The Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO) is seeking responses from qualified organizations that have experience in financial counseling and coaching, and/or student loan supports, to...

The City of Philadelphia's Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity is requesting proposals for one-on-one student loan counseling services under an RFP with responses due August 7, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Philadelphia Time, with a pre-proposal meeting on June 30, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Applicants must be nonprofit organizations holding current 501(c)(3) status — a core eligibility filter. A Local Business Entity or Local Impact Certification under Mayoral Executive Order No. 04-12 is available as a positive evaluation factor for organizations meeting Philadelphia residency, employment, and receipts thresholds, or committing to employ city residents and perform work within the city.

The scope encompasses one-on-one financial counseling and student loan support services targeting low and middle-income Philadelphia residents managing approximately $7.9 billion in outstanding student loan debt held citywide. The contract model is cost-reimbursement; applicants must have financial capacity to pay program costs upfront and submit monthly invoices with itemized service breakdowns. Selected applicants must provide both in-person and virtual counseling in private, secure environments; maintain a physical site in Philadelphia; establish or sustain a relationship with a legal aid organization for complex cases; and ensure staff complete National Student Debt Counselors Network core training. Each full-time staff member is anticipated to serve twenty to twenty-five clients per week. The RFP is modeled after the EdCap Student Loan Counseling program of the Community Service Society of New York.

The total award shall not exceed $250,000 for a contract term commencing October 1, 2026 and concluding June 30, 2027, with the City holding an option to extend for up to four additional one-year terms at its discretion. The contract is subject to City Council approval and requires compliance with Philadelphia's 21st Century Minimum Wage and Benefits Standard. Applicant questions are due July 13, 2026. Standard General Consultant Services terms apply, including $1 million general liability and professional liability coverage, comprehensive audit rights extending five years beyond termination, and City ownership of all developed materials.