Section 50. Homeless intervention contracts

1. The commissioner shall,
  within the amounts appropriated therefor, select through  a  competitive
  request-for-proposal   process,  local  social  services  districts  and
  not-for-profit corporations serving homeless and at-risk  households  to
  provide  homelessness  intervention  services  to  homeless  and at-risk
  households. In order to ensure that contracts are awarded  and  services
  provided  in  geographic  areas  of  the  state  to homeless and at risk
  households in greatest need, and to maximize the effect of state  funds,
  the  commissioner  shall,  prior  to  entering  into  a contract with an
  eligible applicant pursuant to this  section,  consider  the  extent  to
  which  existing  homelessness intervention services are available in the
  local social services district and the extent to  which  these  services
  should be expanded.
    2.  The  commissioner  shall  require  eligible  applicants  to submit
  operating plans in order to receive funding pursuant  to  this  article.
  Such plans shall include:
    (a)  a  description  of  the  homeless  intervention  services  to  be
  provided, including  procedures  for  intake,  referral,  outreach,  the
  provision of services, follow-up and anticipated outcomes;
    (b)  the  specific population that will be served and how the services
  provided will address the population's special needs;
    (c) a description of the  manner  in  which  coordination  with  other
  federal,  state,  local  and privately funded services will be achieved;
  and
    (d) a description of how the  services  will  be  designed  to  assist
  households  transition from a reliance on outside interventions and move
  toward housing stability and economic self reliance.
    3. Prior to entering into a contract pursuant  to  this  section,  the
  commissioner  shall determine that the eligible applicant is a bona fide
  organization which shall have  demonstrated  by  its  past  and  current
  activities  that  it  has the ability to provide such services, that the
  organization is financially responsible and that the operating  plan  is
  appropriate for the needs of households to be served.