Emergency shelter operations and services

The County of Orange, County Executive Office – Procurement and Contract Services (Orange County, California) is requesting proposals for Emergency Shelter Operations and Services under RFP No. 017-2968501-EA, with proposals due July 8, 2026 at 5:00 pm and questions due June 10, 2026 at 5:00 pm. This is a fully electronic RFP submitted through the County's eProcurement Portal; facsimile and email proposals are not accepted.

The solicitation covers two programs: Program A (individuals, families, and survivors of domestic violence aged 18 and older) and Program B (transitional age youth aged 18–24). Services include emergency shelter operations with trauma-informed case management, housing-focused services, individualized housing and service plans, coordinated entry system linkage, and partnerships for health, mental health, substance abuse treatment, employment, and legal services. Respondents must adopt and comply with the County's Standards of Care for Emergency Shelter Providers and attest alignment with the Commission to End Homelessness Homeless Service System Pillars framework.

Minimum qualifications require five years of consecutive experience developing and implementing a homeless response system, demonstrated capacity to provide similar-scale projects for at least one public agency, and ability to do business in Orange County. Minimum performance objectives include 90 percent occupancy, connection of 90 percent of participants to the Coordinated Entry System within 30 days, exits to permanent housing for at least 20 percent of participants, individualized housing and service plan development for 75 percent of participants, and income increases for at least 15 percent of participants.

The total funding available is $2,074,905 for the initial 18-month contract term, with options to renew for three additional one-year periods subject to Board of Supervisors approval. Per diem contribution amounts are $20 annually ($7,300 per bed) for Level 1 services, $25 annually ($10,950 per bed) for Level 2 services, and $109 annually ($39,785 per bed) for Level 3 youth-specific services. Payment is made in arrears based on actual costs incurred. Administrative costs cannot exceed 10 percent of the total proposed budget.

Evaluation weighs background and qualifications at 150 points, program design at 200 points, performance objectives and staffing at 100 points each, facility at 125 points, contract compliance at 25 points, cost proposal at 100 points, and up to 200 points for interviews if conducted. The model contract mandates extensive insurance (Commercial General Liability $1 million per occurrence; $2 million aggregate; Professional Liability $1 million; Sexual Misconduct coverage $1 million), federal Continuum of Care compliance, HIPAA and HITECH Act compliance, and five-year record retention for participant documentation.