RFP 2026-07: Legal Assistance for Older Adults

Legal Assistance for Older
Adu lts
Older Americans Act
___________________________________ __________________________________
Request for Proposals
RFP-2026-07
Greater Nashville Regional Council
44 Vantage Way, Suite 450 | Nashville, Tennessee 37228 | Phone: (615) 862-8828 | Fax: (615) 862-8840
GNRC.org

RFP Summary
About GNRC
The Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC) is a public agency established by the Tennessee General
Assembly to convene local and state leaders for the purposes of planning and programming state and federal
investments into public infrastructure and a range of social services.
GNRC is designated by the State Unit on Aging (SUA) as the Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD) for
thirteen counties in Middle Tennessee. In this role, GNRC provides programs, services, advocacy, inter-agency
coordination, and information-sharing opportunities to improve the quality of life for older or disabled
Tennesseans. GNRC delivers a range of federal and state programs in partnership with local agencies and
private-sector organizations. Find out more at www.GNRC.org.
About this Solicitation
GNRC is seeking proposals from provider agencies capable of providing legal assistance services to adults aged
sixty or older (older adults). GNRC intends to contract with at least one provider in order to cover the entire
thirteen-county service area.
Important Dates and Deadlines
RFP Issued: 02/23/2026
Written questions accepted through 03/11/2026
Submission Deadline: Proposals must be submitted by 03/25/2026
Contract Period: July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2030
Inquiries and Contact Information
All inquiries should be directed in writing to rfp@gnrc.org with a subject line that includes the solicitation
number.
Amendments to this Solicitation
Any doubt as to the requirements of this RFP or any apparent omission or discrepancy should be presented in
writing to rfp@gnrc.org. Oral statements or instructions will not constitute an amendment to this RFP. Any
amendments to this RFP will be posted online at www.GNRC.org/Procurement.
Non-Discrimination
GNRC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, including limited English proficiency
(LEP), gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, or disability in admission to, access to, or
operations of its programs, services, or activities. Discrimination against any person in recruitment, examination,
appointment, training, promotion, retention, discipline, or any other employment practices because of non-
merit factors is prohibited. Any person who believes that discrimination has occurred by GNRC, or its contractors, sub-
recipients, and/or consultants on the basis of race, color or national origin, including limited English proficiency (LEP), in
violation of Title VI may file a written complaint. Complaints may also be filed with the state or federal agency involved,
and with the Tennessee Human Rights Commission. Complaints must be filed within 180 days of the alleged
discriminatory act. GNRC's full non-discrimination policy and additional information about ADA or English
language accommodations are available online at www.GNRC.org/legal.
GREATER NASHVILLE REGIONAL COUNCIL | RFP 2026-07 | PAGE i

Table of Contents
Section 1. Background ........................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 About the GNRC ................................................................................................................................................ 1
1.2 About the Project .............................................................................................................................................. 1
Section 2. Scope of Project.................................................................................................................... 3
2.1 Legal Assistance Provider Requirements .......................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Requested Services ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Section 3. Instructions to Offerors ........................................................................................................ 9
3.1 Pre-Proposal Inquiries ....................................................................................................................................... 9
3.2 Submission Requirements ................................................................................................................................. 9
3.3 Proposal Contents ............................................................................................................................................. 9
3.4 Terms and Conditions ..................................................................................................................................... 11
Section 4. Selection Process ............................................................................................................... 13
4.1 Proposal Reviews ............................................................................................................................................ 13
4.2 Final Evaluations .............................................................................................................................................. 13
4.3 Solicitation Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 13
4.4 Protests ........................................................................................................................................................... 14
Attachment A. Assurances and Certifications .................................................................................... A
Attachment B. Business Information ................................................................................................... B
Attachment C. Service Details .............................................................................................................. C
Attachment D. Sample Contract Terms ............................................................................................... D
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Section 1. Background
1.1 About the GNRC
The Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC) is a public body corporate and politic initially created by the
Tennessee Development District Act of 1965 and further empowered by Title 64, Chapter 7, Part 1, Tennessee
Code Annotated (TCA), as amended (the Act). GNRC is owned by and operated on behalf of its local government
membership comprised of county governments in the counties of Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Houston,
Humphreys, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson,
Tennessee, and all incorporated municipalities and metropolitan governments located within these counties.
