Each year Pierce County receives an allocation of CDBG program funds. The primary objective of the funds is the development of viable urban communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and expanding economic opportunities, principally for low and moderate-income persons.The funds are available for a wide range of eligible public service activities, and proposals should seek to provide essential services to community members in need. A non-exhaustive list of eligible activities has been provided in Section 4.4 below.Additionally, proposals that align with the funding priorities identified by the CAB in Section 4.3 will be awarded additional points. CDBG funds may be used to pay for labor, supplies, and material as well as to operate and/or maintain the portion of a facility in which the public service is located. This includes the lease of a facility, equipment, and other property needed for the public service.

As a Threshold Review, County staff will review applications to ensure the minimum qualifications are met. Acceptable proposals will advance to the formal evaluation process. Proposals will be scored based upon proposers’ answers to the specific questions in the RFP and content of required attachments and supplemental documents.The evaluation of proposals will be accomplished by an evaluation committee of Citizens' Advisory Board members, called the CAB Review Panel. The CAB Review Panel will evaluate applications using the criteria listed in Section 6. The application questions that are most relevant to each scoring criteria have been identified in each criterion.The CAB Review Panel will make funding recommendations to the CAB, who will then make final funding recommendations to the County Executive. The County Executive will make funding decisions in a manner that best benefits Pierce County, including the most effective use of funds and equitable coverage across providers. The CAB Review Panel will develop its recommendations by reviewing and scoring written applications. Please note, while evaluators are instructed to review and score proposals based upon the response and not upon any external experience with, or outside perception of, the proposing organization, the County reserves the right to include past contract performance with the County as part of the overall evaluation process.

Pierce County expressly reserves the rights to:Waive any and/or all irregularities in the proposals submitted.Reject any or all proposals or portions thereof.Base awards with due regard to quality of services, experience, compliance with specifications, and other such factors as may be necessary in the circumstances.Make the award to any organization or combination of organizations whose proposal(s), in the opinion of the County, is in the best interest of the County.

"Applicant," "Bidder," and "Proposer" mean an organization, agency or provider that submits a formal response to this solicitation."Application," "Bid," or "Proposal" mean a formal response to this solicitation. “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 solicitation.“Contractor” or “Subrecipient” means an individual or organization whose proposal has been accepted by the County and has been awarded a fully executed, written contract. “RCW” means Revised Code of Washington.

Pierce County cannot accept late proposals. All proposals are due by the deadlines per the timeline under the procurement. No exceptions shall be made.

In order for an organization to be eligible to submit a proposal under this procurement, the organization must meet the following eligibility requirements:Be an IRS designated 501(c)(3) non-profit, public, or government agency serving residents of unincorporated Pierce County; or be one of the Pierce County Consortium cities or towns, per Section 4.5.At the time of application, have an ACTIVE Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number issued by SAM.gov. Having a non-active UEI is an automatic disqualifier under this procurement. Have a Unique Business Identifier (UBI) number as issued by the Washington State Department of Revenue and a Federal Tax ID number.

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

The County reserves the right to conduct interviews with qualified proposers prior to making a final selection. If interviews are conducted, details and information will be provided prior to any scheduling, if the timeline does not already include an interview date. Interview questions will only include questions associated with the received proposal for clarification and additional details. Interviews will not be added scores, but the evaluation team may revise initial scores with additional information provided during the interviews. The final award would be based upon the review process, interviews, and past contract performance (where applicable).

To qualify for funding under the CDBG Public Services program, an application must meet HUD’s CDBG National Objective criteria, and the funds must not supplant other resources already supporting the proposed activities. These requirements are described in more detail below.HUD's CDBG National ObjectiveAll applications must meet HUD’s CDBG National Objective, which is to benefit low-income persons. For an activity to be eligible under HUD’s National Objective, the activity must qualify as a Limited Clientele activity.Limited Clientele activities must benefit a specific targeted group of persons, of whom at least fifty-one percent (51%) must be low-income. This can be achieved when the project meets one of the following criteria:The project serves a group primarily presumed by HUD to be low-income, including abused children, victims of domestic violence, elderly persons, severely disabled adults, homeless persons, illiterate adults, persons living with AIDS, and migrant farm workers; orAt least 51% of the clients served are low-income, as evidenced by documentation of the household or based on the family size and income (see Table 1 in Section 4.3); orThe project has income-eligibility requirements that limit the service to persons meeting the low-income requirement, as evidenced by the Subrecipient’s procedures, intake/application forms and other sources of documentation.SupplantingAdditionally, HUD requires that if the agency is a first-time applicant, or if an agency received CDBG public services funds for the 2024 & 2025 program year AND is requesting an increase in funding, the applicant will need to describe how the funds will be used for a new service or an expansion of an existing service. To demonstrate an expanded service, applicants must show a measurable increase in clients served or the level of service compared to the previous 12 months. The purpose of this is to show a quantifiable increase in services provided with the additional funds requested. This regulation is intended to prevent CDBG funds from replacing existing local funding.

