The period of performance of any contract resulting from this procurement is expected to be from April 1, 2027, to June 30, 2028. Amendments extending the period of performance, if any, shall be at the sole discretion of the County. The County reserves the option to extend contracts for four additional terms of twelve months each. However, no Contractor will be guaranteed an extension.

“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” 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 specialistForms & Data: learn HMIS entry and required paperworkMock Conversations: Role-playing scenariosConversation Shadows: Perform conversations while being shadowed by a CE Specialist or CE coach“Family” means households with minor children OR households with permanently disabled adult children who still rely on the family for care and support.“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.

Pierce County (hereafter referred to as “the County”), in alignment with the Pierce County Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness (CPEH), has made approximately $1,679,000 available to support regionalized outreach services for homeless households throughout Pierce County using a Geographic Information System (GIS)-informed approach. These funds are intended to support an integrated housing crisis response system (HCRS) that rapidly responds to the immediate needs of households experiencing homelessness in accordance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidance.Separate solicitations will be released for Permanent Supportive Housing, Rapid Rehousing, Transitional Housing, Emergency Overnight Shelter, Safe Parking, and Day Center.

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 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.

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

Any Proposer, who was not disqualified, who has submitted a proposal and been notified that they were not selected as an ASB may request a debriefing. The request for a debriefing conference must be received by the Solicitation 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 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.

Oral interviews may be utilized in the selecting the winning proposal(s). The County, at its sole discretion, may elect to select the top-scoring proposers from the written evaluation for an oral interview. The Procurement Coordinator will contact the top-scoring proposers to schedule a date, time, and location for the oral interview. Commitments made by the Proposer at the oral interview, if any, will be considered binding.If the County opts for scored oral interviews, the questions asked will be uniform for all participants and the responses will be scored per the Evaluation Weighting & Scoring section.

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.

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.

