Solicitation
of Project Proposals
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
Program
The City of Baton Rouge & Parish of East Baton
Rouge is soliciting proposals from non-profit organizations for funding of
activities under the Federal Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
Program. HOPWA funds are dedicated to provide housing assistance and related
supportive services for low-income persons with HIV/AIDS and their families.
HOPWA formula grants are available as part of the Consolidated Plan, which also
includes the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership
(HOME) and Emergency Shelter Grants Program.
HOPWA Program funds are granted: 1) by formula
allocations to States and metropolitan areas with the largest number of cases
and incidence of AIDS; and 2) by competitive selection of projects proposed by
State and local governments and non-profit organizations. The City Parish as a
unit of local government will award its allocation of HOPWA funds to eligible
non-profit organizations who satisfactorily provide evidence of the ability to
administer funds in accordance with local and federal guidelines.
Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for
participation as a Project Sponsor under the HOPWA Program must meet certain
eligibility requirements. To qualify for funding participation, a private
non-profit organization as defined by Program regulation must be one which can
document evidence of the following: 1) proof of an IRS ruling that grants tax
exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; 2) provide
documentation that shows that your organization satisfies the criteria in the
statutory definition of non- profit organization. The statutory definition of a
non-profit organization means any organization that meets the following: (i) is
organized under State or local laws; (ii) has no part of its net earnings
inuring to the benefit of any member, founder, contributor, or individual; (iii)
complies with standards of financial accountability acceptable to the Secretary;
and (iv) has among its purpose significant activities related to providing
services or housing to persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or
related diseases. HUD interprets the use of "related diseases" in this
definition to include HIV infection. Additionally the organization must practice
nondiscrimination in the provision of assistance, and have a functioning
accounting system. Interested organizations must also provide proof of financial
viability. While this is an "open" solicitation preference will be given to
projects that exhibit a collaborative effort among different service providers
with first priority given to existing service providers so long as it is
determined that they: a) are currently adequately administering their program;
and, b) are proposing to maintain or expand their yearly production.
Request for Proposal (RFP) packages may be obtained
by contacting the Office of Community Development, P. O. Box 1471, Baton Rouge,
LA 70821. RFP packages may also be requested by telephone to the Office of
Community Development at (225) 389-3039. Proposal packages may also be picked up
from the Office of Community Development at 300 Louisiana Avenue, 2nd Floor,
Baton Rouge, LA. No RFP packages will be issued by facsimile. Proposal materials
will be available to interested parties after 8 a.m. on Monday, March 24,
2003 No materials will be released prior to this date and time. The deadline
for submitting project proposals is 5 p.m., Monday, April 28, 2003. A
required pre-submission conference was held on Monday,
April 14, 2003 at 10:00 a.m at the Office of Community Development, located
at 300 Louisiana Avenue, Second Floor. Please note that: 1) Deadlines are firm.
2) Late proposals will not be accepted. 3) It is the sole
responsibility of the applicant to insure that the deadlines are met. 4)
Proposals delayed by the mail will be considered late and will not
be accepted. 5) Applications transmitted via fax will not be accepted.
No funding obligations shall be implied based on
the information in this solicitation of HOPWA project proposals. The City Parish
reserves the right to accept any proposal or reject any and all proposals on
such a basis as may be deemed to be in its best interest.
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