All questions must be submitted within the County's eProcurement Portal, under the Question & Answer Section no later than 4:30 pm on Monday, February 16, 2026. Proposers must be registered in the eProcurement Portal software in order to submit questions, receive addenda and notifications, and ultimately submit a proposal.

In order for an organization to be eligible to submit a proposal under this procurement, the organization must meet the following eligibility requirements:Has a UBI number.Has NOT filed for bankruptcy within the past 7 years.Has NOT been part of any legal proceedings or lawsuits within the last 3 years.

The County will not reimburse organizations for any costs involved in the preparation and submission of responses to this procurement or in the preparation for and attendance at subsequent interviews.

All submission, timeliness, and content requirements shall be applied equally to all Proposers regardless of any current or previous relationship with the County or the proposer's relationship with the County, County staff, or elected officials. See Pierce County Code 3.12 (Code of Ethics).Proposers not selected may seek additional clarification or debrief, request time to review the selection procedures, or discuss the scoring methods utilized in the RFP process. Appeals are limited to procedural errors in the selection process. In the event no such procedural errors are found to have occurred, the decision of the County shall be final.If a proposer disagrees with the decision, they may register the appeal by sending an email to pcshsprocurement@piercecountywa.gov, within five (5) business days after the notice of selection is sent to the proposer. The appeal must state all facts and arguments upon which the appeal is based. The Director of Pierce County Human Services, or designee, will review the appeal and determine whether the rules and requirements outlined in this RFP were followed, including solicitation documents, the organizations’ proposal, and the facts which form the basis of the appeal. The Director will render a written decision within fifteen (15) days from the receipt of the appeal.

Members of the Citizens’ Advisory Board (CAB) establish priorities for CDBG funding based on the needs of the community. A public meeting was held by the CAB on September 3, 2025, and the funding priorities for the CDBG Public Services 2026 – 2027 RFP are listed below. First PriorityBasic NeedsFamily ServicesTransportationSeniorsSeverely Disabled AdultsSecond PriorityMental HealthProjects that serve these prioritized populations will receive additional points, with the most points awarded to applications serving the first priority populations.

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 solicitation 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 solicitation or contract, provided that Pierce County is not held financially or legally liable for purchases and that any public agency purchasing under such solicitation or contract file a copy of this invitation and such contract in accordance with RCW 39.34.040.

A virtual or in-person pre-proposal meeting will be conducted by Pierce County staff at the time, date, and location as indicated in the Timeline section of this RFP.Pre-proposal meeting attendance is not required but is highly encouraged for all organizations considering a response to this procurement. It is the County’s belief that attending the meeting will assist the proposer in presenting the best possible request for funding. During the pre-proposal meeting, Pierce County staff will give an overview of the solicitation, the proposal 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 and any questions that the organization may have related to the procurement.

CDBG regulations permit the use of program funds for a broad range of public service activities. A representative list of eligible activities is provided below; however, applicants are not limited to the activities listed. Any activity that serves an eligible population and is not explicitly prohibited under CDBG regulations may be considered allowable. Applicants who are uncertain about the eligibility of a proposed activity are encouraged to submit a question through OpenGov prior to the question submission deadline.Food Banks/Food DistributionServices for senior citizensHealth/Dental ServicesEmployment Services (job training)TransportationEmergency ServicesServices for homeless personsIneligible Project ActivitiesCDBG program funds shall not be used to support or pay for the following:The provision of “income payments"“Income payments” are payments made to an individual or family, which are used to provide basic services such as food, shelter (including payment for rent, mortgage and/or utilities), or clothing. However, such expenditures are eligible under the following conditions:The income payments do not exceed three consecutive months; andThe payments are made directly to the provider of such services on behalf of an individual or family.Political activitiesGeneral government expenses

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.

