Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool *Updated 4/3/2026*

QUESTION & ANSWER REPORT

RFQ No. ACH-900626

Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool

BID RESPONSE DEADLINE: April 14, 2026 at 2:00 pm

1. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:24 AM

Question: Does Alameda County Health already know which vendors they want to work with?

Answer: No. The purpose of the Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool is to identify a pool of qualified vendors interested in providing housing and homelessness services to Alameda County through the Alameda County Health’s (AC Health) Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool. AC Health encourages all eligible vendors who are interested in providing services to submit a bid response. As programmatic needs and funding sources are identified throughout the contract term, which is up to three (3) years (with option to renew for an additional two (2) years), AC Health will develop and execute agreements with the appropriate qualified vendor(s) in the Vendor Pool for the service(s) required.

2. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:25 AM

Question: If I am approved for the Vendor Pool, will I automatically receive a contract? How much funding will I receive?

Answer: Qualification into the Vendor Pool does not guarantee that any vendor will receive a contract with the County, nor does it guarantee any minimum or maximum contract award amount, or any awarded scopes of work to qualified vendors. Upon qualification and approval, AC Health will contact approved vendors directly if there is an opportunity for service provision. Any payment will be as specified through terms established in a Standard Services Agreement, which must be approved by the Board of Supervisors.

3. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:25 AM

Question: What happens if I don't apply by the initial Round 1 deadline on April 14, 2026?

Answer: AC Health encourages eligible vendors to submit their qualifications as soon as possible. Vendors who submit qualifications by the initial Round 1 deadline of April 14, 2026 may be eligible for the first round of approvals. Responses for Rounds 2, 3, and 4 will be due on the second Tuesday of every other month (i.e., June 9, 2026, August 11, 2026, October 13, 2026). Starting in Round 5, submissions will be accepted on a quarterly basis, on the second Tuesday of the month by 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time in January, April, July, and October until such time as this Request For Qualification (RFQ) is closed.

4. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:25 AM

Question: What are the next steps after being accepted into the Vendor Pool?

Answer: AC Health will develop and execute agreements with appropriate, qualified vendor(s) for services, as needed, throughout the contract term, which is up to three (3) years (with option to renew for an additional two (2) years). Upon qualification and approval, AC Health will contact approved vendors directly if there is an opportunity for service provision.

5. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:25 AM

Question: Am I required to provide services once I am accepted into the Vendor Pool?

Answer: No. Being part of the Vendor Pool does NOT obligate a vendor to provide services. As programmatic needs and funding sources are identified throughout the contract term which is up to three (3) years (with option to renew for an additional two (2) years), AC Health will develop and execute agreements with the appropriate qualified vendor(s) in the Vendor Pool for the service(s) required. Contract amounts and terms will vary by contract. Any payment will be as specified through terms established in a Standard Services Agreement, which must be approved by the Board of Supervisors. Changes in the availability of funding from various funding sources, including federal, state, and local, may impact the County’s ability to contract with approved vendors. Qualification into the Vendor Pool does not guarantee that any vendor will receive a contract with the County, nor does it guarantee any minimum or maximum contract award amount, or any awarded scopes of work to qualified vendors. Upon qualification and approval, AC Health will contact approved vendors directly if there is an opportunity for service provision.

6. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:26 AM

Question: With such a wide range of services described in the RFQ, how will vendors know what services the County is seeking?

Answer: Qualified vendors may not necessarily anticipate the specific scope they will be asked to perform, if any; however, vendors should be prepared to perform services under the service category(ies) that they have been approved and qualified for. The list of potential activities provided under each service category in the RFQ provides vendors a sense of the types of services they may receive a contract for.

7. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:26 AM

Question: I have 5 years of experience providing technical assistance and capacity-building consulting services to address homelessness; I started a new consulting firm two years ago. Am I eligible to apply to this RFQ?

