Student Loan Counseling Service

The City of Philadelphia is seeking a qualified vendor to provide student loan counseling services to local residents. The agency aims to assist Philadelphia residents with direct and technical student debt management, helping them navigate complex post-secondary education debt issues. The selected vendor will receive referrals from the office of education and community partners to deliver no-cost, one-on-one counseling sessions. The scope of work requires the vendor to conduct initial counseling sessions that include a comprehensive assessment of the borrower's student loan situation to determine if immediate actions are necessary. Counselors must perform intake and triage to review loan types, balances, servicers, repayment status, and risks, while supporting the borrower in selecting the best repayment plan. The vendor must also refer clients to financial counseling services as needed, remain available for client check-ins during the contract term, and submit at least two client success stories to the Chief Executive Officer and the Mayor's Office of Education. To be eligible, the applicant must be an onshore, United States organization, and any nonprofit applicant must establish a relationship with a legal aid organization to receive ongoing advising and support on complex cases. The agency allows the performance of the work to be conducted offsite. The agency has not disclosed a specific budget and is looking for proposals to define the cost. The agency will hold a virtual pre-bid meeting on June 30, 2026. Bidders must submit all questions regarding the opportunity no later than July 13, 2026. The agency will evaluate the proposals based on the vendor's ability to achieve and report on outcomes such as student loan savings, loans successfully returned to good standing, and forgiveness applications submitted.