This Request for Proposals (“RFP”) notifies organizations that the City of Philadelphia (“City”), by the Office of Innovation and Technology (“OIT”) on behalf of Managing Director’s Office (MDO), is seeking eligible applicants (“Applicants”) to develop an anti-violence hotline (“hotline”) that serves as a clearinghouse for information about anti-violence programs and guides Philadelphians directly affected by violence to available and appropriate resources. The hotline would operate as a pilot for twelve months.
Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference:
Date: Wednesday, October 6th, 2021
Time: 11:00AM (Philadelphia, PA local time)
Location: Zoom (Click here for Zoom link and dial-in information)
In 2020, Philadelphia lost 447 people to gun violence—the most gun related homicides in 30 years. Philadelphia is facing a growing public health crisis that is claiming a generation of young people—last year, homicide was the leading cause of death for Black men ages 15 to 43 and Latino men ages 15 to 31.
We also know a small number of individuals contribute to most gun crimes. Two percent (2%) of known individuals continue to be perpetrators of 80% of gun crimes in Philadelphia’s violence hotspots.1 The Philadelphia Roadmap for Safer Communities plan is focused on key interventions that address the most at-risk individuals, as well as prevention measures in neighborhoods most deeply impacted. MDO seeks to use the hotline to better amplify the impact of existing resources.
We are also mindful that structural racism and inequality are at the root of gun violence. Unemployment, poverty, under resourced schools, and lack of educational attainment remain drivers of violence. In addition to targeted interventions, we must continue to harness the City’s large-scale investments in education and health, and stay committed to reducing unnecessary and disproportionate contact with the justice system and incarceration for Black and Brown Philadelphians to address the root causes of gun violence. This is how to prevent further violence.
We must deepen our sharp, coordinated focus on interventions with individuals and specific city blocks most vulnerable to gun violence. Achieving and sustaining a reduction in gun violence and improving the quality of life in affected communities means bringing together diverse stakeholders who work in a myriad of social service areas, but who might view violence prevention as an indirect byproduct of their work. By collectively working to expand the use of proven solutions to the most severe problems, we are helping Philadelphia’s youth, families, and communities even more.
Better opportunities and social services for individuals who are highly at risk, as well as quality of life supports for communities struggling due to high rates of gun violence, is critical to addressing issues related to gun violence. Simplifying access to these supports will be critical to ensuring that individuals and communities can get the resources they need when they will have the greatest impact. That is why the Managing Director's Office seeks to establish an anti-violence hotline to help to reach people at scale and when they need it.
This Request for Proposals provides an overview of the project objectives, the scope of the work, the project deliverables, and the project timeline. It also includes information on the proposal submission requirements and the contractor selection process.
