FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAMS *Updated 4.17.2026*

COUNTY OF ALAMEDA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL No. 2026-ACSSA-AAA-FCSP

for

FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAMS

under

TITLE IIIE, OLDER AMERICANS ACT, as amended in 2020

MELLO-GRANLUND OLDER CALIFORNIANS ACT of 1996

For complete information regarding this project, see Request for Proposal (RFP) posted at Alameda County Contracting Opportunities [https://gsa.acgov.org/do-business-with-us/contracting-opportunities/] or contact the County representative listed below. Thank you for your interest! Contact Person: Liza Alvarez, Program Financial Specialist Phone Number: (510) 267-8698 Email Address: liza.alvarez@acgov.org Alameda County Social Services Agency (ACSSA) – Finance Department / Contracts Office

RESPONSE DUE

by

2:00 p.m.

on

May 8, 2026

at

Alameda County Social Services Agency / Contracts Office

RFP No. 2026-ACSSA-AAA-FCSP

Family Caregiver Support

Attn: Liza Alvarez

2000 San Pablo Ave, 4th Floor, Suite 451B

Oakland, CA 94612

or

Schedule an appointment to drop off your submission

Alameda County is committed to reducing environmental impacts across our entire supply chain.

If printing this document, please print only what you need, print double-sided, and use recycled-content paper.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL No. 2026-ACSSA-AAA-FCSP

FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAMS

EVENT	DATE/LOCATION
RFP Issued	April 3, 2026
Networking/Bidders Conference No. 1	April 8, 2026, 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (PST) Microsoft Teams meeting Join: Click here to Join Bidder's Conference No. 1 April 8, 2026 Meeting ID: 246 900 451 092 16 Passcode: Mx9ws7Kg Dial in by phone San Francisco Phone Link to Bidder's Conference No. 1 United States, San Francisco Toll-Free Phone link to bidder's conference no. 1 United States (Toll-free) Phone conference ID: 904 241 72#
Networking/Bidders Conference No. 2	April 9, 2026, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (PST) Microsoft Teams meeting Join: Click here to join Bidder's Conference No. 2, April 9, 2026 Meeting ID: 283 948 500 092 25 Passcode: sG2Fj3vH Dial in by phone San Francisco Phone link to Bidder's Conference No.2 United States, San Francisco Toll-Free Phone Link to Bidder's Conference No. 2 United States (Toll-free) Phone conference ID: 509 071 266#
Written Questions Due via Email: liza.alvarez@acgov.org	April 10, 2026, by 5:00 p.m.
Bidders Conferences List of Attendees Issued	April 13, 2026
Addendum Issued [only if necessary to amend RFP]	April 20, 2026
Questions & Answers Issued	April 20, 2026
Response Due 2000 San Pablo Avenue, 4th Fl., Suite 451B, Oakland, CA 94612	May 8, 2026, by 2:00 p.m.
Evaluation Period	May 8, 2026 through June 8, 2026
Optional Vendor Interviews	June 9, 2026 (Optional)
Notice of Intent to Award Issued	June 15, 2026
Board of Supervisors Consideration Award Date	(This date has not been finalized. The actual date will be provided once available)
Contract Start Date	July 1, 2026

NOTE: All dates are tentative and subject to change.

COUNTY OF ALAMEDA

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL No. 2026-ACSSA-AAA-FCSP

SPECIFICATIONS, TERMS & CONDITIONS

for

FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

ATTACHMENTS

EXHIBIT A BID RESPONSE PACKET

EXHIBIT B BUDGET INSTRUCTIONS

EXHIBIT B-1 BUDGET TEMPLATE (separate excel file attachment)

EXHIBIT C INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

EXHIBIT D DATA REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

EXHIBIT E EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

EXHIBIT F EXCEPTIONS, CLARIFICATIONS, AMENDMENTS

REFERENCES

DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION CERTIFICATION

EXHIBIT G

EXHIBIT G-1 CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS-CERTIFICA6

TION REGARDING LOBBYING (APPENDIX A, 44 C.F.R.PART 18)

I. STATEMENT OF WORK

A. INTENT

The Alameda County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) seeks qualified contractors to provide up to eleven (11) Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP) services contracts to caregivers of older adults (COA) and older relative caregivers (ORC) across Alameda County. FCSP services are designed to enable caregivers to remain in the workforce, to reduce caregiver burden, and prevent or delay the need for a higher level of care for the care receiver. These specifications, terms, and conditions describe the requirements of public, nonprofit, or for-profit organizations qualified to deliver these services.

