The City of Salina has formally opened the process of seeking a public entity, nonprofit organization or private company to manage and operate the Salina Animal Shelter.

The city issued a 21-page Request for Proposals on Friday, Aug. 7, seeking an outside operator to assume responsibility for the shelter on or before Jan. 1, 2027. Proposals are due by 2 p.m. Sept. 10.

The RFP represents a potentially significant change in how the city provides animal shelter services. The city would continue to own the shelter property at 329 N. Second Street, but the selected organization would be responsible for the comprehensive management and operation of the facility. The city says the shelter includes approximately 10,100 square feet of shelter space, a 630-square-foot surgery suite and outdoor dog exercise space. It handles an average of approximately 1,800 to 2,000 animals annually.

What the City is Asking an Operator to Do

Under the proposal, the outside organization would take responsibility for nearly every aspect of day-to-day shelter operations, including administration, animal care, staffing, veterinary coordination, recordkeeping, public services and regulatory compliance.

The city would remain responsible for major mechanical, electrical and plumbing repairs along with water, sewer, refuse collection, internet, telephone and fax services. The shelter operator would be responsible for electricity costs as well as routine repairs and regular maintenance.

Among the requirements, the operator would have to maintain public office hours for at least five days and 40 hours each week, including evening and weekend hours. It would also be required to maintain sufficient staffing, accept animals brought in by Salina Animal Control and generally accept animals surrendered by Salina residents. Exceptions would be permitted for animals requiring emergency veterinary treatment, animals posing an immediate infectious-disease threat or situations where shelter capacity creates a health or safety concern.

The operator would also be required to comply with court orders involving impounded animals, including euthanasia orders, collect shelter fees and maintain financial records that could be inspected or audited by the city.

Annual reports to the city would have to include financial information, animal intake and placement numbers, average length of stay, euthanasia rates and other operational information. The city and operator would meet quarterly during the first year of the contract and at least twice annually in subsequent years.

What Happens to Current Shelter Employees?

One provision specifically addresses existing city shelter employees.

Under the proposed arrangement, all shelter employees would be employed by the new shelter operator rather than the City of Salina. However, the RFP states that the operator is encouraged to consider current Salina Animal Shelter employees for employment.

The successful organization must also submit a transition plan showing how it would reach full management and operation of the shelter by Jan. 1.

Animal Care and Veterinary Requirements

The contractor would be responsible for food, water, shelter, exercise, cleaning and veterinary services, including emergency veterinary treatment.

Veterinary responsibilities specifically include examinations of sick or injured animals, disease-control procedures, laboratory services, vaccinations, necessary surgeries and euthanasia when necessary.

The operator would also have to document incidents involving animal bites, animal mishandling and staff, volunteer or public safety concerns. Animal records must be maintained through a data-management system capable of providing reports to the city.

For adoptable animals, the city is asking the operator to provide daily exercise and socialization, evaluate animals for adoption, foster care and volunteer interaction, maintain a volunteer program and pursue multiple adoption and transfer opportunities.

Euthanasia, Overcrowding and Long-Stay Animals

The RFP asks applicants to explain how they would prevent overcrowding and manage animals that remain in the shelter for extended periods.

Applicants must also describe their process for evaluating animals for behavioral concerns involving public safety, explain their euthanasia procedures and provide an anticipated euthanasia rate.

The document does not establish a specific euthanasia-rate target.

City Wants Detailed Background Checks on Applicants

The RFP goes considerably beyond asking organizations for a price.

Applicants must provide at least three references and disclose any current, pending or past litigation involving their organization during the previous 10 years. They must also disclose previous incidents involving someone being injured by an animal and describe their experience working with animal-control and public-sector agencies.

Applicants are also required to provide veterinarian protocols and either an existing contract with a Kansas-licensed veterinarian or a detailed plan for obtaining veterinary services.

What Will It Cost?

There is no predetermined contract price listed in the RFP.

Instead, each organization must submit a three-year budget proposal and fee schedule, along with a detailed first-year budget showing staffing, contractor, volunteer and other operating costs. Applicants must identify additional anticipated funding sources as well.

They must also break down fixed and variable expenses by month, explain how variable charges are calculated, provide a per-animal cost methodology and explain how future-year cost increases would be determined.

That means the eventual proposals should provide the City Commission and public with a fairly detailed picture of what outside operation of the shelter would cost, rather than simply providing one annual contract number.

How Proposals Will Be Scored

The city will evaluate proposals on a 100-point system:

Services: 30 points
Background and experience: 25 points
Staffing: 10 points
Budget proposal: 20 points
Budget and cost methodology: 15 points

Price therefore accounts for a significant portion of the evaluation, but it is not the majority of the score. Services and experience together account for 55 of the available 100 points.

The city may interview finalists, although it reserves the right to select a contractor based solely on the written proposals. It can also reject a proposal if an organization cannot demonstrate adequate experience, facilities, finances or staffing.

Importantly, the city explicitly reserves the right to reject the lowest-priced proposal and instead select the organization it determines best meets the city's overall needs.

Proposed Contract Length

The initial contract is expected to run for one year with two additional one-year renewal options if both sides agree. The city says it may consider longer initial or extended contract terms depending on the proposals submitted.

What Happens Next

Organizations interested in operating the shelter must submit one electronic copy on a flash drive and three printed copies of their proposal to the City Clerk's Office.

Questions about the RFP must be submitted by email to Deputy City Manager Shawn Henessee by 5 p.m. Sept. 8. Proposals are due at 2 p.m. Sept. 10, and the city states that deadline extensions will not be granted.

The selected organization is expected to take over shelter operations no later than Jan. 1, 2027.