Answer: For this RFQ opportunity, the Bidder organization must be regularly and continuously engaged in the business of providing services to people currently, formerly, or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and/or unstably housed for at least three (3) years of the last ten (10) years (cumulative experience will be accepted). In this case, the Bidder organization is a new consulting firm which does not have the requisite three years of experience. Professional experience of key personnel, including that of business owners, cannot substitute for the experience of the bidder organization or consulting firm. Bidder organizations are encouraged to apply after the organization has been incorporated for at least three years and can demonstrate the required experience via a list of contracts and/or supplemental documentation that verifies the bidder organization’s stated three (3) years of experience.

8. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:26 AM

Question: Can organizations use the years of experience of its staff to meet Bidder Qualifications?

Answer: See A7 above. For this RFQ opportunity, the Bidder organization must be regularly and continuously engaged in the business of providing services to people currently, formerly, or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and/or unstably housed for at least three (3) years of the last ten (10) years (cumulative experience will be accepted). Professional experience of staff cannot substitute for the experience of the Bidder organization. Organizations are encouraged to apply after the organization has been incorporated for at least three years and can demonstrate the required experience via a list of contracts and/or supplemental documentation that verifies the bidder’s stated three (3) years of experience.

9. No subject

Mar 20, 2026 3:39 PM

Question: Can the County please clarify whether proposers may submit proposals for individual components within a service category, or whether proposers must be capable of providing all components of the service category in order to be considered responsive? For example, would the County accept a proposal limited to family finding services under Service Category 4 – Homeless Prevention Services, specifically within the Prevention and Stabilization Support Services subcategory? Alternatively, are proposers required to provide the full scope of services within this category, including prevention and stabilization support services, administration of funding, and eviction prevention counseling and advocacy?

Answer: Bidders should use their discretion when choosing the services the Bidder is proposing to provide to the County as they relate to the service category the Bidder is qualifying for. The list of potential activities provided under each service category in the RFQ provides vendors a general understanding of the types of services for which they may receive a contract.

10. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:26 AM

Question: Our organization provides most and/or all of the services in each service category. Are we required to provide a description of proposed services for all of the services in each category for which we are applying?

Answer: See A9 above. Furthermore, as per EXHIBIT A- BID RESPONSE PACKET, DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED SERVICES FORM, Bidders are to “Describe specific services Bidder is proposing to provide to the County as they relate to the service category Bidder is qualifying for.”

11. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:26 AM

Question: How can I receive technical support with OpenGov?

Answer: For OpenGov support, please click on “Visit Help Center” available at County of Alameda Procurement Portal.

12. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:27 AM

Question: Do I need to create an OpenGov account to submit a bid response?

Answer: Yes, in the County of Alameda Procurement Portal RFQ project page, please refer to Project Documents Tab, Project Details sub-tab, which states, “The County of Alameda, CA is accepting electronic bid submissions. Bidders shall create a FREE account with OpenGov Procurement by signing up at OpenGov Sign Up. Once you have completed account registration, browse back to this page, click on "Draft Response", and follow the instructions to submit the electronic bid.”

Furthermore, as per page 23 of the RFQ, Section III. P. 1.a. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS, SUBMITTAL OF BID RESPONSES, Document Submittal, “All proposal documents must be completed, successfully uploaded, and submitted online through County of Alameda Procurement Portal BY 2:00 p.m. on the due date specified in the Calendar of Events. The County strongly recommends uploading early; technical difficulties in downloading/submitting documents through the County of Alameda Procurement Portal will not extend the due date and time. No hardcopy, email (electronic), or facsimile proposals will be considered.”

13. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 11:27 AM

Question: How can I receive updates about this RFQ?

Answer: Bidders can receive project update notifications by clicking on the “Follow” button on the top right-hand side of the RFQ project page on County of Alameda Procurement Portal.