Geographic Regions

Contracts will be awarded for an initial one (1) -year term (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027), with the option for up to three (3) additional one (1) -year renewals, contingent upon satisfactory contractor performance, continued availability of funding, and required County approvals. To ensure transparent and competitive procurement consistent with federal, state, and county requirements, the number of contracts that will be awarded by region or countywide are as follows:

County Regions	Cities and/or Unincorporated Areas Within the Region	Anticipated Family Caregiver Support Program (FCSP) Awards
North	Albany, Emeryville, Berkeley, Alameda, Oakland, Piedmont	4
Central	Ashland, Castro Valley, Cherryland, Fairview, Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo	3
South	Fremont, Newark, Union City	2
East	Dublin, Livermore, Pleasanton, Sunol	2

The AAA is committed to providing services throughout all regions of the county and establishes guidelines for funding that reflect each region’s population of seniors that are minority, low-income, age 75+, and functionally impaired or disabled. Actual funding amounts may vary depending on the number and quality of bid responses received.

Funding Availability

AAA estimates that a total of $1,492,342 will be available for funding Fiscal Year 2026-2027, with $756,249 from Older Americans Act (OAA) and $736,093 from County General Funds. Actual awards will be dependent on funding available. The total funding is outlined below:

Funding Source	Anticipated Funding Amounts
OAA Title IIIE	$756,249
County General Funds	$736,093
Total	$ 1,492,342

The County’s intent is to fund programs that:

• Provide comprehensive support to caregivers and those assisting them.

• Reflect the diversity of Alameda County, ensuring equitable access for ethnic minorities, individuals with limited English proficiency, and those with functional impairments or disabilities.

• Target services toward the priority groups identified under Older Americans Act (OAA) Title IIIE and the Area Plan:

1. Caregivers who are older individuals with greatest social need, and older individuals with greatest economic need (with particular attention to low-income older individuals). [45 CFR 1321.3]

2. Greatest Social Need: Noneconomic factors limiting independence or the ability to perform routine daily tasks, including physical or mental disabilities, language barriers, cultural or geographic isolation, and conditions such as housing instability, food insecurity, chronic health issues, or safety concerns.

a. Individuals with functional impairments or disabilities, including persons with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more activities major life activities, with particular emphasis on those with limitations in activities daily living (ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs).

b. Racial or Ethnic minorities, including Asian, Hispanic/Latino, Black/African American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Multiracial populations.

c. Communities with limited English proficiency (LEP), particularly speakers of Chinese/Mandarin, Spanish, Korean, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Farsi/Dari, Cambodian, and Tagalog.

d. Veterans

e. Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer/Questioning Intersex Asexual/Allied Plus (LGBTQIA+) community

3. Greatest Economic Need: Income at or below the federal poverty level, as further defined by state and area plans based on local factors such as geography and living expenses.

a. Low-Income, defined under the Alameda County Countywide Area Plan as living at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

4. Older relative caregivers of children with severe disabilities, or individuals with disabilities who have severe disabilities. [OAA§373(c)(2) (A-B)]

5. Family caregivers who provide care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders with neurological and organic brain dysfunction. [OAA § 372(b)]

B. SCOPE

The OAA seeks to enable older individuals to maintain their well-being through locally developed community-based system of services. The Title IIIE FCSP is designed to provide comprehensive support to caregivers and those assisting them by offering: (1) clear and accessible information about available services; (2) personalized assistance to help caregivers navigate and gain access to these services; (3) individual counseling, facilitated support groups, and structured training sessions both individual and group focused on health, nutrition, financial literacy, and strategies for decision-making and problem-solving in their caregiving roles; (4) respite care options to temporarily relieve caregivers from their responsibilities, promoting their well-being; and (5) specific service categories , offered on a limited basis, to enhance and complement the care provided by caregivers.

