RFP for a Supportive Housing Program for Individuals and Families Experiencing Both Homelessness and Behavioral Health Needs

Agency:	County of Allegheny
State:	Pennsylvania
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	G - Social Services
Posted:	Sep 21, 2023
Due:	Nov 2, 2023
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

RFP for a Supportive Housing Program for Individuals and Families Experiencing Both Homelessness and Behavioral Health Needs
Release Date: Thursday, September 21, 2023
Due Date: 3: p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, November 2, 2023

Allegheny County, through its Department of Human Services (DHS), is seeking Proposals from qualified Proposers to establish one or more new Supportive Housing Programs (henceforth referred to as the Program). The Program(s) will serve individuals and/or families experiencing homelessness who also have a mental illness and/or co-occurring substance use disorders, and offers Temporary Rental Assistance and housing supports, including housing search assistance, Housing Contingency Funds and Supportive Services to sustain housing.

Proposer(s) may offer Temporary Rental Assistance for any combination of facility-based and/or scattered site housing units in Allegheny County. Master Leasing will be permitted for funding through this RFP. All referrals will be made by Allegheny Link, the County’s Coordinated Entry system.

Join us for a virtual office hours session on Tuesday, October 3, from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern. Please see the RFP for more details.

Proposals must be submitted electronically on DHS’s Bonfire Portal . Please see the RFQ for more details.

Response Form
Updated September 21, 2023

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Supportive Housing Program for

Individuals and Families Experiencing Both

Homelessness and Behavioral Health Needs

RFP Posting:

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Office Hours:

1 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Questions Deadline:

3 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, October 20, 2023

Submission Deadline:

3 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, November 2, 2023

Estimated Award Decision/Notification:

December 2024

Allegheny County Department of Human Services

One Smithfield Street Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Contents

Acronyms and Definitions

The RFP at a Glance

Section 1: Why DHS Is Issuing This RFP

Section 2: What DHS Is Looking For

Section 3: Proposal Requirements and Evaluation Criteria

Section 4: How to Submit a Proposal

Section 5: How DHS Will Evaluate Your Proposal

Section 6: Contract Requirements for Successful Proposers

Acronyms and Definitions

Unless the context indicates otherwise, the following capitalized words are defined as follows

for purposes of this RFP:

1. Agreement: A contract negotiated between Allegheny County and the Successful

Proposer to provide the Contract Services

2. Bonfire: The County’s online procurement software. Proposers must have a Bonfire

account to submit a Response to this RFP.

3. Contract Services: The specific services that the Successful Proposer agrees to provide to

the County in response to this RFP as more particularly described in the Scope of

Services in the Agreement

4. Coordinated Entry: A standardized method for connecting individuals and families

experiencing homelessness to the resources available in a geographic area. The

Allegheny Link and its Field Unit are the Coordinated Entry entities in Allegheny

County.

5. HMIS: Homeless Management Information System, an information technology

system used to collect client-level data and collective data on the provision of

housing and services to individuals and families who are experiencing or are at risk

of homelessness

6. Housing Contingency Funds: Financial assistance to cover initial housing expenses

including, but not limited to, security deposit, utility deposits, essential furniture

and household goods

7. Housing First: An approach to ending homelessness that focuses on quickly moving

people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing and then providing

additional support for physical and mental health, education, employment,

substance abuse and community connections

8. Master Leasing: An arrangement in which a provider leases housing from a

property owner (rather than a Participant leasing the housing) and subleases units to

Participants to provide Temporary Rental Assistance. Master Leasing can be an

effective strategy for quickly housing individuals or families with significant

barriers to securing housing in the private market.

