TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SERVICES

ERIE COUNTY
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SERVICES
RFP # 2026-014VF
Erie County Department of Social Services
EDWARD A. RATH COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING
95 FRANKLIN STREET
BUFFALO, NEW YORK 14202

COUNTY OF ERIE, NEW YORK
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ("RFP") # 2026-014VF
TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SERVICES
Contents
I. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................................................2
II. FUNDING AND BUDGET.................................................................................................................................................3
III. PROPOSAL TIMEFRAMES.............................................................................................................................................4
IV. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS .........................................................................................................................................5
V. SCOPE OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES REQUIRED............................................................................................7
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................................................7
HISTORY AND CONTEXT .....................................................................................................................................................7
SCOPE OF WORK ...................................................................................................................................................................7
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS ................................................................................................................................................7
COMPENSATION .....................................................................................................................................................................8
VENDOR EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS ...........................................................................................................8
PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND DATA COLLECTION............................................................................................8
VI. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS ...............................................................................................................................................9
UNDERSTANDINGS....................................................................................................................................................................9
EVALUATION .............................................................................................................................................................................1 0
EVALUATION PROCESS........................................................................................................................................................ 10
CONTRACT.................................................................................................................................................................................1 1
INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE ............................................................................................................................... 11
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ................................................................................................................................ 12
NON-COLLUSION ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12
CONFLICT OF INTEREST ...................................................................................................................................................... 12
COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS ................................................................................................................................................... 13
CONTENTS OF PROPOSAL.................................................................................................................................................. 13
EFFECTIVE PERIOD OF PROPOSALS.............................................................................................................................. 13
ERIE COUNTY EQUAL PAY CERTIFICATION...................................................................................................................... 14
GUIDELINES FOR STANDARD INSURANCE PROVISIONS REQUIRED..................................................................... 15
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................................................................. 16
RFP APPENDIX A: Proposal to Provide Service.................................................................................................................... 18
Schedule A.......................................................................................................................................................................................2 2
RFP APPENDIX B: Fiscal ............................................................................................................................................................ 23
RFP APPENDIX C: Supplemental Information ....................................................................................................................... 30
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I. INTRODUCTION
The County of Erie, New York (the "County") is currently seeking proposals from qualified non-profit
agencies ("Proposer") interested in providing for emergency needs, including prescriptions, food and
other items necessary for daily living. Proposers interested in providing this service are invited to
respond to this request.
Erie County Department of Social Services (ECDSS) utilizes a Solutions Focused Principles-Trauma
Informed Care system of care framework when serving the citizens of Erie County.
In responding to this RFP, Proposers must follow the prescribed format as outlined. By so doing, each
Proposer will be providing the ECDSS comparable data, and thus, be assured fair and objective
treatment in the ECDSS review and evaluation process. It is the ECDSS' intent to select the Proposer
that provides the best solution for the ECDSS' needs.
The County reserves the right to amend this RFP, reject any or all of the proposals, or any part
thereof, submitted in response to this RFP, and reserves the right to waive any irregularities or
informalities, if such action is deemed to be in the best interest of the County. The County reserves
the right to request additional information from any Proposer, and to award negotiated contracts to
one or more Proposers.
This RFP is not intended and shall not be construed to commit the County to pay any costs incurred
in connection with any proposal or to procure or contract with any firm.
The County will only contract with firms that do not discriminate against employees or applicants for
employment because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual
orientation, citizenship status or any other status protected by New York State and Federal laws.
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II. FUNDING AND BUDGET
A total of $55,000 is potentially available for the requested emergency services for 2027. The
successful proposer will receive funds to administer disbursement of vouchered benefits as well as
reimbursement of vouchered payments in coordination with the Erie County Department of Social
Services (ECDSS) under this contract.
The award is subject to annual contract renewal, contingent upon the Proposer's successful
performance of project objectives and the continued need and desire for such services as articulated
by Erie County DSS. Initial award and renewals are subject to inclusion of funding in the County
Executive Recommended Budget and as adopted by the Erie County Legislature, as well as,
contingent upon availability of New York State funds appropriated for this purpose. All contract
appropriations are subject to Legislative approval.