FCSP services shall be targeted to both caregivers and care receivers throughout Alameda County; especially those caregiving needs of hard to reach or underserved populations. Eligible caregivers and care receivers shall be those individuals newly identified as in need of service or known individuals for whom new or additional services are to be provided. Services provided under FCSP may not take the place of any existing services. Services are available solely to non-paid caregivers, and no direct payments to eligible caregivers may be made under the terms of this contract.

The FCSP comprises two distinct programs: FCSP Caregivers of Older Adults (COA), and FCSP Older Relative Caregivers (ORC) (formerly known as Grandparent and older Relative caregiver).

Requirements for the ORC are the caregiver must be 55 years or older, living with and providing primary caregiving for a child (≤18 years) or an individual with a disability. The child’s caregiver must be a grandparent, step-grandparent, or other relative (excluding parents) who has assumed primary caregiving due to the biological or adoptive parents being unable or unwilling to care for the child.

The descriptions for most services are the same for COA and ORC. Each of these programs is separated into five distinct service areas with various service categories which are intended to provide an array of supportive services, mental health resources and support, respite, links to community services, caregiver training opportunities and access to local resources.

FCSP bids will consist of 1 or more of the following service categories:

1. Information Services educate caregivers and their extended networks public about caregiving resources.

a. Caregiver Information Services: Non-individualized public or media outreach efforts or community education events that educate groups of current or potential caregivers and their supporters about available FCSP services and other caregiver resources, primarily through in-person presentations, booths/exhibits, or media events, including radio, TV, or website events. The service unit measure is one activity.

2. Access Assistance links caregivers to the opportunities and services that are available to them.

a. Caregiver Case Management: Individualized support provided to a caregiver, at the direction of the caregiver, by a professional trained and experienced in case management skills. This service is provided to assess the needs of and to arrange, coordinate, and monitor an optimal package of services for the caregiver. The service unit measure is one hour.

b. Caregiver Information and Assistance: Service that provides caregivers with information on available community services, assesses their needs, links them to appropriate resources, and ensures they receive necessary support. It also includes one-on-one outreach by agencies to identify caregivers and encourage use of support services, as well as bilingual communication assistance to help caregivers access resources and fulfill their caregiving responsibilities. The service unit measure is one contact.

3. Support Services help caregivers manage the stress of caregiving responsibilities, facilitate caregiver peer-to-peer learning, and access formal instruction in caregiving tasks.

a. Caregiver Counseling: Service that provides caregivers with emotional and practical support from trained professionals (or experienced volunteers under proper training and supervision protocols) to address stress, depression, and loss resulting from caregiving responsibilities. Support may include involving informal networks/support systems providing individual direct sessions or phone consultations and addressing caregiving-related financial and long-term placement responsibilities The service unit measure is one hour.

b. Caregiver Support Groups: Group sessions for caregivers, led by a trained facilitator, held at least monthly in a supportive setting or through a controlled access, moderated online/teleconference platform. These sessions create a space for caregivers to share experiences, concerns, and ideas to reduce caregiving-related stress, and to improve decision-making and problem-solving skills related to their caregiving responsibilities. The service unit measure is one session.

c. Caregiver Training: Service that provides family caregivers with instruction to improve knowledge and performance of specific skills relating to their caregiving roles and responsibilities. Skills may include activities related to health, nutrition, and financial management; providing personal care; and communicating with health care providers and other family members. Training may include the use of evidence-based programs; be conducted in-person or on-line and be provided in individual or group settings. The service unit measure is one hour.

4. Respite Care provides short-term relief for caregivers on an intermittent, occasional, or emergency basis, tailored to their needs rather than a fixed schedule. To qualify for respite care, either the care receiver must have two or more ADL limitations or cognitive impairment, or the caregiver must be an ORC to a child with severe disabilities or to an individual with disabilities who has severe disabilities.

a. Caregiver Respite In-home: Respite care covering assistance with activities of daily living (eating, bathing, toileting, transferring, dressing), plus supervision and homemaker support by a skilled provider. In-home respite services also include day or overnight supervision and friendly visiting by a skilled provider or volunteer to prevent wandering and ensure safety. The service unit measure is one hour.

b. Caregiver Respite Other: Respite care with assistance from a skilled provider or volunteer with heavy housework, yard work, and routine home maintenance associated with caregiving responsibilities (excluding structural repairs). Other respite services also include assistance and meal preparation, medication management, phone use, or light housework at the instruction of the care receiver. The service unit measure is one hour.

