LAKE COUNTY, CA (June 21, 2021) – Request for Proposal (RFP) Lake County HUB  Model and Coordinated Entry System 

1. Overview 

Lake County Behavioral Health Services (LCBHS) and Lake County Continuum of Care  (LCCoC) are seeking one or more eligible organizations or entities capable of establishing  a HUB within a Pathways Community HUB model with a Coordinated Entry System (CES)  as a key component of the HUB model within Lake County, California.  

This RFP is therefore comprised of two parts: HUB and CES.  

The HUB model sought by the County follows the Pathways Community HUB model. This  HUB model is a community care coordination system that supports, coordinates, and  tracks the outcomes for all the agencies that provide varying supportive services to  community members in need. 

These are accomplished by first identifying and effectively assessing at-risk community  members, then assigning a specific “pathway” that addresses the risk factors present and  connects individuals to the appropriate community agency or agencies that will in turn  address risk factors with best practice services and supports. Results are then tracked and  measured to gauge the effectiveness of the entire process.  

Through the implementation of these steps, a HUB will have the effect of creating a holistic  type of care coordination where one care coordinator is responsible for any one client or  client household and where a focus on metrics is established to engender risk reduction  and prevention. Further, it is anticipated that the HUB will remove silos inherently created  by separate sources at the local, state and federal levels meant to fund health and  supportive services.  

Contractors will use software as a tool to accomplish these tasks. For the Pathways HUB,  HealthBridge.care will connect community members in need with County-based  organizations that provide various supportive services and the Community Health Record,  which acts as a Health Information Exchange  

Lake County’s design has CES as a component of the HUB model, operating a system of 

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homeless care for the Continuum of Care. The successful respondent shall leverage the  existing local network of homeless service providers to establish a local referral response  system with innovative coordination processes.  

These CES processes are intended to help the County identify and thus prioritize the care  of people who are most in need of resource assistance by strategically allocating current  resources. The CES shall also provide information to the LCCoC and other stakeholders  about service needs and gaps by identifying the need for additional resources. 

LCCoC has established $350,000 for a three-year period from a combination of the Whole  Person Care Pilot Program and several other Continuum of Care grants. It is LCCoC’s  intent to identify at least one experienced, qualifying organization or local government,  including tribal, which will establish a HUB and a CES in conjunction with the HUB.  

1. HUB and CES Descriptions and Distinctions 

LCCoC intends to support the establishment of a HUB and a CES for supportive services  that will cover the entire County and be consistent with the guidance provided by the U.S.  Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The successful applicant will  establish, manage and implement the HUB with a CES as its component as further  described:  

1. HUB 

LCCoC seeks an organization or entity capable of establishing a HUB that will function as  an administrative center for a community-wide network of care coordination agencies  throughout Lake County that is modeled after the Pathways HUB. As such, the HUB shall  provide the following:  

1. Information on health and social services to economically disadvantaged families, neighborhoods and communities. The HUB is responsible for developing and  implementing an infrastructure to continuously support and monitor care  coordination services as well as to provide nonprofits with a single point of contact  system.  
2. A process that will work across sectors of a community to reach at-risk individuals  and connect them to evidenced-based interventions and services they need to have  positive outcomes. 

iii. A centralized set of processes, systems and resources that enable communities  to track individuals being served and providers a way to align payments and  outcomes. 

1. CES 

LCCoC also seeks a qualified applicant to administer a Coordinated Entry System in conjunction with the HUB model as described above. A CES is described by HUD in §  578.3 Definitions of the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to  Housing (HEARTH Act): Continuum of Care Program Interim Rule as follows:  

1. A “coordinated process designed to coordinate program participant intake 

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assessment and provision of referrals. A centralized or coordinated assessment  system covers the geographic area, is easily accessed by individuals and families  seeking housing or services, is well advertised, and includes a comprehensive and  standardized assessment tool.” 

1. An effective, broadly utilized CES is an important piece of the HUB model. It  should reduce the time that clients spend seeking assistance, reduce provider time  in filling openings, and ensure improved targeting and better use of limited  resources. The data from a well-functioning CES is useful to understanding the  need and can be used to inform allocation decisions to make more opportunities to  serve households in need. 

iii. The CES will be implemented in alignment with HUD’s Coordinated Entry  Policy Brief and Housing First practices as follows: 

EASILY ACCESSIBLE: When a client experiences a need for housing, they  engage with our call center, multi-service centers/agencies, and outreach teams,  all of whom are participating as entry points into our CES. By offering multiple  entry points into the system, including phone and outreach options, clients  throughout Lake County will be able to easily access culturally competent and  relevant information on homelessness assistance. 