The County is seeking proposals from eligible and interested organizations to provide outreach services to homeless households throughout Pierce County. Pierce County Human Services is reimagining outreach through a regionalized approach that uses Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping to identify areas of need, reduce duplication of services, and improve coordination across the homeless response system.For purposes of this solicitation, “homeless household” refers to individuals and families who are literally homeless; fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions; and certain households with youth. Specific definitions of the populations to be served are outlined in the Homeless Households Served section of this RFP.Outreach services are intended to engage homeless households, particularly those who are unsheltered, disconnected from services, and who may not actively seek assistance despite having significant needs. Outreach teams are expected to proactively seek out homeless households wherever they are staying - including encampments, public spaces, vehicles, or locations where they access community services - and provide engagement, resource connection, problem-solving, and navigation support with the goal of connecting households to temporary or permanent housing.Services may include repeated engagement over time to build trust; connections to Coordinated Entry, behavioral health, healthcare, and other mainstream resources; transportation assistance; basic needs support; and housing-focused case management grounded in a Housing First approach. Outreach providers are also expected to coordinate with regional partners, participate in HMIS data collection and outreach coordination efforts, and support emergency and seasonal response activities as needed.RegionalizationOutreach services will be regionalized into designated service areas throughout Pierce County. Funded providers will be expected to deliver outreach services across the entirety of their assigned region, including incorporated cities and all unincorporated areas within the region. Providers should demonstrate the capacity to conduct outreach comprehensively and consistently throughout the full geographic area proposed, rather than concentrating services in a single jurisdiction or population center.Selected providers will be expected to coordinate with local jurisdictional partners and existing outreach teams within their region to reduce duplication of services and strengthen system-wide coverage. Providers funded through this procurement are expected to expand outreach into underserved and historically under-resourced areas, including unincorporated areas within the region.Applicants may apply to serve up to five regions but will be scored separately for each region – please see Section 4, Evaluation and Contract Award, for more information. A map of each region can be found as Attachment C. The approximate number of individuals per region is based on the 2026 Homeless Point in Time Count.Designated RegionsRegion 1: Gig Harbor, Key Peninsula, and surrounding unincorporated areasApproximately 38 homeless individuals identified during the 2026 PIT Count.Region 2: Tacoma, North Tacoma, University Place, and surrounding unincorporated areasApproximately 681 homeless individuals identified during the 2026 Point in Time (PIT) Count.Region 3: Lakewood, Steilacoom, South Tacoma, and surrounding unincorporated areasApproximately 421 homeless individuals identified during the 2026 PIT Count.Region 4: Orting, Spanaway, Parkland, Dupont, Frederickson, and surrounding unincorporated areasApproximately 204 homeless individuals identified during the 2026 PIT Count.Region 5: Fife, Auburn, Sumner, Bonney Lake, South Hill, Puyallup, Edgewood, Milton, Prairie Ridge, and surrounding unincorporated areasApproximately 162 homeless individuals identified during the 2026 PIT Count.HMIS and GIS Mapping Outreach providers will be required to enter data into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) for data collection, outcome assessment, documentation, and system coordination. Outreach teams must document homeless status, chronicity, disability status (when applicable), and all other required information to ensure households are ready when housing referrals become available. All data entry must comply with County requirements for data quality and timeliness.Outreach teams must also use the GIS mapping tool within HMIS to document all outreach interactions within their designated region. All interactions must include location data, which does not require client consent. Demographic and project-required data do require client consent and must be entered into HMIS once consent is obtained.GIS mapping provides a real-time framework for capturing, managing, analyzing, and visualizing outreach activity and location-based data related to unsheltered homelessness throughout Pierce County, including individuals staying in encampments, vehicles, public spaces, abandoned buildings, and other places not meant for human habitation. The data will be used to identify trends, assess service gaps, support planning efforts, and improve coordination across the homeless response system. This includes informing inclement weather response, emergency shelter planning, Point-in-Time Count efforts, and outreach deployment strategies.GIS data will also be used to ensure outreach services are distributed comprehensively across the entirety of each designated region, including unincorporated areas, and to reduce duplication of services among providers. Based on GIS data and identified community need, the County may direct selected providers to adjust outreach efforts within the contracted region or shift deployment into different geographic areas within the region to improve coverage and system coordination.Collected data will support stronger collaboration with local jurisdictions and community partners, including first responders, law enforcement, medical providers, behavioral health providers, and other systems of care. This coordination will help ensure unsheltered individuals can more effectively access emergency shelter, Coordinated Entry (CE), housing resources, healthcare, and basic necessities, while also improving the ability to locate individuals for housing referrals, appointments, and critical follow-up communication.Engagement ExpectationsWhile outreach may include assessing service needs, including behavioral health and other supportive service needs, the primary focus of engagement must remain housing-focused problem solving using a Housing First approach. Outreach teams are expected to use navigation services to connect households to natural supports, mainstream resources, and other services that address each household’s unique needs and barriers to housing stability.Because many unsheltered and chronically homeless households may initially decline shelter or housing assistance, outreach teams are expected to maintain ongoing engagement over time to build trust and strengthen connections to the Homeless Crisis Response System (HCRS), with the ultimate goal of helping households transition to permanent housing as quickly as possible.Coordinated Entry (CE) is a core component of outreach services. Outreach providers must be certified to conduct CE assessments and must offer assessments to households at the point of engagement whenever possible. If a household declines a CE assessment, outreach teams are expected to continue engagement and re-offer CE during future interactions.When a household is matched to an available housing opportunity, outreach teams will be responsible for making reasonable efforts to locate the household and assist them with completing enrollment steps, including obtaining eligibility documentation and facilitating connections to the housing provider.Outreach teams must be able to effectively engage and serve households with diverse backgrounds, identities, cultures, languages, and service needs. Providers must tailor outreach strategies and service delivery approaches to ensure services are accessible, responsive, and appropriate for the households being served. This may include modifying language access, service location, communication styles, and engagement practices as needed. Outreach teams must also be able to provide or coordinate interpretation and translation services when appropriate.Outreach Operational Expectations Outreach teams must be fully equipped to support households at the point of engagement. Teams are expected to utilize mobile technology, including tablets, portable scanners, phones, and hotspot capability, to complete assessments, collect documentation, coordinate referrals, and enter data in the field.Providers must demonstrate the capacity to conduct outreach consistently throughout the entirety of their designated region, including underserved and harder-to-reach areas, rather than focusing outreach efforts solely on locations with high visibility or easy access. Outreach schedules and deployment strategies should be designed to maximize regional coverage and ensure outreach is responsive to identified community need.Outreach teams must also operate beyond standard business hours, as flexibility is essential to effectively engage individuals experiencing homelessness who may be unavailable, displaced, or less visible during daytime hours. Effective outreach often occurs during evenings, early mornings, weekends, holidays, and overnight hours to increase engagement opportunities, build trust, and provide timely support. Coverage during weeknights, weekends, holidays, and Inclement Weather Response activations are required.Outreach is a critical component of Inclement Weather Response efforts. Outreach teams are required to coordinate with and support Pierce County Human Services and the Pierce County Department of Emergency Management during emergencies and severe weather events. This includes participating in County-led coordination meetings during seasonal or inclement weather activations and ensuring staff availability after hours and on weekends as needed. Transportation to and from inclement weather sites is an eligible expense during activations.Additional RequirementsIn addition to the requirements described above, all projects funded through this RFP must meet the following contractual obligations:Participate in the Homeless Point in Time CountCoordinate services with System Navigation projects, as applicable. Hire and retain staff that are knowledgeable in current emerging and best practices in the field, are committed to continuous project improvement and seek opportunities to engage leadership in discussion to improve outcomes. Participate in a CoC-sponsored Community of Practice Collaborative (e.g., HMIS Lead meetings, Monthly Outreach Coordination meetings,).