c. Caregiver Respite Out-of-Home Day Care: Respite care provided outside the caregiver’s or care receiver’s home, such as adult day care, senior center, or other non-residential setting (including day camps for older relatives raising children), without overnight stays. The service unit measure is one hour.

d. Respite Out-of-Home Overnight Care: Respite care provided in residential settings such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult foster homes, or summer camps (for older relatives raising children), where the care receiver resides in the facility on a temporary basis for one or more nights. The service unit measure for Respite Out-of-Home Overnight care is 1 hour.

5. Supplemental Services are caregiver-centered assistance offered on a limited basis to support and strengthen the caregiving efforts. To qualify for supplemental services, either the care receiver must have two or more ADL limitations or cognitive impairment, or the caregiver must be an ORC to a child with severe disabilities or to an individual with disabilities who have severe disabilities.

a. Assistive Technology: Includes the purchase, rental and/or service fee of any equipment or product system (ranging from a lift chair or bathtub transfer bench to an electronic pill dispenser or emergency alert fall prevention device) to facilitate and fulfill caregiving responsibilities. The service unit measure is one occurrence.

b. Caregiver Assessment: Service offered by trained and experienced individuals to create a plan for caregiving that identifies options, courses of action and back-up provisions for the caregiver. The plan considers a caregiver’s: (A) willingness to provide care; (B) duration and care frequency preferences; (C) caregiving abilities; (D) physical health, psychological, social support, training needs; (E) financial resources relative for caregiving; and (F) strengths and weaknesses within the immediate caregiving environment and caregiver’s extended informal support system. Assessments shall be administered in person or via home visits, the internet, telephone, or teleconference, and best practice is to update these plans periodically. The service unit measure is one hour.

c. Caregiver Registry: Service that recruits, screens, and maintains a listing of dependable, qualified self-employed homemakers or respite care workers who may be matched with caregivers willing to use personal resources to pay for assistance with their caregiving responsibilities. Both the caregiver and the self-employed worker will be (A) advised about appropriate compensation and workplace performance expectations; and (B) provided with follow-up to ensure the match is functioning effectively. The service unit measure is one occurrence.

d. Consumable Supplies: Service that arranges for and aids caregivers in the form of commodities, surplus food, transit passes, meals, and vouchers, or direct payment to vendors that will help meet identified need associated with an individual caregiver’s responsibilities. The service unit measure is one occurrence.

e. Home Modifications: Service to make any minor or major physical change to the home (ranging from installation of grab bars or replacement of door handles to construction of an entrance ramp or roll-in shower) to fulfill caregiving responsibilities. The service unit measure is one occurrence.

f. Legal Consultation: One-to-one guidance provided by an attorney (or person under the supervision of an attorney) in the use of legal resources and services when assisting a caregiver with caregiving-related legal issues. The service unit measure is one hour.

The projected Unit of Service (UOS) for each region are listed below:

Region	Access Assistance	Information Services	Respite	Supplemental Services	Support Services
North	1,213	235	4,536	637	3,150
Central	645	125	2413	338	1,676
East	232	45	869	122	603
South	490	95	1,833	257	1,274

C. BACKGROUND

FCSP is mandated by the OAA to provide services to informal, unpaid family caregivers that reduce caregiver burden, enable caregivers to remain in the workforce, and prevent or delay the need for a higher level of care for the care receiver. Information provided about the caregiving role and support resources for caregiving offered via FCSP empower those facing a long-term caregiving situation, while supplemental services, access assistance, and respite care are vital to preserving and promoting unpaid family support networks. Ultimately, program services help caregivers cope with stress, depression, multiple personal demands, competing priorities, and can reduce reliance on more costly formal supports.