ADVERTISING STRATEGIES: Information about our system will be shared widely,  both electronically (LCCoC website) and via flyers, with LCCoC, homeless and  housing service providers, tribal governments, and other mainstream partners— including hospitals, clinics, schools, the VA, and faith-based providers—to ensure  that all homeless clients are aware of and able to access housing and services.  Outreach teams and multi-service centers will distribute cards with information  about the entry points into the system. 

STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENT: The system will utilize an assessment tool that  prioritizes clients based on history of housing & homelessness, risks, socialization  & daily functions, and wellness. The database will be administered to clients who  are receiving crisis services in interim housing (Emergency Shelter & Transitional  Housing), at multi-service centers and via outreach teams.  

APPROPRIATE HOUSING SERVICES: Once assessed, clients will be placed on  our centralized housing placement list, which uses scores to prioritize clients for  Permanent Supportive Housing or Rapid Rehousing based on need.  

For additional information on coordinated entry, including the qualities of effective  coordinated entry, applicants may review HUD’s Coordinated Entry Policy Brief,  published in February 2015  

https://www.hudexchange.info/resources/documents/Coordinated-Entry-Policy Brief.pdf).  

1. HUB/CES Relationship and Key Distinctions

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HUB 

• HUB does not directly provide care across services. 
• HUB is an organizing entity that supports, coordinates and tracks outcomes for  the agencies that provide direct on-the-ground care coordination. 
• It addresses duplication by bringing all the care coordination agencies into one  network. 
• CES (Coordinated Entry System) is a key component of the HUB Model. ● There can only be one HUB in a given geographic area. 

CES 

• Pertains exclusively to homelessness and homeless-related services for the  purpose of this RFP. 
• Directly involves care coordinators such as health workers and social workers to  provide assistance and care via the CES. 
• Provides and maintains a referral record to pertinent housing and services  providers. 
• Establishes a referral management system. 
• Maintains the By-Name-List 
• Establishes and maintains a multi-disciplinary case conferencing system. ● Provides data quality/timeliness reporting to stakeholders. 
• Evaluates CES quality and provides stakeholder reports. 
• Provide a representative at LCCoC HMIS/CES committee as a member and  attend required meetings. 

III. Applicant Conference 

Technical Assistance and questions regarding the grant and the application process will  be addressed in a virtual Q and A Session on June 30, 2021 at 3:00 P.M. 

Join Zoom Meeting: 

https://zoom.us/j/2814902260 

Meeting ID: 281 490 2260 

One tap mobile 

+16699006833,,2814902260# US (San Jose) 

1. Applicant Requirements 

Eligible Applicants will meet the following minimum requirements: 

• A registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, a local government including housing  authority or a state or federally recognized tribal entity. 
• At least two years of experience providing same or comparable services to the  targeted population. 
• The ability to establish, coordinate and maintain a HUB based on the Pathways  Model and a CES- and linkage with all agencies and county services for homeless  services.

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• The proven capacity to access and manage public and private funding. ● Applicants will be required to participate in an on-going evaluation by the LCCoC  in addition to State Quarterly reporting requirements. 
• This is a collaborative process. As such, applicants will demonstrate the  readiness/ability to work with LCCoC and other identified providers to carry out the  CES as partnered sub recipients with shared clients and goals. 

Applicants must be prepared to develop, adopt, and implement any needed guidelines,  plans, and protocols to support the proposed supportive services. 

LCCoC is seeking to fund potential awardee(s) with a track record of leadership in the community, and in developing and maintaining supportive relationships with the defined  target population in Lake County. 

1. Proposal Submittal Information 

Applications must be electronically submitted to the LCCoC by July 16, 2021 by 5:00 pm to 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. A complete application will include the following: 

1. Organizational details. Include organizational chart with resumes, a letter of  support from the applicant governing Board and copy of nonprofit status, as  appropriate. Include applicable experience in the administration of software/  database of homeless and other supportive services. Applicable experience in the  

administration of homeless supportive services and housing 

1. A full description of the proposed project, including describing the operational and  service delivery program and expected outcomes.  
2. Details on the population intended to be served and how the program will  coordinate with other county, LCCoC programs and agencies.  
3. Operational details, including staff descriptions, training and a timeframe for  operation. 

