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 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 Portal.The concern resolution process does not include an appeal process.

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.

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.

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 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 June 2026, Pierce County adopted an update to the Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness (Pierce County 2025-2030 Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness), reaffirming the County's commitment to preventing and ending homelessness through a coordinated, data-informed homeless crisis response system. The updated CPEH documents the scale of homelessness in Pierce County and establishes strategies to achieve functional zero—a state in which any person experiencing a new episode of homelessness has immediate access to shelter and an appropriate permanent housing intervention.The updated CPEH identifies eight strategic 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 homeless episodes whenever possible.Ensure adjacent systems address the needs of people experiencing 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 provider workforce.Ensure every person has access to stable housing that meets their needs.This funding opportunity directly supports Goal 3: Prevent Homeless Episodes Whenever Possible.

Funding will generally be awarded in ranked order, from the highest scoring proposal to the lowest scoring proposal for each focus population. 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.

“AMI” means Area Median Income as defined by the HUD.“Apparently Successful Proposer (ASP)” 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. “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.“CPEH” means Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness.“HMIS” means Homeless Management Information System.“Housing First” is a homeless assistance approach that prioritizes providing permanent housing to people experiencing homelessness, thus ending their homelessness and serving as a platform from which they can pursue personal goals and improve their quality of life.“HUD” means the Department of Housing and Urban Development.“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.“WAC” means Washington Administrative Code.

For the purpose of maintaining housing stability for eligible Pierce County households, the County is soliciting proposals from organizations to provide homelessness prevention services, which may include, but are not limited to:Financial assistance for housing stabilization (e.g., rental assistance and arrears, utility assistance, application fees, background checks, security deposits, and other eligible housing-related costs).Housing-focused case management and navigation tailored to each household's unique circumstances to promote housing stability and connect households to mainstream benefits, permanent housing resources, and supportive services.Proactive outreach and engagement activities, including targeted outreach to populations identified by the County.Coordination with community organizations and systems that provide complementary services (e.g., aging and disability services, utility assistance, veterans' services, domestic violence programs, behavioral health providers, and other community resources).Interventions to prevent displacement resulting from code enforcement actions, including minor repairs, relocation assistance, or other eligible stabilization activities.Response to disasters, severe weather events, or other emergent situations to prevent households from entering the homeless crisis response system.Funded providers will be expected to serve all eligible households, regardless of population or presenting need, consistent with a no wrong door approach to service delivery. In addition, each provider will be assigned one or more focus populations and will be expected to develop specialized expertise, conduct targeted outreach and engagement activities, and serve as a resource for other prevention providers through consultation, coordination, and referrals for households within their designated focus population(s). See Section 1.4.2 for additional information.

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 Services Until 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.

Each evaluator will score the Proposals separately. The scores of all the evaluators will be averaged to determine the Proposer’s score. The average score from the AEC will then be added to the Second Tier – Department Director Review score 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.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.

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 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. Director Review scores will be based on: Prior Performance (15 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. If the proposer has no prior Pierce County contract history, evaluators will assign the midpoint score for this criterion.System Need and Strategic Value (20 Points) How well the proposal complements the County's overall homelessness prevention system, including geographic coverage, service gaps, coordination with other providers, and contribution to a balanced provider network.Capacity and Readiness (15 Points) Confidence that the organization can successfully implement or expand the program, including organizational stability, leadership, staffing, financial capacity, and ability to meet the implementation timeline.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.

