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 Goals 1, 2, 4 and 8.

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

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

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 the 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 against County strategic priorities. 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. System Need and Strategic Value (20 Points) How well the proposal complements the County's overall homelessness prevention system, including geographic coverage, service gaps, providing service outside of traditional business hours, 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 RFP Coordinator reserves the right to contact Proposers for clarification of any portion of the Proposal.

“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. “Homelessness” per HUD, is individuals or families who are staying in places not meant for human habitation, emergency shelters, transitional housing, or who are exiting an institution. For individuals exiting an institution, the individual must have been homeless prior to going into the institution and must exit the institution before 90 days. “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.

The initial period of performance of any contract resulting from this procurement is anticipated to begin on or around January 01, 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 4 additional terms of 12 months each. However, no Contractor will be guaranteed an extension.

The County is seeking proposals from eligible and interested organizations to provide Coordinated Entry (CE Access) services.The County intends to fund multiple providers to deliver CE Access to the homeless response system. CE Access is the coordinated process through which households enter and move through the CE system. CE Access consists of four integrated components: Screening, Diversion, Prioritization Interview, and System Navigation. These components are designed to function as a single, seamless service. Providers of CE Access services must deliver all components of the service. System Navigation is an integrated component of CE Access and will not be funded as a standalone project.In addition, the County will fund one provider to administer By-Name List Management, and one provider to deliver Referral & Matching. Funded providers will serve eligible homeless households as defined in Section 1.4.3. The County reserves the right to establish or alter homeless household eligibility criteria. With the exception of CE Access - Screening, which will screen for eligibility. The following components of the CE Access system will be open to qualified applicants to apply. Project components are described below:A. CE Access (Multiple providers will be selected)Funded providers of CE Access will provide an array of services to eligible households. Applicants are encouraged to offer services outside of normal business hours to accommodate homeless households. Screening: Screening is the required first step of Coordinated Entry. The purpose of screening is to determine whether households who contact CE are eligible to enter the homeless response system. Screening may be provided either over the phone, in person, virtually, or through an online portal, and includes concurrent entry of required information into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).Screening activities include:Meeting the individual needs of people experiencing homelessness, which could include after hours, nights, and weekends. An initial conversation to determine if the household is eligible for assistance through the homeless response system.Scheduling in-person appointments for households who do not have access to a phone/internet connection or do not want to access services over the telephone/through web-based communication applications like Zoom or Teams. Connecting eligible households with an in-person appointment or advising them of the current on-demand locations and their wait time (if known).Answering calls live or returning calls within two business days.Referring those who are not eligible for assistance through the CE system to appropriate resources outside of the homeless response system.Entering data into HMIS.Diversion: Diversion is the process of working with households to identify safe, immediate, no-cost or low-cost alternatives to entering the homeless response system. Diversion shall be offered to all households who proceed through Access. The goal of Diversion is to resolve a household's immediate housing crisis whenever possible, reducing unnecessary entry into the Priority Pool and preserving limited housing resources for households with the greatest needs. Diversion may be conducted by telephone, in person, or virtually and shall be provided by trained and certified CE staff.Eligible Diversion activities include:Mediation with landlord, family member or friend with whom the household may have recently stayed and where they may be able to return.Negotiation or advocacy with landlord.Identifying and procuring shared housing or other alternative housing arrangements.Referral to housing resources, including the Landlord Tenant Partnership Program.Problem-solving to address housing barriers (e.g., restoring income or benefits, securing needed documentation and Identification, etc.).Connection to mainstream benefits or services.Providing one-time financial assistance. Provide support to obtain appropriate documents from the household (i.e., homeless verification, chronicity documentation, disability documentation, income documentation, photo ID’s, Releases of Information, etc.).Verifying the housing is suitable for habitation, including ownership information, lead-based paint requirements (if developed before 1978), and other information, as applicable.Entering required information into HMIS.Prioritization Interview: For households whose housing crisis cannot be resolved through Diversion, the Prioritization Interview shall be conducted immediately following the Diversion conversation. The Prioritization Interview uses the County's standardized prioritization tool to assess each household's needs, identify the most appropriate housing intervention, and assign a priority score for the Priority Pool. The goal of the Prioritization Interview is to match households with the least intensive intervention necessary to resolve their homelessness while ensuring that households with the greatest barriers and highest levels of vulnerability receive priority for the most intensive housing resources. Information collected during the Diversion conversation