Title
Dept./ Agency: Administration/Office of Business Administrator
Action: (X) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Contract with Recipient
Purpose: To provide Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention in Youth Mentoring and/or Safe Passage.
Entity Name: Voices International Publications Incorporated
Entity Address: 196-03 Linden Blvd., St. Albans, NY 11412
Grant Amount: $75,000.00
Funding Source: 2026 Department of Administration / OVP Funds/Business Unit: NW011, Dept. 030, Div./Proj. 0312, Activity A, Account #96210, Budget Ref. B2026
Grant Period: Grant funds to be expended no later than November 30, 2026
Contract Basis: ( ) Bid ( ) State Vendor ( ) Prof. Ser. ( ) EUS
(X) Fair & Open ( ) No Reportable Contributions (X) RFP ( ) RFQ
( ) Private Sale (X) Grant ( ) Sub-recipient ( ) N/A
Additional Information:
This Resolution authorizes an Agreement for the provision of community-based violence intervention and prevention youth mentoring programs.
Date Advertised: June 24, 2025
Bids Downloaded: Sixty-Seven (67)
Bids Received: Thirty-One (31)
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WHEREAS, violence is recognized as a public health problem, and is the leading cause of death in the United States for people ages 15-34; they are often the victims of unintentional injury, suicide, and homicide, which more often than not are directly associated with firearms; and
WHEREAS, violence is preventable, and with supportive relationships, programs and resources violent behaviors can be diminished and cycles of violence disrupted; and
WHEREAS, many of the violence prevention entities in Newark, which were formed to provide supportive social service programs to stem the increase in violence and violent crimes, and have had to provide more services with less resources as a result of loss of funding; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the competitive contracting process of the State Local Public Contracts Law, as authorized by N.J.S.A. 40A:11-4.1b(2) (being the operation, management or administration of a social services program), and pursuant also to the fair and open process of State Pay-to-Play Law N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5, the City of Newark (“City”) publicly advertised a Request for Proposals (RFP), consistent with the City’s violence reduction initiative, for the provision of community-based violence intervention and prevention programs in the following category: Community Violence Intervention and Prevention, on June 24, 2025, with all proposals due on July 15, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the Municipal Council of the City of Newark (the “Municipal Council”) hereby ratifies the use of competitive contracting for processing these Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Programs from March 20, 2023 to the date of adoption of this Resolution and authorizes its use in the future; and
WHEREAS, the proposal received from Voices International Publications Incorporated, 196-03 Linden Blvd., St. Albans, NY 11412, hereinafter, “Recipient” was advantageous to the City, based on experience and all other criteria listed in the RFP; and
WHEREAS, the City received a total of thirty-one (31) proposals in response to its request with a due date of July 15, 2025; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to enter into an Agreement with the Recipient, for the purpose of providing Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention in Youth Mentoring, Junior Violence Interrupters track in partnership with New Direction, for the contract period March 1, 2026 to November 30, 2026, for a total contract amount of Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($75,000.00); and
WHEREAS, this Agreement is awarded to the Recipient, in compliance with Local Public Contracts Law, including but not limited to N.J.S.A. 40A:11-4.1(b)(2) and/or N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5; and
WHEREAS, the Municipal Council adopted the State of New Jersey Pay to Play statutory requirements pursuant to -N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.4 et seq., governing the eligibility for municipal contracts.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
1. The Mayor and/or his designee, and the Business Administrator, are hereby authorized to enter into and execute an Agreement with Voices International Publications Incorporated, 196-03 Linden Blvd., St. Albans, NY 11412 (“Recipient”), for the period March 1, 2026 to November 30, 2026, to provide Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention in Youth Mentoring, Junior Violence Interrupters track in partnership with New Direction, which is further described in the “Scope of Services” attached hereto as Exhibit A (“Agreement”).
2. This Agreement is hereby ratified from March 1, 2026 to the date of adoption of this authorizing resolution.
3. The total compensation to be paid pursuant to said Agreement is Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($75,000.00) and shall be paid from the Department of Administration Funding.
4. The Recipients shall use the funds they receive from the City’s Department of Administration Funds to provide greater social services impacting and critical for violence prevention.
5. The terms of this Agreement may only be waived or amended in writing and signed by the parties duly authorized to execute this Agreement, subject to the approval of the Municipal Council by resolution. The term of this Agreement may be extended for up to two (2) 6-month periods, subject to the availability of funds and authorization, is authorized by resolution of the Municipal Council including a finding that the services are being performed in an effective and efficient manner, and is in writing and signed by both parties.
6. The Municipal Council ratifies the use of competitive contracting for processing and awarding Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Programs from June 12, 2025 to the date of March 20, 2023.
7. This Agreement is being awarded pursuant to the fair and open procedures of the State Pay-to-Play Law, N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5, State Local Public Contracts Law, including but not limited to N.J.S.A. 40A:11-4.1(b)(2) and/or N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5.
8. Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:30-5.5, attached hereto is Comptroller’s partial certification of funds, which states that funds in the amount of Thirty-Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars and Zero Cents ($37,500.00), are available in the 2026 Budget under Business Unit: NW011, Dep. 030, Div./Proj. 0312, Activity A, Account #96210, Budget Ref. B2026 in the aforementioned Administration/ Office of the Business Administrator Department Budget. All Certifications of Funds shall be filed along with the original Resolution in the Office of the City Clerk.
9. There shall be no advance payments pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:5-16.
10. Recipient shall not receive any funding Recipient has no outstanding charges due to the City of Newark.
11. There shall be no amendments or changes to this Agreement without approval of the Municipal Council.
12. An executed copy of said Agreement, Partial Certification of Funds, and additional required documents, shall be filed with the Office of the City Clerk by the Business Administrator.
STATEMENT
This Resolution authorizes the Mayor and/or his designee, and the Business Administrator, to enter into an Agreement with Voices International Publications Incorporated, 196-03 Linden Blvd., St. Albans, NY 11412, using Department of Administration Funds, for the purpose of providing Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention in Youth Mentoring, Junior Violence Interrupters track in partnership with New Direction, for the period of March 1, 2026 to November 30, 2026, for a total contract amount of Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($75,000.00).