In March 2026, Pierce County updated the Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness (CPEH), which aims to document the scale of the need and design a system to end homelessness in Pierce County. The CPEH is designed to achieve “functional zero” – a state where any person starting a new episode of homelessness has immediate access to shelter and a permanent housing intervention. The CPEH outlines the following eight goals:1. Promote a comprehensive, accountable and transparent homeless crisis response system.2. Prioritize assistance based on the greatest barriers to housing stability and the greatest risk of harm and ensure interventions are effective for all populations.3. Prevent homeless episodes whenever possible.4. Ensure adjacent systems address needs of people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness.5. Meet the immediate needs of people experiencing homelessness.6. Expand the permanent housing system to meet the need.7. Strengthen the homeless provider workforce.8. Seek to house everyone in a stable setting that meets their needs.This effort is in direct support of the CPEH goal 5.

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 B. 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.

Proposers who do not meet these minimum qualifications will be considered non-responsive and their proposal will not be evaluated or scored.Is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit or Government 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.Possesses an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued by sam.gov.

Funding will generally be awarded in ranked order, from the highest scoring proposal to the lowest scoring proposal within each region. 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 contractsMake partial awardsMake fewer awards than anticipated or make no awardsNegotiate budgets and service levels with a regionFund more than one provider within a regionIf multiple providers are funded within the same region, providers will be required to coordinate outreach efforts to reduce duplication of services, improve system coverage, and ensure outreach services are strategically deployed throughout the 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 within any region. 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.

All proposals will be reviewed for completeness and compliance with the requirements of this RFP. Proposals that meet the Minimum Qualifications identified in Section 1.5 will advance to the formal evaluation process and will be scored based on responses to RFP questions and required attachments, including Exhibit A: Budget Worksheet.An Application Evaluation Committee (AEC) comprised of members of the Implementation Advisory Board, Pierce County staff, local, state, and federal jurisdictional partners, or other partners with expertise in procuring or providing similar services, will review and score proposals based on the requirements and content of this RFP. Each application will receive a single base score in addition to a regional score for each region that the applicant has proposed to serve. The applications will then be forwarded to the Human Services Director or designee for a second tier review. The second tier review will score applicants for each region that the applicant has proposed to serve based on the additional criteria identified in Section 4.2, Proposal Scoring.After the second tier review is complete, the applicant will receive a separate total score for each region, which will be the sum of the base score, the regional score, and the second tier score, and will be ranked by region. Thus, an applicant may receive a different score and ranking for each region depending on their regional score and the number of other applicants for that region. The Director will then develop funding recommendations and send them to the County Executive for final consideration.As described further in Section 4.4 (Funding Awards), the County expects to award funding to the highest scoring project for each region served, and the County may offer funding to lower ranked projects when the County deems it in the public interest. In the example below, the County would expect Project H be funded for Region 1, Project A be funded for Region 2, Project G be funded for Region 3, Project C be funded for Region 4, and Project E be funded for Region 5. Region 1Region 2Region 3Region 4Region 5Project A-Scored 1st-Scored 2nd-Project B----Scored 2ndProject C---Scored 1st-Project DScored 3rdScored 2nd---Project EScored 2ndScored 3rdScored 2nd-Scored 1stProject F-Scored 4th---Project G--Scored 1st--Project HScored 1st----

Each evaluator will score the Proposals separately. The scores of all the evaluators will be averaged to determine the Proposer’s score for that item. The average score from the AEC will then be added to the Second Tier- Director Review score, by region, to determine rank.The RFP Coordinator reserves the right to contact proposers for clarification of any portion of the proposal. 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.Please note that while evaluators are instructed to review and score proposals based on the application materials submitted, and not on outside perception of the proposing organization, the County reserves the right to consider prior contract performance with Pierce County as part of the overall evaluation and award process.