shall be incorporated into the Prioritization Interview to minimize duplication and reduce the burden on households. Providers shall employ trained and certified Coordinated Entry staff to conduct Prioritization Interviews.Prioritization interview activities include:Completing the standardized prioritization interview and recording all required information in HMIS.Generating and maintaining the household's priority score.Entering and exiting households into the “Priority Pool” project in HMIS. Connecting the household to System Navigation, when applicable.Entering required information into HMIS.System Navigation: System Navigation begins immediately following the Prioritization Interview for households enrolled in the Priority Pool and continues until the household is connected to a housing solution or exits the Priority Pool. The purpose of System Navigation is to keep households “housing ready” by maintaining active engagement in the Coordinated Entry process, reducing barriers to housing, and minimizing delays caused by lost contact, incomplete documentation, or uncertainty about next steps. System navigation workers coordinate services, prepare households for housing opportunities, and ensure households remain connected to the homeless response system while awaiting referral. Because housing resources are limited and households may wait extended periods for a referral, System Navigation provides ongoing support to help households remain engaged and prepared until an appropriate housing opportunity becomes available. Providers may utilize the same staff for all CE Access components or assign separate staff to perform System Navigation.System Navigation activities include:Assistance in getting ‘housing ready’ if a referral is made available. This includes the following services:Assisting households in obtaining and maintaining required documentation, including photo identification, Social Security cards, birth certificates, documentation of homelessness, disability documentation, chronicity documentation, and other documents necessary for housing placement.Participating in By-Name list case conferencing meetings during which households are assessed by service providers to ensure permanent housing referrals are the best match for the intervention type.Providing case management for households in the Priority Pool.Maintaining regular contact with households and coordinating with street outreach, emergency shelters, day centers, and other service providers to support continued engagement in CE.Ensuring CE assessments remain active and prioritization scores remain accurate.Coordinating with households and housing providers to facilitate timely acceptance and completion of housing referrals.B. By-Name List Management (Only one provider will be selected for this component)One provider will be selected to manage By-Name list household data and facilitate case conferencing. Case conferencing are meetings during which households are assessed by service providers to ensure households receiving permanent housing referrals are the best match for the intervention type with appropriate providers. A By-Name list is a comprehensive, real-time, person-specific list of individuals and households experiencing homelessness in Pierce County. Using information collected and shared with their consent, each person on the list has a profile that includes their name, homeless history, housing needs, and barriers to permanent housing. A By-Name List allows communities to track the ever-changing size and composition of the homeless population. The selected provider will need to create and maintain a By-Name List, collaborate with providers to collect information from the households they serve that are not entered into HMIS, and host case conferencing meetings by population to connect households with appropriate services.By-Name List management and case conferencing will be for the following populations of focus:Households with children: A household that includes at least one child under age 18 who lives with a parent or legal guardian.Chronic Homeless Disabled Individuals: Individuals with a documented disability who have been homeless for at least 12 months, or at least 4 separate occasions in the last 3 years, that in total, equals 12 months or more. Youth/Young Adults: An individual or household ages 12-24 who are experiencing homelessness where no individual or member is age 25 or older. Households Fleeing Violence: Households fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditionsHouseholds from Racial and Ethnic Backgrounds: Households from racial and ethnic communities that have not been well served.Note: The Veteran population has a developed and managed By-Name List and is not eligible for By-Name List support through this funding cycle.C. Matching & Referral (Only one provider will be selected for this component)Matching & Referral is the final step in the CE system. The Matching & Referral component must be centralized and streamlined. Therefore, only one provider will be selected to execute this function for the system.The purpose of Matching & Referral is to match households in the Priority Pool with available housing interventions based on priority, eligibility and program fit. The selected providers shall coordinate referrals to transitional housing, rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing and other participating housing programs, while working collaboratively with eligible households and housing providers to minimize declined referrals. The selected provider must also maintain data on reasons for declined referrals, either by homeless households or by providers.Matching & Referral activities include:Participating in By-Name List management case conferencing meetings during which households are assessed by service providers to ensure households receiving permanent housing referrals are the best match for the intervention type with appropriate providers. Prioritizing and matching households to available housing opportunities based on priority score, eligibility, and program requirements.Coordinating with households, System Navigators, and housing providers to complete referrals.Working collaboratively with housing providers to resolve barriers and minimize declined or unsuccessful referrals.Managing the Priority Pool to ensure all household status, referrals and exits remain current. Following up on referrals with housing providers to confirm placement, document outcomes, or process returned referrals.Maintaining data on referral outcomes, including successful placements, declined referrals, and reasons for referral denial.