The period of performance of any contract resulting from this procurement is expected to be 12 months. The initial contract period is July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with a total value of $380,000. The County anticipates a 2027 allocation of approximately $380,000, which is expected to be used for contract renewals. The County intends to renew contracts for a second 12-month period; however, contractors will not be guaranteed a renewal. Renewal decisions will be based on availability of funds and the County’s assessment of contractor performance. Applicants may apply for the initial contract period only, with a minimum funding request amount of $20,000 is required to apply for funding.

Nineteen cities and towns in Pierce County, listed below, and the unincorporated areas of the county have formed a Consortium to receive CDBG funds. The cities of Tacoma, Lakewood, Auburn, Enumclaw, and Pacific are not part of the Pierce County Consortium and projects that only serve residents of any of these cities are not eligible for the funding. CDBG funds available through this RFP are only available to projects that serve residents in the Consortium, regardless of the location from which services are delivered. All applicants must clearly demonstrate that County CDBG funds will serve residents in the Consortium, noted below.City of BuckleyCity of Bonney LakeTown of CarbonadoCity of DuPontCity of FifeTown of EatonvilleCity of EdgewoodCity of FircrestCity of Gig HarborCity of MiltonCity of OrtingCity of PuyallupCity of RoyTown of RustonTown of South PrairieTown of SteilacoomCity of SumnerCity of University PlaceTown of WilkesonUnincorporated Pierce County

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 bidders 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 bids 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.

CDBG program funds are limited to low- and moderate-income households, meaning household income that is at or below 80% of the area median income, as defined by HUD (see Table 1 below). Low- and moderate-income is referred to as “low-income” in this RFP.The Pierce County CDBG program income limits for 2025 are listed in the table, below. Applicants that receive an award (Subrecipients) will be responsible for complying with these income limits, including updating the income limits, as needed, when HUD publishes new income limits or when Pierce County notifies the Subrecipient of any updates to the income limits. HUD publishes income limits at its website: https://www.hudexchange.info/manage-a-program/home-income-limits/ (select the State of Washington, Tacoma for relevant income limits).Table 1Pierce County CDBG Program 2025 HUD Income Limits - Tacoma WA - Effective June 1, 2025Household/Family SizeExtremely Low Income (30%)Very Low Income (50%)Low Income (80%)1 (Person)$25,400$42,300$67,7002 (Person)$29,000$48,350$77,3503 (Person)$32,650$54,400$87,0004 (Person)$36,250$60,400$96,6505 (Person)$39,150$65,250$104,4006 (Person)$42,050$70,100$112,1507 (Person)$44,950$74,900$119,8508 (Person)$47,850$79,950$127,600

The total value of this procurement is $760,000 in CDBG funds. Agencies that submit applications with a funding request less than $20,000 will not be considered for funding.The County anticipates awarding multiple contracts from this procurement. The County reserves the right to make fewer awards or no awards, based on the quality and scope of proposals received, available funding, and identified service needs.The County may negotiate budgets and service levels to ensure the most effective use of funds and equitable coverage across providers. The County reserves the right to adjust award amounts at its sole discretion.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. It is important to note, any contract awarded as a result of this procurement is contingent upon the availability of funding. If at any time during the term of the contract the funding relied upon for the contract is reduced, modified, or eliminated, or if the funding terms are modified, the County reserves the right to amend the contract as appropriate or to terminate the contract.

