The vendor required to provide grant management system (GMS) capable of duplicating all the current functionalities found within its existing system, while also adding additional features that will enhance workflows, create online applications, and integrate direct payments.
- Functional requirements:
1. Direct applicant input
• The system should include a portal or interface that allows applicants to submit their information, upload required documentation, or track the status of their applications.
• This would prevent all applicant data from being entered manually by staff, which would reduce workload and the risk of data-entry errors.
2. Eligibility determination
• The platform should automatically assess applicant eligibility based on defined program rules, criteria, or thresholds.
• This should alleviate staff from performing all eligibility reviews outside the system, which would reduce efficiency and make it difficult to maintain consistent, repeatable evaluation workflows.
3. Payment record keeping
• There should be built-in functionality for recording, tracking, or reconciling disbursements.
• Payment histories, outstanding balances, and financial reporting should not be managed through external tools or manual processes, as that would limit transparency and increase the potential for inconsistencies.
4. Management of awarded grants
• Once a grant is awarded, the software should be able to support ongoing grant administration.
• It should have features for monitoring grant progress, tracking milestones, managing compliance requirements, or storing post-award documentation.
• This would help staff to not rely on separate systems or manual tracking methods to oversee awarded grants.
- Software requirements:
• Cloud based; centralized online platform.
• Application management; streamlined application submission review and approval processes for grant applicants and review committees; intake forms must be dynamic and configurable with the feature to add, delete, and modify data fields.
• Data fields include but are not limited to text boxes (unlimited characters), check boxes, radio buttons, data and time, and drop-down boxes.
• Data fields should also have validators available.
• Accept input from external users (e.g., grant recipients, applicants, or sub awardees)
• Automation of workflow processes, notification, and reminders to streamline entire grant life cycle.
• Document management; secure storage.
• Reporting and analytics: comprehensive reporting tools that allow for real-time tracking, performance evaluation, and data-driven decision-making.
• Integration: compatibility with existing systems and the ability to integrate with other relevant tools and databases, including but not limited to microsoft outlook, the department of housing and urban development’s integrated disbursement and information system (IDIS) and existing loan portfolio database platforms.
• Loan portfolio functionalities including ability to set up and track loans by funding source, produce payment books or monthly statements, produce amortization schedules, calculate payoff amounts, provide aging reports, allow for comments and the ability to reclassify loans if postures change (i.e. bankruptcy or death of borrower).
• Keep data secure
• Provide identity and access management
• Provide full lifecycle tracking of grants, including advances.
• Ability to upload, store and link, associate documents and budgets to applicant profiles for multiple grant applications.
• Provide a dashboard view – see all pertinent information for each grant at a glance – for the public, current applicants, and internal grant management staff for internal workflows.
• Must have a written policy for incident response regarding breach and exfiltration of data that adheres to federal, state and local laws.
• Managing past (and future) –
o Repayment calculations including interest, fees, etc.
o Amortization schedules
o Payment reminders
o Auditing functions
• Eligibility determinations for all loans
o Income calculations
o Asset’s calculations
o Debt-to-ratio
o Household size to bedrooms size rations
• Drafting loan agreements, covenants agreements, recertification letters, approval and rejection letters.
• Application status reminders
• Annual program compliance abilities.
- Contract Period/Term: 5 years
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: January 6, 2026
