Benefit Bridge Program

Background

Project Details

• Reference ID: PP-2026-0035
• Department: Job and Family Services
• Department Head: Michelle Niedermier (Director)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-07-24T17:30:00.000Z
• Answers Posted By: 2026-07-31T17:30:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-07-22T14:00:00.000Z — https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/223031923754407?p=m5q9ZbzPBO8gr61cfO

Evaluation Criteria

• Program Approach (30 pts) —
  • Overall program design and understanding of the Benefit Bridge model;
  • Integration of peer mentoring and supportive services;
  • Strategy for participant engagement and long-term self-sufficiency.
• Experience & Staffing (25 pts) —
  • Organizational experience with similar programs;
  • Qualifications of key personnel and peer mentors;
  • Ability to recruit, train, and manage staff and caseloads.
• Supportive Services Administration & Financial Capacity (20 pts) —
  • Ability to administer and pay for supportive services;
  • Financial capacity to operate under cost-reimbursement;
  • Strength of fiscal controls and processes.
• Administration, Reporting & Compliance (15 pts) —
  • Recordkeeping and reporting capabilities;
  • Experience with compliance (federal, state, County requirements);
  • Data tracking and documentation practices.
• Cost Proposal (10 pts) —
  • Cost reasonableness and alignment with services
  • Clarity, completeness, and value

Submission Requirements

• Proposer Information
• Date of Establishment (required) —

  When was organization established?

  Style

  01/01/1991

• Years of Experience (required) —

  For how many years has the Proposer engaged in services under its present business name?

• Other Business Names (required) —

  Has this business operated under a different name?

• DBA Names (required) —

  Please list all former names and the dates during which they were used.

• Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) —

  Please provide Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)

• Unique Entity Identifier Number (required) —

  Please provide Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number. If none, please provide reason. 

• Workers Compensation Account Number (required) —

  Please provide Workers Compensation Account Number. If none, please provide a reason.

• Unemployment Insurance Account Number (required) —

  Please provide Unemployment Insurance Account Number. If none, please provide reason. 

• Registered in Ohio (required) —

  Are you registered to do business in Ohio?

  https://businesssearch.ohiosos.gov/

• Foreign Entity (required) —

  As stated within the previous question, the proposer is required to furnish a Certificate of Good Standing from the Ohio Secretary of State showing the right of the proposer to do business in the State. Or, in the case that the proposer is an individual or partnership, the proposer shall certify it has filed, with the Ohio Secretary of State, a Power of Attorney designating the Ohio Secretary of State as the proposer agent for the purpose of accepting service of summons in any lawful legal action.

  Please upload the applicable proof based on your current status at the time of this submittal.

• Subcontractors (required) —

  Will you be using Subcontractors to carry out the work covered under this project.

• Subcontractor Entities (required) —

  Please list the full business name of all anticipated subcontractors, including dba names.

• EEO (required) —

  Do Federal, State, or local Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity rules bind the Bidder?

• EEO reports (required) —

  If yes, has the Bidder filed all required EEO reports to the necessary
  agencies?

• Bankruptcy (required) —

  Has Bidder ever filed for reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of Ohio or any other state?

• Civil Judgment (required) —

  Have you, or any of your principals, within a three-year period preceding award of this agreement been convicted of or been subject to a civil judgment rendered for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (Federal, State or Local) transaction or contract under a public transaction; violation of Federal or State antitrust statutes or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property?

• Additional Information (required) —

  Please provide detailed information about the existence of such instances in your organization.

• Indictment or Criminal Charges (required) —

  Are you, or any of your principals, presently indicted for or otherwise criminally charged by a governmental entity (Federal, State, or Local) within commission of any of the offenses enumerated in the previous question?

• Additional Information (required) —

  Please provide detailed information about the existence of such instances in your organization.

• Transactions Terminated for Cause or Default (required) —

  Are you, or any of your principals, within the three-year period preceding this proposal date had one or more public transactions (Federal, State, or Local) terminated for cause or default?

