Financial Empowerment Center Operations Provider

The City of Nashua, New Hampshire is issuing a Request for Proposals to procure financial counseling services through a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to operate the City's new Financial Empowerment Center. The FEC will provide high-volume, one-on-one financial counseling services to individuals and families, with services to be delivered both in-person and virtually through flexible scheduling. The nonprofit provider must recruit, supervise, and manage one full-time Program Manager and two full-time Financial Counselors (with preference given to organizations proposing two counselors), with an anticipated capacity of approximately 380 sessions per counselor annually serving roughly 125 unique clients per counselor in year one. Deliverables include day-to-day operations management, client intake and administrative responsibilities, financial counseling services, staff training and continuing education, marketing and outreach, and data tracking and reporting capabilities. The FEC will be permanently located at the Nashua Public Library and Nashua Senior Center, with a 4-6 month build phase beginning July 2026 followed by an 18-month implementation phase with potential contract renewal. Evaluation will occur on a 100-point scale assessing proposed approach (25 points), organizational capability (20 points), experience in financial empowerment work (20 points), community involvement and engagement experience (15 points), financial capacity (15 points), and unique organizational attributes (5 points). Required qualifications include 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, demonstrated experience in financial education or counseling (with preference for minimum three years), proven outcomes in financial stability, experience serving low-income communities, established community relationships, and data tracking and reporting experience. All proposals must be submitted electronically via Bonfire or as bound physical copies by 3:00 PM on April 30, 2026, with an optional informational meeting scheduled for March 26, 2026, at 1:00 PM via Zoom or in-person at City Hall. The City will conduct weekly follow-up during the first six months of operations and monthly reviews thereafter, with the right to terminate for unsatisfactory performance on 30 days' notice, and selected applicants may be interviewed before final selection with notification expected in May 2026.

This procurement is restricted to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, with no set-asides or disadvantaged enterprise designations noted in the opportunity. There is no current incumbent contractor referenced for this newly established program. The City will provide the FEC location at no cost to the provider and will furnish Salesforce licenses (limited to trained employees only) at no charge. The anticipated two-year budget is approximately $500,000, with the City providing committed funding of $100,000 in year one and $50,000 in year two from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund; remaining funding is subject to Aldermanic approval. The selected nonprofit provider is required to fundraise an additional $150,000-$200,000 in year one, $200,000-$250,000 in year two, and $250,000-$300,000 in year three to achieve the full annual operating budget of $250,000-$300,000 per year. Eligible expenses include personnel costs, administrative support, marketing and outreach, counseling training and continuing education, equipment, supplies, subscriptions, and indirect costs. The selected provider must maintain specified insurance coverage including $1,000,000 general liability, $1,000,000 auto liability, $1,000,000 professional liability, and workers' compensation in compliance with New Hampshire statutes, and all proposals are binding for 90 days following the submission deadline.