There are two types of caregivers covered under this provision: family caregivers and older relative caregivers (ORC). FCSP defines a family caregiver is defined as an adult family member, or another individual, who is an informal provider of in-home and community care to an older individual sixty (60) years or older or to an individual of any age with Alzheimer’s disease or a related disorder with neurological and organic brain dysfunction. An older relative caregiver is defined as an individual age 55 or older who lives with, is the informal provider of in-home and community care and is the primary caregiver for a child or an individual with a disability. In the case of a caregiver for a child (ORC), the caregiver must be: (A) a relative (other than a parent) by blood marriage, or adoption of the child; (B) the primary caregiver because the biological or adoptive parents are unable or unwilling to serve as the primary caregivers; and (C) has a legal relationship to the child (e.g. legal custody, adoption, or guardianship, or is raising the child informally). In the case of a caregiver for an individual with a disability, the caregiver must be a parent, grandparent, or other relative by blood, marriage, or adoption of the individual with a disability.

To ensure FCSP services reach the target population within each region, the AAA has identified service delivery standards based on the percentage share of the population with each of these factors within each region. For the purposes of the AAA standards, adequately reaching the target population means serving these groups at higher rates than they appear within their region. Bidders are expected to include methods for exceeding these targets in their service design.

Category	Countywide	North	Central	South	East
Age 75+	29%	30%	28%	30%	30%
Low-Income	11%	14%	10%	9%	8%
Functionally Impaired or Disabilities	31%	31%	33%	30%	29%
Minorities	57%	55%	62%	68%	34%

D. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

1. Service locations must be situated in or be accessible to concentrations of consumers in the greatest social and economic need.

2. Providers must demonstrate the ability and experience to reach out to targeted populations identified in this RFP.

3. OAA program participants must be provided with a voluntary and private opportunity to contribute to the cost of services, but no fees for service may be imposed on OAA consumers, and participation must not be denied due to refusal or inability to donate or pay. Participant income information may not be used to limit or deny services.

4. Programs must utilize the views of participants when evaluating the effectiveness of services received.

5. Selected bid/proposal shall be made part of the contract.

6. The AAA may negotiate modifications after the bid/proposal has been selected to ensure that all necessary program requirements are covered before the contract is signed.

7. All proposals for OAA funds shall conform to all applicable provisions of laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the OAA as amended, the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and applicable Federal or State regulations.

8. Programs must have procedures to protect the confidentiality and privacy of information about, or obtained from, participants or consumers.

9. The required minimum program matching contributions for Title III E is twenty-five percent (25%).

10. Successful applicants must have in place a written complaint resolution process that meets requirements of Title 22 [CCR§7400], and that is in alignment with the Alameda AAA Grievance Resolution Policy. All contractors will post and advise clients of their complaint resolution process.

11. All contractors are required to attend monthly AAA Provider Meetings.

12. All contractors must have a written Emergency Operations Plan that can be activated in an emergency. The plan shall include (1) preparation of the facility, (2) training for all staff, volunteers and participants in the agency’s emergency operations plan, and (3) fire safety preparations.

13. Provide access by County of Alameda, AAA, State of California, California Department on Aging (CDA), Federal Administration on Aging (AoA) officials, to financial and other records pertaining to the program encompassed by the contract.

14. Provide Federal Tax Identification Number to the AAA.

15. Submit monthly program and expenditure reports in the prescribed format by the date due and maintain statistical and financial data in such a way as to document and assure the accuracy of the data presented in the required monthly program and financial reports.

16. Submit final financial and program reports no later than fifteen (15) days following the end of the contract period.

17. Comply with all federal, state, and local rules, regulations and policies, including, but not limited to, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars A-87, A-102, A-110, A-122, A-133, Federal Code of Regulations [45CFR§1321.63 -§1321.71], [45CFR§75] and California Title 22 [22CCR§7500-7716], Cost Principals, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards [2 CFR Part 200]. Primary funding for these services is available to the AAA through contracts with the California Department of Aging (CDA) and federal funding from the OAA, as well as limited county General Funds. All awardees must conform to requirements of the OAA, [42 USC 3001-3058], [45CFR§1321.63-§1321.71], [45CFR§75] and the Older Californians Act, [22 CCR § 7500-7716] and CDA Program Memoranda.

18. Bidders may also review Authorizing Statues for Federal and State Regulations by clicking on the respective link (s).

19. All third-party contracts must be approved by the County and conform to CDA and AAA policies for an open competitive process. The applicant’s open competitive process and contract specifications must be described in the plan for service delivery at the time the proposal is submitted. It must also set forth clear procedures for financial accountability and service delivery.