GNRC is governed by a regional body comprised of city mayors, county mayors/executives, state legislators,
appointments representing business/industry, and appointments representing minority populations. The
Regional Council's Executive Board convenes monthly to enact the adopted Annual Work Program and Budget
on behalf of the membership and oversee the GNRC's programs and services carried out by its staff.
1.2 About the Project
GNRC is seeking proposals from agencies and organizations capable of providing legal assistance services to
adults aged sixty and older (older adults).
GNRC is designated by the State Unit on Aging (SUA) as the Area Agency on Aging and Disability (AAAD) for
thirteen counties in Middle Tennessee. In this role, GNRC provides programs, services, advocacy, inter-agency
coordination, and information-sharing opportunities to improve the quality of life for older or disabled
Tennesseans. GNRC delivers a range of federal and state programs in partnership with local agencies and
private-sector organizations. Find out more at www.GNRC.org.
Service Area
GNRC seeks to contract with at least one legal assistance service provider in order to cover the entire thirteen-
county service area. The following table indicates the demographics for each county in GNRC's service area:
Population Language Poverty Rural
% of 65+ % of 65+ who speak % of 65+ who % of 65+ who % of 65+ who
60+
County who are a language other are below are low-income reside in a rural
population
minority than English at home poverty minority area
Cheatham 10,032 2.60% 1.30% 7.20% 0.20% 83.00%
Davidson 128,786 26.20% 8.20% 11.10% 2.90% 3.50%
Dickson 13,462 5.80% 1.30% 11.40% 0.70% 67.80%
Houston 2,216 3.60% 0.50% 15.60% 0.60% 100.00%
Humphreys 5,333 3.00% 0.70% 7.60% 0.20% 82.50%
Montgomery 34,372 19.10% 8.60% 7.80% 1.50% 19.70%
Robertson 16,307 6.50% 3.50% 8.90% 0.60% 53.20%
Rutherford 58,541 13.00% 6.40% 7.60% 1.00% 17.00%
Stewart 3,977 3.40% 4.00% 11.50% 0.40% 100.00%
Sumner 47,141 6.70% 2.60% 8.50% 0.60% 27.90%
Trousdale 2,089 10.70% 0.70% 25.20% 2.70% 100.00%
Williamson 54,154 5.40% 4.80% 5.10% 0.30% 19.40%
Wilson 35,587 6.00% 2.70% 7.20% 0.40% 38.50%
GREATER NASHVILLE REGIONAL COUNCIL | RFP 2026-07 | PAGE 1

Target Population
Services must be targeted primarily to older adults in the greatest social or economic need, with particular
attention to low-income, minority older adults, and those residing in rural areas. At a minimum, GNRC strives to
provide services to older adults and their caregivers in the greatest social or economic need in proportion to the
population of the counties served.
Reimbursement-Based Contract
This contract is a reimbursement-based contract. This means that contractors must incur the costs related to
the contract and provide appropriate documentation of your expenditures. Once GNRC receives an acceptable
invoice and supporting documentation, GNRC will then submit the cost for reimbursement to its funders. When
GNRC receives the funds, it then disburses them to your business. There is no guaranteed payment time for
invoices, and the average time of payment is approximately 45 days after the time complete documentation is
submitted. This means that, for example, services provided on August 15 would be invoiced on September 8th
and likely not be paid for until October 23rd or later.
Funding Sources and Programs
The funding source for Legal Assistance Services is the federal Older Americans Act (OAA) Title III B Supportive
Services and Title VII Chapter 2. Following is a brief description of the program:
The Tennessee Legal Assistance Program provides assistance to Tennesseans aged sixty and older who
are in need of noncriminal legal assistance. The Legal Assistance Provider is available to provide direct
representation for older adults in Tennessee as specified in Chapter 7 of the Tennessee Department of
Disability and Aging Program and Policy Manual.