In order for an organization to be eligible to submit a proposal under this procurement, the organization must meet the following eligibility requirements:Be one of the following: ​​​For-ProfitNon-Profit ​​Sole Proprietorship ​​Corporation/LLC/Partnership ​​City/County/State ​​Tribal Organization Possesses a Washington State Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number.Agrees that, if awarded funding under this RFP, Pierce County will assign one or more of the following Focus Populations to the organization during contract negotiations:Families with dependent children, including those identified under the McKinney-Vento Act;Households experiencing domestic violence;Households displaced or at risk of displacement due to code enforcement actions;Immigrants and refugees;Older adults (seniors); andPeople with disabilities.The assignment of one or more Focus Populations is at the sole discretion of Pierce County, and no applicant is guaranteed assignment to any particular population, including its highest-ranked preferences. Funding associated with assigned Focus Populations will be negotiated during contract development. Pierce County anticipates allocating approximately $20,000 for each assigned Focus Population to support outreach, coordination, and specialized activities that is in addition to applicant’s project award. However, the final amount may be less than $20,000 per Focus Population based on the negotiated scope of work, available funding, the number of Focus Populations assigned, and County priorities.

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.

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

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 10, 2026Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-Mandatory):August 14, 2026, 1:00pmJoin Zoom Meetinghttps://piercecountywa.zoom.us/j/94699904918 Meeting ID: 946 9990 4918 One tap mobile+12532050468,,94699904918# US+12532158782,,94699904918# US (Tacoma)Question Submission & Concern Resolution Request Deadline:August 24, 2026, 4:30pmProposal Submission Deadline:August 31, 2026, 2:00pmEvaluation Process Completion:October 9, 2026Estimated Date of Notice to Successful/Unsuccessful Proposer(s):October 14, 2026Deadline for Unsuccessful Proposers to Request a Debriefing:Five business days after Date of Notice to Unsuccessful ProposersHold Debriefing Conferences:October 22-23, 2026Estimated Date of Contract Execution:January 1, 2027 The County reserves the right to revise the above timeline.

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.

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

Pierce County (hereafter referred to as “the County”), in alignment with the Pierce County Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness (CPEH), has made approximately $1,100,000 available to provide homeless prevention services that assist low-income Pierce County households experiencing housing instability to remain safely housed and avoid entering homelessness. Homeless prevention services are intended to intervene before a household becomes homeless by resolving immediate housing crises, addressing barriers to housing stability, and connecting households with the resources necessary to maintain permanent housing.Prevention services may include financial assistance for housing stabilization, interventions related to code enforcement actions, outreach and engagement, case management, coordination of services with partner organizations, and rapid response to disasters and inclement weather events. Services are designed to assist eligible low-income households experiencing housing instability who are not eligible for the County's Eviction Prevention Program. Contractors are expected to deliver housing-focused interventions that stabilize households, reduce the likelihood of homelessness, and connect households with mainstream benefits, community resources, and other services that support long-term housing stability.In addition to responding to referrals, contractors will be expected to conduct targeted outreach activities as directed by the County to identify and engage specific populations or geographic areas determined to be at increased risk of homelessness. Target populations and outreach priorities may be modified during the contract term based on emerging community needs, available data, funding source requirements, or County priorities.

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.

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 initial period of performance of any contract resulting from this procurement is anticipated to begin on or around January 1, 2027 and end on December 31, 2027. 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 12 months each, not to exceed a total contract duration of five years. However, no Contractor will be guaranteed an extension.

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."