20. Prior to awarding a contract to any for-profit entity, the CDA must also review and approve the contractor’s bid proposal.

21. Within the first 90 days of the contract, all contractors must have written personnel policies and procedures, written job descriptions for all staff involved in the project, and a written Emergency Preparedness Plan.

22. Agencies are required to maintain financial and program records necessary for fiscal monitoring and audit review and make periodic reports as requested by the AAA. As required by 2 CFR 200, Subpart F, Audit Requirements, entities expending $750,000 or more in a fiscal year are required to have a Single Audit for that year. Audits must be submitted within thirty (30) days after receipt of the Auditor’s report or nine (9) months after the end of the audit period, whichever occurs first (2CFR 200 512).

E. RESULTS BASED ACCOUNTABILITY (RBA)

1. Contractors will submit monthly reports and where required enter participant and service unit data into GetCare, or other software or web-based applications, as specified in the Specific Requirements section of this RFP.

2. The Social Services Agency has adopted the Results-Based Accountability (RBA) framework to strengthen and increase data collection and improve contract performance. The RBA framework establishes performance measures which will allow SSA to track the positive impact and benefits of FCSP services for the target population by focusing on three critical questions: How much work was done? How well was it done? and Is anyone better off? The RBA framework establishes a partnership between the service provider and SSA.

A. How much was done? Quantifies volume of services delivered

i. Contractor will meet ninety-five percent (95%) of it program specific Service Unit requirements. If multiple service categories contactor will identify the specific service categories in their contract.

B. How well was it done? Measures quality and reliability of services provided.

i. Contractor will meet ninety-five percent (95%) of caregivers receiving services specified in contract.

ii. At least ninety percent (90%) of participants report they are “Satisfied” or “Very Satisfied” with the services received

iii. Contractor will maintain ongoing compliance with all program specific service and legal requirements, as described in the Scope of Work and Appendices of this RFP, for the duration of the contract.

C. Is anyone better off? Measures impact on caregivers.

i. Percent of caregivers reporting reduced stress.

ii. Percentage of caregivers reporting improved ability to continue caregiving.

F. NETWORKING / BIDDERS CONFERENCES

1. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged, but not required, to attend one of the following Bidders Conferences:

April 8, 2026, 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (PST)

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join Click here to Join Bidder's Conference No. 1 April 8, 2026

Meeting ID: 246 900 451 092 16

Passcode: Mx9ws7Kg

Dial in by phone

San Francisco Phone Link to Bidder's Conference No. 1 United States, San Francisco

Toll Free Phone Link to Bidder's Conference No. 1 United States (Toll-free)

Phone conference ID: 904 241 72#

April 9, 2026, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. (PST)

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join Click here to join Bidder's Conference No. 2, April 9, 2026

Meeting ID: 283 948 500 092 25

Passcode: sG2Fj3vH

Dial in by phone

San Francisco Phone Link to Bidder's Conference No. 2 United States, San Francisco

Toll-Free Phone Link to Bidder's Conference No. 2 United States (Toll-free)

Phone conference ID: 509 071 266#

Please RSVP your attendance to liza.alvarez@acgov.org .

2. The Bidders Conferences will be held via an online platform to allow for remote participation. Bidders can participate via a computer with a stable internet connection. (the recommended Bandwidth is 512Kbps).

3. In order to get the best experience, the County recommends that Bidders participating remotely use equipment with audio output such as speakers, headsets, or a telephone.

4. Networking/Bidders Conferences will be held to:

5. Provide an opportunity for Bidders to ask specific questions about the project and request RFP clarification.

6. Provide bidders with an opportunity to view a site, receive documents, etc. necessary to respond to this RFP.

7. Provide the County with an opportunity to receive feedback regarding the project and RFP.

8. The list of Bidder Conference attendees will be released in a separate document.

9. Only written questions received by the stated deadline will be addressed in an RFP Question and Answer (Q&A) following the Networking/Bidders Conference(s). Should there be a need to amend or revise the RFP, an Addendum will be issued following the Networking/Bidders Conferences. The Q&A and Addendum are the final stance of the County.

