June 13th, 2022
The county is soliciting respondents who will use federal American Rescue Plan Act funding to affect positive change in our community in high-priority areas.
Bring Monroe Back / ARPA Information
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello today announced that the county has issued a Request for Proposals in connection with federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding opportunities. The county is seeking respondents who will use ARPA funding to affect positive change in the community in three high-priority areas: workforce development and economic recovery; public health and public safety; and infrastructure and sustainability.
“In multiple outreach sessions, the residents of Monroe County told us how to prioritize the $144 million in ARPA dollars aimed at helping our community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and we listened,” said County Executive Bello. “These critical dollars will fund our priorities and help us lay the foundation for a long-term, collaborative recovery that makes deliberate, thoughtful investments in our community and inspires transformative change.”
ARPA was signed into law on March 11, 2021 and allocated $1.9 trillion in federal emergency relief and recovery funds, of which $350 billion was designated to support state, local, territorial and Tribal governments. Through the efforts of Congressman Joseph D. Morelle, and Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Monroe County is the recipient of $144,080,127 in local fiscal recovery funds.
“I was proud to deliver federal funding from the American Rescue Plan to support the essential programs and services local government provides for our families,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “I’m grateful to County Executive Bello for his partnership, steadfast leadership, and commitment to hearing directly from the community throughout this process. Together, we’ll continue working to ensure Monroe County recovers from the COVID-19 crisis stronger than ever.”
“As lead negotiator of the American Rescue Plan Act, I was proud to have delivered over $144 million to Monroe County to lift up residents, institutions, small businesses, and more to not only recover but to build for the future,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. “I applaud County Executive Bello for putting these funds to good use by advancing projects focused on economic recovery, public health, and infrastructure. This will ensure that these
funds directly impact county residents in substantial ways now while making lasting investments in the years to come.”
“I’m proud to have worked to pass the American Rescue Plan, which provided millions in federal funding for Monroe County,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. “After visiting
Rochester to announce the kickoff of the North Star Coalition last November, I’m excited to see Monroe County take steps to ensure that the allocation of these funds is a communitydriven process and that resources go directly to those who need them most.”
County Executive Bello’s Bring Monroe Back recovery initiative to use these ARPA funds builds on a dozen community and government-led plans, assessments and reports that have already engaged citizens, business owners and experts in their field. Using those reports, the county identified six focus areas where funding would be invested: Public Safety, Public Health and Wellness, Economic Recovery, Workforce Development, Infrastructure Improvements and Sustainability. A communitywide survey, testimony from community organizations and three in-person community forums and one virtual public forum were used to help the Department of Planning refine a strategic vision for investing the ARPA funding.
Prospective respondents to the county’s ARPA-related RFP must offer a proposal that will meet the scope of services, qualifications and general description of work activities identified in the request. The county’s objective is to enter into a one-year agreement with the option to renew for three additional one-year terms, pending approval from the Monroe County Legislature. It is the county’s intention for the grant contracts to commence on or about January 1, 2023.
The request for proposals can be viewed via https://contracts.monroecounty.gov/bid/list/rfps.
The county shall only consider proposals that have a budget of at least $100,000 per year, for up to four years and at least $400,000 for the entire project.
A virtual Q&A session for interested respondents was held on June 10. A recording of the session is available here: www.monroecounty.gov/bringmonroeback. Proposals and all applicable forms must be submitted electronically on or before 5:00 PM ET on July 29, 2022.