Future awards will be dependent on available funds and subject to the demonstrated fiscal and
programmatic stability of the applicant agency, as well as their meeting all of the Erie County
Department of Social Services (ECDSS) requirements. More than one provider may be selected for
funding for 2027.
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III. PROPOSAL TIMEFRAMES
The following schedule is for informational purposes only. The County reserves the right to amend
this schedule at any time.
Issue RFP: 04/24/2026
RFP Informational Meeting: 4/29/2026 at 11:00 am via WebEx. See
instructions below
Proposals Due: 05/22/2026
Selection Made by: Summer 2026
Contract Signed: Following all necessary County approvals.
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4

IV. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Each proposal shall be prepared simply and economically avoiding the use of elaborate
promotional materials beyond what is sufficient to provide a complete, accurate and reliable
presentation.
2. Your proposal must be comprised of 2 sections:
Appendix A
* Proposal to Provide Service
* Language Access Policy
* ADA Policy
* Listing of Officers and Board of Directors
* Schedule A
* For agencies not currently contracted with ECDSS to provide the requested service:
References and data from similar work
Appendix B
* Signed Fiscal Cover Sheet
* Budget Forms
Appendix C
* Most recent Audit report prepared by an independent CPA
* Most recent Management Letter
* Listing of Officers and Board of Directors
3. Proposals MUST be signed using the attached Schedule A: Proposer Certification. Unsigned
proposals will be rejected.
4. Submission of the proposals shall be uploaded as three separate documents (Appendix A, B
and C) to: OnBase Unity Form. You will receive an email confirming if it has been submitted.
If unable to upload the proposal, a printed submission may be submitted to: Erie County
Department of Social Services, Attn: Judith Kolmetz, 95 Franklin Street Room 804, Buffalo, NY
14202.
All proposals must be submitted on or before 05/22/2026 at 4:00 p.m. Proposals received after
the above date and time will not be considered. The County is under no obligation to return
proposals.
5. Requests for clarification of this RFP must be written and submitted to Judith Kolmetz at the above
address, or at Judith.Kolmetz@erie.gov no later than 4:00 pm on 05/08/2026. A list of questions
and answers will be posted on the County website by 05/14/2026. No communications of any
kind will be binding against the county, except for the formal written responses to any request for
clarification.
6. Proposers may be required to give an oral presentation to the County to clarify or elaborate on
the written proposal. Those Proposers will be notified to arrange specific times.
7. No proposal will be accepted from nor any agreement awarded to any Proposer that is in arrears
upon any debt or in default of any obligation owed to the County. Additionally, no agreement will
be awarded to any Proposer that has failed to satisfactorily perform pursuant to any prior
agreement with the County.
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8. Information on the Standard Insurance Provisions required of agencies selected as a contractor
of this service is included in this RFP. This document is for informational purposes only, and is
not to be submitted by the Proposer for the purposes of this RFP.
9. All potential contract-holders with Erie County shall agree to comply with Executive Order 13
(2014), and the Agency shall make such records available, upon request, to the County's Division
of Equal Employment Opportunity for review. (A copy of Executive Order 13 is available here:
http://www2.erie.gov/exec/index.php?q=executive-order-013). All contract holders will be
required to sign the Erie County Equal Pay Certification (attached). The County shall have the
right, upon reasonable notice and at reasonable times, to inspect the books and records of the
Agency, its offices and facilities, for the purpose of verifying information supplied in the Erie
County Equal Pay Certification and for any other purpose reasonably related to confirming the
Agency's compliance with Erie County Executive Order No. 13 (2014). Violation of the provisions
of Executive Order 13 (2014), which is attached hereto and made a part hereto and made a part
hereof, can constitute grounds for the immediate termination of a contract, and may constitute
grounds for determining that a bidder is not qualified to participate in future county contracts.
10. All potential contract-holders with Erie County shall agree to comply with New York Executive
Order 38. All contract holders will be required to submit a completed EO 38 Disclosure form for
each reporting period. By Executive Order 38 from the NYS Governor and the Erie County
Executive, administrative costs may not exceed 15% of the requested funds. (A copy of executive
order is available here: https://executiveorder38.ny.gov/).
11. Certified Minority Business Enterprise/ Women's Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) proposers
shall include the Erie County MBE/WBE Certification letter with their proposal.