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Section 2. Scope of Project
2.1 Legal Assistance Provider Requirements
The Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC) is seeking experience in providing legal assistance services to
adults aged sixty and older (older adults). Selection of an Offeror to receive a contract provider is a GNRC Legal
Assistance Provider. Adults aged sixty and older who have been determined by the GNRC Legal Assistance
Provider to meet eligibility criteria for the services described in this RFP are referred to as "Older Adult
Participants."
It is important to note that having a contract with GNRC does not mean that the services provided will
automatically be eligible for reimbursement.
Minimum Qualifications
To be eligible for selection as a GNRC Legal Assistance Provider, Offeror must meet the following criteria:
1. Have submitted a proposal to GNRC in response to this RFP as instructed in Section 3 that
demonstrates:
a. Adequate staffing and training protocols
b. Adequate financial capacity to sustain a reimbursement-based contract
2. Be eligible to conduct business in the State of Tennessee and in the relevant city or county.
3. Are registered and in good standing with the Tennessee Secretary of State, if applicable.
Standards of Conduct
GNRC Legal Assistance Providers must adhere to the following Standards of Conduct:
1. Federal and state funds provided through a contract with GNRC will be expended only for services
authorized by a contract with GNRC. Federal and state funds can only be expended on services provided
to Older Adult Participants.
2. Treat Older Adult Participants in a respectful and dignified manner, involve Older Adult Participants and
their caregivers in the delivery of services and provide services in a timely and safe manner.
3. Attorney staff and non-attorney personnel under the supervision of licensed attorneys must adhere to
applicable Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct.
4. No GNRC Legal Assistance Provider will exclude any person from participation in, deny any person
benefits of, or subject any person to discrimination in the performance of services or in the employment
practices of the agency or organization on the grounds of any classification protected by federal,
Tennessee state constitutional, or statutory law.
5. Quality Assurance will be an ongoing process in which all entities, including the SUA, GNRC, and GNRC
Legal Assistance Providers, will play a role.
6. The GNRC Legal Assistance Provider may not require an older adult to disclose information about
income or resources as a condition of receiving Legal Assistance services. As part of the process of
providing legal advice, counseling and representation, or identifying additional resources, the GNRC
Legal Assistance Provider may ask about the older adult's financial circumstances.
7. GNRC Legal Assistance Providers may solicit noncoercive voluntary contributions to give Older Adult
Participants an opportunity to contribute to the cost of the Legal Assistance services.
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8. Outside of allowable voluntary contributions, no GNRC Legal Assistance Provider staff, volunteers, or
guests (such as vendors) will solicit or accept gratuities or favors, sell any type of merchandise or service
to Older Adult Participants, nor may they seek to encourage the acceptance of any particular belief or
philosophy by any attendee or Older Adult Participant.
Program Requirements
Below are program requirements that GNRC Legal Assistance Providers must agree to:
1. Comply with requirements under the Older Americans Act (OAA), accompanying regulations, and to
Chapter 7 of the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging Program and Policy Manual.
2. OAA funds must be used to supplement, not supplant, funds from federal or non-federal sources.
3. Provide matching funds in the amount of 10 percent of the contract. Federal funds cannot be used to
match federal funds.
4. Have sufficient funds to pay litigation costs for those cases which require filing fees, consultation fees,
or other costs related to representation of clients unable to pay these costs.
5. Submit the Legal Assistance Reporting tool quarterly to GNRC and the SUA no later than the tenth day
following the end of the quarter.
6. Be familiar with and maintain access to a complete and updated copy of the Tennessee Department of
Disability and Aging Program and Policy Manual.
7. Maintain staff with knowledge of the unique experiences and areas of law affecting older adults,
particularly those that impact older adults with the greatest economic or greatest social needs.
