Proposers may submit questions through the County's eProcurement Portal, under the Question & Answer Section, no later than 4:30 pm on the date set forth in Section 2.2. Proposers must be registered in the eProcurement Portal software to submit questions, receive addendums and notifications, and ultimately submit a proposal. Proposers may only rely on written statements issued by the County. Any oral communications are unofficial and are not binding on the County.

The County reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the proposal submitted. Therefore, the proposal should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms which the Proposer can offer. There will be no best and final offer procedure.The ASP should be prepared to accept this RFP for incorporation into a contract resulting from this RFP. Contract negotiations may incorporate some or all of the Proposer’s proposal. It is understood that the proposal will become a part of the official procurement file on this matter without obligation to the County.

The proposal must be received by the time/date as indicated in Section 2.2.

The County will notify all proposers of the outcome of their proposal in writing upon completion of the evaluation process.

The Human Services Department reserves the right to either require the Proposers to participate in an interview, where the questions will be asked, or to ask that the Proposers submit answers to the questions in written form. In either event, Proposers will receive instructions in advance of any due date. Answers to the follow-up questions will be scored by AEC and the score added to the overall score received at the conclusion of the initial evaluation of the proposal.

Funding will generally be awarded in ranked order, from the highest scoring proposal to the lowest scoring proposal. Funding awards are also subject to available funding, effective use of funding, and the County’s determination that the proposed services are responsive to the requirements and objectives of this RFP. The County reserves the right to: Award multiple contracts Make partial awards Make fewer awards than anticipated or make no awardsNegotiate budgets and service levels with a region Fund more than one provider within a region The County further reserves the right, at its sole discretion and at any time during the contract term, to modify, reassign, or discontinue services. If services are reassigned or a contract is terminated or discontinued, the County may, without issuing a new solicitation, negotiate and enter into an agreement with a proposer whose proposal was evaluated, scored, and ranked under this RFP.

Any Proposer, who was not disqualified, who has submitted a proposal and been notified that they were not selected as an ASP may request a debriefing. The request for a debriefing conference must be received by the Procurement Coordinator within 5 days of having been notified that they were not selected.Discussion at the debriefing conference will be limited to the following:Evaluation and scoring of the Proposal.Critique of the requesting Proposer’s Proposal based on the comments made by the Application Evaluation Committee or individual comments made by an evaluator; andReview of Proposer’s final score in comparison with other final scores without identifying the other firms.Comparisons between proposals or evaluations of the other proposals will not be allowed. Debriefing conferences may be conducted in person or remotely and will be scheduled for a maximum of one (1) hour.

All proposals will be reviewed by the RFP Coordinator to determine compliance with administrative requirements and instructions specified in this solicitation. The Proposer is specifically notified that the County may reject or withdraw a proposal at any time as nonresponsive for any of the following reasons:Incomplete proposal,Failure to comply with any part of this solicitation or any Attachments to this procurement,Submission of incorrect, misleading, or false information.The County also reserves the right, however, at its sole discretion to waive minor administrative irregularities, which are defined as variances which do not provide an applicant an advantage or benefit over other applicants.

PROPOSERS WHO REGISTER AND DOWNLOAD RFP DOCUMENTS will be automatically added to the FOLLOWERS' list in the County's eProcurement Portal. Notifications for solicitation updates, addendum and other procurement information will be sent to all who register on the Pierce County eProcurement Portal.

The ASP will be expected to enter into a contract which is substantially the same as the Sample Contract and its General Terms and Conditions attached as Exhibit C. In no event is a Proposer to submit its own standard contract terms and conditions in response to this solicitation. If a Proposer has a concern regarding a certain General Term & Condition, they can raise the issue per the Questions and Answers section of this solicitation.

In July 2026, Pierce County updated its Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness, (Pierce County 2025-2030 Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness), which documents the scale of homelessness in the county and establishes a framework for creating a homeless response system capable of achieving functional zero. Functional zero is defined as a state in which any person experiencing a new episode of homelessness has immediate access to shelter and an appropriate permanent housing intervention.The CPEH outlines eight goals:Promote an equitable, accountable, and transparent homeless crisis response system.Prioritize assistance based on the greatest barriers to housing stability and the greatest risk of harm while ensuring interventions are effective for all populations.Prevent homelessness whenever possible.Ensure adjacent systems address the needs of people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.Meet the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness.Expand the permanent housing system to meet community need.Strengthen the homeless services workforce.Seek to house everyone in a stable setting that meets their needs.This funding opportunity directly supports Goal 5.