10. All questions regarding these specifications, terms and conditions are to be submitted in writing via e-mail by 5:00 p.m. on April 20, 2026 to:

Family Caregiver Support Programs

RFP No. 2026-ACSSA-AAA-FCSP

Liza Alvarez, Program Financial Specialist

2000 San Pablo Ave, 4th Floor, Suite 451B

Oakland, CA 94612

E-Mail: liza.alvarez@acgov.org

11. Potential Bidders are strongly encouraged to attend Networking/Bidders Conference(s). Vendors who attend a Networking/Bidders Conference will be added to the Vendor Bid List. Failure to participate in a networking/bidders’ conference will in no way relieve the Contractor from furnishing goods and/or services required in accordance with these specifications, terms and conditions. Attendance at a Networking/Bidders Conference is highly recommended but is not mandatory.

II. COUNTY PROCEDURES, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS

H. EVALUATION CRITERIA / SELECTION COMMITTEE

All proposals that pass the initial Evaluation Criteria which are determined on a pass/fail basis will be evaluated by the County Selection Committee (CSC).  The County Selection Committee may be composed of County staff and other parties that may have expertise or experience in services for older adults. The CSC will score and recommend a pool of Contractors in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in this RFP.  Other than the initial pass/fail Evaluation Criteria, the evaluation of the proposals shall be within the sole judgment and discretion of the CSC.

All contact during the evaluation phase shall be through the Area Agency on Aging department only. Bidders shall neither contact nor lobby evaluators during the evaluation process. Attempts by Bidders to contact and/or influence members of the CSC may result in disqualification of Bidder.

The CSC will evaluate each proposal meeting the qualification requirements set forth in this RFP. Bidders should bear in mind that any proposal that is unrealistic in terms of the technical or schedule commitments, or unrealistically high or low in cost, will be deemed reflective of an inherent lack of technical competence or indicative of a failure to comprehend the complexity and risk of the County’s requirements as set forth in this RFP.

Bidders are advised that in the evaluation of cost it will be assumed that the unit price quoted is correct in the case of a discrepancy between the unit price and an extension.

As a result of this RFP, the County intends to award a contract to the bidders responsible whose response conforms to the RFP and whose bid presents the greatest value to the County, all evaluation criteria considered. The combined weight of the evaluation criteria is greater in importance than cost in determining the greatest value to the County. The goal is to award the contracts to the Bidders that propose the County the best quality as determined by the combined weight of the evaluation criteria. The County may award a contract of higher qualitative competence over the lowest priced response.

The basic information that each section should contain is specified below, these specifications should be considered as minimum requirements. Much of the material needed to present a comprehensive proposal can be placed into one of the sections listed. However, other criteria may be added to further support the evaluation process whenever such additional criteria are deemed appropriate in considering the nature of the goods and/or services being solicited.

Each of the Evaluation Criteria below will be used in ranking and determining the quality of Bidders’ proposals. Proposals will be evaluated according to each Evaluation Criteria and scored on the zero to five-point scale outlined below. The scores for all Evaluation Criteria will then be added, according to their assigned weight (below), to arrive at a weighted score for each proposal. A proposal with a high weighted total will be deemed of higher quality than a proposal with a lesser-weighted total. The final maximum score for any project is 500 points.

The zero to five-point scale range is defined as follows:

0	Not Acceptable	Non-responsive, fails to meet RFP specifications. The approach has no probability of success. If the unmet specification is a mandatory requirement, this score will result in the disqualification of the proposal.
1	Poor	Below average, falls short of expectations, is substandard to that which is the average or expected norm, has a low probability of success in achieving objectives per RFP.
2	Fair	Has a reasonable probability of success; however, some objectives may not be met.
3	Average	Acceptable and likely to achieve all objectives in a reasonable fashion per RFP specification. This will be the baseline score for each item with adjustments based on the interpretation of the proposal by Evaluation Committee members.
4	Above Average / Good	Better than that which is average or expected as the norm. Excellent probability of success in achieving all objectives of the RFP requirements and expectations.
5	Excellent / Exceptional	Exceeds expectations is very innovative, clearly superior to that which is average or expected as the norm. Excellent probability of success in achieving all objectives and meeting RFP specifications.

All proposals will initially be evaluated against the following and receive a pass/fail rank. Evaluations that receive a “Fail” rating will not receive further consideration.

The Evaluation Criteria and their respective weights are as follows:

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