8. Can meet complex and evolving legal needs that may arise involving a range of private, public, and
governmental entities, programs, and activities that may impact an older adult's independence, choice
and financial security. This includes the expertise required to handle matters related to preserving,
maintaining, and restoring an older adult's independence, choice, and financial security and related to
priority case type areas, as specified by the OAA, including:
a. Income and public entitlement benefits
b. Health care
c. Long-term care
d. Nutrition
e. Housing
f. Utilities
g. Protective services
h. Abuse and neglect
i. Age discrimination
j. Defense of Guardianship
9. Have capacity and expertise for the provision of effective administrative and judicial representation and
advocacy as is necessary to meet the legal needs of older adults with economic or social needs. Legal
Assistance includes a full range of services, from brief service and advice through representation in
hearings, trials, and other administrative and judicial proceedings.
10. Maintain capacity to provide effective Legal Assistance and support to other advocacy efforts, including,
but not limited to, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program serving the GNRC service area, specified in
Section 1.2.
11. Provide effective Legal Assistance to Older Adult Participants regardless of whether they reside in
community or congregate settings, those confided to their home, or whose access to services may be
limited by geography or isolation.
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12. If not housed within a Legal Services Corporation, coordinate with existing Legal Services Corporation
projects to concentrate funds under the OAA to provide services to older adults with the greatest social
or greatest economic need.
13. Assist Older Adult Participants in taking advantage of benefits under other programs, including those
offered by GNRC, in a manner that does not lead to unnecessary duplication of services.
14. Take steps to provide meaningful access to Legal Assistance for older adults with Limited English
proficiency (LEP).
15. Include in all publications written and distributed with OAA funds the following acknowledgement:
a. "This publication is supported, in part, by funds provided by the Greater Nashville Regional
Council, the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging, and the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. The content herein does not necessarily reflect the opinions or policy of
the Greater Nashville Regional Council, or any agency of Tennessee or the United States
government."
16. May engage in other legal activities that do not result in a conflict of interest with their professional
responsibilities under the OAA.
General Contract Requirements
Below are the general requirements and expectations that GNRC Legal Assistance Providers must agree to. By
submitting a response to the RFP, Offerors are asserting that they agree to these general requirements and will
enter into a contract containing these requirements (sample attached as Attachment D).
1. Follow Standards of Conduct as outlined in this RFP and as otherwise communicated to GNRC Legal
Assistance Providers.
2. Meet appropriate federal or state requirements for licenses and liability insurance for the entirety of
the contract.
3. Comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations including, without
limitation, civil rights laws.
4. Update the proposal information to GNRC as changes occur during the contract period.
5. Comply with all requirements specified in the service descriptions when providing GNRC-authorized
services. See Section 2.2 for Service Descriptions.
6. Make arrangements for the availability of services in weather-related and other emergencies, when
feasible.
7. Report any abuse, neglect, or exploitation directly to Adult Protective Services, as required by law, as
well as submit reports about incidents and action taken to GNRC.
8. Treat all Older Adult Participant information as confidential. Ensure that it is filed securely and accessed
or shared according to the minimum necessary rule.
9. Have procedures in place to ensure that no information about Older Adult Participants is obtained or
disclosed by a GNRC Legal Assistance Provider in a form that identifies the person without the informed
written consent of that person or of his or her legal representative. Disclosure may be allowed by court
order, or for program quality assurance by authorized federal, state, or GNRC staff so long as access is in
conformity with the Privacy Act of 1974 or other governing law. All Older Adult Participant information
must be maintained in controlled access files. (Exception: A written release of information when making
a referral for Adult Protective Services is not required.)
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10. Follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) laws to further protect
the privacy of Older Adult Participants if the GNRC Legal Assistance Provider is a Covered Entity or
otherwise subject to HIPAA requirements.
11. Maintain sufficient insurance to indemnify GNRC and its funding partners against loss. Insurance
requirements are outlined in the attached sample contract (Attachment D).