Funded agencies shall provide low-barrier emergency shelter and housing-focused services to families with minor children experiencing homelessness or fleeing domestic violence as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and as further described in Section 1.4.3. At a minimum, funded providers shall:Provide Emergency Shelter. Operate low-barrier emergency shelter for families with minor children through congregate, non-congregate, hotel/motel, or other approved shelter models. Shelter shall provide a safe and stable environment that meets the immediate needs of families experiencing homelessness.Meet Basic Needs. Ensure participants have access to basic necessities, including food, hygiene facilities, clothing, laundry, and other essential resources necessary to support health, safety, and well-being.Conduct Intake and Assessment. Complete eligibility verification, intake, needs assessments, and service planning for all enrolled households. Providers shall assess barriers to housing stability and develop individualized plans that support rapid exits from shelter.Provide Housing-Focused Case Management. Deliver case management services that focus on helping families obtain and maintain permanent housing as quickly as possible. Services may include housing stability planning, housing search assistance, landlord engagement and negotiation (with referrals to Landlord Tenant Partnership Program, as necessary), addressing rental barriers, and coordination with housing programs and community resources.Provide Housing Assistance. Utilize available housing assistance funds to support rapid exits from shelter and housing stability. Eligible activities may include rental assistance, security deposits, utility assistance, application fees, transportation assistance, and other housing-related expenses necessary to obtain or maintain permanent housing, subject to County approval and funding requirements. When a family is enrolled in a shelter, the shelter will provide housing search and financial assistance and will coordinate with Landlord Tenant Partnership Program as needed.Connect Families to Mainstream Benefits and Community Resources. Assist participants in obtaining identification, income, benefits, and services, including but not limited to SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, childcare resources, employment services, educational supports, legal assistance, and other resources that promote long-term housing stability.Coordinate with the Homeless Response System. Coordinate with the Shelter Access Hub to maintain an accurate list of available shelter beds and/or units. Ensure participants are connected to Coordinated Entry, either directly through shelter staff or through partnership with funded Coordinated Entry providers to ensure CE assessments are completed. Providers shall actively participate in system coordination efforts designed to improve access to shelter and housing resources. When a family is enrolled in shelter, the shelter will exit the family from any CE project or system navigation in an effort to reduce duplication of services.Support Family Stability and Well-Being. Assist families in accessing services that support household stability, including childcare, school enrollment and transportation, behavioral health services, domestic violence advocacy, health care, and other supports appropriate to the needs of the household.

All proposals will be reviewed for compliance with the Minimum Qualifications. Proposals that meet the Minimum Qualifications as identified in Section 1.5 will advance to the formal evaluation process and be scored based on responses to RFP questions and required attachments. An Application Evaluation Committee (AEC) comprised of Pierce County staff and other individuals with relevant expertise in the subject matter of this procurement will review and score all proposals based on the requirements and content of this RFP.Department Director Review (50 Points Total)Following completion of the Application Evaluation Committee (AEC) review and scoring, the Human Services Director or designee will conduct a second-level review to evaluate proposals against County strategic priorities. Director Review scores will be based on:Prior Performance (10 Points)Demonstrated performance on current or previous Pierce County contracts, including contract compliance, timely reporting, expenditure rates, monitoring results, achievement of program outcomes, and performance against applicable County scorecards, benchmarks, and performance measures.Priority Locations (15 Points)The extent to which the proposal expands family shelter capacity in geographically underserved areas of Pierce County. Funding is prioritized to expand shelter capacity outside the City of Tacoma, particularly in Lakewood, Spanaway/Parkland, and other South County communities, as well as Puyallup, South Hill, Bonney Lake, Sumner, and surrounding East County areas. Proposals that increase access to family shelter in these or other underserved areas will receive higher scores.Geographic Distribution of Services (25 Points)The extent to which the proposal contributes to an equitable distribution of family shelter resources across Pierce County and advances County goals related to equal opportunity and geographic access to services.The Director will combine the Director Review score with the AEC score and develop funding recommendations for consideration by the County Executive. The County Executive may approve or modify the recommended funding amounts but will not modify the final proposal rankings or make funding recommendations that are inconsistent with those rankings.The RFP Coordinator reserves the right to contact Proposers for clarification of any portion of the Proposal.

