CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO
COMMUNITY SERVICES & RECREATION DIVISION
2415 UNIVERSITY AVE.
EAST PALO ALTO, CA 94303
To: Qualified & Interested Organizations that serve East Palo Alto residents From: Maurice Baker, Acting Community Services Manager
Date: Monday, January 9, 2023
Subject: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for 2023 Summer Park Activation & Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) Community Grants Introduction
The City of East Palo Alto invites qualified local business entities to apply for funding opportunities through the Community Services & Recreation division. For the 2023 calendar year. There will be one round of TOT funding and Summer Park Activation. Interested parties will only be able to apply for one prospective source. To submit a response for either funding source (TOT or Summer Park Activation), all proposals shall be to conduct programming beginning summer of 2023 (June 19, 2023). 2023 Park Activation Funding Availability: $150,000 (Max $16,000 per organization) 2023 Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT) Availability: $150,000 (Max $16,000 per organization) Each proposal must be submitted by a legal business entity that can effectively support the City’s efforts to conduct programming for Youth, Families, and/or Seniors.
TOT Small Grants Program: For the purposes of this grant, small grant is defined as a program run during the summer months that impacts YOUTH, FAMILIES, or SENIORS, in the East Palo Alto community. The program may continue through to the school year.
Applicants interested in TOT MUST attend ONE of TWO orientation times. Only one organizational representative is required to attend. Orientations will be held on:
Thursday, January 26, 2023
10:00am-12:00pm and 1:30pm-3:30pm
City of East Palo Alto City Hall
2415 University Avenue, Community Room, 1st Floor
East Palo Alto, CA 94303
The Pre-Submission Applicant Orientation:
• Describe the City of East Palo Alto’s TOT program and it’s requirements • Respond to questions from potential application
• Review the application process
Organizations that do not attend the orientation meeting will not be eligible to apply.
Applications are due ELECTRONICALLY by Friday, February 24, 2023, at 5:00pm.
Please email any questions to [email protected]
The award of a contract, and any allowed renewal or extension thereof, is subject to allocations made by the East Palo Alto City Council and subject to the availability of Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) funds. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE EAST PALO ALTO CITY
COUNCIL MAY PARTIALLY FUND ANY CONTRACT RESULTING FROM THIS SOLICITATION.
Contact Person for NOFA Logistics
Inquiries related to this Request for Proposals should be directed to:
Maurice Baker, Acting Community Services Manager
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (650) 853-3139
Purpose of this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)
The goal of Summer Park Activation and TOT grant funding is to support organizations from East Palo Alto and/or those that serve a majority of its residents. Park activation is primarily organized to provide programming in every City-owned/operated park & facilities in the City of East Palo Alto. The purpose in activating the parks is for residents to have access to FREE fun activities that promote wellness and healthy living for all. All programming should have a contingency plan for remote or fully distant activity; including a plan for in person activity.
The TOT grant was initiated in 1998 and amended in 2002 to support projects & programs that utilize funds and relationships to provide a continuum of services that deliver measurable and impactful outcomes toward the goal of serving Youth, Families, and Seniors in the East Palo Alto community. The Grant Program is competitive and encourages matching funds.
Key Items to Address in Response
To properly respond to the NOFA for 2023 Summer Park Activation or Transit Occupancy Tax (TOT), proposals should include a Scope of Work that details community outreach and engagement, a recreation program design, event operations plan, report and/or document preparation, and project management, including the submission below.
Applicants are encouraged to present a robust program for Youth & Families in their proposal. The proposal should clearly identify deliverables for each activity. Successful applicants shall have a thorough understanding of programming in East Palo Alto. Proven ability to reach the larger general community is a plus.
Project Management
Project Kick-off Meeting: Meet with the Community Services and Recreation staff to identify project milestones, refine the scope of work, confirm timeline, clarify specific rolesand responsibilities and identify project resources.
Project Management: Identify tools and methods that will be used to keep the projectmoving on time and within budget. Meetings with City staff throughout the project should be anticipated, including regular conference calls and in-person meetings at project milestones.
