Legal Services for Aging Adults

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Aging Services is conducting a Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure comprehensive legal services for older adults aged 60 and over throughout Montgomery County. The procurement seeks a qualified provider to deliver counseling, brief service and advice, representation, and training on legal problems affecting seniors, with services provided county-wide at multiple locations including senior centers, senior housing, and county offices. Priority must be given to older adults experiencing the greatest economic and social needs, including those in poverty, cultural minorities, those with language barriers, individuals with severe disabilities, those experiencing geographic isolation, and those at risk for institutional placement. The contract objectives align with three primary goals: enabling seniors to remain in their own homes and live independently as long as possible to delay or avoid institutionalization, facilitating and improving access to a broad array of services addressing varied needs of older adults, and protecting older adults from conditions threatening their safety and well-being, including abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, and abandonment. The contract period is three years from the date of execution, with an option to extend for two additional one-year periods for a cumulative maximum of five years, contingent upon funding availability and performance in good standing with county, state, or federal oversight bodies. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Bonfire Portal by May 22, 2026, with both a technical proposal (excluding pricing, not to exceed 14 pages excluding attachments) and a separate cost proposal, along with current W-9 forms and completed Appendix A documentation; all questions regarding specifications must be submitted in writing at least seven days prior to the bid opening date. Providers must demonstrate staff competency in aging services law, maintain professional liability insurance naming MCOAS as a policy holder, comply with data governance, confidentiality, and HIPAA requirements, maintain separate accounting funds for the program, and coordinate with the Montgomery County Bar Association to develop pro bono legal resources.

The RFP documentation does not specify set-aside designations, incumbent vendor information, or explicit budget ranges; however, all bidders must comply with federal civil rights statutes including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and must demonstrate organizational capacity to serve diverse populations including non-English speakers and individuals with disabilities through appropriate communication tools. The contract is funded through Montgomery County HHS with federal support for programs serving older adults under the Older Americans Act Final Rule and incorporates a Federal Grant Addendum requiring compliance with OMB Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, along with nondiscrimination, drug-free workplace, and Davis-Bacon Act wage compliance provisions. Contractors must maintain Commercial General Liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, Workers Compensation at statutory levels, and Professional Errors and Omissions or equivalent specialized coverage, with Montgomery County named as an additional insured, and must submit monthly metrics and invoices by specified deadlines with potential payment withholding for non-compliance. All contractors must certify non-debarment status, comply with federal lobbying laws and restrictions, and maintain records for a minimum of three years after final disposition, with extended retention periods of up to seven years for certain federal grants, subject to county audit rights. The RFP documents do not specify contract values or award amounts, indicating that pricing will be evaluated based on proposals submitted and the county's available funding levels for this three to five-year service delivery period.