“Apparently Successful Proposer” means a proposer selected as an entity to perform the anticipated services, subject to completion of contract negotiations and execution of a written contract."Applicant," "Bidder," and "Proposer" mean an organization, agency or provider that submits a formal response to this procurement."Application," "Bid," or "Proposal" mean a formal response to this solicitation.“By-and-for organizations” means community-based, non-profit entities operated BY and FOR the specific marginalized community they serve. Their primary mission is serving a specific population, with leadership and control held by members of that same community.“CFR” means Code of Federal Regulations.“Client,” "Participant," "Household," or "Member" means an individual (or individuals) who receives services, or is eligible to receive services, under this procurement.“Contractor,” “Provider,” and “Agency” means an individual or organization whose proposal has been accepted by the County and has been awarded a fully executed, written contract.“Coordinated Entry” is a centralized or coordinated assessment system that is designed to ensure that all people experiencing homelessness have a fair and equal access to housing solutions and services. Coordinated Entry makes referrals to a variety of housing resources and solutions. CE certification is obtained by completing the following steps:Creative Conversation Training: complete a full Creative Conversation TrainingConversation Observation: observe experience CE specialist.Forms & Data: learn HMIS entry and required paperwork.Mock Conversations: Role-playing scenarios.Conversation Shadows: Perform conversations while being shadowed by a CE Specialist or CE coach.“Family” means households with at least one minor child."Minor Child" means an individual that is less than 18 years of age.“PCHS” means the Pierce County Human Services Department. “Procurement” means the process by which the County obtains services.“Request for Proposal (RFP)” or "Solicitation" means this document and its attachments in which needed goods and/or services are identified and organizations are invited to provide information as to how they propose to meet the County's needs.“RCW” means Revised Code of Washington.“Underserved areas” are locations with limited existing outreach coverage, geographic barriers, transportation limitations, or reduced access to homeless services.“WAC” means Washington Administrative Code.

The RFP Coordinator is the sole point of contact in the County for this procurement. All communications between the Proposer and the County upon release of this RFP shall be with the RFP Coordinator.Kristy LysellProcurement and Contract Specialist 2Email: kristy.lysell@piercecountywa.govPhone: (253) 798-3693Department:Procurement and Contract ServicesUntil the County has completed the evaluation process and issued notices to Proposers, the following communication restrictions apply to this RFP:Proposers are to rely solely on written statements issued by the RFP Coordinator.Any communications other than written statements issued by the RFP Coordinator will be considered unofficial and non-binding on the County. Communication directed to parties other than the RFP Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Proposer.

A virtual or in-person Procurement Workshop will be conducted by Pierce County staff at the time, date, and location as indicated in the Procurement Schedule section of this RFP.Pre-proposal meeting attendance is not required but is highly encouraged for all organizations considering a response to this solicitation. It is the County’s belief that attending the meeting will assist proposers in presenting the best possible request for funding. During the Pre-Proposal Meeting Workshop, Pierce County staff will give an overview of the procurement, the procurement process, an overview of the requirements, and will also be available to answer questions and provide technical assistance. Please have the instruction/proposal packet available as well as any questions that the organization may have related to the procurement. The County will be bound only to written answers provided in response to questions. Questions arising during the Procurement Workshop will be documented and answered in the eProcurement Portal.

Proposers who do not meet these minimum qualifications will be considered non-responsive and their proposal will not be evaluated or scored.Be one of the following:For-profit501(c)(3) Non-ProfitGovernment Entity Eligible Government Entities include federal, state, and local agencies, as well as special purpose districts authorized under state law, such as a Health Department.Possesses an active Washington State Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number.Possesses a Federal Tax ID number.

The County will not be liable for any costs incurred by the Proposer in preparation of a proposal submitted in response to this RFP, in conduct of a presentation or interview, or any other activities related to responding to this RFP.

