City of Salina — Answers to Submitted Questions
Homeless Strategic Plan RFP (cleaned Q&A)
Can you provide the City’s Consulting Services Contract (Section 4)?
The City attached its basic consulting services contract for vendors to review. The contract will be tailored to match the terms of the selected proposal.
How should the Kansas Open Records Act notice (Section 3) be provided?
A simple acknowledgement that you have reviewed the Kansas Open Records Act notice, included in a cover letter or other submission document, is sufficient. No specific form is required.
Does the City or Development Services Department use evaluators or evaluations currently?
The RFP expects a significant amount of data collection. The City participates in the Continuum of Care (CoC) at the local, regional and statewide level and is engaged with the Balance of State (BoS) Built For Zero (BFZ) initiative. The City expects to work with the selected consultant to evaluate BFZ/CoC data.
Is equity a priority and how should proposers address it?
Yes. The City values equitable programs and looks forward to recommendations from the selected proposal on strengthening an equity lens in the strategy process.
Does the City prefer a local consultant team?
There is no preference. The City has no local-hiring requirement; proposers may be local, regional, or national.
What is the expected mix of virtual vs. in-person work?
City staff are experienced with virtual collaboration, but some in-person meetings are expected. Each proposal should specify the number of virtual and in-person meetings required to deliver the stated scope.
Will the City handle engagement logistics or does the consultant need to?
It depends on the request. City staff will handle local logistics such as securing meeting locations. The selected consultant is expected to facilitate meetings, document results, create presentation materials, and perform comparable tasks.
Is an in-person presentation of the final deliverable required?
An in-person presentation of the final deliverable is highly preferred.
Who is the audience for the final deliverable?
The final audience will be the City Commission, the City Manager, and department heads. The deliverable should be a practical guide City leadership can use to implement a homeless response.
What is the projected budget and funding source?
The City did not provide a fixed budget. The priority is a proposal that clearly matches the City’s desired outcomes; once a proposal fits the scope, the City will align a budget accordingly. The City intends to fund this work from its operations and does not plan to use external funding for this contract.
Which tool or element of the RFP is most essential?
The City did not identify a single most-essential tool. The RFP details the City’s needs; proposers should address the full scope.
Does Salina have access to region-specific HMIS/CoC data and other data sources?
Salina is part of the BoS North Central Region. The Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition (KSHC) maintains CoC reports, including the 2025 PIT count and a 2024 GAP analysis (see https://kshomeless.com/about-ks-bos-coc/reports/). The City can work with the BoS CoC to obtain additional reports on request and can obtain ESG CAPER reports for local agencies.
What local data sources are available, and what is their quality?
The City can request reports from BoS CoC and cumulative data from agencies participating in ESG funding. Currently three of four local shelters participate in ESG funding; a local mental health center also participates.
Data quality: The City and local ESG-funded agencies have worked to improve data quality and completeness, but gaps remain.
Known limitations: There are likely gaps in data on unsheltered populations and their demographics, due in part to inconsistent outreach coverage.
What is the City’s relationship with providers and partners?
The City administers ESG grants as the sub-recipient and has worked closely with community agencies. The City has led the Saline County PIT count for three years, supported data collection through interns, and has staff actively involved with the local, regional, and BoS CoC. One City staff member serves on the BoS COC steering committee.
How deep should analysis of comparable communities go (McPherson, Manhattan, Pittsburg, Lawrence)?
The City does not require primary research. Relevant secondary research is acceptable.
Will the City provide access to HMIS and BoS CoC records for system mapping and needs assessment?
City staff do not directly enter clients into HMIS/CES, but staff are involved with the CoC and can work with CoC members and local agencies to obtain specific reports for the selected consultant. See answers to Q12–Q14.
Should the consultant establish new BFZ data structures (e.g., a By-Name List) or strengthen existing coordination?
The City wants to strengthen coordination with existing partners but is open to any new structures or suggestions recommended by the selected consultant.
How extensive should stakeholder engagement be?
The City anticipates whatever level of engagement the proposer recommends to meet the RFP objectives. Proposers may recommend multiple public forums, targeted focus groups (e.g., Central Kansas Mental Health Center, CKF, DVACK, Salina Housing Authority), or a smaller advisory approach as appropriate.
Does the City expect consultant involvement after delivery (early implementation support)?
The RFP scope does not include early implementation support. The City may consider implementation assistance at a later date; such services could be proposed separately.
Salina Seeks Strategic Plan to Make Homelessness “Rare, Brief, and Non-Reoccurring”
Salina, Kan. – The City of Salina has opened a formal bidding process to create a comprehensive Homelessness Strategic Plan, a document city officials say will provide a long-term roadmap for addressing housing insecurity, shelter needs, and support services in the community.
