"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” 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's Youth Violence Prevention programs address the long-term prevention, reduction, and elimination of violent behavior(s) by or among children and youth residing in unincorporated Pierce County.Per Pierce County Code 2.42.080, organizations requesting funding must be able to provide evidence that their proposed Violence Prevention program(s) can meet the priorities described below:Serve unincorporated areas. Taxes to support the Violence Prevention programs are criminal justice sales tax revenue collected exclusively in unincorporated areas of Pierce County, and not in any of the cities and towns that are located within the County. Accordingly, proposers requesting funding must serve youth who reside in unincorporated Pierce County and must have a mechanism to confirm client residency.Sustainability. Programs funded through this tax should create a long-term reduction or elimination of violent situations or violent behavior(s), not just a transitory benefit while an individual or family is participating in the program.Cooperative efforts. Proposers applying for these funds should develop and encourage cooperation and coordination between agencies, municipalities, and clients.Focus. The focus of programs should be on the prevention or elimination of violent behavior in, among, or towards children and youth. If the violence involves the family, or if the family needs to be involved in the reduction or elimination of violent activities, other family members should be included in the program.Demonstrability. Proposers applying for Violence Prevention funding must be able to demonstrate in a clear and concise manner that the program is accomplishing the goals and objectives it has established for itself, specifically, the elimination or reduction of violence or violent behavior(s).Best Practice. Applications must be based on best practices and must include how the Best Practice was established and by whom.The YVPNA identified key risk and protective factors that impact the prevention and reduction of violence among youth, as well as identified potential geographic areas with higher needs in unincorporated Pierce County.Applicants are strongly encouraged to identify at least one risk and/or protective factor from the YVPNA listed below:Exposure to violenceSubstance useBehavioral healthAcademic performanceProsocial relationshipsApplicants shall implement a program with components that address the risk/protective factor(s) they have chosen. Programs being proposed can be a new program, a continuation or expansion of a current program and are strongly encouraged to select at least one the following:School-based programming (during and after the school day)Conflict resolution skillsBehavioral health supports to include substance use, depression and anxiety, trauma, and healthy relationshipsIt is recommended that applicants use the data from the YVPNA and utilize an evidence based or promising program that is proven to impact their identified risk and/or protective factor. Applications that demonstrate utilization of an evidence based or promising program in their proposal will receive a higher rating.

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.

All proposals will be reviewed for completeness and compliance with the requirements and questions specified in this RFP. Proposals that meet the Minimum Qualifications as identified in Section 2 will advance to the formal evaluation process and be scored based on responses to RFP questions, required attachments, and supplemental documents. The Allocation Advisory Committee for Prevention Programs (AACPP) will review and score proposals based strictly in accordance with the requirements set forth in this RFP and any addenda thereto. Per Ordinance No. 2001-82, the AACPP is comprised of up to 15 volunteer community members who live in unincorporated Pierce County and have familiarity with the needs and services within their community of residence. Upon completion of the evaluation processes, the AACPP will make final recommendations to the Human Services Department for review and approval. The Human Services Department will present the funding recommendations to the Pierce County Executive for review and approval. The Human Services Department will then present the Executive’s prioritized list of projects to the Pierce County Council for approval or rejection.

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.

Youth residing in unincorporated Pierce County must be the primary beneficiaries of program services implemented with these funds. Programs may include family and family needs if the program activities include reducing or eliminating violent behavior(s) for both the youth and their family members.The funds requested must be used for youth who live in unincorporated Pierce County regardless of where the Applicant is located or where the services take place. The following are incorporated cities and towns located within Pierce County and residents of these cities and towns are excluded from receiving benefits from this solicitation and must receive funding from other sources:• Auburn• Fircrest• Ruston• Bonney Lake• Lakewood• South Prairie• Buckley • Milton• Steilacoom• Carbonado • Orting • Sumner• DuPont • Pacific• Tacoma• Eatonville • Puyallup • University Place• Fife • Roy • Wilkeson

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).

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:Has an ACTIVE UEI number issued by sam.gov at the time of application.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.

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.

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 questions must be submitted within the County's eProcurement Portal, under the Question & Answer Section no later than 4:30 pm on Monday, February 9, 2026. Proposers must be registered in the eProcurement Portal software in order to submit questions, receive addenda and notifications, and ultimately submit a proposal.

