FINANCIAL COUNSELING PROVIDER FOR CITY OF BUFFALO'S FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER
| Location: | New York |
|---|---|
| Posted: | Nov 5, 2025 |
| Due: | Nov 26, 2025 |
| Agency: | City of Buffalo |
| Type of Government: | State & Local |
| Category: |
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| Publication URL: | To access bid details, please log in. |
| Bid Title: |
FINANCIAL COUNSELING PROVIDER FOR CITY OF BUFFALO'S FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER
|
| Category: | City of Buffalo Bids & RFPs |
| Status: | Open |
|
Attachment Preview
CITY OF BUFFALO
NEW YORK
DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, FINANCE, POLICY & URBAN AFFAIRS
MAYOR’S OFFICE
65 NIAGARA SQUARE, ROOM 203 CITY HALL
BUFFALO, NY 14202
PHONE (716) 851-5540
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
FOR
FINANCIAL COUNSELING PROVIDER
FOR THE
CITY OF BUFFALO’S
FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT CENTER
❖ REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ISSUE DATE: November 5, 2025
❖ WRITTEN QUESTIONS DUE VIA EMAIL ONLY
TO: Malika D. Lee at mlee@buffalony.gov
November 12, 2025 BY 4:00 PM
❖ RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS POSTED ON THE CITY’S
WEBSITE: www.buffalony.gov/bids
November 19, 2025 BY 4:00 PM
❖ PROPOSALS DUE/CLOSING DATE
November 26, 2025 @11:00 AM
SECTION 1 - BACKGROUND
In December 2022, the City of Buffalo (the City) through its Division of Citizen Services was accepted into the
Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) Fund’s Financial Empowerment Center Academy to plan for the launch
of a Financial Empowerment Center (FEC). The Division of Citizen Services is currently in Phase 2 of the FEC
Academy, which is the planning and development phase.
The FEC model, first piloted in New York, provides free, professional, one-on-one financial counseling as a
public service. The model is based on the following core tenets that are vital to the program’s success:
● Professionally trained counselors provide one-one-one free financial counseling to help consumers with low
incomes manage their finances, pay down debt, increase savings, establish and build credit, access safe and
affordable mainstream banking products, prepare for legacy planning and protect assets.
● Data is systematically tracked across a set of defined and quantifiable outcomes to understand the impact on
clients’ financial lives, bolster program credibility, and justify public funding.
● Counseling is integrated into other social services, including housing and foreclosure prevention, workforce
development, prisoner reentry, benefits access, domestic violence services, and more.
● Counseling is led and overseen by local government. Local government is a trusted voice for residents amidst
a sea of scams and complicated financial choices. It also is a natural convener of partners to enhance program
sustainability and offer and market services at scale.
● Partnership and collaboration between local government, community-based organizations, and philanthropy is
foundational for counseling delivery, resident engagement and outcome achievement, and program sustainability.
The CFE Fund launched FEC Academy to support local government partners to replicate the FEC model in their
communities. FEC Academy is a structured planning opportunity that provides local municipal leaders with the
foundational knowledge and resources needed to plan, launch, and sustain free financial counseling that meets
the unique needs of their community. After the successful completion of the FEC Academy, the CFE Fund
provides funding and ongoing technical assistance to help local municipalities launch and sustain their FEC. FECs
are operated as a free public service, in which the service provision is performed by a non-profit under contract
with the local municipality.
Since its launch in 2008, the FEC has expanded to over 35 municipalities; FECs nationally have helped over
201,000 clients reduce debt by more $344 million and increased savings by $69 million.
SECTION 2 - PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF WORK
At the end of the planning grant period, the Division of Citizen Services will submit a final implementation
proposal including the selection of the Financial Counseling Provider sought via this Request for Proposals (RFP).
The City seeks to partner with a non-profit organization to provide services as a Financial Counseling Provider
through the City’s FEC.
Through the FEC program, highly trained, full-time financial counselors will work with clients to help them better
manage their finances, reduce debt, establish and/or improve credit, build savings, access safe and affordable
banking products, and protect and preserve their assets. Counseling services will be integrated into existing social
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service resources throughout the community to create various entry points into the system and positively impact
the outcomes of partnering organizations. Client data will be systematically collected and tracked across a set of
defined measurable outcomes using the FEC database to understand the impact on clients, bolster program
credibility, and justify sustainable sources of funding.
The City of Buffalo will be responsible for conducting marketing and outreach for the program, managing
partnerships, fundraising, data reporting, and general program implementation and management. The duties of
organization will be to manage the day-to-day operations of the program including hiring and supervising a full-
time program manager and full-time counselors, provide support for program development to the Local
Government Manger, conduct marketing and outreach, fundraising, and other activities required to sustain the
program. Upon selection of the organization, the Local Government Manger will work collaboratively with non-
profit staff to develop the full scope of work and operations strategy.
For more information on the Financial Empowerment Center model, please visit: www.fecpublic.org
The FEC program will be developed by the City of Buffalo’s Division of Citizen Services in partnership with a
non-profit Organization, sometimes referred to herein as “Offeror”. The Offeror will be responsible for all the
aspects of the program. The Offeror will be expected to enter into a two-year Agreement to function as the City’s
FEC’s primary financial counseling provider. The City anticipates that the project shall maintained beyond the
initial two-year period, although this is not guaranteed. The Division of Citizen Services and the selected Offeror
shall work collaboratively to develop a comprehensive counselor training plan. The CFE Fund requires that the
project utilize CFE-Fund certified training providers, or a local training provider that has undergone the
certification process. There are core standards to which the training must adhere, which can be found at the
following:
https://fecpublic.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/FEC_Counselor_Training_Standards_Overview_updated.pdf
In addition, the Offeror and the Division of Citizen Services will work together to develop Buffalo-specific
training modules as well as ongoing education plans for counselors.