Organizations should be aware that any records they submit to the County or that are used by the County even if the organization possess the records, may be public records under the Washington Public Records Act (RCW 42.56). The County must promptly disclose public records upon request unless a statute exempts them from disclosure. Organizations should also be aware that if even a portion of a record is exempt from disclosure, generally, the rest of the record must be disclosed. Exemptions are narrow and specific.Organizations should clearly mark any record they believe is exempt from disclosure.

Proposal Release Date:August 19, 2026Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-Mandatory):August 26, 2026, 9:30amJoin Zoom Meetinghttps://piercecountywa.zoom.us/j/97111140011RFP Spending Request (per Question 5.1.7):September 2, 2026, 2:00pmQuestion Submission & Concern Resolution Request Deadline:September 9, 2026, 2:00pmProposal Submission Deadline:September 16, 2026, 2:00pmEvaluation Process Completion:November 2026Estimated Date of Notice to Proposer(s):December 11, 2026Deadline to Request a Debriefing:December 18Hold Debriefing Conferences:December 18-21Estimated Date of Contract Execution:April 1, 2027 The County reserves the right to revise the above timeline.

This procedure is available to potential Proposers who are contemplating submitting a proposal in response to this RFP. Only Concern Resolution submissions (Submissions) concerning the following subjects shall be considered:A claim that the solicitation unnecessarily restricts competition.A claim the solicitation evaluation or scoring process is unfair or flawed, orA claim the solicitation requirements are inadequate or insufficient to prepare a response.Proposers submitting a concern about this procurement shall follow the procedures described below. Submissions that do not follow these procedures shall not be considered. If a Proposer registers a concern against this solicitation, the issue(s) cannot be raised again during the protest period.All submissions must be in writing and signed by the submitting party or an authorized Agent. The submission must be sent to the Procurement Coordinator, or designee, and needs to be received no later than 2:00 pm, local time, Tacoma, WA, per Section 2.2 Timeline, and must clearly articulate the basis for the submission. The Proposer submitting a concern must also include a proposed remedy.Upon receipt of a submission, a submission review will be held by the County. The RFP coordinator will respond to submissions in writing and the Finance & Enterprise Services Department Director will be notified of all submissions and provided a copy of the County’s response. A copy of the response to the submission, including any changes to the solicitation, will also be posted in County's eProcurement Portal.The concern resolution process does not include an appeal process.

Welcome to Pierce County's eProcurement System. This system is inclusive to the procurement process, including submission of any questions and/or clarifications, the release of any addenda/notices, and submission of proposals. It is strongly encouraged that organizations responding to any procurement first read the entire procurement, paying close attention to the timelines, scope of work, eligibility, submission requirements, and specifically to the questionnaire section, which may include required attachments (when applicable), and ask for any clarifications regarding content and instructions early in the process.

The County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Bidders should contact the RFP Coordinator to request an accommodation.

This RFP does not obligate the County to contract for services specified herein.

The Washington State Interlocal Cooperation Act, Ch. 39.34 RCW, authorizes public agencies to cooperatively purchase goods and services if all parties agree. By responding to this RFP, Consultants agree that other public agencies may purchase goods and services under this procurement or contract at their own cost and without Pierce County incurring any financial or legal liability for such purchases. Pierce County agrees to allow other public agencies to purchase goods and services under this procurement or contract, provided that Pierce County is not held financially or legally liable for purchases and that any public agency purchasing under such procurement or contract file a copy of this invitation and such contract in accordance with RCW 39.34.040.

Pierce County (hereafter referred to as “the County”) is seeking proposals to provide low-barrier emergency shelter for families with minor children experiencing homelessness. Funding will support emergency shelter operations, including congregate, non-congregate, hotel/motel shelter models, and day center, as well as housing assistance designed to help families quickly exit shelter and return to permanent housing.Approximately $2.5 million is available for this procurement. At this time, the County anticipates allocating approximately $1.25 million for shelter operations and approximately $1.25 million for housing assistance to rapidly exit families from shelter and decrease barriers to permanent housing solutions.Projects must serve households with minor children who meet the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) definition of experiencing homelessness. The County is particularly interested in proposals that expand family shelter capacity in geographically underserved areas of Pierce County, especially outside the City of Tacoma.Funded providers will be required to coordinate with the Shelter Access Hub, connect shelter participants to Coordinated Entry, participate in the annual Point-in-Time Count, and coordinate with Pierce County Human Services during inclement weather activations.This funding opportunity supports Pierce County's efforts to ensure that families experiencing homelessness have immediate access to shelter and pathways to permanent housing.

