Whatcom County Health and Community Services (WCHCS) seeks to contract with qualified providers for safe operation in Bellingham of either, (1) a severe weather shelter offering overnight stay(s) when winter temperatures and weather conditions reach levels that would become exceptionally hazardous as determined by WCHCS (“Severe Weather Shelter”) or (2) an ongoing nightly winter shelter operating throughout the winter months (“Seasonal Winter Shelter”). A provider that can offer a facility and/or serve as an operator is welcomed. The RFP is intended for applicants with the necessary capacity, expertise, and experience to safely and successfully operate a nighttime, seasonal, and/or severe weather shelter intervention to individuals who would otherwise be unsheltered overnight. In the event an operator does not have the capacity to operate both programs, applicants should identify which program (Severe Weather Shelter or Winter Shelter) you would prefer to administer. Hybrid models that operate seasonally but have ability to expand during periods of inclement weather may also be proposed and explained. The ideal provider would possess the skills and experience in resource and referral services, behavioral health expertise, drop in shelter operations, volunteer coordination and staffing, and logistical management of the site(s) and vendors necessary to maintain a safe environment without creating obstructive barriers to entry for adults seeking shelter. Operators who have experience in some, but not all, of these tasks are encouraged to send applications that detail which components of shelter operation they are capable of, and in which areas they will need assistance. Consideration will be given to operators or hosted that can provide key services in shelter operators.
