Operations & Management of the City Overlook Emergency Shelter

The City of Santa Cruz City Manager's Office is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide comprehensive 24-hour emergency shelter services for unsheltered individuals experiencing homelessness at the City Overlook Emergency Shelter located at 301 Armory Road. The procurement (RFP No. CM-0101) targets organizations with expertise in Housing First, Trauma Informed Care, and Harm Reduction principles, with the ability to manage a shelter facility with up to 135 shelter spaces. Key deliverables include providing safe sleeping quarters, nutritious meals, bathroom and shower amenities, data entry, and permanent housing referral services. The evaluation will utilize a 100-point system, with points distributed across categories such as adherence to RFP requirements (5%), firm background (10%), firm qualifications (15%), team qualifications (20%), technical approach and work plan (25%), and cost proposal (20%). Critical procurement dates include proposal questions due by March 4, 2024, and final proposal submissions due on April 8, 2024, at 4:00 pm. The City anticipates awarding a one-year contract with potential renewals and may contract with multiple proposers to provide services on an as-needed basis.

The procurement includes preference points for local businesses, with 2% for local businesses and an additional 4% for locally owned businesses. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are explicitly mentioned, the RFP suggests flexibility in contractor selection, potentially allowing for diverse organizational participation. The contract will be funded through municipal sources, with the total budget to be determined, though the professional services agreement indicates payments will be made monthly within 30 days of invoicing. Contractors will be required to maintain specific insurance coverages, including $1,000,000 per occurrence for Commercial General Liability and Workers' Compensation as mandated by California state law. The contract is contingent upon executing a License Agreement with the California Military Department for use of the Santa Cruz Armory location. Successful proposers will be expected to comply with municipal ordinances, including equal employment opportunity policies, living wage requirements, and prevailing wage regulations for public work. The contract period is anticipated to run from July 2024 to June 30, 2025, with potential for annual renewal at the City's discretion.