• Eligibility of Transactions with Federal Agencies and Departments (required) —

  Are you, or any of your principals, presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal department or agency?

• Additional Information (required) —

  Please provide detailed information about the existence of such instances in your organization.

• Proposal Forms
• Form 3: Disclosure Policy (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Form 4: Tax Delinquent (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload. Please note, this form must be notarized

• Cover Sheet (required) —

  Please provide:

  • Brief overview of organization;
  • Contact information;
  • Must include the names and titles of individuals authorized to negotiate with MCDJFS and execute a contract on behalf of the Provider.
• Contact Information (required) —

  What is the first and last name, as well as phone number and email address, for the main Vendor contact for this proposal? 

• Budget and Cost Proposal (required) —

  Providers must submit a comprehensive and itemized budget that:

  • Reflects all costs associated with program delivery, including direct services and indirect/administrative costs;
  • Clearly identifies costs by program component, staffing classifications, and service type;
  • Includes all available revenue sources that may offset County reimbursement; and
  • Demonstrates alignment between proposed services and associated costs.

  Additionally, providers must:

  • Submit a detailed budget narrative explaining how proposed costs support the services described in the proposal; and
  • Ensure all costs comply with 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E (Cost Principles). Final determination of allowability rests with MCDJFS.

  Please download and complete the attached Budget Worksheet and upload it with your proposal. The Budget Narrative is a separate required submission and should be uploaded as an additional attachment.

• References (required) —

  Provide a minimum of three (3) current (within five years) reference letters for similar services.

  • References must not be from MCDJFS or its employees.
  • Each reference must include:
    • Organization name and contact information;
    • Contact person;
    • Description of services provided;
    • Duration of services.

  If fewer than three references are submitted, a written explanation is required and may deem proposal unresponsive.

• Personnel Qualifications (required) —

  Submit resumes for key personnel assigned to the program (e.g., Agency Director, CFO, Clinical Director, Administrators), including:

  • Proposed role and responsibilities;
  • Relevant certifications, licenses, and any history of suspension or revocation;
  • Work history;
  • Professional references.

  All resumes must be redacted of personal identifying information and reflect position titles rather than names.

• Audit Documentation (required) —

  Please provide your organization's most recent independent annual audit, including the Single Audit, if applicable. Organizations that do not obtain independent audits may submit alternative financial documentation demonstrating financial capacity.

• Organizational Information and Supporting Documentation (required) —

  Providers must submit the following:

  • Organizational history, including mission and service philosophy;
  • Description of ownership structure and financing (e.g., corporation, partnership);
  • Most recent organization annual report;
  • Organizational chart identifying structure, communication channels, and program placement;
  • List of affiliated or related entities and their primary business functions;
  • Sample forms used to document service delivery and participant progress (if applicable);
  • Description of experience administering federal programs.
• Response to Narrative Questions (required) —

  Provider must answer, in narrative format, demonstrating how you will meet the following expectations, or have unique experiences demonstrating capacity to perform service. 

  1. Provide a comprehensive description of your proposed approach to delivering the Benefit Bridge Program, including how Peer Mentoring and Supportive Services will be integrated to support participant success.
  2. Describe your experience in operating a Peer Mentoring program?
  3. How will your organization recruit and hire Peer Mentors for this program?
  4. Explain how your organization has the capacity to hire and train several Peer Mentors.
  5. One of the requirements of a successful Peer Mentoring program is to have the mentors complete trauma informed care awareness training. Please describe how your organization will meet this requirement?
  6. Please describe any additional training requirements and/or certifications that your peer mentors are required to obtain.
  7. Describe your organization’s administrative capacity to maintain accurate and reliable records and to generate consistent and accurate reporting. What has been your experience in doing this?
  8. Explain how your organization would be able to provide the following services. Please state whether these services could be provided directly through your organization or if through a community partner, (please name that entity and your connection to them):
  • Financial Literacy Classes and Coaching;
  • Employment related expenses;
  • Education related expenses;
  • Readiness activities (resume writing, interviewing);
  • Trainings and Certifications;
  • Incentives for reaching education and employment milestones;
  • Basic Needs (housing, food, clothes, diapers);
  • Transportation related expenses;
  • Medical expenses;
  • Social services expenses (parenting classes, support groups);
  • Legal expenses; and
  • Mental Health counseling
  8. Describe how your organization will operate a program where you will provide cost re-imbursed supportive service payments that will remove barriers to self-sufficiency for participants.
  9. What has been your experience in providing supportive services to individuals and families?
• Target Population (required) —

  Please provide demonstrated history of working with Target Population. 