In the event it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, addenda will be published in the County's eProcurement Portal.All amendments and notifications of cancellation shall be posted in the County's eProcurement Portal. If you did not receive this solicitation via the County’s eProcurement Portal, please register there to receive further notifications.The County also reserves the right to amend or add to, retract from, or cancel this Procurement at any time, in whole or in part, and without penalty.In the event of a conflict between amendments or between an amendment and this Solicitation Document, the document issued latest in time shall control.

The initial period of performance of any contract resulting from this procurement is anticipated to begin on or around April 1, 2027, and end on June 30, 2028. Contracts may be renewed annually at the sole discretion of the County for up to three (3) additional one-year periods, not to exceed a total contract duration of five (5) years.

The County reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any and all proposals received without penalty and not to issue a contract as a result of this RFP.

Pierce County, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises as defined at 49 CFR Part 26 will be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

Each evaluator will score the Proposals separately. The scores of all the evaluators will be averaged to determine the Proposer’s score.In the event the AEC has clarifying questions for a proposer, they shall notify the Procurement Coordinator who will, in turn, send the question(s) to the appropriate proposer. The Procurement Coordinator shall provide a deadline for the answers and shall then notify the AEC members of the response. If members of the AEC wish to change their original scores based on the response to the clarifying question(s), they shall notify the Procurement Coordinator who shall determine the proper subsequent process.The County reserves the right to award the contract to any organization or combination of organizations whose proposal(s), in the opinion of the County, is in the best interest of the County.

Protests may be made only by Proposers or authorized representative of a Proposer who submitted a response to this solicitation document and who have participated in a debriefing conference. Upon completing the debriefing conference, the Proposer is allowed five (5) business days to file with the Procurement Coordinator a protest of the award decision. Protests must be received by the Procurement Coordinator no later than 3:30 PM, local time in Tacoma, Washington on the fifth business day following the debriefing. Protests must be in writing, addressed to the Procurement Coordinator, and submitted by email to PCSHSprocurement@piercecountywa.gov. The protest must state the RFP number, the grounds for the protest with specific facts and complete statements of the action(s) being protested. A description of the relief or corrective action being requested should also be included.Protests that do not follow these procedures shall not be considered. This protest procedure constitutes the sole administrative remedy available to Proposers under this procurement.Only protests stipulating an issue of fact concerning the following subjects shall be considered:A matter of bias, discrimination, or conflict of interest on the part of an evaluator.Errors in computing the score.Non-compliance with procedures described in the procurement document or County policy.Protests not based on procedural matters will not be considered. Protests will be rejected as without merit if they address issues such as: 1) an evaluator’s professional judgment on the quality of a proposal, or 2) County’s assessment of its own needs or requirements.Upon receipt of a protest, a protest review will be held by the County. The Finance & Enterprise Services Department Director or an employee delegated by the Director who was not involved in the procurement will consider the record and all available facts and issue a decision within five (5) business days of receipt of the protest. If additional time is required, the protesting party will be notified of the delay. In the event a protest may affect the interest of another Proposer who also submitted a proposal, such Proposer will be given an opportunity to submit its views and any relevant information on the protest to the Procurement Coordinator. The final determination of the protest shall:Find the protest lacking in merit and uphold the County’s action; orFind only technical or harmless errors in County’s procurement process and determine County to be in substantial compliance and reject the protest; orFind merit in the protest and provide the County options which may include:Correct the errors and re-evaluate all proposals, and/orReissue the solicitation document and begin a new process, orMake other findings and determine other courses of action as appropriate.If a protest is filed, the County will wait to execute the contract until a final determination on the protest is made.

Follow instructions carefully - if attachments are provided under this solicitation, they are to be utilized as part of the proposal - do not replace or use the organization's own format, as the proposal may be deemed "non-responsive" or "not eligible."