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

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

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

Proposal Release Date:August 5, 2026Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-Mandatory):August 11, 2026, 10:30amJoin Zoom Meetinghttps://piercecountywa.zoom.us/j/98941333380Meeting ID: 989 4133 3380---One tap mobile+12532050468,,98941333380# US+12532158782,,98941333380# US (Tacoma)---Join by SIP• 98941333380@zoomcrc.comJoin instructionshttps://piercecountywa.zoom.us/meetings/98941333380/invitations?signature=CQNk0I7tW53AiziXJUF4_Yf7UXP9nQY7cNfObdFnYPERFP Spending Request (per Question 7.1.5):August 17, 2026Question Submission & Concern Resolution Request Deadline:August 19, 2026, 2:00pmProposal Submission Deadline:August 26, 2026, 2:00pmEvaluation Process Completion:September 25, 2026Estimated Date of Notice to Proposer(s):October 9, 2026Debrief Request Deadline:Five business days after "Date of Notice"Hold Debriefing Conferences:October 19-23, 2026Estimated Date of Contract Execution:January 01, 2027 The County reserves the right to revise the above timeline.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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 (hereafter referred to as “the County”), in accordance with the Pierce County 2025-2030 Comprehensive Plan to End Homelessness (CPEH), has made approximately $3,600,000 available to support Coordinated Entry (CE) services to streamline access to the homeless response system. These funds are intended to support an integrated housing crisis response system (HCRS) that rapidly responds to the immediate needs of households experiencing homelessness in accordance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidance.The aim is to ensure that these residents are matched with an appropriate intervention to end their homelessness, based on their vulnerability and housing barriers. The CE System is the “front door” of the homeless response system and one piece of the overall system infrastructure. CE is made up of the following components:CE Access (Screening, Diversion, Prioritization Interview, and System Navigation)By- Name List ManagementReferral & MatchingCollectively, these funds support an integrated system of emergency services that quickly respond to immediate needs of households who are experiencing homelessness, in accordance with the U.S Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidance.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Protests may be made only by Proposers or authorized representative of a Proposer who submitted a response to this solicitation document and who have participated in a debriefing conference. Upon completing the debriefing conference, the Proposer is allowed five (5) business days to file with the 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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

The total value of this procurement is approximately $3,600,000. 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.