The request for proposals (Bid #2025-01), issued by the City’s Community and Development Services Department – Community Relations Division, sets an October 31, 2025, deadline for firms or individuals to submit bids electronically. The City expects to announce a contract award by December.
A Community at a Crossroads
City officials emphasized that the effort comes at a critical time. In January 2025, Salina participated in the federally required Point-in-Time Count, a one-day census of individuals experiencing homelessness. That count identified 158 homeless individuals within Salina’s city limits, including about 15 people sleeping outdoors or in places not meant for habitation. The figure is consistent with 2024’s count of 152.
Salina, the 10th largest city in Kansas with a population of roughly 46,000, sits at the crossroads of I-70 and I-135 and is one of the last major stops between Kansas City and Denver. Between Salina and Denver, there are no homeless shelters north of I-70—only domestic violence shelters—making Salina a critical hub for regional services.
Shelter Capacity and Limitations
Salina has three year-round shelters:
Salina Rescue Mission – A men’s-only facility with a capacity of 90 beds. During the January count, 81 beds were occupied.
Ashby House – A women’s and family shelter that has converted a single-family home into shared living spaces with 13 beds. Nine were occupied during the count. Ashby House also provides transitional and supportive housing for up to 17 additional residents, including women with children.
Domestic Violence Association of Central Kansas (DVACK) – Serving 10 counties, DVACK’s Salina shelter has 36 beds. Eight were occupied during the most recent count. DVACK shelters are limited to individuals fleeing domestic violence.
In addition, Salina operates a seasonal shelter. Salina Grace, open from November 15 to March 15, can serve up to 30 adults nightly. During the Point-in-Time Count, 27 beds were filled. Salina Grace also operates the Community Resource Center, which provides laundry, meals, showers, and access to services.
Housing Pressure
Salina’s housing needs extend beyond shelter beds. The Salina Housing Authority manages 553 rental assistance vouchers but reported long waiting lists: 350 families for Section 8 vouchers and 312 families for Project-Based Vouchers. On May 29, 2025, only 104 units were leased. Veterans’ housing remains limited, with just 18 of 30 VASH vouchers in use.
Mental health and addiction services further strain the system. Central Kansas Mental Health Center provides outreach and case management for homeless residents, while the Central Kansas Foundation, the local addiction treatment center, reported serving 2,456 patients in 2023, with 44 percent from Saline County. Its 32 inpatient beds, including 2–3 detox beds, are almost always full.
A Plan With Ambition
The RFP calls for a detailed, data-driven strategic plan with several objectives:
Needs Analysis – Evaluate Salina’s existing shelter, housing, and supportive services to identify gaps, from emergency outreach to permanent supportive housing.
Built for Zero Integration – Align Salina’s work with Kansas’ participation in the national Built for Zero initiative, which seeks to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring through high-quality data and system improvements.
Definition of Success – Establish short-term and long-term goals, performance measures, and benchmarks for reducing homelessness.
Implementation Framework – Create a practical plan for building partnerships, allocating resources, and pursuing funding.
The City is requiring that the plan include stakeholder interviews, including with government officials, nonprofit leaders, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and people with lived experience of homelessness. Consultants must also study comparable communities such as McPherson, Manhattan, Pittsburg, and Lawrence, identifying best practices and models that could be adapted to Salina.
Deliverables and Expectations
The selected consultant will be tasked with:
Facilitating planning meetings with community stakeholders.
Compiling a housing system analysis that maps the “housing ladder” from shelter to affordable homeownership.
Developing demographic profiles of homeless populations in Salina.
Highlighting systemic vulnerabilities and projecting future needs.
Producing a strategic implementation plan with recommendations for governance, cost estimates, funding sources, and outcome metrics.
The City hopes to have the final plan completed within nine to twelve months.
Timeline and Evaluation
Key deadlines include:
October 13, 2025 – Deadline for written questions.
October 20, 2025 – Responses to questions posted publicly.
October 31, 2025 – Proposal submission deadline.
November 1–28, 2025 – Proposal review and possible interviews.
December 2025 – Award announcementRequest for Proposals - Homeles….
Proposals will be judged on qualifications (30 percent), technical response (30 percent), cost (30 percent), and project schedule (10 percent). The City reserves the right to negotiate terms, reject proposals, or request best-and-final offers.
The winning consultant will be required to sign the City’s standard Consulting Services Contract, which includes insurance provisions and requires that all work produced become City property.
Looking Ahead
The City has framed the effort as a pivotal opportunity to align local services, strengthen data collection, and expand resources in a city that has seen consistent numbers of residents experiencing homelessness.
“The goal,” the RFP states, “is to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-reoccurring.”