12. Proposers who operate a Veteran-Owned Business shall include the letter indicating their
company is 51% or more veteran-owned with their proposal.
13. All proposers must disclose the name, title, and department of any employee or officer who is or
was an employee or officer of Erie County within the 12 months immediately prior to the proposal.
14. If requested, proposers must provide a list of at least three references from community partners
and collaborators or an individual with knowledge of and experience with the specific services
being offered.
15. All proposers must provide a list of all prime contractors and subcontractors that their agency
does business with related to the service in this RFP.
16. All proposers must include the name of their Language Access Coordinator and Language Access
Policy.
17. All proposers must include the name of their Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator
and a copy of a written ADA policy.
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V. SCOPE OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES REQUIRED
INTRODUCTION
The Erie County Department of Social Services (ECDSS) assists eligible individuals and families with
food, cash, and medical benefits through the standard assistance programs of Temporary Assistance,
SNAP, and Medicaid. Eligible low-income individuals must meet guidelines set by the state and
federal governments, based on the federal poverty level, varying by program area with the maximum
being 200% of the federal poverty level. When the need for assistance is immediate, and cannot wait
for a case to be opened, ECDSS staff may provide a referral to a community agency to assist the
client in meeting emergency needs through vouchers or certificates to participating local vendors.
The successful proposer, acting on behalf of the Erie County Department of Social Services, is to
help referred individuals and families effective January 1, 2027
HISTORY AND CONTEXT
There is currently one provider to administer distribution of emergency services vouchers for
ECDSS. Approximately 80 - 100 clients served annually.
SCOPE OF WORK
ECDSS seeks to meet immediate needs of applicants through emergency services. The services to
be provided include but are not limited to:
1. Assessment - Staff must be trained and competent in interviewing and assessing the needs
of individuals referred by an ECDSS worker, to determine how the emergency need can best
be met.
2. Provide for purchase of needed items - Staff must provide a voucher for the purchase of food
or other needed items, which the applicant takes to participating local vendors. Vouchers must
correspond directly to the needs identified by the ECDSS staff member making the referral. If
a voucher is not possible, successful agency must provide a way to purchase needed items
on behalf of the client and distribute it to the client upon delivery. This ensures proper controls
are in place so that client obtains the items identified by the referring worker.
3. Having a relationship with local vendors (i.e. Tops, Save A Lot, WalMart) that includes the
vendors accepting the voucher or other kind of payment from the agency. The agency must
pay the vendor directly, and submit invoices to ECDSS for reimbursement.
4. Submit proper documentation to ECDSS for payment - Successful proposer must keep
accurate records of all vouchers/certificates given to applicants and submit required
paperwork to ECDSS for billing on a regular basis, not less than monthly, as required by the
contract.
Target Population: Client referrals will originate predominantly from the ECDSS Homeless Team.
These are caseworkers and homeless services specialists who assist clients as they transition to
permanent housing. Clients otherwise engaged with DSS may also be referred.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
The successful proposer must:
* Be available and accessible to the public of Erie County, with hours of operation of at least 8:30
am through 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, and a location convenient to individuals utilizing
public transportation. The successful proposer must also be accessible to the staff of ECDSS, so
that information can be easily exchanged.
* Use culturally sensitive practices, trauma-informed principles, and solution focused techniques
when working with ECDSS clients, incorporating the five principles of collaboration, safety,
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trustworthiness, empowerment, and choice throughout services to promote resilience and
healing.
* Resources:
Trauma-Informed Care Resources Guide
How to Implement Trauma-informed Care to Build Resilience to Childhood Trauma
* Demonstrate that they have the capacity to serve at least 10-15 clients per month.
* Have established and successful working relationships with an array of local vendors that have
agreed to accept the emergency voucher, and abide by the limits of its use.
* Manage and retain a skilled and appropriately educated workforce.
* Maintain regular communication with ECDSS in a timely manner.
* Have a staff training plan regarding cultural sensitivity and provide culturally appropriate services
to individuals with special needs; i.e. disabilities, language and cultural barriers, etc., including
language translation services, which can be included in budgeted direct operating costs.
