Program A: Coordinated Entry System (CES) Administrator For Individuals

The County of Orange's Office of Care Coordination is soliciting proposals for the Coordinated Entry System (CES) Administrator for Individuals program through RFP No. 23-000103, a fully electronic procurement released on February 4, 2026. This procurement seeks a qualified organization to administer CES services across Orange County's three Service Planning Areas, facilitating streamlined access to shelter, housing, and supportive services for individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. The successful respondent will implement a participant-centered process and regional coordination approaches to enhance the County's homeless response system. Minimum qualifications require five years of consecutive experience developing and implementing a Homeless Response System with similar project experience involving at least one public agency. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the County's eProcurement Portal by the March 4, 2026 deadline at 5:00 PM, with questions due by February 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM. The evaluation process comprises three phases—written response scoring (700 points), interview scoring (200 points), and cost proposal scoring (100 points)—with specific criteria addressing respondent background and qualifications (200 points), program design (150 points), performance objectives (100 points), staffing (100 points), quality and effectiveness of program approach (125 points), and compliance with the County Model Contract (25 points).

The RFP does not identify specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting respondent eligibility based on organization type or disadvantaged enterprise status. The County will award an initial two-year contract with the option to renew for three additional years, subject to Board of Supervisors approval, with an annual budget allocation of $670,000 for Program A. Respondents must secure a 25 percent match per fiscal year to enhance the Administrator's capacity and resources, and administrative costs cannot exceed 10 percent of the total proposed budget, with miscellaneous commodity purchases limited to $5,000 per item and a total order cap of $25,000. The contract will operate on an actual cost reimbursement basis paid monthly in arrears up to the contract not-to-exceed amount. Board of Supervisors approval is required for any contract exceeding $200,000 annually or $1,000,000 in total value across multiple years. No incumbent vendors or existing contractors are identified in the solicitation, and no site visits or bidders' conferences have been scheduled.