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21-072 - Consultant: HMIS Gap Analysis and Support Plan

End date: Monday December 7, 2020 at 2 p.m.

PROJECT SUMMARY
PURPOSE

The Springfield-Hampden County Continuum of Care (CoC), through its Unified Funding Agency the City of Springfield, seeks a Consultant or Consulting Team to provide a gaps analysis and development of a support plan regarding it Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).

FUNDS AVAILABLE

The cost of this consulting project is not to exceed $30,000.

TIMELINE

The project will begin in January 2021 and must be complete by September 31, 2021.

BACKGROUND

The CoC is a network of municipalities, non-profit and government agencies, community residents, and businesses that coordinate initiatives with the primary goal of ending homelessness in our community. The CoC’s members work to address homelessness through a coordinated, community-based process of identifying needs and building a system of housing and services to address those needs. The geographic area of the CoC includes all cities and towns within Hampden County, Massachusetts.

The CoC has received a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) capacity-building grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which is directed toward improving the CoC’s data quality. A portion of this grant is being used to support a gaps analysis to identify the CoC’s strengths and weaknesses in providing the CoC’s HMIS, and to work with the CoC to create a plan to provide increased HMIS support. The CoC expects to explore internal and external support for ongoing HMIS training, monitoring of data quality, production of HUD reports, and data analysis to support the CoC’s operation and decision-making. The CoC expects this project to make recommendations for how to provide support (using internal and/or external partners), report the estimated cost for the appropriate level of support, and include recommendations for how the CoC can fund the support.

The CoC’s HMIS lead is the City of Springfield. The City’s HMIS is Social Solutions Efforts to Outcomes (ETO). The CoC’s HMIS collects data from 16 agencies and has 117 users. The number of users will increase over the next several months, as the CoC brings on board new Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project (YHDP) and Emergency Solutions Grant – Coronavirus (ESG-CV) programs. The CoC also uses the Green River Open Path data warehouse, which incorporates data from other systems and produces consolidated reports.

SCOPE

The project will extend from the contract award until September 30, 2021. During this period, the Consultant will provide the following:
1. Review of the CoC’s existing HMIS implementation, staffing, and support to identify strengths and weaknesses. It will include input from end users and CoC agencies. Note that this does not include review of the current selected HMIS product, ETO; the CoC does not plan to change HMIS vendors at this time.

2. Recommendations and coaching to improve the CoC’s HMIS support and use, including staffing level, use of outside support, and additional means of meeting the CoC’s needs and obligations. This will include knowledge of or research into strategies used by other communities and recommended best practices.

3. Recommendations and coaching to provide and fund the appropriate level of HMIS support, including identification of funding strategies and sources. This will include knowledge of or research into strategies used by other communities and recommended best practices. This will include meeting with the CoC’s Board of Directors to make recommendations.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Responses must contain the following:

1. A Letter of Transmittal, signed by an individual(s) authorized to bind the prospective Applicant contractually. The letter must state the IFB submission will remain valid for ninety (90) days from its submission date and thereafter until the prospective Applicant withdraws it, until a contract is executed or until the procurement is terminated by the City, whichever comes first. The letter must also address the following legal matters:
A. State if Proposer, its principals, and/or personnel has filed for U.S. Bankruptcy Court protection during the past seven (7) years and, if so, describe the circumstances and disposition of the case.
B. If the Proposer is a joint venture, provide the joint venture agreement and a statement that all joint venture partners will be jointly and severally liable.
C. Document any name changes or changes in corporate organization that have necessitated a filing with the Secretary of the Commonwealth or other state authority during the past ten (10) years. Explain the reasons behind these changes.
D. State whether within the past ten (10) years there have been or whether there currently are pending or any past civil or criminal investigations and/or convictions of or actions against your firm or individual employees of your firm by a federal or state regulatory agency or taxing authority in connection with any work with which your firm has been associated which have led to convictions.
E. State whether any of the key personnel you propose to assign to this project have been or are now subject to any such investigations or actions. If the response to any of the foregoing is affirmative, provide an appropriate explanation to include the disposition of the proceedings.

2. Project Specific information in the format provided.

Section I: Planning Team Qualifications

Provide a narrative describing the nature, size, background and qualifications of the Proposer. Include the number of years the Proposer has provided consulting services regarding HMIS, and describe team members experience with HMIS and HMIS planning. Identify personnel proposed to be involved in the project, and provide each individual’s resume. Provide the number of communities the Proposer has provided consulting services regarding HMIS.

Section II: Experience in Providing Services Sought in this IFB

Describe the Proposer’s experience in assisting communities to evaluate their HMIS needs and make a plan to meet those needs. Include descriptions of specific projects.

Section III: Work Plan

Briefly describe the method for providing and delivering services under the contract, including a draft schedule of activities. Address the ability to satisfy the proposed time table for project launch, implementation and conclusion.

Section IV: References

Provide the name, title, agency or organization, address, phone and email address of three (3) references.

3. Required Forms, properly executed - Note that forms for items are provided with the IFB package:
a. Invitation for Bid Form Completed and Signed (coversheet)
b. Tax Certification Affidavit (must be notarized)
c. Non Collusion/Fraud Statement
d. Affirmative Action (Form 3)

4. Price Proposal, to be submitted in a sealed envelope with Technical (non-price) proposal, which is clearly marked “BID # 21-072- PRICE PROPOSAL”.

The City of Springfield supports the goal of twenty percent minority and women participation in all contracts. No questions will be answered unless received by the Chief Procurement Officer at least 7 days prior to the expiration of the time set for submitting bids or proposals. The Chief Procurement Officer reserves the right to waive any informality in and to reject any or all bids if it is in the public interest to do so.

Contact: Lauren Stabilo lstabilo@springfieldcityhall.com 413-787-6284

Request the complete specifications for this solicitation (21-072)