RFA #005 COVID Housing 2020 NPS

CLOSED

SOLICITATION NAME: Request for Applications for COVID Housing – Diversion/ Homelessness Prevention/ Rapid Rehousing

This solicitation seeks qualified Applicants from social service providers in response to this Request for Applications (RFA).  Applicants with demonstrated experience providing services using Rapid Rehousing, Homelessness Prevention,  and/or Diversion interventions to persons who are experiencing or at imminent risk of homelessness in Austin/Travis County are encouraged to submit an application by June 24, 2020 no later than 12 PM CST.

This application includes a combination of funding sources; including federal funding sources: Emergency Solutions Grant - Cares Act (ESG-CV) and Community Development Block Grant-Cares Act (CDBG-CV).  There are specific allowable costs for each funding source outlined below.  Further, the ESG funding will be administered by two different entities. Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) and Austin Public Health (APH) will each be administering a portion of ESG-CV funding. Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department (NHCD) will be administering the CDBG-CV funding.

Department:  Austin Public Health

Solicitation Results

CDBG CV: Results TBD

ESG CV: Four agencies submitted an application for ESG-CV funding. Two agencies/programs were chosen based on high scores.   

  • Family Eldercare will be funded by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs Emergency Solutions Grant CARES Act funding.
  • Austin Public Health recommended an agency for funding but that agency declined.
  • APH will now allocate the ESG-CV funds to City programs – Downtown Austin Community Court.
  • All funded agencies will work to house homeless people who reside in the Protection Lodges.

Funding Agencies

Grant and Type of Project

Amount Available

Awarded Agencies

City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department (NHCD)

Community Development Block Grant-CARES Act funding (CDBG-CV) for a Centralized Funding Pool for Diversion and Homelessness Prevention

$1,000,000 

 

City of Austin – Austin Public Health (APH)

Emergency Solutions Grant -CARES Act funding (ESG-CV) for Rapid Rehousing

$1,937,358 

COA Downtown Austin Community Court

Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs 

Emergency Solutions Grant -CARES Act funding (ESG-CV) for Rapid Rehousing

$1,041,851

 

Family Eldercare

 

                                                       Total

$3,979,209

Archived CLOSED Solicitation Information

Funding and Timeline

Application Due Date: June 24, 2020 at 12 PM CST

Total Funding Amount: $3,979,209

The City of Austin is releasing $2,937,358 of available one-time funds with this RFA solicitation, and an additional $1,041,851 in funding recommendations to TDHCA.  It is anticipated that multiple Agreements will be awarded for a minimum of a twelve-month term with potential options for renewals.

For Rapid Rehousing Programs there is a minimum request of $50,000 and a maximum of $1,000,000. For the homelessness prevention and diversion fund, the required amount of request must be $1,000,000, the full grant amount available.

 

Foundations and Philanthropic Funds

Additional funding may be available to Applicants to this solicitation from an array of foundation and philanthropic funds.  These Foundations, working in partnership with community planning around homelessness, are excited to award and bolster innovative homelessness interventions to combat the economic, social, and communal effects of this pandemic. This funding is not a part of this competition, but Applicants may be referred to the foundation by a recommendation from leadership of the funding entities to bolster submitted project activities which cannot be funded through identified federal funding sources. Applications identified for award will be decided on by Request for Application award determination process.

If you would like to receive notifications of future APH funding opportunities, send your contact information to Natasha Ponczek Shoemake at Natasha.ponczek@austintexas.gov.

Solicitations Questions and Answers

Submitted Questions: RFA Q and A 6-23-2020

Questions must be submitted in writing to the Authorized Contact Person or through Partnergrants database.

Authorized Contact Person:
Natasha Ponczek Shoemake
Contract Management Specialist III
E-Mail: Natasha.Ponczek@austintexas.gov

Questions regarding the RFGA are due on or before:

Technical questions regarding submitting your application in Partnergrants can be submitted until the due date. 

Youtube Videos can be viewed here: Applying for Partnergrants Solicitation: Part 1 Threshold Review and

Applying for Partnergrants Solicitation: Part 2 Final Application.

If you would like to receive notifications of future APH funding opportunities, send your contact information to Natasha Ponczek Shoemake at Natasha.ponczek@austintexas.gov.

RFA Components  
Doc File Description Type Date
A Offer Sheet PDF 6/10/2020
B Standard Purchase & Social Services Definitions PDF 6/10/2020
C Standard Solicitation Information PDF 6/10/2020
D Supplemental Purchase Provisions PDF 6/10/2020
E RFA Scope of Work PDF 6/11/2020
F RFA Application Document Word 6/10/2020
G Project Budget Form (Excel Spreadsheet in Partnergrants) PDF 6/11/2020
H Equal Employment Fair Housing Discrimination Certification PDF 6/10/2020
I Non-Suspension or Debarment Certification PDF 6/10/2020
J Non-Collusion Non-Conflict Anti-Lobbying PDF 6/10/2020
K Applying for APH-Funded Opportunity - Partnergrants Instruction PDF 6/10/2020

Background & Purpose of Funding

Emergency Solutions Grant

The CARES Act was signed on March 27, 2020 to help the Nation respond to the coronavirus outbreak. The CARES Act made available an additional $4 billion in ESG-CV funds to supplement the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 ESG funding provided under the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (Public Law 116-94).

ESG-CV funds will be tracked separately from ongoing ESG funding.  Funds are to be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to negative effects of the  coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) among individuals and families who are homeless or receiving homeless assistance; and to support additional homeless assistance and homelessness prevention activities to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.  The City of Austin and  Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) have received notification of ESG funding for Austin.

These funds will be available for Rapid Rehousing programs. Multiple organizations may receive funding.

Community Development Block Grant-CARES Act (CDBG-CV)

CDBG-CV funds are to be used to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. The Neighborhood Housing and Community Development department receives this funding.  Eligible costs for this funding will be rental assistance and application fees, including security deposits, for households who have experienced homelessness and have been impacted by the economic impacts of COVID-19.

These funds will be awarded to a single organization to administer the homelessness prevention and diversion fund.

Note that the organization’s City of Austin Vendor number is required to complete registration in Partnergrants. Be a registered user in the Partnergrants system, go to the Partnergrants website and click on “Register Here.” To find the City of Austin Vendor Number please visit Austin Finance Online and search for the organization’s legal name. To register to become a potential City of Austin vendor, go to Austin Finance Online.

The Agreements will have different start dates depending on the funding agency and funding source, with some programs beginning operations in July 2020. All funding is conditional upon approval from the funders including City Council, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). ESG-CV and CDBG-CV funding is conditional on approval of the proposed uses of the funding by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

RFA Release Date: June 10, 2020

Optional Pre-Bid Conference Call

Thursday, June 11, 2020 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm CST

Note: APH staff will be available starting at 1:30 pm to address any technical difficulties.

Registration is required to get the Conference Call details.

Eventbrite Pre-Bid Conference Call registration: Registration has now passed for this event.

Pre-Bid Conference Call Presentation:  Powerpoint Presentation

Pre-Bid Conference Call Attendance: Attendance Sheet

Other materials covered on the conference call can be found in the list of RFGA documents below.

Interested applicants must:

Confirm that your organization is a registered vendor with the City of Austin 

 

Links

Potential Reports Required by Funders