Flexible Financial Assistance RFP

The City of Santa Monica's Housing & Human Services Department seeks qualified agencies through this Request for Proposal to establish and implement a Flexible Financial Assistance (FFA) program serving eligible Santa Monica residents at risk of housing loss. The procurement is structured as a professional services contract for an initial two-year term with three optional one-year renewal periods at the City's sole discretion, for a total potential five-year funding cycle. The program will serve up to 580 households annually and provide immediate one-time financial assistance up to $5,000 per household per year, ongoing monthly assistance not exceeding $10,000 annually per household, eviction-prevention assistance up to $20,000 for unlawful detainer-involved households receiving legal services, and housing stability case management services. Eligible applicants must demonstrate a minimum of three years' experience administering large-scale financial assistance programs in or in proximity to Los Angeles County and must align operations with the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency's Integrated Service Model and coordinate with the City's Right to Counsel program and other regional homelessness prevention efforts. Evaluation criteria include program model and policies (20 points), organizational capacity (15 points), past experience and references (20 points), program budget (15 points), program evaluation (10 points), audited financial statements (10 points), and value-added services or breadth of services (10 points). Critical submission dates include a virtual bidders workshop on February 2, 2026, written questions due by February 4, 2026, and final proposals due by February 20, 2026, at 3:00 PM; no late proposals will be accepted under any circumstances. All proposals must comply with the City of Santa Monica Living Wage Ordinance, Oaks Initiative requirements, and other applicable municipal policies.

The RFP contains no identified set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though all proposing agencies must comply with nondiscrimination requirements and demonstrate equity and inclusion practices in their operations. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documentation. Selected agencies must integrate their operations with existing City systems including the Right to Counsel program, Housing Division programs, and the City's coordinated service delivery infrastructure, and must utilize approved accounting and expense tracking software and property ownership verification databases for program operations. Comprehensive insurance requirements include Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 per accident), Workers' Compensation at statutory limits with Employers' Liability coverage ($1,000,000 per accident), and Professional Liability coverage ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate). Total funding for the FFA program shall not exceed $6,000,000 over the five-year funding cycle, contingent upon demonstrated need and City Council approval for ongoing or increased funding; funding is contingent on program performance, compliance with all agreement terms, and achievement of participant service targets. The program is supported through Measure GS, approved by Santa Monica voters on November 8, 2022, which increased the real estate transfer tax to support affordable housing and homelessness prevention initiatives.