DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT: Authorization of a contract with The Center for Common Concerns
SUMMARY:
This ordinance authorizes approval of a contract with The Center for Common Concerns/ HomeBase for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive Homeless Strategic Plan for the City of San Antonio Department of Human Services. The funds allocated for this contract are up to $128,898, which includes $25,000 for additional negotiated deliverables depending on needs following community assessments and stakeholder coordination.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In January 2019, City staff at the request of City Council provided a work plan to identify short-term and long-term sustainability options as part of a broader strategy to address homelessness.
Phase I was designed to obtain feedback from stakeholders on funding alternatives and a community strategic plan addressing homelessness.
Phase II involves conducting an assessment of homeless services, identifying gaps in those services and developing, in consultation with our stakeholders, a comprehensive strategic plan for addressing those gaps. This phase would require the professional services of a homeless professional to assist the City and stakeholders with this review.
During the mid-year budget review, City Council approved an allocation of $200,000 from the general fund operating contingency reserve to fund a comprehensive assessment of homeless services, identify gaps in those services and develop, in consultation with our stakeholders, a community strategic plan for addressing those gaps.
Homelessness is a priority concern in San Antonio and across the nation. The 2019 Homeless Point in Time (PIT) indicated a 6% reduction in overall homelessness, a 12% reduction in unsheltered homelessness, a 6% reduction in the number of Veterans experiencing homelessness. The results also indicated an 18% increase in the number of families experiencing homelessness from the 2018 PIT Count.
ISSUE:
This ordinance authorizes approval of a contract with The Center for Common Concerns/ HomeBase for the purpose of conducting a comprehensive Homeless Strategic Plan for the City of San Antonio Department of Human Services. The agreement will commence upon execution for an amount up to $128,898, which includes $25,000 for additional negotiated deliverables depending on needs following community assessments and stakeholder coordination.
This contract will be awarded in compliance with the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program, which requires contracts be reviewed by a Goal Setting Committee to establish a requirement and/or incentive unique to the particular contract in an effort to maximize the amount of small, minority, and women-owned business participation on the contract. The Goal Setting Committee applied the Small and Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise Prime Contract Program with ten (10) evaluation preference points.
Based on stakeholder input and analysis, it was recommended to complete a comprehensive community homeless plan that identifies gaps and prioritizes improvements. The assessment and community plan is anticipated to be finalized by March 2020 and will serve as a guide to enhance strategies and data-driven decisions to achieve the community’s long-term goal of making homelessness rare, brief and nonrecurring.
The Department of Human Services in coordination with the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless (SARAH) released a Request for Proposal (RFP) on June 18, 2019. The RFP was advertised in the San Antonio Express-News, San Antonio e-Procurement System, City’s bidding and contracting opportunities website, TVSA, and outreach notices were sent notifying potential respondents of the RFP and how to apply.
Two pre-submittal conferences were held on June 24, 2019 and July 22, 2019, to allow for Respondent questions and clarification to the RFP. Six proposals were received by the August 9, 2019 deadline and all were eligible to be evaluated.
On August 30, 2019, an evaluation meeting and interviews were conducted with all six respondents. The evaluation committee included representatives from the Department of Human Services, the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless (SARAH), the Center for Health Care Services (CHCS), the North East Independent School District (NEISD) Student Leadership and Well-being Family Support Services, Bexar County, NuStar and the Kronkosky Charitable Foundation.
Proposals were evaluated and scored based on the published evaluation criteria in the RFP total of 100 points, which included: Experience, Background, and Qualifications (35 points), Proposed Plan (25 points), Price (15 points), Local Preference Program (LPP (up to 10 points), Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program SBE Prime Contract (5 points) and M/WBE Prime Contract (5 points), and the Veteran-Owned Small Business Preference Program (VOSB) (5 points).
The Local Preference Program was applied in the evaluation of responses received for this contract; however, none of the respondents received any local preference points. The Veteran-Owned Small Business Preference Program was applied in the evaluation of responses received for this contract; however, none of the respondents were veteran-owned small businesses.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this contract not be approved, the Department of Human Services (DHS) will need to identify another partner to conduct a Comprehensive Homeless Strategic Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance authorizes approval of contract with The Center for Common Concerns/HomeBase in the amount of $128,898. Funds for this contract are included in the FY 2020 General Fund Adopted Budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of this ordinance. This contract is procured by means of Request for Proposals, and the Contract Disclosure Form is attached.