14. about response

Mar 12, 2026 9:38 AM

Question: On the response section it says to paste in response. I am not seeing a form -- are we to write an essay addressing the questions in the project info or am I missing the bid form to paste in? thank you for your help

Answer: No, bidders are not to paste content in the project info. Bidders are to utilize Exhibit A – Bid Response Packet to prepare a bid response and upload it as a single PDF attachment to the County of Alameda Procurement Portal. As per Addendum No. 1 for EXHIBIT A – BID RESPONSE PACKET of the RFQ, page 1 of the BID RESPONSE PACKET INSTRUCTIONS, Item 5, “Each page of the Bid Response Packet must be submitted through the County of Alameda Procurement Portal as a single PDF attachment (PDF with OCR preferred) with all required information included and documents attached; any pages of the Bid Response Packet not applicable to the Bidders are to be submitted with such pages or items clearly marked “N/A” or the bid proposal may be disqualified as incomplete.” In other words, Bidders are to prepare a bid response by completing and submitting Exhibit A – Bid Response Packet.

Furthermore, refer to EXHIBIT A – BID RESPONSE PACKET of the RFQ, page 3 of the BID RESPONSE PACKET INSTRUCTIONS, which includes a REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION AND SUBMITTALS CHECKLIST, to assist the Bidder in the writing of a bid response (proposal). All the specific documentation listed in the REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION AND SUBMITTALS CHECKLIST is required to be submitted with the Exhibit A – Bid Response Packet in order for a bid to be deemed complete. Exhibit A includes forms to provide the requested content.

15. No subject

Mar 16, 2026 11:27 PM

Question: Are shelter services included in this vendor pool? If so, which category fits?

Answer: Yes, shelter services are included in Service Category 3: Interim and Permanent Housing Administration; refer to pages 12-13 of the RFQ, Section I.C.3. STATEMENT OF WORK, SCOPE, Interim and Permanent Housing Administration.

16. Confirming Need to (Re)Apply

Mar 17, 2026 6:39 AM

Question: I am currently part of the Vendor Pool and confused about whether or not my agency needs to reapply. Would it be possible to share the list of current vendors? It sounds from the RFP that, because the Board of Supervisors extended the initial term, providers that were originally approved for 2019 - 2022 are now in the pool until June 2027 and do not need to reapply. Can you confirm this and/or provide a list of agencies whose current contracts are valid through June 2027?

Answer: RFQ No. ACH-900626 Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool is a new procurement to identify a pool of qualified vendors interested in providing housing and homelessness services to Alameda County through the AC Health’s Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool.

You are referring to being an approved vendor in a separate Vendor Pool, Housing Solutions for Health Vendor Pool, from RFQ No. HCSA-900419. On November 12, 2024 the Board of Supervisors approved an extension of the Housing Solutions for Health Vendor Pool term through June 30, 2027 (File No. 31344, Item No. 15). The Housing Solutions for Health Vendor Pool will expire on June 30, 2027. Approved vendors are in the Housing Solutions for Health Vendor Pool through June 30, 2027.

RFQ No. ACH-900626 Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool is replacing the Housing Solutions for Health Vendor Pool. The new Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool will have an approximate start date of July 1, 2026, which will allow for one year of overlap between both Vendor Pools, to give AC Health time to wrap-up existing contracts in the Housing Solutions for Health Vendor Pool and initiate new contracts in the Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool.

All eligible vendors, including but not limited to approved vendors in the Housing Solutions for Health Vendor Pool, are encouraged to apply to the new RFQ No. ACH-900626. Being an approved vendor in the Housing Solutions for Health Vendor Pool does not automatically mean that the vendor is qualified into the new Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool. All bidders interested in qualifying into the new Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool must submit a bid response to RFQ No. ACH-900626.

The list of vendors approved in the Housing Solutions for Health Vendor Pool as of the end of Fiscal Year 23-24 (6/30/24) was presented to the Board of Supervisors on December 9, 2025 (Item No. 18).