Inclement Weather ResponseFunded providers are required to communicate to share outreach resources during Inclement Weather activations to ensure households are aware of available shelter sites, resources, outreach efforts, and emergency response services. Providers are not required to participate in Inclement Weather coordination calls but are expected to share relevant resources with the households they serve.Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)Funded providers must enter data into HMIS. All HMIS policies and requirements in the Pierce County HMIS Policy & Procedures Manual apply to projects funded through this RFP, with the exception of the Data Timeliness requirement. This policy is intended to support open communication and better transparency between funded providers and reduce service delivery duplication.CollaborativesFunded providers must participate in a CoC-sponsored Community of Practice Collaborative (e.g., HMIS Lead meetings, By-Name List case conferencing, Coordinated Entry Collaborative). Coordinated Entry (CE) Certification and TrainingProviders are responsible for ensuring staff complete all required CE certification and training before providing the CE services of Screening, Diversion, Prioritization Interviews, and System Navigation. Pierce County provides opportunities to obtain the required training. Providers are responsible for ensuring new staff complete the required training and that all staff complete any additional or updated training required by the County during the contract term.

All proposals are evaluated on the completeness and quality of the content. Only those Proposers providing complete information as required will be considered for evaluation. The County will not contact the organization for correction of proposals and Proposers are strongly encouraged to carefully review their proposals for completeness and accuracy before submitting. For proposals to be considered responsive and move to the review process, the Proposer must, under Section 3, RFP Questionnaire:Acknowledge all required “confirmations.”Complete all required attachments, to include uploading any supplemental documents requested in attachments; and Submit the following materials as part of the proposal. Data NOT in HMIS (if applicable) (Question 7.1.7)Budget Worksheet (Question 8.2)

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

A homeless household may be either a one-person household or a multi-person household of two or more people living together who are experiencing, or at imminent risk of, homelessness. Households must meet one of the three following categories of the HUD homeless definition:Literally Homeless: Individual or family that lacks a fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence and that:Has a primary residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habitation; orIs exiting an institution after residing there for 90 days or less and resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution.Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence: Any Individual or family who:Is fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence to include dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or family member that either takes place in, or the household is afraid to return to their primary nighttime residence (including human trafficking);Has no other residence; andLacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.Youth and Young Adults at Imminent Risk of Homelessness: Households with unaccompanied youth and young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 who meet HUD Category 2 eligibility criteria of an individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence, provided that:Residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance;No subsequent residence has been identified; andThe individual or family lacks the resources or support networks needed to obtain other permanent housing.

Funds under this RFP generally support activities detailed in the categories below. Please note that the Coordinated Entry Policies provide additional details for eligible activities. Contractors are expected to know all funder requirements applicable to their projects.Financial AssistanceHousing AssistanceCE AccessMatching & ReferralCE Access – System NavigationBy-Name List ManagementHousing Financial Assistance – Including: lot rent for RV or manufactured home, Utilities when included in rent, other fees when included in rent ✔️ Rental Arrears✔️ Landlord Incentive - Reimbursement for damages paid to a landlord✔️ Hotel/Motel - When used while pursuing a permanent housing solution✔️ ✔️ Parking Space Connected to Unit✔️ Security Deposit✔️ Last Month's Rent✔️ Other Costs Associated with RentCredit Checks✔️ ✔️ Housing Application Fees✔️ Legal Fees and Fines✔️ Moving Costs✔️ Storage Costs✔️ Utility Assistance/Deposits✔️ Utility Arrears✔️ Supportive Service Costs CE AccessMatching & ReferralCE Access – System NavigationBy-Name List ManagementChild Care ✔️ Credit Repair ✔️ Emergency Mental Health Services ✔️ Emergency/Outpatient Health Services ✔️ Life Skills ✔️ Substance Abuse Treatment Services ✔️ Client Transportation✔️ ✔️ Mediation✔️ ✔️ Project OperationsCosts Associated with Payroll CE AccessMatching & ReferralCE Access – System NavigationBy-Name List ManagementEngagement ✔️ Housing Search and Placement✔️ ✔️ Housing Stability Case Management✔️ ✔️ Screening✔️ Referral & Matching ✔️ HMIS Data Collection and Entry✔️✔️✔️✔️Staff Issuance of Rental Assistance✔️ CE Coaching & Training✔️ Sub-Contracted Services✔️ ✔️ Other Program CostsFlex Funds✔️ ✔️ General Liability Insurance✔️✔️✔️✔️Office Internet✔️✔️✔️✔️Office Space✔️✔️✔️✔️Office Supplies✔️✔️✔️✔️Office Utilities✔️✔️✔️✔️Staff Training/Conference/Per Diem✔️✔️✔️✔️Telephone✔️✔️✔️✔️ *Administrative Expenses CE AccessMatching & ReferralCE Access – System NavigationBy-Name List ManagementAdvertising✔️✔️✔️✔️Communications✔️✔️✔️✔️Facilities Maintenance & Repairs ✔️✔️✔️✔️Insurance✔️✔️✔️✔️Machinery & Equipment✔️✔️✔️✔️Office & Operating Supplies✔️✔️✔️✔️Personnel Salaries & Benefits ✔️✔️✔️✔️Professional Services✔️✔️✔️✔️Public Utilities✔️✔️✔️✔️Small Tools & Minor Equipment✔️✔️✔️✔️ 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 ending homeless episodes.Facility operating costs or rent attributed to units owned by the funded provider.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.

