YOUTH SPORTS AND EDUCATION SERVICES

4 IV. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 1. Each proposal shall be prepared simply and economically avoiding the use of elaborate promotional materials beyond what is sufficient to provide a complete, accurate and reliable presentation. NOTE: THERE IS A LIMIT OF ONE PROPOSAL PER AGENCY. 2. Your proposal must be comprised of 3 sections: Appendix A Proposal to Provide Service Signed Schedule A For agencies not currently contracted with ECDSS to provide the requested service: References and data from similar work Appendix B Signed Fiscal Form Budget form OCFS-5005 Appendix C Most recent Audit Report prepared by an independent CPS Most recent Management Letter Listing of Officers and Board of Directors 3. Proposals MUST be signed using the attached Schedule A: Proposer Certification. Unsigned proposals will be rejected. 4. Submission of the proposals shall be uploaded as three separate documents (Appendix A, B and C) to: OnBase Unity Form. You may see an error at the end of the submission. You will

receive an email confirming if it has been submitted. 5. If unable to upload the proposal, a printed submission may be submitted to: Erie County Department of Social Services, Attn: Judith Kolmetz, 95 Franklin Street Room 804, Buffalo, NY 14202. All proposals must be submitted on or before 04/24/2024 at 4:00 p.m. Proposals received after the above date and time will not be considered. The County is under no obligation to return proposals. 6. Requests for clarification of this RFP must be written and submitted to Judith Kolmetz at the above address, or at Judith.Kolmetz@erie.gov no later than 4:00 pm on 04/02/2024. A list of questions and answers will be posted on the County website 04/09/2024. No communications of any kind will be binding against the county, except for the formal written responses to any request for clarification. 7. Proposers may be required to give an oral presentation to the County to clarify or elaborate on the written proposal. Those Proposers will be notified to arrange specific times. 8. No proposal will be accepted from nor any agreement awarded to any Proposer that is in arrears upon any debt or in default of any obligation owed to the County. Additionally, no agreement will be awarded to any Proposer that has failed to satisfactorily perform pursuant to any prior agreement with the County. 9. Information on the Standard Insurance Provisions required of agencies selected as a contractor of this service is included in this RFP. This document is for informational purposes only, and is not to be submitted by the Proposer for the purposes of this RFP. https://onbase.erie.gov/AppNet/UnityForm.aspx?d1=AXXwnhPzJ5pVjdULE7LWWApjDgmixhgdvj5YF9LhK6p7IIJRLL%2f%2bERksIN0POvZm5JFyzy5N0DngmyESMg6SbDYsESCGzTOym3qdViK21pEUsrBl%2bzat7D%2bOUkEXGt%2bAeTFqv%2btng9lELoiExc5Nt1Ed94QQL72esaP8MS5%2fBiXwaULj7XSXx%2ffLJ9RsmMrFLuzCRVarX5D%2b%2fhxLyOZFGE4KSq2dRMyyEc4hPjKMCt%2brWok6mIcIoezznR5AKkGQNA%3d%3d 5 10. All potential contract-holders with Erie County shall agree to comply with Executive Order 13 (2014), and the Agency shall make such records available, upon request, to the County’s Division of Equal Employment Opportunity for review. (A copy of Executive Order 13 is available here: Executive Order 13). All contract holders will be required to sign the Erie County Equal Pay Certification (attached). The County shall have the right, upon reasonable notice and at reasonable times, to inspect the books and records of the Agency, its offices and facilities, for the purpose of verifying information supplied in the Erie County Equal Pay Certification and for any other purpose reasonably related to confirming the Agency’s compliance with Erie County Executive Order No. 13 (2014). Violation of the provisions of Executive Order 13 (2014), which is attached hereto and made a part hereto and made a part hereof, can constitute grounds for the immediate termination of a contract, and may constitute grounds for determining that a bidder is not qualified to participate in future county contracts. 11. All potential contract-holders with Erie County shall agree that administrative costs may not exceed 15% of the requested funds. 12. Certified Minority Business Enterprise/ Women’s Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE) proposers shall include the Erie County MBE/WBE Certification letter with their proposal. 13. A business that is a certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOB) under the New York State Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act shall include the letter indicating their company is 51% or more veteran-owned with their proposal. 14. All proposers must disclose the name, title, and department of any employee or officer who is or was an employee or officer of Erie County within the 12 months immediately prior to the proposal. 15. If requested, proposers must provide a list of at least three references from community partners and collaborators or an individual with knowledge of and experience with the specific services being offered. 16. All proposers must provide a list of all prime contractors and subcontractors that their agency does business with related to the service in this RFP. 17. All proposers must include the name of their Language Access Coordinator. A copy of your Language Access Policy is required at contracting. 18. All proposers must include the name of their Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator. A copy of a written ADA policy is required at contracting. ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING: For-profit organizations or businesses Private foundations, as defined in section 509(a) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code Organizations that discriminate based on age, ethnicity/race, political affiliation, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, physical or other disability, national origin, or any protected characteristic under local, state, and/or federal law Research or project-planning activities Support for elite or private sports camps, programs, or teams Endowments, memorials, budget deficits, or fundraising activities Religious organizations whose sports programs do not have a secular and community focus Lobbying, political, or fraternal activities Capital projects http://www2.erie.gov/exec/index.php?q=executive-order-013 6 V. SCOPE OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES REQUIRED INTRODUCTION The purpose of this Request is to solicit applications to the Erie County Youth Bureau for 2024-2025 Youth Sports and Education Programming. These awards are designed to promote positive youth development and address long-term juvenile delinquency prevention within Erie County. As a trauma- informed organization, ECDSS incorporates the five principles of trauma informed care (collaboration, safety, trustworthiness, empowerment, and choice) throughout its services to promote resilience and healing. The mission of the Erie County Youth Bureau is to serve youth and families through positive youth development, advocacy, delinquency prevention and intervention programs that strengthen families and communities. All grants are appropriated by the Erie County Youth Bureau and Department of Social Services, and awarded to local applicants targeting ‘at risk’ youth 6-17 years of age. Eligible applicants are local youth bureaus/recreation departments in Erie County providing services to at-risk youth in the targeted age group. Organizations not part of a unit of local government must have their own 501(c)(3) status; use of other organizations’ 501(c)(3) status as a “pass through” is not permitted. Charter schools may not apply; however, programs may take place at charter schools, provided that they are run by an eligible applicant. “Drop-in” programs, while permitted, will receive lower funding priority than programs where youths must register. HISTORY AND CONTEXT The mission of the Erie County Youth Bureau is to serve youth and families through positive youth development, advocacy, delinquency prevention and intervention programs that strengthen families and communities. Youth Sports and Education Funding awards are guided by the following principles: Sports are effective tools in positive youth development and family engagement. Sports improve the lives of young people by promoting positive social, emotional, health, and educational outcomes and have important life-long effects. Sports enable opportunities for young people to thrive through leadership roles. Coaching education greatly improves young people’s sports experience and development outcomes. SCOPE OF WORK Funded programs must provide a variety of sports for a broad range of youth in under-resourced communities. A wide and flexible definition of sports is encouraged that encompasses any organized activities with movement, including physical fitness activities such as yoga, hiking, dance, and active outdoor pursuits. All funded programs must aim to foster the following: Educational connection and achievement – More youth attending and completing school with increased attainment, including collegiate placement success Physical health and well-being – Increasing physical activity and positive relationships to one’s body and physical activity 7 Mental health and well-being – Improving outcomes related to youth’s mental health and social and emotional skills development and connectedness Employment – Increasing quali cations and skills, such as collective problem-solving, teamwork, and dispute resolution, which help prepare youth for suitable employment Community cohesion – Breaking down barriers to reduce discrimination, crime, and violence in communities and help young leaders emerge To ensure that funding is going to the intended population, funding decisions must consider factors including, but not limited to the following: historically under-resourced communities; public housing; high rates of family homelessness; Opportunity Zones or neighborhoods/cities/areas deemed “low-income” via externally available tools like the New York State Council on Children and Families Kids’ Well-being Indicators Clearinghouse; marginalized communities or groups with higher barriers to participation in sports (e.g., youth with disabilities; girls; transgender/gender non-binary youth; and youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning); federally and/or New York State-recognized tribes and tribal organizations; and neighborhoods that experience higher rates of crime and violence and have lower- performing schools. programs that serve youth identifying as Black, indigenous, or people of color providers of adaptive sports for youth with physical disabilities. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS: Successful proposers will: Run said program from October 2024 – September 2025 in accordance with a typical academic calendar. A year round program may run during the summer as well, according to the disecretion of the applicant. Maintain a child-to-staff ratio of no more than 15:1. Not turn away a youth based on the inability of the youth’s family to afford any membership fees associated with program participation. A funded program may not charge a fee for programs without sufficient proof that a scholarship or tier-cost system is utilized to ensure equal access to all participants regardless of financial resources. Be monitored unannounced during the course of the program period, in order to ensure safety and programmatic/fiscal accountability. Attend specified trainings, as directed by the Erie County Youth Bureau. Complete and submit a New York State Annual Assessment (using the OCFS Program Annual Report form). This will be required 30 days upon completion of the program year. Complete and submit New York State Quality Youth Development System (QYDS) forms 5001, 5002, and 5003. Utilize Erie County Youth Bureau Youth Services Report Dashboard (YSRD) performance measurement system. Procure and maintain in force, for the duration of any contract, such insurance as is deemed appropriate by the Erie County Department of Social Services in types and in such amounts as are specified in the Erie County Standard Insurance Certificate, which shall be completed and signed by the Contractor’s insurance company prior to contract execution. Said certificate need not be submitted with the proposal but will be required prior to contract execution and payment for services. 