17. Service category clarification

Mar 20, 2026 5:08 PM

Question: Would Service Category 3 in the RFQ include an organization that provides interim housing on their property for up to 24 months, and including comprehensive support services? Would Service Category 2 in the RFQ include an organization that provides interim housing on their property for up to 24 months, in addition to the array of support services enumerated?

Answer: Interim housing is included in Category 3, Interim and Permanent Housing Administration. Supportive services are included in Category 2, Health and Supportive Services. However, Category 2, Health and Supportive Services does not include the provision of the actual interim housing units.

18. Rolling deadlines

Mar 23, 2026 10:22 AM

Question: Is the deadline on the 2nd Tuesdays in the months described?

Answer: Responses are due for Round 1 on April 14, 2026 by 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Responses for Rounds 2, 3, and 4 will be due on the second Tuesday of every other month (i.e., June 9, 2026, August 11, 2026, October 13, 2026). Starting in Round 5, responses will be due on a quarterly basis, on the second Tuesday of the month by 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time in January, April, July, and October until such time as this RFQ is closed. If the deadline falls on a County holiday, the deadline will be on the next business day.

19. HMIS use

Mar 23, 2026 1:11 PM

Question: To apply to provide direct services, bidders must attest that they are using HMIS or are willing to use it. If the bidder is a domestic violence provider and is only willing to use the HMIS-compatible database for gender-based violence, can they answer "yes," they are willing to use HMIS, and clarify if awarded that they will only use the separate database for gender based violence providers?

Answer: Yes. Additionally, as per Addendum No. 1 for Section I.B., STATEMENT OF WORK, BACKGROUND, “All AC Health Contractors that provide direct services, program start-up services, and/or innovation services will be required to use the County’s HMIS to document and measure program and service outcomes, with the exception of AC Health Contractors that exclusively provide gender based violence (GBV) services, via either direct services, program start-up services, and/or innovation services, who will be required to use the County’s HMIS compatible system that is Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) compliant and exclusively for use to document data on people experiencing GBV.

20. HMIS use

Mar 23, 2026 1:12 PM

Question: Are bidders eligible to apply for direct services if they are willing to use the HMIS-compatible database for gender-based violence survivors but not willing to use the regular HMIS database because using it violates VAWA?

Answer: See A19 above.

21. Rounds 1-5

Mar 24, 2026 9:44 AM

Question: Can you clarify the meaning behind the different Rounds 1-5. Once we submit our initial response on 04/14, we continue to submit a response for Rounds 2-5? And, is it mandatory to submit questions for each round?

Answer: Once a Bidder qualifies into the Housing and Homelessness Services Vendor Pool, there is no need to re-apply. Once qualified, approved vendors will remain in the Vendor Pool for the term specified in the RFQ. If a vendor is interested in potentially qualifying for additional service categories, any future bid response from the vendor must include all required documentation and submittals, as it would be treated as a completely new bid. Please follow the submission instructions as outlined in pages 23-24 of the RFQ, Section III.P.1., INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS, SUBMITTAL OF BID RESPONSES, Document Submittal.

If a Bidder submits an incomplete response, the response will not be accepted due to incomplete information and therefore will not be forwarded to the qualification team for full review. The Bidder will be notified that they may submit a subsequent response in a future Round for entrance into the Vendor Pool upon resolving submission issues or obtaining the requisite experience. This RFQ is open on a regular basis as per the RFQ Calendar of Events and responses will continue to be evaluated in each Round until such time as this RFQ is closed; vendors whose responses meet the qualification criteria will be added to the Vendor Pool.

AC Health designed this ongoing procurement to allow vendors who do not presently have the necessary experience for inclusion in the Vendor Pool to obtain that experience and bid for inclusion in the Vendor Pool. Rounds refer to each response deadline within the ongoing procurement.

No, it is not mandatory to submit questions.

22. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 12:09 PM

Question: Will all service categories be available at every round or will they be prioritized by funding?