In addition to the requirements described above, all projects funded through this RFP must meet the following contractual obligations:Operate programs using a low-barrier, Housing First, and family-centered approach.Coordinate with Pierce County Human Services during Inclement Weather activations. Providers funded under designated Inclement Weather shelter programs may be required to make shelter space available during activations.Participate in the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count and other required data collection activities.Enter participant data into HMIS, or a comparable database when permitted, and submit required program and expenditure reports.

The anticipated value of this procurement is approximately $2.5 million in funding. The County anticipates awarding multiple contracts from this procurement. The County may award all, some, or none of the available funding based on the proposals received that, in the opinion of the County, is in the best interest of the County.The total funding available under this Request for Proposals (RFP) is limited and may be distributed among multiple providers. Applicants should request funding that reflects the scope of services they propose to provide. The County may adjust award amounts, budgets, or service expectations based on the proposal received that, in the opinion of the County, is in the best interests of the County.

All proposals are evaluated on the completeness and quality of the content. Only those Proposers providing complete information as required will be considered for evaluation. The County will not contact the organization for correction of proposals and Proposers are strongly encouraged to carefully review their proposals for completeness and accuracy before submitting. For proposals to be considered responsive and move to the review process, the Proposer must, under Section 3, RFP Questionnaire:Acknowledge all required “confirmations.”Complete all required attachments, to include uploading any supplemental documents requested in attachments; and Submit the following materials as part of the proposal. Data NOT in HMIS (if applicable) (Question 5.1.9)Budget Worksheet (Question 6.1)

Funded projects must provide low-barrier emergency shelter and housing-focused services to households with minor children who meet one of the two following categories of the HUD homeless definition:Literally Homeless: The household with a minor child lacks a fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence and:Has a primary residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habitation; orIs exiting an institution after residing there for 90 days or less and resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution.Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence: The household with a minor child:Is fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence to include dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or family member that either takes place in, or the household is afraid to return to, their primary nighttime residence (including human trafficking); andHas no other residence; andLacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.The County reserves the right to establish or alter participant eligibility criteria. The funded provider shall serve eligible participants only.

Successful applicants must use Pierce County funding only after all other available and eligible funding sources, including private, state, and federal funds, have been pursued and billed first.Additional federal, State, or local funds may become available during the contracting cycle and allocated through this solicitation. Funding may only be awarded for the same scope of services as described in this solicitation.Any contract awarded as a result of this procurement is contingent upon the availability of funding. If funding is withdrawn, reduced, suspended, reallocated, or otherwise modified after contract execution, Pierce County may amend, renegotiate, withdraw funding from, or terminate the contract as necessary to reflect the available funding and applicable funding requirements and conditions.

Eligible CostsFunds awarded through this solicitation may be used for reasonable and necessary costs directly related to operating family emergency shelter programs and helping families quickly obtain or maintain permanent housing, including:Shelter OperationsPersonnel costs, including salaries, wages, payroll taxes, and benefits for staff directly supporting shelter operations.Shelter operations and program supplies.Food and basic needs assistance for shelter participants.Transportation assistance.Security services.Facility lease, rent, utilities, and maintenance costs.Hotel/motel placements.Day center operations.HMIS participation and data collection activities.Staff training related to program delivery and safety.Housing AssistanceRental assistance and Security deposits.Utility deposits and utility arrears when they pose a barrier to obtaining utilities.Application fees and screening fees.Moving expenses.Transportation assistance related to obtaining or maintaining housing.Households who have high barriers to housing in the form of rental arrears are also required to seek services through the Landlord Tenant Partnership Program to make the best use of limited resources.Other housing-related costs approved by the County that directly support a household's transition from shelter to permanent housing.Limited childcare and other family stabilization expenses that directly support a household's ability to obtain, maintain, or retain permanent housing, including but not limited to childcare, school-related costs, and other expenses approved by the County.Administrative ExpensesAdministrative expenses are limited to no more than 15% of the total direct program costs. Applicants must ensure that their proposed budgets reflect this cap on administrative spending.Ineligible CostsFunds awarded through this solicitation may not be used for:Capital projects or capital improvements.Property acquisition.New construction.Major renovations or facility expansion.Mortgage payments.Costs unrelated to shelter operations or housing stability.Direct financial assistance not tied to obtaining or maintaining housing.Expenses incurred outside the contract period.Any costs prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local funding requirements.

