Non Congregate Bridge Shelter Operations and Case Management Services

The Vendor is required to provide to make homelessness rare, brief, and one-time, and bridge shelters offer immediate stability, rapid connections to permanent housing, access to supportive services, and a harm reduction approach.
- The bridge shelter model emphasizes rapid rehousing, trauma-informed care, and a housing-first approach to reduce homelessness duration and increase long-term housing success. Services must follow evidence-based practices that uphold client choice, dignity, and self-determination while maintaining operational excellence and accountability.
- Services shall operate under a low-barrier model that reduces obstacles to shelter entry.
- Implementation requirements include:
•    Accept individuals regardless of sobriety, mental health status, or treatment participation.
•    Minimize documentation and identification requirements.
•    Implement flexible curfew policies that accommodate work schedules.
•    Train staff in de-escalation, harm reduction, and trauma-informed approaches.
•    Foster a culture of empathy and respect
•    Maintain basic behavioral expectation focused on safety and shelter community well-being.
- General operations
•    Operate a low barrier, 24-hour, year-round, non-congregate bridge shelter in city serving families and adult individuals experiencing homelessness.
•    Ensure day-to-day operations support the well-being of clients, including resident supervision, room turnover, cleaning, security and surveillance, and timely repairs to the facility.
•    Maintain the facility in a clean, safe and habitable conditions, ensuring compliance with health, safety, ADA, and fair housing standards.
•    Develop and implement comprehensive operating procedures, policies, and protocols aligned with low-barrier shelter best practices.
•    Implement security and de-escalation protocols to promote a peaceful environment
- Quality case management and housing navigation
•    Accept referrals only through the city’s coordinated entry system, ensuring timely acceptance of referrals, and facilitating client placement and connection to services.
•    Provide individualized case management and housing navigation that supports client stabilization and housing readiness.
•    Facilitate connections to benefits, healthcare, behavioral health treatment, employment services, and other stabilizing supports.
•    Demonstrate achievement of measurable performance benchmarks related to case management, client exits, and permanent housing placements, consistent with city performance standards.
- Performance measures
•    At least 30% of clients exit to permanent housing.
•    At least 85% of clients exit the shelter to successful transitions, as evidenced by individuals moving from shelter into their own unit, reunifying with family or friends, transferring to a longer-term shelter or transitional housing, or engaging in medical, mental health, or substance use treatment as part of their stabilization plan.
•    At least 70% of clients are connected to benefits, healthcare, or employment services.
•    At least 95% of HMIS data elements are entered within two business days.
- Client engagement and equity
•    Provide services in a respectful, trauma-informed, and culturally and linguistically responsive manner.
•    Ensure clients know their rights, responsibilities, grievance processes, program rules, and available services. Information must be posted and available in culturally and linguistically appropriate formats.
•    Incorporate peer support or lived experience voices into service delivery.
•    Maintain compliance with ADA, fair housing, and other applicable client protection regulations, including provision of reasonable accommodation.
- Data, quality assurance, and reporting
•    Ensure HMIS compliance and data accuracy.
•    Submit required reports (usage data, demographic information, federally required HMIS reports, and any additional reports as specified by the city).
•    Establish internal quality assurance processes to monitor data accuracy, service delivery fidelity, and compliance with city requirements.
•    Participate in city-led evaluation and quality assurance activities.
•    Make all records and accounts related to services available to the city for inspection.
- Staff and training
•    Maintain a staffing coverage that ensures client safety and quality service delivery.
•    Provide supervision and ensure staff qualifications match program needs.
•    Deliver training in trauma-informed care, harm reduction, motivational interviewing, conflict de-escalation, and cultural responsiveness.
- Resources, networks, and community partnerships
•    Demonstrate ability to leverage outside funding, volunteers, and in-kind donations.
•    Establish and maintain strong partnerships with housing providers, behavioral health agencies, healthcare providers, workforce programs, and other community resources to support client stabilization.
•    Provide on-site or coordinated access to key supportive services.
- Fiscal and business operations
•    Submit timely and accurate invoices, supporting documentation, and financial reports
•    Maintain strong fiscal controls to safeguard public funds and prevent waste, fraud, or misuse.
- City coordination and collaboration
•    Respond promptly to city communications and participate in meetings with city staff.
•    Provide the city with read-only access to HMIS for monitoring purposes.
•    Report incidents, service disruptions, or issues that may affect client safety, liability, service continuity, or public confidence within 24 hours.
•    Collaborate with the city on system-wide goals, compliance requirements, and public communications.

- Contract Period/Term: 2 years
- Pre-Proposal Conference Date: December 03, 2025
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: December 08, 2025