Small Grant Initiative (SGI)

Background

Location: Alachua County is located in North Central Florida. The County government seat is situated in Gainesville. Gainesville is located 70 miles southwest of Jacksonville, 129 miles southeast of Tallahassee, 140 miles northeast of Tampa - St. Petersburg and 109 miles northwest of Orlando. Alachua County has a population of over 250,000 and a regional airport. The County itself consists of a total area of 969 square miles.

Form of Government: Alachua County is governed by a Board of five (5) elected County Commissioners and operates under the established County Manager Charter form of government. In addition to the five County Commissioners, there are five elected Constitutional Officers: Supervisor of Elections, Sheriff, Clerk of the Court, Tax Collector, and the Property Appraiser. The Alachua County Attorney also reports to the Board.

Project Details

• Reference ID: RFA 27-416-PM
• Department: Community Support Services
• Department Head: Claudia Tuck (Director)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-08-16T04:01:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-08-07T14:00:00.000Z — Community Support Services Conference Room A 218 SE 24th ST, Gainesville, FL 32641 Join Zoom Meeting https://alachuacounty-us.zoom.us/j/81377191234?pwd=bWCfiGbSGhpGtEnOFRfeAVBHIfTQou.1 Meeting ID: 813 7719 1234 Passcode: 741314 --- One tap mobile +13052241968,,81377191234# US +13092053325,,81377191234# US Join instructions https://alachuacounty-us.zoom.us/meetings/81377191234/invitations?signature=TLqXmxtGO17cDKoOTordEr_OpeYkmsytkFC9QRYi3d0 If you have a disability and need an accommodation in order to participate, please contact the Alachua County ADA Coordinator at ADA@alachuacounty.us or Equal Opportunity Office at 352-374-5275 at least 7 business days prior to the event. If you are unable to notify the Office prior to the event, please inform an Alachua County employee that you need assistance. TDD/TTY users, please call 711 (Florida Relay Service).

Evaluation Criteria

• Capability: (scoring range: 0 – 50 pts.) (50 pts) —

  The degree to which the request is reasonable given evidence of need, requested budget and other resources, and is achievable by the requesting organization.

• Project Description (scoring range: 0 – 50 pts.) (50 pts) —

  The degree to which the application furnishes a clear, concise and well-written request, is responsive to application questions, and is logical, doable, and within the applicants’ abilities.

• Consideration (scoring range: 0 – 50 pts.) (50 pts) —

  The degree to which the proposed budget is reasonable and is in alignment with the description of capacity building, effectiveness and future sustainability, or infrastructure needs, and the degree to which the costs are reasonable for Alachua County taxpayers considering the request.

• Consistent with Priorities (scoring range: 0 – 50 pts.) (50 pts) —

  The degree to which the request addresses community need related to a priority area of Adequate Food, Safe and Affordable Housing, Quality Childcare and Education or Quality Healthcare.

Submission Requirements

• Corporate Resolution Granting Signature (required) —

  The response must be submitted by an officer of the business who is legally authorized to enter into a contractual relationship in the name of the bidder. An authorized representative who is not an officer may sign the proposal, but must attach or upon request provide a corporate resolution granting authorization to the representative to execute on behalf of the business. Are you authorized to submit this RFA?

• Taxpayer Identification Form (required) —

  Upload your W-9 form.

• Drug Free Workplace (required) —

  In accordance with §287.087, Florida Statute

  Do you certify that you meet the following:

  1. Publish a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition.

  2. Inform employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace, the business's policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace, any available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs, and the penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations.

  3. Give each employee engaged in providing the commodities or contractual services that are under bid a copy of the statement specified in subsection (1).

  4. In the statement specified in subsection (1), notify the employees that, as a condition of working on the commodities or contractual services that are under bid, the employee will abide by the terms of the statement and will notify the employer of any conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any violation of Chapter 1893 or of any controlled substance law of the United States or any state, for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five (5) days after such conviction.

  5. Impose a sanction on, or require the satisfactory participation in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program if such is available in the employee's community, by any employee who is so convicted.

  6. Make a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of this section.

  As the person authorized to sign the statement, I certify that this firm complies fully with the above requirements.

• Conflict of Interest (required) —

  The bidder certifies that to the best of his knowledge or belief, no elected/appointed official or employee of the County is financially interested, directly or indirectly, in the purchase of the goods or services specified on this order. ( Select yes, if there is no conflict of interest)

• Responsible Agent Designation (required) —

  The Consultant shall designate a responsible agent and alternate as necessary, for all dealings, communications, or notices or contracts between the County and the Consultant by completing and returning this Responsible Agent Form. Any notice or communication to or from the responsible agent shall be deemed to be a communication to the Consultant. 

  RESPONSIBLE AGENT:

  ADDRESS:

  PHONE NO.:

  EMAIL ADDRESS:

  ALTERNATE RESPONSIBLE AGENT:

  ADDRESS:

  PHONE NO:

  EMAIL ADDRESS:

• FindHelp Regiestration (required) —

  FindHelp Regiestration is required prior to the Contract completion. Please confirm that registration will be made if awarded.

• Provide your Employer Identification Number (EIN) (required) —

  Do not include dashes.

• Provide physical address in Alachua County. (required)
• Provide physical address in Alachua County. (required)
• Does you agency meet the criteria for Emerging Small Business in accordance with Ordinance 2024-09? (required)
• Project Name (required)
• Amount of funds being requested (required) —

  Maximum of $5,000

• Does your proposed project benefit residents of Alachua County living at or below 150% Federal Poverty Level? (required)
• Does you proposed project fit into one of the BoCC’s approved funding category? (required)
• Please describe the proposed project, and quantify the anticipated benefits to residents of Alachua County living at or below 150% Federal Poverty Level (required)
• Please describe how your project will build capacity, enhance effectiveness and/or efficiency overall of your agency’s service delivery (required)
• Describe measurable outcomes for the project: (required)
• Request for Application Submittal Documentation (required) —

  Upload your Request for Application documentation with all required information and applicable documents. Upload your request for proposal in PDF Format in this section for review.

• Upload SGI Budget Template (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Pursuant to §287.139, Florida Statutes, the Grant Agency hereby certifies to the County that it does not and will not use County funds in requiring its employees, contractors, volunteers, vendors, or agents to ascribed to, study, or be instructed using materials relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion as defined in §125.595(1), Florida Statutes. (required)
• Acknowledgement of Requirements (required) —

  Did you review and complete all the required documents, attachments, addenda and questions and answers?

• Advertisement for RFA (required) —

  Does the RFA need to be publicly advertised in the Local Newspaper?

• Do you require a Electronic Pricing Table? (required)
• Insurance Requirements (required) —

  Which Insurance will you need for this ITB?

• Will you require Term Language (required)
• Initial Term Start Year (required) —

  What year does the term start on.

  Example: 2023

• Initial Term End Year (required) —

  Example: 2023

• Number of Renewal Periods (required) —

  Example: two (2)

• Renewal Year Length (required) —

  Example: two (2)

• Evaluation Critera (required) —

  Please choose the following:

  Option 1: Covers Annual / One Time Project (Includes Local Preferences)

  Option 2: Covers A&E CCNA and No Local/SBE/GMW (Excludes Local Preferences )

  Option 3: No Technical Scoring required

• Contract Type (required) —

  What type of Contract will this solicitation result in?