Applicants must be an IRS designated non-profit or government agency. Pierce County requires that all applicants for funding be registered as a business entity with the State of Washington and possess a Washington State Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number and a Federal Tax ID number.

Project budgets should include only costs directly related to the program that fall into the categories below. Invoices are paid monthly on a cost reimbursement basis. If a contractor awarded funding does not expend and invoice all funds awarded, those funds will remain with the County.Eligilbe Costs:Salaries/WagesBenefits Office and Operating Supplies Small tools/Minor EquipmentProfessional ServicesCommunicationsTravel & TrainingAdvertisingRentInsurancePublic UtilitiesRepairs and MaintenanceMachinery & EquipmentFacility CostsOther Costs – must be explained and approvedGeneral Administration* costs supported by a cost allocation plan*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.

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.

The period of performance of any contract resulting from this procurement is expected to be 19 months, from June 1, 2026 - December 31, 2027. The actual schedule will be negotiated with the selected organization(s) based on the final scope of work, funding, and services purchased and is subject to appropriation of funds.

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.

All agencies applying for FY 2026-2027 Violence Prevention funds will be required to include from the list below at least one quantifiable outcome and two measurable indicators in their proposal. Agencies may also provide their own outcome and indicators in addition to the outcomes and indictors chosen from the list below. Program impact, as measured by outcomes, will be taken into consideration in this solicitation.Outcome: Improved Parent-Child RelationshipAssociated Risk/Protective Factors from YVPNA: Behavioral HealthProsocial relationshipsMeasurable Indicators: Maintains placementIncrease on parent child skills inventoryParent participation in programDemonstrates improved social/emotional developmentIncrease custody statusIncrease family improvement measure survey resultsOutcome: Improved relationships between peer-to-peer or adult-to-childAssociated Risk/Protective Factors from YVPNA:Behavioral HealthProsocial relationshipsMeasurable Indicators:Activity participationChild/parent surveyOutcome: Increased protective factors for pro-social behaviorAssociated Risk/Protective Factors from YVPNA:Exposure to violenceSubstance useBehavioral healthAcademic performanceProsocial relationshipsMeasurable Indicators: Teen members not skipping schoolStudent learning in empathyImproved School attendanceSurvey ResultsVolunteering in school or communities monthlyStudent learning in negotiationIncreased Academic performanceDemonstrated competenceOutcome: Reduced risk factors for violence and reoffendingAssociated Risk/Protective Factors from YVPNA:Exposure to violenceSubstance useBehavioral healthProsocial relationshipsMeasurable Indicators: Positively impacted juvenile court issuesComplete deferral daysIncreased access to community servicesDemonstrate developmental improvementIf an agency opts to provide their own outcome and indicators specific to their program, the following performance metrics must be included:Outcomes – Outcomes are benefits or changes participants experience by participating in services.Indicators - Indicators are quantitative or qualitative measurements that track changes related to an OutcomeSources of Verification – These are the data sources used to verify that changes have occurred.

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.

The total value of this procurement is $2,994,490.00 in 2026-2027 Violence Prevention funding. The County anticipates awarding multiple contracts from this procurement. Applicants may submit multiple proposals, but each project must be submitted separately. 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. The value of the contracts resulting from this procurement is an estimate that is subject to appropriation and may change based on the finalized Pierce County budget. Each contract award may be reduced. If the amount is greater than anticipated, Pierce County reserves the right to award the additional funds between all successful proposals, release additional solicitations, or otherwise utilize the funds in a manner consistent with funding guidelines. 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.Outcome Tool (Question 16.7)Budget (Question 17.2)Pre-Award Risk Assessment and all supplemental materials (Question 18.1), 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 19.1:Youth Violence Prevention Application Questions_v2Attachment A: Budget Request Form_v24. 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.

Each awarded agency will negotiate outputs with Pierce County Human Services and will be required to submit quarterly output reports as indicated in the executed contract. Reporting quarterly requirements will include:Number of youth served through the program who reside in unincorporated Pierce CountyOutputs provided each quarter based on negotiated services in the contractProgress towards outcome goals, including process and trackingUpdates on program challenges, successes, or technical assistance needsAnnual reporting will include:Summary and final program numbers for the outcome measure and indicators as defined in the contract, including percentage of youth who reached the desired outcome and indicators.

Proposals must be received by the Procurement & Contract Services Department before 2:00 pm on Wednesday, February 18, 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.