* Maintain confidentiality in accordance with current state, federal, and local laws and regulations,
using any and all information obtained while providing services only to assist customers in
meeting their needs, and for no other purpose.
* Manage funds from a government funding source and maintain billing systems.
* Submit required data and abide by designated documentation regulations in a timely manner, as
instructed, by County in order to claim reimbursement for services.
* Have an internal system of performance monitoring to ensure the quality of services being
performed and utilize data collected to improve program delivery methods as needed.
COMPENSATION
The unit of service is defined as one client served per unique episode.
Reimbursement is paid monthly upon invoice for costs of administering the program (staffing,
supplies, administrative etc.) plus face-value of vouchers or items purchased and provided to clients.
VENDOR EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
* Use culturally-sensitive, trauma-informed practices when working with DSS clients.
* Demonstrate knowledge, experience and understanding of the needs, risks, challenges and
opportunities faced by the target population, as well as demonstrate experience in effectively
implementing programs that promote positive client outcomes.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND DATA COLLECTION
Data to be tracked by successful proposer monthly:
a. Date of referral, voucher and redemption.
b. The name of each individual served during the reporting period.
c. The amount of the vouchers issued to each individual served during the reporting period,
voucher numbers (if applicable), and intended purpose (i.e. food, personal care, prescriptions,
etc.).
d. The total monthly administration charges [program-related expenses (cost for direct program
staff, supplies, etc.), and administrative costs (cost of administrative staff and overhead)].
Administrative costs cannot exceed 15% of the contract amount.
e. Supporting documentation as negotiated by agency and ECDSS.
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Paperwork corresponding to vouchers issued to applicants shall be submitted to ECDSS on a regular
basis, not less than monthly. The data will be analyzed by ECDSS staff to ensure the assistance
provided was appropriate and reasonable for the need identified by the referring ECDSS worker.
ECDSS reserves the right to question charges that appear excessive for the identified need.
VI. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS
UNDERSTANDINGS
Please take notice, by submission of a proposal in response to this request for proposals, the
Proposer agrees to and understands:
* that any proposal, attachments, additional information, etc. submitted pursuant to this
Request for Proposals constitute merely a suggestion to negotiate with the County and is
not a bid under Section 103 of the New York State General Municipal Law;
* submission of a proposal, attachments, and additional information shall not entitle the
Proposer to enter into an agreement with the County for the required services;
* by submitting a proposal, the Proposer agrees and understands that the County is not
obligated to respond to the proposal, nor is it legally bound in any manner whatsoever by
submission of same;
* that any and all counter-proposals, negotiations or any communications received by a
proposing entity, its officers, employees or agents from the County, its elected officials,
officers, employees or agents, shall not be binding against the County, its elected officials,
officers, employees or agents unless and until a formal written agreement for the services
sought by this RFP is duly executed by both parties and approved by the Erie County
Legislature and the Office of the Erie County Attorney.
In addition to the foregoing, by submitting a proposal, the Proposer also understands and agrees
that the County reserves the right, and may at its sole discretion, exercise the following rights and
options with respect to this Request for Proposals:
* To reject any or all proposals;
* To issue amendments to this RFP;
* To issue additional solicitations for proposals;
* To waive any irregularities or informalities in proposals received after notification to
Proposers affected;
* To select any proposal as the basis for negotiations of a contract, and to negotiate with one
or more of the Proposers for amendments or other modifications to their proposals;
* To conduct investigations with respect to the qualifications of each Proposer;
* To exercise its discretion and apply its judgment with respect to any aspect of this RFP, the
evaluation of proposals, and the negotiations and award of any contract;
* To enter into an agreement for only portions (or not to enter into an agreement for any) of
the services contemplated by the proposals with one or more of the Proposers;
* To select the proposal that best satisfies the interests of the County and not necessarily on
the basis of price or any other single factor;
* To interview the Proposer(s);
* To request or obtain additional information the County deems necessary to determine the
ability of the Proposer;
* To modify dates;
* All proposals prepared in response to this RFP are at the sole expense of the Proposer, and
with the express understanding that there will be no claim, whatsoever, for reimbursement
from the County for the expenses of preparation. The County assumes no responsibility or
liability of any kind for costs incurred in the preparation or submission of any proposal;
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