• IT Plan and Data Privacy (required) —

  Please provide an IT and Data Privacy plan, as described in the scope of work. 

• Finalizing Submitted Information
• General Conditions (required) —

  Bidder has read, understands, and accepts the General Conditions contained within the Bid documents?

• Exceptions (required) —

  Are there any exceptions to the details, requirements, or goals contained herein these project documents? 

• Exceptions Justification (required) —

  Please list all exceptions and the reason for such exceptions.

• Contract Exceptions (required) —

  After reading the sample contract provided in Attachment A, does proposer have any exceptions to the contract terms?

• Contract Exception Justification (required) —

  Please list all contract exceptions and the reason for such exceptions.

• Proposal (required) —

  Proposal will remain firm for acceptance for one hundred and twenty (120) days after proposal opening unless otherwise stated?

• Proposal Length (required) —

  How long will the proposal remain valid?

• Warranties (required) —

  Does your proposal include warranties?

• Warranty Information (required) —

  Please provided detailed warranty information.

• Additional Information (if needed) —

  For any additional information you would like to submit to your proposal package.

• No Lobbying (required) —

  The Bidder certifies they will not use contract funds to lobby.

• Subcontractors Acknowledgement (required) —

  The Bidder certifies that they will not enter into contracts with subcontractors who are debarred or suspended from such transactions to complete work related to this Request for Proposals.

• Federal Debarred / Suspended (required) —

  The Bidder certifies that they are neither debarred nor suspended under Federal and State rulings from receiving Federal funds.

• Acknowledgment of Questions and Answers (required) —

  By submitting this Proposal Response, the Proposer hereby certifies that they have read, reviewed, and fully understand all solicitation documents, questions, and answers (including all addenda) issued for this procurement. The Proposer further certifies that all information provided within this submittal is true, accurate, and complete to the best of their knowledge. The submitting party confirms that they have the authority and have provided proof of such authority to submit this proposal on behalf of the stated Company Name, thereby committing the company to the information and pricing contained herein.

• Submittal Confirmation (required) —

  Proposer hereby certifies that all information provided within this submittal is true, accurate and complete to the best of their knowledge. Submitting party or Proposer further acknowledges that they have authority and have provided proof of said authority to submit a proposal on behalf of the stated agency name committing them to the information and pricing contained within this Proposal Response.

• Pre Proposal Conference? (required) —

  Will there be a Pre Proposal Conference? 

• Publication Date (required) —

  State the full calendar date that it will appear in the DDN, in the following format: Month Day, Year

  EXAMPLE:
  July 1, 2024

• TANF, SNAP, or PRC (required) —

  Is this project TANF, SNAP, or PRC funded?

• Narrative Questions (required) —

  Will there be required narrative questions?

• IT Plan (required) —

  Will proposers be required to submit an IT plan?

• Initial Term End (required) —

  Style:

  Month Day, Year

  Example:

  December 31, 2025

• Will this contract have options? (required) —

  Does the anticipated contract associated with this RFP have option years?

• When is Option 01 anticipated start date? (required) —

  Style:

  Month Day, Year

  Example:

  January 1, 2026

• When is Option 01 anticipated end date? (required) —

  Style:

  Month Day, Year

  Example:

  December 31, 2026

• When is Option 02 anticipated start date? (required) —

  Style:

  Month Day, Year

  Example:

  January 1, 2027

• When is Option 02 anticipated end date? (required) —

  Style:

  Month Day, Year

  Example:

  December 31, 2027