12. Obtain sufficient bond coverage for protection of GNRC and the SUA from theft, forgery, embezzlement,
and fraud losses by the GNRC Legal Assistance Provider, any of its agents or employees, full or part-
time.
13. Inform all individuals of their right to file a grievance and provide them with a copy of GNRC's required
grievance procedures and follow the GNRC-required grievance procedures when an Older Adult
Participant is dissatisfied with service(s) being provided.
14. Complete background checks for employees and volunteers in accordance with Tennessee Code
Annotated 52-2-1002.
15. Require GNRC Legal Assistance Provider staff and volunteers to participate in training relevant to their
major job responsibilities and in GNRC- and SUA-designated training when appropriate.
16. Have a policy in place to ensure that personnel or volunteers who have contracted any infectious illness
or disease do not provide services to any Older Adult Participants until they are without symptoms.
17. Allow GNRC to monitor operations at least annually, including on-site access.
18. Respond to requests for information from SUA and GNRC.
This RFP will be incorporated into any contract awarded. If there is a material change in any information Offeror
provides as a response to this RFP, Offeror must immediately notify GNRC.
2.2 Requested Services
GNRC Legal Assistance Providers selected through this RFP will provide legal assistance services to older adults.
The contracting period is July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2030.
Service Descriptions
Advice
An individualized evaluation of the facts of a client's situation, with counseling and/or provision of information
or guidance about the client's legal circumstances, including presentation of options for responding to the
circumstances presented by the client, or referral, such as from a legal hotline to a full-service program or to
another low-cost alternative, such as a law school clinic or Bar referral service, or to another legal resource for
further assistance.
Case
A case encompasses one legal matter. Accordingly, a client may have more than one case simultaneously and/or
during a calendar year. When matters in litigation move from one forum to another, such as upon filing of an
appeal by the client or by an adversary or another litigant, a new case is to be opened.
Case Type
The type of legal case handled by a Legal Assistance Provider is determined and reported for closed cases. Case
types reflect the eight types of legal matters that are to be given priority by Title III B Legal Assistance Providers
pursuant to the OAA. These are:
Abuse/Neglect
The abuse/neglect legal case is determined and reported for closed cases and includes:
Orders of protection and associated matters
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Recovery of assets lost due to financial exploitation or abuse.
Actions to assert rights and remedies for elders against abuse, financial exploitation, or neglect.
Abuse/Neglect: Other
Age Discrimination
The age discrimination legal case type is determined and reported for closed cases and includes:
Employment or other age-related discrimination
Housing discrimination claims
Other claims of discrimination based upon inclusion in a protected class.
Defense of Guardianship or Protective Services
The defense of guardianship or protective services legal case type is determined and reported for closed
cases and includes:
Representation to oppose imposition of guardianship
Removal of Guardian or limiting the terms of guardianship
Restoration of rights
Assisting with alternatives to guardianship
Preparation of legal documents that preserve self-determination and mitigate risk of guardianship,
and/or enable a supported decision-making arrangement
Powers of Attorney,
Living Wills,
Health Care Proxies.
Defense of Guardianship and Protective Services: Other
Health Care
The health care legal case type is determined and reported for closed cases and includes:
Medicaid, Medicare: eligibility, termination, reduction,
Medicare Savings Programs (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary, Specified Medicare Beneficiary,
Qualified Individual) eligibility, reduction, termination,
Veterans Administration benefits disputes,
Medigap disputes,
Retiree health eligibility and/or benefits disputes,
private insurance disputes
Health: Other
Housing
The housing legal case type is determined and reported for closed cases and includes:
Landlord-Tenant:
Eviction,
Warranty of habitability,
o Mobile home tenant issues
Real property:
Foreclosure,
Real property-related predatory lending claims,
o Mortgage issues
Housing: Other
Income
The income legal case type is determined and reported for closed cases and includes:
SSI and Social Security, eligibility, termination, reduction or overpayments,
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