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

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.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 Coordinated Entry projects shall serve as the baseline for projects without qualifying data.As part of Pierce County’s transition to a performance-based contracting model, all County-funded homeless service contracts will now be evaluated based on two key components determined by the priorities of Pierce County:Expenditure of Funds – 60% of total awardProgress Toward Performance Benchmarks – 40% of total awardPerformance targets are based on system-wide historical data and desired outcomes. If a project does not meet an established performance target, the project will be expected to meet the applicable growth benchmark. Growth benchmarks represent the required percentage increase from the provider’s most recent performance result for that measure and are intended to demonstrate incremental progress toward achieving the target. These benchmarks are designed to support continuous improvement and ensure all projects are making measurable progress toward stronger system performance and improved outcomes for households experiencing homelessness. Due to significant programmatic changes to CE, all growth benchmarks are currently underway.Performance targets were developed and adopted by the Greater Pierce County Continuum of Care (CoC). Pierce County's Research and Data Analysis Team is currently developing the associated growth benchmarks to support continuous performance improvement. If the growth benchmarks are finalized during this procurement, the County will issue an addendum to incorporate them into this solicitation. Otherwise, the growth benchmarks will be negotiated with the selected provider(s) during contract development prior to execution.Performance MeasureProject TypeTargetGrowth BenchmarkReturns within 12 MonthsCE Diversion & Prioritization Interview5%Under developmentHMIS QualityCE Diversion & Prioritization Interview95%Under developmentHMIS TimelinessCE Diversion & Prioritization Interview95%Under developmentExits to Permanent HousingCE Diversion & Prioritization Interview45%Under developmentHMIS Data QualityCE System Navigation95%Under developmentHMIS Data TimelinessCE System Navigation95%Under developmentHMIS Data TimelinessCE Screening95%Under developmentHMIS Data QualityCE Screening95%Under developmentHMIS Data TimelinessMatching & Referral95%Under developmentHMIS Data QualityMatching & Referral95%Under developmentHMIS Data TimelinessBy Name List Management95%Under developmentHMIS Data QualityBy Name List Management95%Under development Additional Performance ExpectationsCE Access Screening, Diversion, & Prioritization InterviewMatching & ReferralCE Access –System NavigationBy-Name List ManagementAt least 95% of phone calls are answered live or responded to within two business days✔️ ✔️ At least 40 Diversion Conversations per FTE, per month✔️ 100% of referrals are made within two business days of program opening ✔️ At least 95% of referrals made will be accurate ✔️ 100% percentage of households have a Housing Stability Plan or Next Steps Plan✔️ At least 90% of households contacted at least every other week by the program ✔️ Meeting Facilitation – Post Case Conferencing meeting at a minimum of biweekly ✔️ 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.