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Lodi Council approves RFP release for permanent Access Center operator, sets 5-year contract term
Summary
Council authorized release of a ~30-page RFP for an operator of the Lodi Access Center and emergency shelter, specifying a 60-bed low-barrier shelter (flex to 208), wraparound services, a five-year contract term, and a procurement timetable targeting operator start in spring 2026; council added a budget-line direction and approved the resolution unanimously.
The Lodi City Council on Oct. 1 authorized release of a request for proposals (RFP) to find an operator for the permanent Lodi Access Center and emergency shelter, approving service-level specifications and adding a budget-direction amendment to the RFP.
City staff summarized the roughly 30-page RFP as seeking a 24/7 low-barrier operator to run a facility with 60 fixed beds and flexible capacity up to 208, provide three meals daily, hygiene facilities, laundry, on-site case management, housing navigation, HMIS entry and monthly outcome reporting. Staff estimated utilities at about $7,500 per month (city to maintain utilities) and said a small solar system and energy-efficient appliances were included to reduce operating costs.
"We recommend adopting a resolution approving service level specification and authorize community development director to release an RFP for the Lodi Access Center and emergency shelter," the community development presenter said. The proposed contract term in the RFP is five years with an option to extend, subject to resource availability.
The evaluation committee will include San Joaquin County and regional city representatives, oversight and homelessness-committee members, and public-safety representation; pre-proposal questions are due Oct. 27, proposals are due Nov. 3, interviews are tentatively scheduled for December, and staff recommended a council award in January with operator onboarding targeted for April–June 2026 depending on facility completion.
Council members pressed for clarity on the recommended number of finalists to present, utility cost-sharing (county expected to cover 33% of utility costs when occupying its portion), workforce-training space status (county discussions ongoing), and budget offsets/donations that proposers might leverage. Staff said donors and in-kind supports historically reduced operating budgets by 10–15% in similar programs and agreed to add a neighborhood-cleanup line item to proposer budgets at council request.
Council moved, seconded and unanimously approved the resolution with the friendly amendment to include a specific budget direction in the RFP. The transcript records no roll-call vote tally; the motion passed by unanimous voice vote as recorded by the mayor.
Next steps: staff will release the RFP widely, hold a pre-proposal meeting Oct. 22, evaluate proposals, interview finalists and return to council with an award recommendation, including evaluation committee attendance at the award meeting.