A process for review and evaluation of outcomes. 

1. Operational budget. HUD has defined a CES as a Supportive Services Only  (SSO) project and as such, a proposed budget can only include supportive  services, homeless management information system (HMIS) costs, and  administration costs that cannot exceed seven percent of the grant request.  Funding for operations or rental assistance are NOT allowed by HUD. However, a  funding request to operate a supportive service facility in a leased structure is  allowed. The cost would be included in the supportive services budget. Please  submit an operational budget detailing the CES request, other necessary funds  and their sources, and whether the funding is secured, pending or proposed. 
2. Award Process 

Scoring of Proposal: 

A panel of RFP reviewers will score each proposal. Maximum of 100 points for  each proposal is possible using the following scoring: 

1. Program Narrative 40 Points

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1. Budget 20 Points 
2. Applicant Qualifications 40 Points 

To be considered for an award, the proposal must have a minimum score of 75 points.  Based on overall scores, RFP reviewers will recommend to the LCCoC Executive  Board selection of the agency/agencies/awardee(s) to fund to implement the  Coordinated Entry grant.  

Applicants’ Conference  

All interested County and/or community-based providers must participate in a  MANDATORY applicant's web conference on June 30, 2021 at 3:00pm.  

1. Rules and Considerations 

Cost of developing and submitting a proposal in response to this RFP is the  responsibility of the applicants and will not be reimbursed through any contracts  resulting from this RFP process or from any other county funds. 

LCCoC may issue an RFP amendment to provide additional data and/or  make changes or corrections. The amendment will be sent to each  

applicant who attended the mandatory Applicants’ Conference. LCCoC  may extend the RFP submission date if necessary to allow applicants  adequate time to consider such information and submit required data. The RFP process may be cancelled in writing by LCCoC prior to award if LCCoC  determines cancellation is in the best interest of the County. 

The RFP process and any contract resulting from the process may be  cancelled at any time if identified funding becomes unavailable. 

Any contracts awarded because of this RFP are subject to pending or perfected  protests. The award is subject to cancellation or modification by LCCoC in  accordance with the resolution of any such protest. 

Contractor(s) (whether by contract or county) will be required to participate,  through the County, in federally mandated data collection efforts, including  participation in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and  LCCoC Performance Review. 

Selected contractor(s) must adhere to the County’s contracting process,  providing all information as requested by LCCoC. Selected contractor(s) will also  be informed of the County’s insurance coverage requirements, where applicable,  and the process for contract approval (where applicable) by the County of Lake.  

1. Additional Information 

This RFP and all forms and materials for submitting a proposal are available on the  LCCoC website: www.lakecoc.org. 

LCCoC recognizes additional questions may arise after the Applicants’ Conference. To be fair to all applicants, additional questions after the Applicants’ Conference  must be submitted in writing. Questions and answers will be disseminated weekly via  email to all submitters as well as posted electronically to the LCCoC website (see 

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schedule outlined below). Questions about the RFP should be submitted in writing to  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

All RFP submissions will be reviewed promptly. LCCoC’s goal is to announce  selection(s) or next steps by September 2021. 

Applicants who are not selected may appeal LCCoC selection of awardee(s) within  three business days of notification. Appeals must be addressed to the LCCoC  Executive Board. Appeals must be in writing and shall be limited to the following  grounds: 

€ The County failed to follow the RFP procedures, which affected the proposal  scoring. 

€ The RFP evaluation criteria were not appropriately applied to the proposal. € The LCCoC Executive Director will respond to the appeal within two business  days and the decision of the LCCoC will be final and not subject to further  review.

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VII. Important Dates

Activities	Dates
Request for Proposals – Posted Online	June 23, 2020
Applicant Conference (Zoom information above)	June 30, 2020
RFP Proposal Due Date	July 16, 2021
Applicant Interviews	July 21, 2021
Recommendation to LCCoC Executive Board	July 23, 2021
Award Letter	July 23, 2021
Contract process begins	July 26, 2021

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