Funded providers will be required to: Follow Housing First principles in which all households are presumed to be “housing ready.”Provide homelessness prevention services to all eligible households using a no wrong door approach to service delivery.Maintain active, documented partnerships with incoming and outgoing referrals.Utilize standardized intake tools/housing stability plan to ensure consistency of service delivery. Facilitate required Housing Quality Standard or NSPIRE inspections.Conduct targeted outreach and engagement activities for County-assigned focus populations and serve as a specialized resource for other funded providers serving those populations.Provide rapid engagement within 5 business days following receipt of referral from a local partner organization. Participate in the ongoing Prevention Collaborative to support alignment and problem-solving. Data Collection and Reporting Requirements:Funded providers shall maintain complete and accurate program records and comply with all County reporting requirements, including:Entering required client and service information into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) or other County-designated data system.Tracking and reporting service utilization, including the type, amount, and duration of financial assistance and supportive services provided.Collecting and reporting information necessary for County performance monitoring, including household size, demographic information, referral source, eligible spending category, housing outcome at program exit, housing status following assistance, and other client outcomes required by the County.Maintaining documentation sufficient to demonstrate participant eligibility, expenditures, services provided, and compliance with contract requirements.Client Assistance Funding Caps:To maximize the number of households served and ensure equitable distribution of limited program resources, available per household on a first-come, first-serve basis, client assistance is capped at the funding limits identified below. The County reserves the right to establish, modify, increase, or decrease client assistance funding levels during the contract term to respond to available funding, community needs, program utilization, program performance, or system priorities.The cumulative amount of assistance provided across all Eligible Spending Categories (Housing Preservation and New Housing Placement) shall not exceed the following limits during a rolling 12-month period:1–2 person households: up to $3,750.3–4 person households: up to $5,000.5+ person households: up to $6,500.Eligible Client Assistance Spending Categories:Housing PreservationRental assistance, including rental arrears and associated fees.Utility assistance and utility arrears.Other eligible housing-related costs necessary to prevent displacement, including costs associated with code enforcement actions or disaster-related housing stabilization.New Housing PlacementSecurity deposits.Hotel or motel costs necessary to secure permanent housing.Landlord administrative fees.Pet fees.Rental application fees.Background and credit check fees.First and last month's rent.First month's renter's insurance premium and/or required insurance deposit.Focus Populations and Targeted OutreachPierce County will assign one or more Focus Populations to each funded provider. Providers are expected to develop expertise in the populations they serve and work collaboratively with community organizations, public agencies, and other service providers to coordinate assistance, make and receive referrals, and connect households to the full range of resources available to help prevent homelessness.The Focus Population model is intended to strengthen partnerships, improve access to specialized resources, and ensure households receive coordinated prevention services tailored to their needs while maintaining a balanced, countywide homelessness prevention system.Focus populations include:Families with dependent children, including those identified under the McKinney-Vento Act.Households experiencing domestic violence.Households displaced or at risk of displacement due to code enforcement actions or emergency situations.Immigrants and refugees.Older adults (seniors).People with disabilities.The County reserves the right to assign, modify, or reassign focus populations and outreach priorities during the contract term to respond to community needs, funding requirements, program performance, or system priorities.

The total value of this procurement is anticipated to be $1,100,000. The County anticipates awarding multiple contracts through 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. Budget Worksheet_Prevention (Question 4.7)

A household may consist of one or more persons. To be eligible for assistance, the household must meet all of the following criteria:Residency. The household resides in Pierce County.Income. The household has a gross annual income at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Pierce County.Risk of Homelessness. The household is at imminent risk of homelessness. For purposes of this program, a household is considered at imminent risk if the household meets one or more of the County eligibility criteria:Has moved two or more times during the 60 days immediately preceding the application due to economic hardship;Is temporarily living in the home of another person because of economic hardship;Has received notice that the right to occupy their current housing or living situation will terminate within 21 days of the date of application;Is living in a hotel or motel because the household lacks alternative adequate accommodations and is no longer able to pay the cost or the stay is no longer being paid by a charitable organization or Federal, State, or local government program;Is living in a single-room occupancy (SRO) or efficiency unit occupied by more than two persons, or in another housing unit with more than 1.5 persons per room; orIs exiting a publicly funded institution or system of care and is at risk of homelessness upon exit.Eviction Prevention Program Eligibility. The household is not eligible to receive assistance through the County's Eviction Prevention Program.

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.

