WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - The Wichita City Council has about two months to find a group to operate its winter shelter. That includes bringing the old Park Elementary School up to code and setting policy standards for people staying there. The City held an informational meeting Monday, fielding questions from interested groups. While the City has expectations and standards for its shelter, not everything is set in stone. Sally Stang, the director of housing and community services for Wichita, hosted a pre-proposal meeting on Monday afternoon. They fielded questions and requests from potential operators. "We're looking for 24/7, 365 shelter services," she said. About $600,000 in American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds have been set aside for shelter operations. The chosen operator will be required to provide a 25% solicitation match. County commission candidates talk housing, homelessness at WJC forum "If someone were to propose to use all $600,000 available, they would have to be bringing, you know, $150,000 to the project," Stang said. Before any proposal is approved, it will have to meet the city's zoning standards. Things like sprinklers in sleeping areas, security cameras and access control are all features Park currently lacks. Other standards include an age threshold of 18. However, some policies will be left up to the operator to decide. The City has no mandate on pet services, so veterinary care or kennels for residents' pets will be decided on by the operator. Among the potential operators, HumanKind Ministries has a history of operating the shelter. "I think the space at Park Elementary is an amazing space ... Being in the downtown port being accessible for the direct connect of collaborative services," Dawn Shepler, the president of HumanKind Ministries told KSN. She believes this cause is an extension of their mission and plans to apply to operate again this year. Applications for proposals are being accepted until October. Following that, they'll be brought to the City Council for a decision.