Follow instructions carefully - if attachments are provided under this procurement, 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." 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:1. Acknowledge all required "confirmations."2. Complete all required attachments, to include uploading any supplemental documents.3. Submit the following materials as part of the proposal. The accepted file types include, .pdf, .png, .jpeg, .docx, .xlsx, and other MS Office formats. Please label all attachments as listed below.Budget (Question 14.1)Pre-Award Risk Assessment and supplemental materials (Question 16.1), including:2 most recent audited financial statements, including federal single audit, management letters and findings/corrective responses.Prior year Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss and Cash Flow Statements for entire year period.Current YTD Balance sheet, Profit and Loss and Cash Flow Statements.Most recent IRS annual submission, if this has not been sent, please detail why it not been filed yet.Agency’s policies and procedures for fiscal/grant accounting, including cost allocation and record retention policies.Third Party monitoring reports you may have received in last two years.1 example of a management timesheet and 1 example of an employee (non-management) timesheet.Additional documents, as applicable.If submitting more than one proposal, you must also download, complete, and upload the following materials for each additional application under Question 17.1:Application Narrative QuestionsAttachment A: Budget Worksheet4. Acknowledge and confirm each addendum and notice issued under this procurement. The system will not allow final submission unless all required confirmations are checked.By submitting a proposal, proposer agrees that all documents, reports, proposals, submittals, working papers, or other materials prepared by the organization pursuant to this procurement shall become the sole and exclusive property of the County, and the public domain, and not property of the organization. The organization shall not copyright, or cause to be copyrighted, any portion of said items submitted to the County because of this procurement.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.

All agencies awarded CDBG Public Services funds will be required to include a quantifiable outcome in their contract. Applicants must select an outcome from the provided list, where applicable, and are expected to use the same format as shown. Only if none of the listed outcomes apply to the proposed activity may an applicant develop and propose an alternative outcome, which must also follow the same format. Human Services will work with agencies recommended for funding to finalize and refine quantifiable outcomes during the contracting process.1. Food BanksOutcome:Alleviate immediate food insecurity of low- to moderate-income (LMI) clients when needed.Measurable Indicators:Meets immediate emergency food needs of clients.Provides enough nutritious food to make three meals for three days for each member of the family.2. Food DistributionOutcome:Maintains food distribution system that meets agencies needs for emergency food.Measurable Indicators:Maintains level of staple food needed.Provides timely food delivery.3. Emergency ServicesOutcome:Addresses emergency needs of clients through the provision of rent and utility assistance.Measurable Indicators:Number of individuals who received emergency rent or utility assistance.Number of individuals who remained in stable housing for 30 days after receiving assistance.4. Senior ServicesOutcome:Greater socialization and interaction with others.Measurable Indicators:Number and percent of senior center participants who report:I do more volunteer work.I See friends more often/make new friends.5. Housing ServicesOutcome:Obtains/maintains housing.Measurable Indicators (two required):Exits to permanent housing.Exits to other housing.Number of people still permanently housed after three months.Number of people still permanently housed after six months.Number of people still permanently housed after 12 months.6. Dental HealthOutcome:Improved Health.Measurable Indicators:Clients consistently follows treatment plan.Client demonstrates progress in reducing presenting symptoms.7. EmploymentOutcome:Job placementMeasurable Indicators:Client attains subsidized employment.Client attains unsubsidized employment.

Proposals must be received by the Procurement & Contract Services Department before 2:00 pm on Friday, February 20, 2026. The proposer is responsible for submission of proposal before the deadline. The County shall not be responsible for late submittals. Exceptions will not be made for proposers who miss the submission deadline, and no proposals will be accepted via email.

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program regulations require that we give citizens the opportunity to review and comment on the County’s use of funds. Citizens can participate by membership on the Citizens’ Advisory Board (CAB) and/or by attending CAB meetings while applications are being reviewed for funding recommendations. All CAB meetings are open to the public. Meeting dates, times and locations are published on the Pierce County Human Services Citizens’ Advisory Board website (https://piercecountywa.gov/HSCAB). A public meeting was held on September 3, 2025, for the CAB to vote and identify funding priorities. The CAB identified Basic Needs, Family Services, Transportation, Seniors/Disabilities, and Mental Health as funding priorities. The CAB is also responsible for making funding recommendations to the County Executive. To do that, the CAB reviews and scores the written applications in response to this RFP. The Timeline in this RFP shows the expected dates for the CAB’s review. The County will post the CAB’s funding recommendations on the Pierce County Website. A public comment period, anticipated to run from April 3, 2026 – May 6, 2026, will follow the posting of the recommendations. It is anticipated that the CAB will hold a public hearing on the recommendations at their May 6, 2026, at which time public comments will also be requested.