These questions and answers apply to the RFQ issued on February 22, 2021. The deadline to submit statements of qualifications via email to pherdeg@cuyahogacounty.us is 8:30AM on Monday, March 1, 2021. Early submission by Friday, February 26, 2021 is recommended.

1. I would like to provide eligible housing stability services, but I don’t want to submit a Statement of Qualifications directly to Cuyahoga County. Can I negotiate with another nonprofit to be included in their submission as a subcontractor?
   
   Yes, any organization (non-profit or for-profit) may be included as a subcontractor in another nonprofit’s Statement of Qualifications, to provide any eligible services.
   
   
2. Can I submit a Statement of Qualifications directly to Cuyahoga County and also negotiate with another organization to be included in their submission as a subcontractor?
   
   Yes, any nonprofit organization may submit its own Statement of Qualifications and may also be included as a subcontractor in another nonprofit’s Statement of Qualifications.
   
   
3. Can two nonprofit organizations collaborate to provide services together?
   
   Yes, two nonprofit organizations can each submit their own Statement of Qualifications stating their plans to collaborate. Each will be reviewed separately for a possible award.
   
   As an alternative, one nonprofit may submit a Statement of Qualifications with a second nonprofit as its subcontractor, to be paid through the first nonprofit, if funds are awarded.
   
   
4. Does the 10% allowance for operating costs also include housing stability services?
   
   Yes, there is only one 10% allowance that must cover both operating costs and also housing stability services such as case management and legal assistance for tenants.
   
   
5. Can staff time to process applications be paid from the 90% for direct tenant assistance?
   
   No, 90% of the funds must be used for direct payments to landlords and/or utility companies (including internet service providers) on behalf of eligible tenants. The cost of staff time to process applications and issue payments is part of the 10% allowance for operating costs and housing stability services.
   
   
6. My organization is a for-profit business. Can I submit a Statement of Qualifications?
   
   No, since this is federal funding to be administered through subrecipients, awards can be made only to nonprofit organizations. A for-profit business can negotiate with a nonprofit to be included as subcontractor in the nonprofit’s Statement of Qualifications.
   
   
7. Is there a budget template for my submission?
   
   No, each nonprofit may format its proposed budget to best explain its plan for assistance. Please be sure the amount requested for operating costs and/or housing stability services is clearly stated and does not exceed 10% of the total amount requested.
   
   
8. I want to propose an innovative use of the funds to provide internet service to eligible tenants. For example, can I use these funds to pay directly for broadband infrastructure, and devices, in addition to monthly costs to provide internet services to eligible tenants?
   
   Federal guidance is not clear at this point. A nonprofit may submit a Statement of Qualifications for an innovative use of the funds. Review of such a submission may be delayed as Cuyahoga County seeks further legal and regulatory guidance on eligible uses. Cuyahoga County reserves the right to make multiple funding awards at different times.
   
   
9. Is the list of attendees of the February 23, 2021, pre-submission meeting available?
   
   Due to technical limits of the Microsoft Teams platform used for this meeting, only the names as stated by the attendees are available, not their organizational affiliations, and the list may not be complete. The following names were stated by meeting attendees: Paul Herdeg, Sara Parks Jackson, Prentis Jackson Jr., Emma Petrie-Barcelona, Jackie, Sue Marasco, Jennifer Griffin, Michael Doud, Colleen Cotter, Valerie Maczak, Michael Billnitzer, Sharon Parks, Monty D. Starks, Janice Brennan, Patricia M. Connelly, Kate Carden, Elaine Gimmel, Lisa M. Simmons, Tirhas Wubneh, Maxine Greene, Nina Parker, Laurie Leverette.
   
   
10. Is there a limit on the number of months of rental assistance that may be provided?
    
11. Is there a cap on the dollar amount of assistance that may be provided per household?
    
    A nonprofit may propose to provide up to the full amount of assistance allowed by the U.S. Treasury guidance, which allows for both back rent and ongoing rent assistance subject to proper verification of eligibility and need. Current U.S. Treasury guidance does not set a dollar limit on the amount of assistance per household. In its review and scoring of Statements of Qualifications, Cuyahoga County might award more rating points to a nonprofit whose plan of operation sets reasonable limits on assistance, in order to conserve funds and promote equity by ensuring that all eligible tenants can be served.
    
    
12. Will funds be advanced or will payments to nonprofits be reimbursement basis only?
    
    Financial capacity is an important rating factor in the review of statements of qualifications. A nonprofit may propose in its Statement of Qualifications to request periodic advances for assistance payments and actual operating costs, based on timely and verifiable information on its application “pipeline”. Nonprofits should include in their statements of qualifications their capacity to begin to provide services upon contracting, without waiting for the disbursement of an initial advance payment. Nonprofits are strongly encouraged to have financial arrangements in place to cover their operating costs for federally funded programs on a reimbursement basis.