RFP for library patron experience navigator services

The City of Oakland, Library Department, is requesting proposals for Library Patron Experience Navigator Services across its library system, with proposals due September 18, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. PT and a voluntary pre-proposal meeting scheduled for September 10, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. PT via Teams. The L/SLBE participation requirement has been adjusted to 0 percent for this scope of work.

Navigators will support individuals experiencing homelessness, substance abuse, mental health challenges, or incarceration-related impacts at the Main Library, 16 neighborhood branches, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland. Core services include positive engagements, basic interventions, de-escalation support, establishment of safe and clean environments, and communications support, working alongside library staff and contracted security officers. Staffing requirements include two navigators per service hour at the Main Library (operating 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. most days) and one roving navigator assigned primarily to the Martin Luther King Jr. Branch Library.

Minimum qualifications are three years of experience providing similar services, at least one current project serving people experiencing homelessness or substance use recovery, and a clearly articulated strategy for hiring staff with relevant lived experience. The City prefers that at least 70 percent of employed staff possess relevant lived experience, documented through quarterly reporting. The contractor must comply with Oakland's Living Wage Ordinance, Minimum Wage Ordinance, Equal Benefits Ordinance, and applicable Oakland Municipal Code requirements.

The anticipated contract term is two years with two optional one-year extensions. The contract amount will be established through negotiations and is subject to a not-to-exceed cap, with 10 percent of contract funds withheld pending successful completion of work. Short-listed firms are anticipated to interview in October 2026, with contract negotiations expected in October–November 2026 and contract award in November–December 2026. The contractor must provide comprehensive monthly reports by the 15th of the following month, including deployment data, outcome metrics, and training accomplishments, with a comprehensive close-out report due within 21 calendar days of contract termination.