Base Score – Scored Per Applicant (70 points total)1.Applicant Capacity & ExperienceQuestions 4.1 – 4.4Points Based30(25% of Total)2.Accessibility & ResponsivenessQuestions 5.1 - 5.2Points Based15(12.5% of Total)3.DataQuestion 6.1 and 6.1.1 - 6.1.8, as applicable.Points Based20(16.7% of Total)4.Budget JustificationQuestion 6.2.1Points Based5(4.1 % of Total)Regional Score – Scored Per Region (30 points total per region)5.Project OverviewQuestions 7.X.1 – 7.X.3, where “X” is the Region number.Points Based20 per region(16.7% of Total)6.StaffingQuestions 7.X.4 – 7.X.5, where “X” is the Region number.Points Based5 per region(4.2% of Total)7.Budget & Budget NarrativeQuestions 7.X.6 – 7.X.7, where “X” is the Region number.Points Based5 per region(4.2% of Total)Second Tier Review – Scored Per Region (20 points total per region)8.Implementation Readiness (10 Points)The extent to which the organization demonstrates readiness to begin delivering the proposed outreach services within 30 days of contract execution. Considerations may include existing staffing and supervisory capacity, Coordinated Entry certification status, outreach infrastructure and equipment, established operational systems, and the ability to rapidly deploy services throughout the proposed region. Points Based10 per region(8.3% of Total)9.Regional Coverage & Service Distribution (10 Points)The extent to which the proposal supports comprehensive coverage of the proposed region, including underserved, unincorporated, rural, and harder-to-reach areas, while minimizing duplication of services and strengthening overall system coverage. Points Based10 per region(8.3% of Total)Total Available Points Per Applicant Per Region120

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 AGENCY Procurement Coordinator, or designee, and needs to be received no later than 4:30 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 PortalThe concern resolution process does not include an appeal process.

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 RFP Coordinator a protest of the award decision. Protests must be received by the RFP 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 RFP 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 RFP 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.

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

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

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 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.

Proposal Release Date:July 8, 2026Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-Mandatory):July 16, 2026, 10:00amhttps://piercecountywa.zoom.us/j/95763489725Question Submission & Concern Resolution Request Deadline:July 22, 2026, 4:30pmProposal Submission Deadline:August 5, 2026, 2:00pmEvaluation Process Completion:September 2026Estimated Date of Notice to Successful/Unsuccessful Proposer(s):October 2026Deadline for Unsuccessful Proposers to Request a Debriefing:Five business days after Date of Notice to Unsuccessful ProposersHold Debriefing Conferences:October 19-22, 2026Estimated Date of Contract Execution:By March 31, 2027 The County reserves the right to revise the above timeline.

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.Anne Marie EdmundsProcurement & Contract SpecialistEmail: annemarie.edmunds@piercecountywa.govPhone: (253) 798-7456Department:Human ServicesAny other communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding on the County. Proposers are to rely on written statements issued by the RFP Coordinator. Communication directed to parties other than the RFP Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Proposer.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

The total value of this procurement is estimated to be $1,679,000 in local, state, and federal fund sources over the initial contract term. The fund sources may include (but are not limited to): Document Recording Fee (DRF)State Consolidated Homeless Grant (CHG)State Emergency Housing Funds (EHF)Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)State Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG-State)The County anticipates awarding multiple contracts through this procurement and has historically funded up to five (5) qualified providers under similar solicitations. However, the County reserves the right to make more or fewer awards, partial awards, or no awards based on the quality of proposals received, available funding, and identified community need.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.