9. Moving On: A HUD-recognized strategy for connecting Participants in supportive

housing, who no longer need or want the intensive services offered in supportive

housing, to other mainstream permanent housing options (e.g., Housing Choice

Vouchers, subsidized housing)

10. Participant: An individual or family served by a proposed Supportive Housing

Program

11. Proposal: A completed Response Form, with specified attachments, submitted in

response to this RFP

12. Proposer: The individual, non-profit organization, or for-profit organization or business

submitting a Proposal in response to this RFP

13. Rental Subsidy: A mechanism for making housing affordable (e.g., no more than 30% of

household income) to low-income renters. Can include Temporary Rental Assistance

(defined below) or other mechanisms such as Housing Choice Tenant or Project-Based

Vouchers.

14. Response Form: The Word document in which Proposers respond to requested

information about this RFP

15. RFP: Request for Proposals

16. RFP Opportunity Page: The Bonfire webpage where the RFP and all supporting

documents are listed and where the RFP submission documents must be uploaded for a

Proposal to be considered for review

17. Successful Proposer: The Proposer(s) selected by the County to provide the Contract

Services

18. Supportive Housing Program: The Services being procured through this RFP, which

include a combination of Temporary Rental Assistance, Supportive Services, Housing

Contingency Funds and landlord engagement funds. The Supportive Housing Program

will follow the evidenced-based practice tenants of Permanent Supportive Housing

(PSH), in which affordable housing is combined with support services to help people

with complex challenges achieve housing stability.

19. Supportive Services: Services designed to prepare a Participant to make a successful

transition from homelessness to independence

20. Temporary Rental Assistance: Funds provided through this RFP paid to landlords by the

Successful Proposer(s) on behalf of Participants to make their rent affordable (i.e., no

more than 30% of household income)

Other terms shall have the meaning or definition as stated in the RFP.

The RFP at a Glance

Purpose

Allegheny County, through its Department of Human Services (DHS), is seeking Proposals from

qualified Proposers to establish one or more new Supportive Housing Programs (henceforth

referred to as the Program). The Program(s) will serve individuals and/or families experiencing

homelessness who also have a mental illness and/or co-occurring substance use disorders, and

offers Temporary Rental Assistance and housing supports, including housing search assistance,

Housing Contingency Funds and Supportive Services to sustain housing.

Proposer(s) may offer Temporary Rental Assistance for any combination of facility-based and/or

scattered site housing units in Allegheny County. Master Leasing will be permitted for funding

through this RFP. All referrals will be made by Allegheny Link, the County’s Coordinated Entry

system.

In issuing this RFP, DHS seeks to expand upon its current capacity to effectively house people

experiencing homelessness who also have mental health and/or co-occurring substance use

disorders. The goals of the Program(s) will be to ensure Participants are quickly and safely

housed, achieve stability in housing and transition off Temporary Rental Assistance as soon as

possible (this can include transition to a longer-term Rental Subsidy, such as Housing Choice

Voucher).

Award Details

DHS intends to enter into Agreement(s) with one or more Successful Proposer(s). The

Agreement(s) with the Successful Proposer(s) will be for a term of one year with a County

option to renew for up to five years. Projects will begin in Spring 2024.

Projects awarded under this RFP will be funded through Allegheny County’s HealthChoices

Reinvestment funds. In its state approved HealthChoices Reinvestment Plan, DHS has

budgeted approximately $6 million over five years for the services outlined in this RFP

(approximately $1.2 million annually). Proposers should provide a realistic estimate and strong

justification of costs. All proposed costs will be considered for reasonableness, and the final

budget and contract terms will be negotiated with the Successful Proposer. DHS will work

with the Successful Proposer(s) to ensure that the final award amount(s) are adequate to

achieve the goals outlined in this RFP.

DHS expects the need for this program will be ongoing. After initial funds are exhausted, DHS

will evaluate the continued need for, and performance of, the selected Program(s) and identify

additional funding as needed.

Who can submit a Proposal

Anyone (including but not limited to, government organizations, education organizations, non-

profit organizations, for-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals) is eligible to

This is the opportunity summary page. You are currently viewing an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation. For more information, please visit the Publication URL Web page.

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RFP for a Supportive Housing Program for Individuals and Families Experiencing Both Homelessness and Behavioral Health Needs

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