8 Manage and retain a skilled and appropriately educated workforce. Maintain regular communication with ECDSS/Erie County Youth Board in a timely manner. Provide culturally appropriate services to individuals with special needs; i.e. disabilities, language and cultural barriers, etc., including language translation services, which can be included in budgeted direct operating costs. Adhere to documentation standards as set forth by Federal and State regulation, as well as ECDSS policies. Provide staff training and internal quality assurance audits on a regular basis Manage funds from a government funding source and maintain billing systems. Submit required data and abide by designated documentation regulations in a timely manner, as instructed, by County in order to claim reimbursement for services, including the OCFS Annual report complete with all associated outcomes as well as all other reports and forms. COMPENSATION The Unit of Service is defined as One Youth Particant. Reimbursements typically occur on a quarterly basis. Expense reports and backup documentation must accompany said reimbursement requests. Funding may provide general operating dollars to give programs flexibility to efficiently allocate resources for quality programming. Line-item budgets should focus on programming costs, including, but not limited to, the following: - Coaches/instructors/direct service staff/mentors (including training/professional development) - Equipment - Educational programming costs - Facility/field space cost - A maximum of 15% of program funds may be used to support administrative/overhead costs VENDOR EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS Provide structured sports activities for youth ages 6-17 Serve youth in New York State Demonstrate basic competence in the areas of governance, monitoring, evaluation, partnership, and financial stewardship Provide a Solution Focused Trauma Informed Care environment incorporating the five principles of collaboration, safety, trustworthiness, empowerment, and choice throughout services to promote resilience and healing. Ensure policies, practices, systems, and structures improve outcomes for everyone, prioritizing measurable change in the lives of people of color to eliminate racial disparities and promote racial equity. Demonstrate knowledge, experience and understanding of the needs, risks, challenges and opportunities faced by the target population, as well as demonstrate experience in effectively implementing programs that promote positive client outcomes. Have a child protection policy in place that includes adherence to local city, agency, school district, and state child protection guidelines. 9 PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND DATA COLLECTION Complete and submit New York State Quality Youth Development System (QYDS) forms 5001, 5002, and 5003 at the beginning of the program year. Agencies be required to report demographics and outcomes through QYDS. The Life Area and SOS selections that will be required in QYDS for YSEF are as follows: Life Area: 2PEH Physical and Emotional Health SOS: 0232 Year-Round/Seasonal Activities Performance measures: How Much: 0232A.1 – Number of youth participating (unduplicated) How Well: 0232B.4 – Percent of youth completing the program Better Off: 0232C.1 – Number and percent reporting they have improved their ability to socialize/interact with peers/family/other members of the community VI. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS UNDERSTANDINGS Please take notice, by submission of a proposal in response to this request for proposals, the Proposer agrees to and understands: that any proposal, attachments, additional information, etc. submitted pursuant to this Request for Proposals constitute merely a suggestion to negotiate with the County and is not a bid under Section 103 of the New York State General Municipal Law; submission of a proposal, attachments, and additional information shall not entitle the Proposer to enter into an agreement with the County for the required services; by submitting a proposal, the Proposer agrees and understands that the County is not obligated to respond to the proposal, nor is it legally bound in any manner whatsoever by submission of same; that any and all counter-proposals, negotiations or any communications received by a proposing entity, its officers, employees or agents from the County, its elected officials, officers, employees or agents, shall not be binding against the County, its elected officials, officers, employees or agents unless and until a formal written agreement for the services sought by this RFP is duly executed by both parties and approved by the Erie County Legislature and the Office of the Erie County Attorney. In addition to the foregoing, by submitting a proposal, the Proposer also understands and agrees that the County reserves the right, and may at its sole discretion, to exercise the following rights and options with respect to this Request for Proposals: To reject any or all proposals; To issue amendments to this RFP; To issue additional solicitations for proposals; To waive any irregularities or informalities in proposals received after notification to Proposers affected; To select any proposal as the basis for negotiations of a contract, and to negotiate with one or more of the Proposers for amendments or other modifications to their proposals; To conduct investigations with respect to the qualifications of each Proposer; To exercise its discretion and apply its judgment with respect to any aspect of this RFP, the evaluation of proposals, and the negotiations and award of any contract;