Answer: Rounds refer to each bid response deadline within the ongoing procurement. Bidders that qualify into the Vendor Pool from each Round will be included in the Vendor Pool.

Furthermore, as per page 6 of the RFQ, Section I.A., STATEMENT OF WORK, INTENT, “As programmatic needs and funding sources are identified throughout the contract term, which is up to three (3) years (with option to renew for an additional two (2) years), AC Health will develop and execute agreements with the appropriate qualified vendor(s) in the Vendor Pool for the service(s) required. Contract amounts and terms will vary by contract. Any payment will be as specified through terms established in a Standard Services Agreement, which must be approved by the Board of Supervisors. Changes in the availability of funding from various funding sources, including federal, state, and local, may impact the County’s ability to contract with approved vendors.

Qualification into the Vendor Pool does not guarantee that any vendor will receive a contract with the County, nor does it guarantee any minimum or maximum contract award amount, or any awarded scopes of work to qualified vendors. Upon qualification and approval, AC Health will contact approved vendors directly if there is an opportunity for service provision.”

23. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 12:09 PM

Question: What are the anticipated sources of funding that will be awarded through this supplier pool?

Answer: Funding sources are likely to be from a variety of sources, including federal, state, and local.

24. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 12:09 PM

Question: Does the County anticipate multiple sources of funding being procured through this RFQ over time? If yes, what are the anticipated sources of funding?

Answer: See A23 above.

25. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 12:09 PM

Question: Can bidders include references from other Alameda County departments not included in this RFQ process?

Answer: As per page 7 of EXHIBIT A – BID RESPONSE PACKET of the RFQ, REFERENCES, “Bidders should not list the County department requesting services/goods as part of the references.” Bidders should use their discretion when listing references, including Alameda County employees. The County may not contact references who may have a conflict of interest.

26. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 12:10 PM

Question: Will county behavioral health funds be distributed through this RFQ process?

Answer: See A23 above.

27. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 12:10 PM

Question: If qualified as part of the vendor pool in round one, what is the time period that this qualification is valid?

Answer: Vendors qualified for inclusion in the Vendor Pool will remain in the Vendor Pool for the duration of the contract term, which is up to three (3) years (with option to renew for an additional two (2) years). AC Health will develop and execute agreements with the appropriate qualified vendor(s) in the Vendor Pool for the service(s) required. Upon qualification and approval, AC Health will contact organizations directly if there is an opportunity for service provision.

28. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 12:10 PM

Question: If qualified as part of the vendor pool in round one, what will be required from vendors in subsequent rounds?

Answer: See A21 above.

29. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 12:10 PM

Question: Will eventual contracting opportunities available to organizations qualified through this RFQ serve the general homeless population and/or specifically the specialty mental health/SMI homeless population?

Answer: Any future contracts awarded via the Vendor Pool will be for services to support persons in Alameda County who are currently, formerly, or at risk of experiencing homelessness, and/or unstably housed, which may include people with mental health conditions.

30. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 12:10 PM

Question: Please confirm that bidders are not required to include the wording of each question and instead may only list the question number, in order to stay within the County’s page limits?

Answer: As per page 23 of the RFQ, Section III.P.1.c., INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS, SUBMITTAL OF BID RESPONSES, Document Submittal, “The submitted proposal must conform to and include Exhibit A – Bid Response Packet, as amended or revised by Addendum, including additional required documentation. A Bidder may be disqualified if the most current version of Exhibit A, as revised and published through Addenda, is not used.” This includes providing responses using the provided tables as indicated in instructions in Exhibit A – Bid Response Packet.

Secondly, as per EXHIBIT A – BID RESPONSE PACKET of the RFQ, page 1 of the BID RESPONSE PACKET INSTRUCTIONS, Item 6, “Bidders must not modify the Bid Response Packet or any other County-provided document unless instructed to do so, or the bid proposal may be disqualified.”