Outreach teams must demonstrate the expertise, skills, and partnerships necessary to effectively serve the diverse populations experiencing homelessness throughout Pierce County. Applicants must be prepared to serve all populations and demonstrate experience coordinating with community-based systems and providers that support homeless households with varying needs and barriers to housing stability.At a minimum, applicants should demonstrate the ability to serve and coordinate resources for the following populations:VeteransYouth and young adultsFamilies with childrenIndividuals experiencing chronic homelessnessPeople with disabilitiesSurvivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalkingOlder adultsApplicants should demonstrate knowledge and experience in areas such as Housing First practices, trauma-informed engagement, coordinated entry systems, behavioral health, mainstream benefits navigation (including SSI/SSDI), accessibility and accommodation needs, and family- or youth-centered service approaches, as applicable to the populations served.Applicants must also demonstrate strong partnerships and referral pathways with relevant systems and providers, which may include veterans’ services, schools and youth programs, healthcare and behavioral health providers, disability and aging services, domestic violence advocacy organizations, family resource providers, shelters, legal aid organizations, and housing providers.

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.Pierce County is moving toward a performance-based contracting approach. Performance measure data, as described in Section 1.4.5 of this solicitation, along with any additional performance outcomes or deliverables negotiated in the final contract agreement, may be used throughout the contract cycle to inform County decision-making,

A homeless household may be either a one-person household or a multi-person household of two or more people living together who are experiencing, or at imminent risk of, homelessness. Households must meet one of the three following categories of the HUD homeless definition:Literally Homeless: Individual or family that lacks a fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence and that: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: Any Individual or family who: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).Has no other residence; and Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.Youth and Young Adults at Imminent Risk of Homelessness: Households with youth and young adults between the ages of 12 and 24 who meet HUD Category 2 eligibility criteria: An individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence, provided that:Residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance; No subsequent residence has been identified; and The individual or family lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing.

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 7, 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. Proof of Completed Pre-Award Risk Assessment (Question 1.7)Project data, if applicable (Question 8.1.7)Budget Worksheet (Question 10.1)

Funds under this RFP generally support activities detailed in the categories below. Please note that the Pierce County Homeless Housing Program Policy Manual provides additional detail for eligible activities by intervention and funding source. The County’s monitoring includes an assessment of compliance with all funding sources; therefore, contractors are expected to know all funder requirements applicable to their projects.Program OperationsAll project types may apply for eligible activities under the Program Operations category. These eligible expenses may differ by funding source and will be finalized during contract negotiations.Program Operations ActivitiesCosts Associated with PayrollEngagement & Case ManagementHMIS Data Collection and Entry Sub-Contracted ServicesSupportive Service Costs Direct Client Assistance (Capped at $100/client for minor needs)Transportation Other Program Costs Inclement Weather ResponseAdministrative ExpensesAll projects may apply for eligible activities under the Administrative Expenses category. These eligible expenses may differ by funding source and will be finalized during contract negotiations. Eligible Administrative Expenses must not exceed 15% of the total direct costs (Program Operations).Administrative costs may be requested by budgeted line item (such as in the categories in the table below), or using an indirect cost method:Budgeted Line ItemsAdministrative Expense ActivitiesAdvertising & CommunicationsFacilities Maintenance & Repairs Office Lease/RentInsurance IT Support, Software, Computer Equipment Other Equipment Office & Operating Supplies Administrative Personnel Salaries & Benefits Professional Services (e.g., bookkeeping, audits) Utilities (including internet/phone, water, electricity, gas, etc.)Indirect Costs Method: Administrative Expense ActivitiesAllocated CostsIndirect Costs for State and Local Funding:All indirect costs must be supported with documentation and, an Overhead Cost Allocation Plan (defined below) if an agency is performing multiple activities and proportionately applying expenses to each program.An Overhead Cost Allocation Plan is a written summary that shows how an organization allocates shared (indirect) costs between two or more programs. This plan will identify, measure, and allocate all shared (indirect) costs incurred in support of all programs administered or supervised. All costs included in the plan must be supported with documentation.

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.

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.Projects 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 outreach 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 BenchmarkGIS Mapping Utilization100% N/ACoordinated Entry Connection60%9%Exits to Permanent Housing10%3%HMIS Data Quality 95% 3% HMIS Timeliness95%9%Grant Spending Timeliness 100% 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.

Proposers should allow sufficient time to ensure timely receipt of the proposal by the RFP Coordinator. Late responses will not be accepted and will be automatically disqualified. The County assumes no responsibility for delays caused by Proposer's network problems.

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