Community Outreach and Engagement Strategy
Community-at-large: Community engagement is a critical component of this planning process and will involve the community on many levels. Ongoing engagement will occur throughout the course of the project with the community-at large at workshops, community events and online.
The Grantee is required to recruit Youth & Families for their specific activities. A communityoutreach plan is required. If accepted, your contract terms will be contingent upon your participation rate.
Working with staff, the Grantee will identify a comprehensive strategy for community involvement that maximizes input from a variety of stakeholders.
Other duties will include preparation of meeting materials, meeting presentations, and summaries of each event/meeting/online activity.
Council Hearings: Develop and assist in presentations for recommendations to City Council onsummer programming. Assume to attend at least two City Council meetings.
Submission Requirements
The submittal shall be prepared in an 8 ½” by 11” format, limited to five (5) pages but no less than four (4) pages, not including brochures. Attachments, resumes, covers and dividers are not included in the page count. In addition, any information that needs to be returned should not be submitted. Grantees shall be required to procure insurance that meets the City’s minimum insurance requirements as set forth herein.
Any interested organizations will need to list activities and their plan for moving to a completely remote operation.
The Applicant is requested to include the following information in the proposal:
1. Cover Letter: State the organization/individual interest and commitment of personnel to conduct programming beginning June 2023. Identify and describe any distinguishing features orcapabilities that make your organization a superior choice to perform the work. The letter must be signed by the individual authorized to negotiate the Contract with the City. (1-2 pages maximum).
2. Approach and Understanding: Describe your understanding of program operations that you are requesting to implement along with a description of the process/approach to be used in community engagement and providing the service. Be sure to outline internal protocol for ensuring clear communication between the City and the Grantee. (1 page minimum).
3. Contingency Plan: To provide the best possible services for residents in the City, please include no less than one (1) page of your Operations plan as it pertains to a pandemic, not limited to Shelter in Place, Virtual operations, and Social Distancing protocols.
4. Work Plan & Schedule: Explain in detail a proposed programming schedule, including all anticipated tasks and deliverables to address the RFP scope of work. City staff will provide updates from California Department of Public Health as it relates to your programming. (1 page minimum)
5. Insurance: Certify that that the entity can and will meet the City’s minimum insurance requirements for the program period of March 2023-August 31, 2023.
6. Firm & Personnel Experience: State the qualifications and experience of the organization/individual(s). Emphasize specific qualifications and experience with engagements of similar scope and complexity.
7. Resumes: List and provide resumes for committed individuals who will be assigned to thesummer program.
Insurance Requirements
Prior to entering into contract with the City, respondent will provide evidence of:
Commercial General Insurance. GRANTEE, at its own cost and expense, shall maintain commercial general insurance for the term of this Agreement in an amount not less than ONEMILLION DOLLARS ($1,000,000.00) per occurrence, combined single limit coverage for risks associated with the work contemplated by this Agreement. If a Commercial General Liability Insurance or other form with a general aggregate limit is used, either the general aggregate limit shall apply separately to the work to be performed under this Agreement or the general aggregate limit shall be at least twice the required occurrence limit. Such coverage shall include but shall not be limited to, protection against claims arising from bodily and personal injury, including death resulting therefrom, and damage to property resulting from activities contemplated under this Agreement.
Automobile Insurance (Option 1). GRANTEE shall procure and maintain Automobile Liability Insurance as broad as Insurance Services Office Form Number CA 0001 covering Automobile Liability, Code 1 (any auto). Automobile Liability Insurance shall have minimum limits of no less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) per accident for bodily injury and property damage.
Automobile Insurance (Option 2). GRANTEE shall be required to procure Automobile Insurance only when vehicles are used in performing the Summer Program work. It is not required for simple commuting and GRANTEE is prohibited from transporting any program participants as part of the Summer Program work.
However, compliance with California law requiring auto liability insurance is a contractual requirement.
Workers’ Compensation. All California employers must provide workers’ compensation benefits to their employees under California Labor Code Section 3700.