Thirdly, Exhibit A includes all the required documentation and submittals required to be included in the Bid Response Packet. When preparing each item, form or table, Bidders do not need to include the instructions provided by the County. However, for items where the County has provided a form or table, Bidders must use the provided form or table to populate the response, include all the required content, and must be properly labeled as per the Mandatory Table of Contents (page 10 of Exhibit A- Bid Response Packet).

31. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 1:54 PM

Question: If my agency bids for two of the four service categories, but is deemed qualified for one of those service categories but not the other, is the application still valid for the category for which we did qualify? Or would an entirely new bid packet be required for the next round?

Answer: See A21 above.

32. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 2:05 PM

Question: The "Notice of Intent to Award" section on page 3 reads "May 27, 2026." Does this apply to the first round only?

Answer: Yes. For future Rounds, as per page 16 of RFQ, SECTION II.H., COUNTY PROCEDURES, TERMS, AND, CONDITIONS, NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD, “At the conclusion of the RFQ response evaluation period, all Bidders will be notified in writing by email of the contract award recommendation, if any, by Alameda County Health.”

33. SLEB

Mar 24, 2026 2:44 PM

Question: How will Alameda County incorporate Small, Local, and Emerging Business (SLEB) participation or status into the evaluation, qualification, and subsequent contracting opportunities under this Vendor Pool? If not currently included, will SLEB status be considered in future contract awards or scopes issued from this pool?

Answer: There is no Small, Local, and Emerging Business (SLEB) program requirement for this RFQ. Some contracts that result from this RFQ may include federal funds, and therefore, would require a Federal SLEB waiver before the resulting contracts are presented to the Board of Supervisors for approval.

34. Innovation Services

Mar 24, 2026 2:45 PM

Question: How does the County define ‘innovation services,’ and can existing community-based models that have demonstrated success but are not yet scaled County-wide be considered innovation?

Answer: As per page 5 of RFQ, Section I.A., STATEMENT OF WORK, INTENT, “Innovation Services: [are] Evidence-based best practices and integrated approaches that differ from traditional models and/or previously untested services in Alameda County that may lead to positive outcomes.” Bidders should use their discretion to decide whether their existing community-based models meet this definition.

35. Braided Funding

Mar 24, 2026 2:46 PM

Question: Does the County anticipate encouraging or allowing braided funding approaches (e.g., combining County contracts with Medi-Cal, CalAIM, or other funding sources) within Vendor Pool contracts?

Answer: Funding sources are likely to be from a variety of sources, including federal, state, and local.

36. Awards

Mar 24, 2026 2:48 PM

Question: Once qualified in the Vendor Pool, how will funding opportunities be released—through mini-RFPs, direct negotiation, or other mechanisms?

Answer: As per page 6 of the RFQ, Section I.A., STATEMENT OF WORK, INTENT, “Qualification into the Vendor Pool does not guarantee that any vendor will receive a contract with the County, nor does it guarantee any minimum or maximum contract award amount, or any awarded scopes of work to qualified vendors. Upon qualification and approval, AC Health will contact approved vendors directly if there is an opportunity for service provision.”

37. Clarification

Mar 24, 2026 3:07 PM

Question: To be clear, each one of the service types should be described in each of the four service categories.

Answer: See A9 above.

38. No subject

Mar 24, 2026 3:10 PM

Question: To be clear, in the descriptions part of the RFQ, assuming all four service categories, will be a total of 16 pages?

Answer: For the Description of Experience Form, if a Bidder is applying to all four service categories, the maximum length would be 8 pages, given that the maximum page length is 2 pages for each service category.

39. Length Allowed

Mar 24, 2026 3:49 PM

Question: Do the pages allowed in the responses include the questions?? Or does the 2 pages for example include the responses only?

Answer: See A30 above.

40. Writing Requirements

Mar 24, 2026 4:10 PM

Question: What is the font size and type required or preferred

Answer: The RFQ does not specify a font size and type requirement. However, Bidders should use their discretion when choosing a font size and type to ensure it is easily legible.