This section provides a curated list of help articles addressing common questions and challenges proposers may encounter during the Request for Proposal process. The resources below are intended to offer clear guidance, practical solutions, and relevant information to support a smooth and successful submission. Proposers are encouraged to review these materials as needed to better understand requirements, resolve issues, and navigate the process with confidence.Vendor RegistrationFollowing a ProjectGetting Started with SubscriptionsHow to Submit a Question in OpenGovHow to Submit a Proposal Response in OpenGovHow to Edit or Withdraw a Proposal after Submission in OpenGov

Pierce County is moving to Performance Based Contracting, in alignment with Washington State Department of Commerce and U.S. Housing and Urban Development. Performance Based Contracting allows funds to be utilized more strategically to meet the needs of the community and to drive continuous process improvement with all outcomes.All funded projects are expected to meet or exceed the performance targets outlined below. The County will provide or publish monthly performance scorecards showing each project’s progress toward established measures. Projects will be formally reviewed at six-month intervals, beginning on the contract start date, to evaluate both performance outcomes and spending. Funding may be reallocated from lower-performing projects to projects demonstrating strong performance, effective service delivery, and timely expenditure of funds.As part of Pierce County’s transition to a performance-based contracting model, all County-funded homeless service contracts will now be evaluated based on two key components determined by the priorities of Pierce County:Expenditure of Funds – 60% of total awardProgress Toward Performance Benchmarks – 40% of total awardProjects that do not have qualifying data in HMIS (and therefore do not have data for a baseline performance) shall use the average performance of all similar projects as its baseline, until a unique baseline performance can be determined. For example, the average performance for each metric across all Prevention projects shall serve as the baseline for projects without qualifying data.Performance targets are based on system-wide historical data and desired outcomes. If a project does not meet an established performance target, the project will be expected to meet the applicable growth benchmark. Growth benchmarks represent the required percentage increase from the provider’s most recent performance result for that measure and are intended to demonstrate incremental progress toward achieving the target. These benchmarks are designed to support continuous improvement and ensure all projects are making measurable progress toward stronger system performance and improved outcomes for households experiencing homelessness.In alignment with the Greater Pierce County Continuum of Care, the County adopted the following performance targets and growth benchmarks for the resultant contracts: Performance MeasureTargetGrowth BenchmarkCoordinated Entry95%6%Average Length of Stay in Project45 Days17 DaysBed Utilization80%8%Increase Income30%2%Exits to Permanent Housing50%6%HMIS Data Quality95%2%HMIS Timeliness95%8%Grant Spending Timeliness100%100% Corrective Action PlansThe County will review project performance against the contracted Statement of Work every six (6) months. If a contractor does not meet established performance targets or applicable growth benchmarks, the County may require the provider to develop and implement a Corrective Action Plan (CAP). The CAP must be submitted to the County within 30 calendar days of notification and must clearly outline the specific actions, timelines, and strategies the provider will use to bring performance into compliance. Depending on the nature and severity of the performance concerns, the County may extend or shorten the timeframe for corrective action.

Technical Assistance (TA) is available for this procurement for qualified small organizations. A small organization, for these purposes, is defined as having less than 20 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) staff and an operating budget less than $4 million in the fiscal year prior to applying. Interested organizations will need to fill out the attestation form here and Human Services staff will reach out shortly thereafter with instructions and next steps in selecting a TA provider. Please note that TA may be subject to funding availability and not all requests may be able to be funded.

Only electronic submittal via the County's eProcurement Portal shall be accepted for this procurement. No hard copies, emails, or fax submittals shall be accepted. The accepted forms of submitted materials are .pdf, png., jpeg., and MS Office formats such as docx. and xlsx.

Applicants must acknowledge and confirm each addendum and notice issued under this solicitation. The system will not allow final submission unless all required confirmations are checked.

Proposers should allow sufficient time to ensure timely receipt of the proposal by the County’s e-procurement System, OpenGov. Late responses will not be accepted and will be automatically disqualified. The County assumes no responsibility for delays caused by Proposer's technical related system errors.

All proposals and any accompanying documentation become the property of the County and will not be returned.