SECTION 3 - INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS
3.1 General Invitation
The City invites all interested parties to submit proposals for the services described herein.
The Mayor’s Office-Division of Citizens Services will receive all sealed proposals that have been addressed by
no later than November 26, 2025 at 11:00 am. All proposals must be clearly labeled on the front of package
referencing “Community Outreach Services Racial Equity Blueprint”, and delivered to:
City of Buffalo Mayor’s Office
Division of Citizen Services Room 218
Malika D. Lee
External Affairs Manager
65 Niagara Square, City Hall
Buffalo, New York 14202
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OFFERORS ASSUME ALL RISKS FOR THE TIMELY AND PROPER DELIVERY OF SUBMITTED
PROPOSALS.
The received time of proposals will be determined by the clock at the above noted location. NO
CONSIDERATION WILL BE GIVEN TO PROPOSALS RECEIVED AFTER THE STATED DATE AND
TIME.
Offerors mailing their proposal must allow sufficient mail delivery time to ensure receipt of their proposal at the
specified location no later than the specified date and time. Delays in United States mail deliveries or any other
means of transmittal, including couriers or agents of the Offeror, shall not excuse late proposal submissions.
Similar types of delays, including but not limited to, bad weather or security procedures for parking and building
admittance shall not excuse late proposal submissions. Offerors are cautioned that the City cannot be responsible
for the actions of your chosen carrier or method of delivery.
Proposals are solicited in accordance with the terms, conditions and instructions as set forth in this Request for
Proposals. Submission of proposals via telephone, facsimile, e-mail or any other method not specifically provided
herein is prohibited. Proposals must be completed in accordance with the requirements of the Request for
Proposals. No amendments or changes to proposals will be accepted after the closing date and time. No proposals
shall be accepted after the stated deadline. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.
Any material misrepresentation made by an Offeror may void their proposal and eliminate the Offeror’s proposal
from further consideration. Any proposal that is based upon violation of federal, state or local law, or deemed by
the City, in its sole discretion, to be non-responsive will be eliminated from consideration.
The City shall not be responsible for any expenses or charges incurred by any Offeror in preparing or submitting
a proposal, or in their providing any additional information considered necessary by the City in the evaluation of
their proposal.
3.2 Schedule
Listed below is the anticipated schedule for all actions related to this RFP. In the event that there is any
change or deviation from this schedule, such change will be posted on the City’s website at
(www.buffalony.gov/bids).
EVENT
Issuance of RFP
Written Questions from Offerors due
Responses to Questions posted on City website
Proposals Due
Award of Contract
DATE
November 5, 2025
November 12, 2025 by 4:00 pm
November 19, 2025 by 4:00 pm
November 26, 2025 at 11:00 am
December 4, 2025
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3.3 RFP Review, Additional Information and Questions
Each Offeror is responsible for carefully examining all RFP documents and thoroughly familiarizing
themselves with each of the City’s requirements prior to their submission of a proposal to ensure that their
responses are in compliance with the RFP.
Each Offeror is responsible for conducting its own investigations and any examinations necessary to
ascertain conditions and requirements affecting the requirements of this RFP. Failure to perform such
investigations and examinations shall not relieve the Offeror from its obligation to comply, in every detail, with
all of the provisions and requirements contained in the RFP.
For purposes of this RFP, the City’s designee shall be Malika D. Lee, External Affairs Manager, Office
of the Mayor. Questions regarding the RFP shall be directed to the City’s designee only. Any impermissible
contact with any other City officer or employee regarding the RFP during the procurement period shall result in
the rejection of any such Offeror’s proposal. Offerors shall communicate in writing only. No other
communications with the City’s designee regarding the RFP are permitted during the procurement period. All
questions, requests for clarification or additional information must be sent by email to Malika D. Lee at
mlee@buffalony.gov and must be received no later than 4:00 pm on November 12, 2025. Offerors shall not
communicate with the City’s designee via any other method or outside of the time period set forth herein.
Questions received from all Offerors will be answered and shared with all Offerors via the City’s website
at (www.buffalony.gov/bids) by 4:00 pm on November 19, 2025. No other representatives of the City are to be
contacted regarding this RFP. The City accepts no responsibility for, and each Offeror agrees not to rely upon,
any verbal or written statements or representations from any other person, whether or not employed by the City.
The City may, in its sole discretion, also elect to provide both the question(s) and the written answer(s) to
all known Offerors via e-mail. Offerors are solely responsible for ensuring that the City has accurate contact
information, including an e-mail address for the receipt of such correspondence. The City does not assume any
responsibility for undelivered e-mails or for the receipt of any communication sent to any Offeror.
3.4 Addenda and Modifications
The City reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to amend this RFP at any time prior to the deadline for
submission of the proposals. In the event that it becomes necessary to revise or expand upon any part of this RFP,
all addendums, amendments, and interpretations to this RFP will be made in writing and posted on the City’s
website at (www.buffalony.gov/bids). The City may also endeavor to notify all Offerors to whom the RFP has
been issued.
All addendums shall be incorporated as part of the RFP documents as though they were originally set
forth. The City does not assume any responsibility for the receipt of any addendum sent to any Offeror.
Any information supplied by the City relative to this RFP must be considered in preparing proposals. All
other contacts that a Offeror may have had before or after receipt of this RFP with any individuals, employees,
subcontractors, consultants or representatives of the City and any information that may have been read in any
news media or seen or heard in any communication facility regarding this RFP should be disregarded in preparing
responses.
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