Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses

The State encourages proposals from Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned

Small Businesses (“SDVOSB”) and sets a three percent (3%) statewide goal by dollar value of all contracts to be awarded to SDVOSB. An interested SDVOSB Applicant should submit, with its application, verification that it is incorporated or organized in Colorado, or maintains a place of business, or has an office in Colorado and is officially registered and verified as a SDVOSB by the U.S. Department of Veterans

Affairs.

https://www.vip/vetbiz.va.gov/

Applicants who fail to provide SDVOSB documentation in their proposal, or upon request by the State, cannot be considered for a preference.

Reference §24-103-905, C.R.S.

20. Minority and Women-Owned Business and Small Business Enterprises

CDLE is dedicated to creating, operating, and maintaining a procurement and contracting system that provides all Colorado individuals and businesses, including minority and/or women-owned enterprises

(M/WBE) and small business enterprises, with an equal and fair opportunity to compete for CDLE business. Applicants should take all necessary affirmative steps, as required by 45 CFR 93.36(3), Colorado

Executive Orders, and Procurement Rules, to ensure small, minority, and women business enterprises are utilized, when feasible, as sources of supplies, equipment, construction, and services purchased under awarded contract.

In an effort to track levels of participation by women or minorities doing business with the State of Colorado, a Minority and Women-Owned

Business Self Certification should be submitted with final proposals to this RFA. The Certification may be found in the Attachments.

21. Non-Discrimination

Applicants shall comply with all applicable federal, state, local laws, ordinances, executive orders, and regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, and sex, including but not limited to: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (P.L. 88-352), 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq., and Title VII of the

Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. Unless required by federal law or regulation, employers may not automatically bar Applicants or employees with an arrest or conviction record from employment.

22. Section 508 Compliance

If applicable, all electronic and information technology deliverables under this solicitation shall comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation

Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794 (d); 36 CFR Part 1194) and the Access Board

Standards. Section 508 requires that accessibility for people with disabilities be incorporated into all electronic and information technology developed, procured and maintained under the resulting solicitation award.

https://www.vip/vetbiz.va.gov/

The solution shall also conform to the most current version of the Web

Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) available at https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/ Ability to conform to these standards will be verified through a demonstration by the Applicant. The Applicant should provide a policy, commitment, or mission statement regarding electronic accessibility.

● State of Colorado Accessibility Statement

● C.R.S. 24-85-104, ARTICLE 85. "INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

ACCESS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY

IMPAIRED", (PDF)

● TS-OEA-001: Technology Accessibility for Persons with

Disabilities, (PDF)

● TS-OEA-002: Technology Accessibility for Web Content and

Applications, (PDF)

● WCAG 2.1 Standards, W3C

● Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973, section508.gov

If applicable, the successful Applicant must also adhere to the State of

Colorado Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) Security policies located at: http://www.oit.state.co.us/ois/policies.

23. Conflict of Interest/Ethics

Applicants must disclose in their application any potential or actual conflict of interest in connection with an application to this RFA. A conflict of interest may include, but is not limited to, access to any nonpublic information by the Applicant regarding the RFA or its subject matter, or by any of the Applicant’s employees, contractors, or agents, including any individual who may have had access to nonpublic information in a prior capacity before entering into a relationship with the Applicant.

Applicants acknowledge that even the appearance of a conflict of interest may be harmful to the State’s interest. Applicants should disclose in their applications whether there currently are, or potentially could be, the appearance of a conflict of interest regarding this RFA, application staff, any proposed subcontractors or partners, and/or any related business with the State.

Requirements set forth in this section are continuing requirements through the solicitation process and, for the awarded Applicant, the contract term, including any extensions. Reference §24-18-201, C.R.S.,

et. seq. (Proscribed Acts Related to Contracts and Claims); §24-50-507, https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/ https://oit.stg.colorado.gov/standards-policies-guides/guide-to-accessible-web-services/state-of-colorado-accessibility https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/2000a_sl_315.pdf https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/2000a_sl_315.pdf https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/2000a_sl_315.pdf https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_ZUv6gW8QZMenFUNlgxQ3dRZ28 https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_ZUv6gW8QZMenFUNlgxQ3dRZ28 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GTMGpJspCagbaVyw0OmMBgl35JgRYw1P/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GTMGpJspCagbaVyw0OmMBgl35JgRYw1P/view?usp=sharing https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/ https://www.section508.gov/manage/laws-and-policies https://www.section508.gov/manage/laws-and-policies http://www.oit.state.co.us/ois/policies