California Labor Code Section 3351 defines who is an employee, and therefore who can be covered under a workers’ compensation policy. If a business employs one or more employees, then it must satisfy the requirement of the law. Grantees that are required to maintain insurance under California Labor Code Section 3700 shall procure workers’ compensation insurance, in statutory amounts, with Employer’s Liability with limits of not less than ONE MILLION DOLLARS($1,000,000.00) per occurrence. All Grantees shall be required to complete an East Palo Alto “Workers Compensation Certification” form.
Abuse and Molestation Liability Insurance. GRANTEE shall procure abuse and molestationliability insurance with limits of not less than ONE MILLION DOLLARS ($1,000,000.00) per occurrence.
Broader Insurance Coverage. If GRANTEE maintains broader coverage and/or higher limits than the CITY’s minimum requirements, the City shall be entitled to the broader coverage and/orthe higher limits available to the GRANTEE, including umbrella or excess insurance.
Additional Requirements. Except for Automobile Insurance, each of the following shall be included in the insurance coverage oradded as a certified endorsement to the policy:
The insurance shall cover on an occurrence or an accident basis, and not on a claims-madebasis.
Any failure of GRANTEE to comply with reporting provisions of the policy shall not affect coverage provided to CITY and its officers, employees, agents, and volunteers.
CITY and its officers, employees, agents, and volunteers shall be covered as additional insured’s with respect to each of the following: liability arising out of activities performed by or on behalfof GRANTEE; products and completed operations of GRANTEE, as applicable; premises owned, occupied, or used by GRANTEE. The coverage shall contain no special limitations on the scope of protection afforded to CITY or its officers, employees, agents, or volunteers.
A certified endorsement must be attached to all policies stating that coverage is primary insurance with respect to the CITY and its officers, officials, employees and volunteers, and thatno insurance or self-insurance maintained by the CITY shall be called upon to contribute to a loss.
Pre-Submittal Inquiries
Organizations interested in applying for Summer Park Activation funding are invited to attend a mandatory Informational Session on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 1:30 p.m. (Zoom Virtual Orientation) or 6:00 p.m at the City of East Palo Alto City Hall (2415 University Ave. East Palo Alto CA 94303), to review the funding requirements and have questions answered regarding the scope of work.
Programmers should bring those personnel who are needed to ascertain the scope of this project. City responses to questions will be made in the presence of all attendees.
Specific questions concerning Park Activation and/or TOT should be submitted via email to the Acting Community Services Manager (Project Manager), Maurice Baker at [email protected] before the date identified in NOFA Schedule. All vendors who have notified the City of their intent to respond to the NOFA will be provided, via email, with a copy of any question submitted and the answer given by the City per the NOFA Schedule.
City Council Consideration
City staff anticipates seeking City Council approval for contractual agreements with organizations individuals and firms to provide programming services described in this NOFA in February 2023. All funding recommendations will receive final approval or amendments from council.
Proposed Timeline, Submittal Requirements, and Due Date Event Date
Release of NOFA Monday, January 9, 2023
Mandatory Informational Session(s) Tuesday, January 17, 2023 Final Day to Submit Questions about NOFA Friday, January 27, 2023 Proposals Due Friday, February 3, 2023
Proposal Evaluation Completion Date Monday, February 13, 2023 Notice of Results (Projected) Monday, March 6, 2023
Contract Completion of Successful Candidates Monday, March 13, 2023 Submitted Requirements
Respondents must submit two (2) hard copies of each proposal submitted as well as an electronic version of each proposal via Dropbox
(https://www.dropbox.com/sh/60z8adb1hbj7qo4/AABtoyLybUq5d8ycOp26DGxZa?dl=0).
Due Date
Respondents must email an electronic copy of their proposal to [email protected] and submit two (2) hard copies of the proposal, postmarked by 5:00 PM on February 3, 2023 to the following address:
City of East Palo Alto
2415 University Ave. East Palo Alto, CA 94303
Attention: Maurice Baker, Acting Community Services Manager Other Notes
This NOFA does not commit or require the City to award a contract, to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal for this request, or to procure or contract for services. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals received as a result of this request, to negotiate with any qualified Applicant, or to modify or cancel in part or in its entirety the NOFA if itis in the best interest of the City to do so.
Furthermore, a contract award may not be made based solely on price.