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

Eligible costs must be reasonable, necessary, and directly related to preventing homelessness, maintaining housing stability, or obtaining permanent housing. Please note that the Homeless Housing Program Policies and Procedures provide additional details for eligible activities. Contracts are expected to know all funder requirements applicable to their projects.Client Financial AssistanceRental assistance, including current rent, prorated rent, rental arrears, late fees, first month's rent, last month's rent, security deposits, and lot rent for manufactured homes or RVs.Utility assistance, including utility payments, utility arrears, and utility deposits.Housing-related fees necessary to obtain or maintain housing, including application fees, landlord administrative fees, background and credit check fees, renter's insurance, and other required occupancy costs.Temporary hotel or motel lodging when necessary to prevent homelessness and no appropriate shelter or housing alternative is immediately available. Hotel and motel assistance is limited to a maximum of 30 days per household.Housing stabilization expenses, including relocation assistance, code enforcement mitigation, landlord incentives, payment of housing-related debts necessary to obtain housing, legal expenses related to housing stability, and other County-approved housing stabilization costs.Household stabilization assistance directly related to maintaining or obtaining housing, including transportation assistance, employment-related expenses, minor safety improvements, essential household supplies, and other County-approved expenses necessary to resolve the housing crisis.Program OperationsPersonnel costs, including salaries, wages, benefits, overtime, and payroll taxes for staff directly supporting the program.Housing stability services, housing search and placement, case management, intake and assessment, mediation, landlord engagement, outreach, and housing navigation.HMIS and data collection, reporting, and program evaluation.Program operating expenses, including office space, utilities, communications, supplies, insurance, and technology necessary to administer the program.Training, professional development, and travel directly related to program delivery.Outreach materials and supplies.Equipment purchases necessary for program operations, subject to County approval.Administrative CostsAdministrative costs that support the organization as a whole may include:Advertising & 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.)All amounts billed to administration by lead and subgrantees must be allowable, supported by actual costs, not double charged, and treated consistently in similar circumstances. Administrative 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 ExpensesProgram funds may not be used for:Mortgage payments or homeowner assistance.Ongoing housing subsidy payments that are not directly related to preventing homelessness.Facility operating costs or rent attributed to units owned by the contractor.Construction, rehabilitation, or capital improvements, unless specifically authorized by Pierce County.Encampment cleanup activities.Food or refreshments for staff, meetings, conferences, or community events, except limited outreach supplies approved by the County.Employee commuting costs between home and the employee's regular work location.Entertainment, gifts, or promotional items.Lobbying, political activities, fines, penalties, or legal settlements.Costs reimbursed through another funding source.Costs incurred outside the approved contract period unless expressly authorized by the County.Any expense that is not reasonable, necessary, adequately documented, or directly related to achieving program objectives.Any expense prohibited by federal, state, or local law or by County policy.Financial Management and Internal ControlsFunded providers shall maintain written financial management procedures and internal controls sufficient to safeguard public funds and ensure that financial assistance is provided only to eligible households for eligible costs. At a minimum, these procedures shall address documentation requirements, eligibility verification, review and supervisory approval of assistance requests, payment processing, record retention, quality assurance, and other internal controls necessary to ensure compliance with program and contract requirements. At a minimum, providers shall:Verify household eligibility before authorizing financial assistance.Verify the identity of households and payees and maintain documentation supporting participant eligibility and all expenditures.Implement procedures to prevent duplicate assistance from multiple funding sources or providers.Maintain documentation demonstrating that each payment was necessary to obtain or maintain housing and was made in accordance with program requirements.Make payments directly to landlords, utility providers, vendors, contractors, or other third parties whenever practicable.Maintain accounting records and supporting documentation sufficient to permit financial reconciliation, monitoring, and audit.Immediately notify Pierce County of suspected fraud, misuse of funds, duplicate payments, falsified documentation, or other material program irregularities.

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.

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 award. Progress Toward Performance Benchmarks – 40% of total award. 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 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, which are currently under development for the Homeless Prevention program, as the program is still in its early stages of implementation.In alignment with the Greater Pierce County Continuum of Care, the County adopted the following performance targets for the resultant contracts:Performance MeasureTargetGrowth BenchmarkExits to Permanent Housing90%Under DevelopmentHMIS Data Quality95%Under DevelopmentHMIS Timeliness95%Under DevelopmentGrant Spending Timeliness100%Under Development 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.

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.