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Adopt a Resolution Awarding Operation of the Lodi Access Center and Emergency Shelter to the Council-Selected Operator, of Outreach Ministries International, Inc., Based on Ranking and Recommendation Provided by the Evaluation Committee, and Authorizing City Staff to Negotiate an Agreement and Return to City Council for Final Contract Approval (CD)
MEETING DATE:
January 27, 2026
PREPARED BY:
Jennifer Rhyne, Neighborhood Services Manager
recommendation
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt a resolution awarding operation of the Lodi Access Center and Emergency Shelter to the Council-Selected operator, of Outreach Ministries International, Inc., based on ranking and recommendation provided by the evaluation committee, and authorizing Staff to negotiate an agreement and return to City Council for final contract approval.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City of Lodi issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify a qualified nonprofit organization to operate the Lodi Access Center and Emergency Shelter, a 24/7 low-barrier facility intended to provide immediate access to shelter, navigation services, and connections to housing and supportive resources. On October 1, 2025, City Council approved the draft RFP and authorized its release. The RFP emphasized operational readiness, staffing capacity, fiscal responsibility, community engagement, and the ability to deliver comprehensive services in coordination with local and regional partners.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS:
The RFP process followed the timeline below:
• October 1, 2025 - Draft RFP approved by City Council and release authorized
• October 2, 2025 - RFP released
• October 22, 2025 - Virtual pre-proposal meeting
• November 3, 2025 - Proposals due
• November 4 - 17, 2025 - Eligibility determination
• December 2, 2025 - Evaluation Committee meeting to review and score eligible proposals
• December 10, 2025 - Evaluation Committee interviews of top three proposers and final recommendation based on combined scoring
PROPOSALS RECEIVED AND ELIGIBILITY REVIEW:
A total of five (5) proposals were received by the proposal deadline. However, one proposal was determined to be non-responsive because it was incomplete, missing required information necessary for evaluation. Written notification of the rejected proposal was immediately provided to the organization in accordance with the RFP requirements.
The remaining four (4) complete and responsive proposals were evaluated (listed in order of receipt):
• First Step Communities
• Five Keys
• Outreach Ministries International (OMI)
• The Salvation Army, Lodi Corps (TSA)
All four proposals were determined to be thorough, well-prepared, and responsive to the RFP requirements.
EVALUATION COMMITTEE:
Proposals Evaluation:
To ensure a fair and transparent review, proposals were evaluated by an independent evaluation committee composed of representatives from regional partners, public safety, homelessness advisory bodies, and local government:
• Virginia Carney, City of Tracy
• Lana Lozano, City of Stockton
• JP Doucette, Chamber of Commerce / Access Center Advisory Committee
• Janelle Frederiksen, San Joaquin County Behavioral Health
• Sergeant Ryan Holz, Lodi Police Department
• Lisa Hill, Chair, Lodi Committee on Homelessness
• Russ Hayward, Founding Member, Lodi Committee on Homelessness / Former Access Center Advisory Committee Member
Committee members independently reviewed and scored proposals using the approved evaluation criteria and participated in consensus discussions. Evaluation took a full day and was held on December 2, 2025, in person. Proposals were evaluated in the order received but organized in rank order in the table below.
Total Points Available: 700 (100 per evaluation committee member)
Interviews:
Based on written proposal scoring, the top three ranked proposers were advanced to the interview phase and First Step Communities was not advanced. Interviews were conducted on December 10, 2025, in random order selected by non-participating City Staff to ensure fairness.
Total Points Available: 240 (40 per evaluation committee member - total of 8 questions)
*Note: One evaluation committee member missed the interviews due to Illness, so will not be included in interview scoring, but did evaluate proposals received and help determine top 3 to be interviewed.
Ranking:
Final rankings and Evaluation Committee recommendation were determined by combining written proposal scores and interview scores.
EVALUATION OBSERVATIONS:
The evaluation process identified several distinguishing factors among the proposals:
• First Step Communities ranked fourth based on written proposal scoring and was not advanced to the interview phase in accordance with the RFP process. While the proposal was thorough and demonstrated relevant experience, it did not score as highly as the other proposers under the evaluation criteria and therefore was not among the top-ranked candidates invited to interview.
• The Salvation Army, Lodi Corps demonstrated strong organizational experience and submitted the lowest proposed cost per bed per night. However, the proposal ranked lower overall based on evaluation criteria related to staffing capacity, including lower proposed staffing levels and fewer on-site supervisors and managers. The Evaluation Committee identified these factors as concerns given the 24/7 operational and supervisory requirements of the Access Center.
• Five Keys presented a comprehensive and well-developed proposal and received the highest interview score among the interviewed proposers. The Evaluation Committee noted the organization’s experience operating similar facilities and overall program design as strengths. However, concerns were identified regarding the establishment of strong local relationships with Lodi-based service providers and clients, as well as the anticipated ramp-up period required to initiate operations in a new community.
• Outreach Ministries International demonstrated strong local experience and operational continuity as the current operator of the temporary Access Center. While their interview score was slightly lower than Five Keys, the Evaluation Committee identified their established local relationships and familiarity with operations as significant strengths. Concerns were noted regarding succession planning and leadership depth given the organization’s smaller size; however, these items were identified as appropriate to address through contract negotiations and a potential concern with any organization selected. Based on the combined proposal and interview scoring, Outreach Ministries International ranked first overall which determined them as the recommendation by the Evaluation Committee.
NEXT STEPS:
If City Council adopts the resolution, City staff will proceed with negotiations with selected operator. Negotiations will focus on finalizing operational details, performance measures, reporting requirements, staffing plans, and provisions related to organizational capacity, planning, and finalize services levels and budget terms.
Staff will return to City Council at a future meeting with the negotiated agreement for final review and approval prior to execution.
STRATEGIC VISION:
4C. Housing: Continued progress towards Regional Housing Needs Assessment goals.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no immediate fiscal impact associated with this action. Fiscal impacts related to operation of the Lodi Access Center and Emergency Shelter will be presented to City Council as part of the proposed agreement at a future date.
FUNDING AVAILABLE:
Current operations are supported with State, Local, Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF aka ARPA), Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention (HHAP) Grant, and the Permanent Local Housing Allocation (PLHA) Grant. Based on contract negotiations, current resources, and in progress applications/potential grant opportunities, Staff anticipate sufficient support for the first year of permanent operations. Should there not be sufficient grant funding to enter into the first year of the agreement, Staff will evaluate options and bring to City Council for consideration.