C.R.S. (Conflict of Interest); §18-8-301, C.R.S., et. seq., (Bribery and

Corrupt Influence); §18-8-401, C.R.S., et. seq. (Abuse of Public Office):

§6-4-101, C.R.S., et. seq., (Colorado Antitrust Act of 1992); §24-109-105, C.R.S. (Debarment and Suspension); and Procurement Rule

R-24-101-107-01 (Ethics).

The State reserves the right to determine an Applicant’s responsibility based on factors such as financial, material, personnel resources and expertise, satisfactory record of performance; satisfactory record of integrity; and status of debarment. Reference §24-103-401, C.R.S.

B. Required Documents

All applications must include the following in this order: (Added as a fillable

Word Document to this RFA publication)

1. Attachment A

CDLE RFA Cover Sheet and Signature Page

2. Attachment B

Financial Risk Assessment Questionnaire

IMPORTANT: A risk rating will be assigned for all Applicants. Colorado

State Agencies and Colorado State Institutions of Higher Education are not required to complete the Financial Risk Assessment Questionnaire.

This form must be completed and submitted by all other Applicants.

Note: if the applicant has submitted a Financial Risk Assessment

Questionnaire within the past 12 months and the applicant has not experienced changes in that time period, the applicant should submit a copy of the questionnaire. If the applicant has experienced changes within the past 12 months the applicant must submit an updated questionnaire. The application may not be reviewed if the completed form is not included. The final application score will be impacted by risk determinations made by CDLE based on information contained in the form. The form and guidance are part of this announcement.

3. Attachment C

List of all Current Active and Expected Grant Awards for FFY26 Funding

Sources

4. Attachment D

Sponsoring Division Questionnaire

5. Attachment E

Project Detailed Itemized Budget and Narrative

IMPORTANT: The budget form must explain all expenses included in a narrative format. Applicants are responsible for ensuring the calculations in the budget are accurate. There will be no reimbursement of pre-award costs. CDLE reserves the right to deny requests for any item listed in the budget that is deemed to be unnecessary for the implementation of the project.

6. Attachment F

Sample Grant Agreement

7. Attachment G

Agreement Certification Form

8. Attachment H

Conflict of Interest Form

9. Attachment I

M/WBE Self Certification

10. Attachment J

Applicant Checklist

C. Submission Instructions

1. General Information

This Request for Applications (“RFA”) is issued by the Colorado

Department of Labor and Employment (“CDLE”), also referred to as the

"State". The CDLE contact listed in these instructions is the sole point of contact concerning this RFA.

During the solicitation process for this RFA, all official communication with applicants will be via notices on VSS and Bidnet listed in the schedule of activities. Notices may include any modifications to administrative or performance requirements, answers to inquiries received, clarifications to requirements, and the announcement of the apparent winning applicant(s). Applicants are responsible for monitoring for publication of modifications to this solicitation. It is incumbent upon applicants to carefully and regularly monitor for any such notices.

Applicants are not to contact any other state office or individual regarding this RFA or this project. Applicants are not to rely on any other statements that alter any specification or other term or condition of the solicitation.

Applications must be received on or before the due date and time as indicated in the Schedule of Activities. Late applications may not be accepted. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that its application is received by CDLE through the online submission link listed in these instructions on or before the due date and time.

One completed copy of the Request for Application Cover Sheet &

Signature Page MUST be signed by a person who is legally authorized to bind the applicant to the application. Submissions that are determined to be at a variance with this requirement may be deemed non-responsive and may not be accepted.

All materials submitted shall become the property of the CDLE, and will not be returned unless the RFA solicitation is canceled prior to the submittal due date, in which case applications will be returned unopened or opened only for identification purposes.

2. Instructions for Electronic Applications

CDLE is posting this RFA on the Colorado Vendor Self-Service website

(“VSS”) in order that applicants who have an interest may submit an application in accordance with the terms of this solicitation.