City of newark - program year 2025 2026 - housing opportunities for persons with HIV/aids (HOPWA) grant - request for proposals

The City of Newark, Department of Health and Community Wellness, Office of Homeless Services is issuing Request for Proposals #2025-RFP-014 to solicit competitive proposals from qualified organizations to implement the Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA) Grant Program for Program Year 2025-2026, serving the Newark Eligible Metropolitan Statistical Area (NEMSA) spanning Essex, Morris, Union, Sussex, Somerset, and Hunterdon Counties in New Jersey, and Pike County, Pennsylvania. The procurement seeks proposals from nonprofit organizations and governmental housing agencies to provide long-term tenant-based rental assistance and facility-based housing operational support for low-income persons with HIV/AIDS who are homeless or at high risk of homelessness, with funds paid directly to property owners. Eligible services are limited to tenant-based long-term rental assistance and operating costs for facility-based housing, with administrative expenses capped at 7 percent of total program allocation; support services, project-based rental assistance, and transitional housing have been eliminated from eligible activities. The City anticipates consolidating activities into fewer sub-recipients and will only fund agencies that provide direct services in-house and target the most vulnerable homeless or at-risk persons living with HIV/AIDS. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the City's e-Procurement Portal (OpenGov) by November 6, 2025 at 10:30 a.m., with a deadline for questions on October 29, 2025, and the contract performance period running from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. Evaluation will be based on 13 scoring criteria totaling 100 points, including benefit to homeless persons, collaboration, activity need, cost-effectiveness and reasonableness, implementation capacity, past performance, and organizational experience aligned with the City's Consolidated Plan priorities.

Eligible applicants are restricted to nonprofit organizations and governmental housing agencies with experience in HIV/AIDS services, a functioning accounting system, and no part of net earnings benefiting individual members; applicants must be in good standing with federal and state governments and demonstrate significant activities related to serving persons with HIV/AIDS. The RFP does not identify any incumbent vendors or current contractors, nor does it specify set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though proposers must comply with all applicable affirmative action and non-discrimination laws and complete mandatory federal non-debarment certifications and ownership disclosure forms prior to contract award. Organizations must comply with federal HUD regulations, maintain proper insurance coverage, and participate in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), with all proposal preparation costs borne exclusively by respondents. No specific award value or budget range is explicitly stated in the RFP documents; however, funding will be allocated as a formula grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development based on the competitive selection process and individual sub-recipient spending rates. The City reserves the right to increase or decrease funding based on a sub-recipient's spending performance and may reject any or all proposals at its sole discretion.