STATE OF OHIO

DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

RFQ NUMBER: DCY-C-2627-0138Q

The Department of Children and Youth (DCY), is issuing the following Request for Qualifications (RFQ):

Responsible Fatherhood Initiative – Evaluator RFQ

Proposals received after the due date and time will not be evaluated.

Section 1 - Overview

A. Definitions in this RFQ

The following definitions apply to the RFQ and Contract.

Agency or DCY: Ohio Department of Children and Youth.

Contract: The contract resulting from this RFQ.

Contractor: The selected Offeror.

DAS: Ohio Department of Administrative Services.

Deliverable: Any Contractor-provided products, supplies, services, or work described in the specifications of the Contract.

Grantee: The selected Applicants from the RFI Grant.

Offeror: A supplier submitting a Proposal in response to this RFQ.

Proposal: Documents submitted by Offerors in response to this RFQ.

State: State of Ohio.

Work: The scope of work described in this RFQ.

B. Term of Contract

Once awarded, the term of the Contract will be as set forth in Part 6, Contract. The State may solely renew this Contract at its discretion for a period of one month. Any further renewals will be by mutual agreement between the Contractor and the State as set forth in Part 6. Each renewal is subject to and contingent upon the discretionary decision of the Ohio General Assembly to appropriate funds for this Contract in each new biennium. The State may renew all or part of this Contract subject to the satisfactory performance of the Contractor and the needs of the Agency.

C. Purpose and Background

The purpose of this RFQ is to solicit proposals for DCY, through the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood, to evaluate the Responsible Fatherhood Initiative (RFI). The RFI aims to strengthen father engagement across Ohio by providing fathers with resources, support, and encouragement to enhance their parenting role. Initiative activities include a statewide media campaign and locally delivered services in participating counties. The selected Contractor will assess the effectiveness and sustainability of the RFI and the performance of the five grantees operating in 12 Ohio counties.

This RFQ is being issued pursuant to Ohio House Bill 96 and Ohio Revised Code (R.C.) 5180.706. As part of the RFI, DCY is supporting the evaluation of fatherhood services delivered across these counties. The overarching objective of this initiative is to improve outcomes for children and families by equipping fathers with the tools, resources, and support necessary to build stable, positive relationships with their children. The Contractor will be expected to analyze available program data and provide insight that supports or refines county-level program strategies.

Section 2 – Evaluation Process and Evaluation Metrics

A. Evaluation of Proposals Generally

To maintain fairness in the evaluation process, the State will obtain all information sought in a manner such that no Offeror is provided an unfair competitive advantage.

1. Determination of Responsibility

The State will review the highest-ranking Offeror and proposed subcontractors to ensure that the Offeror is responsible prior to Contract award. The State may reject any Proposal if an Offeror or a subcontractor is determined not to be responsible. The State’s determination of an Offeror’s responsibility may include the following factors: (i) experience, (ii) financial condition, (iii) facilities, (iv) past conduct and performance on previous contracts, (v) ability to execute the Contract properly, (vi) management skills, and (vii) information security assurances. The State will make such determination of responsibility based on the Proposal, reference evaluations, and any other information the State requests or determines is relevant.

2. Waiver of Defects

The State may waive any defects in any Proposal or errors in the submission process by an Offeror, but the State will only do so when it is in the State's interest and will not cause any material unfairness to another Offeror.

3. Clarifications, Corrections, and Changes

During the evaluation process, the State maintains discretion to request clarifications from any Offeror or give any Offeror the opportunity to correct defects in its Proposal if doing so would not result in an unfair advantage for any Offeror. The State may reject any clarification that is non-responsive or broader in scope than what the State requested. If the State rejects the clarification, or if the Offeror fails to respond to the request for clarification, the State may request additional clarification, consider the Proposal without the clarification, or disqualify the Proposal.

After the Proposal due date, the State may change the requirements or terms and conditions of this RFQ and request updated Proposals from those Offerors whose Proposals are under active consideration. In such cases, the State will permit Offerors to withdraw their Proposals if they are unable to meet the changed requirements or terms and conditions.

B. Mandatory Requirement Evaluation

The Offeror must demonstrate that it meets the Mandatory Requirement listed in the Mandatory Requirement table. A Proposal meeting the Mandatory Requirement may be included in the next part of the evaluation phase as described herein.

The State will evaluate the Mandatory Requirement to determine whether the Proposal meets the Mandatory Requirement. If the information contained in the Proposal does not clearly meet the Mandatory Requirement, the Proposal may be disqualified without further evaluation.

Mandatory Requirement must be met by the Offeror, itself. The Offeror’s subcontractors will not be accepted.

1. Mandatory Requirement

The table below lists this RFQ’s Mandatory Requirement. A Proposal meeting the Mandatory Requirement may be included in the next phase of the evaluation process.

MANDATORY REQUIREMENT

Reject

1. The Offeror must have a minimum of three years of experience evaluating State programs involving fatherhood engagement, parenting, family services, or other participant‑focused community programs.

C. Scoring

1. Work Plan Scoring

The Scoring Scale table below will be used to rate each Proposal on the technical metrics listed in the Work Plan Evaluation table, also below. Numerical values are defined as follows:

SCORING SCALE

Numerical Rating

· Response contains many significant strengths and few minor weaknesses, if any.

· There is very little risk that the Offeror would fail to satisfy the requirement(s).

· Response contains many strengths that outweigh the weaknesses. Weaknesses, if any, are very minor and can be readily corrected.

· There is little risk that the Offeror would fail to satisfy the requirement(s).

· Response contains strengths that are balanced by the weaknesses. Weaknesses are minor and can be corrected.

· There is some probability of risk that the Offeror may fail to satisfy some of the requirement(s).

· Response contains weaknesses that are not offset by strengths. There are significant weaknesses and very few strengths.

· There are questions about the likelihood of success and there is a risk that the Offeror may fail to satisfy the requirement(s).

· Response contains many significant weaknesses and very minor strengths, if any.

· There is not a reasonable likelihood of success and a high risk that the Offeror would fail to satisfy the requirement(s).

· Response is devoid of strengths.

· Response has an unacceptable level of risk that the Offeror will fail to satisfy the requirement(s).

WORK PLAN EVALUATION

Metric

(0-5) Raw Score

Offeror Profile

1. Describe organizational experience delivering evaluation services relevant to fatherhood engagement, parenting, family services, or other participant‑focused community programs. The description must demonstrate the Offeror’s history and capability in conducting formal evaluation activities similar to the objectives outlined in this RFQ.

2. Identify a Project Manager, by name and position, and describe relevant experience leading similar evaluation projects. The Project Manager must demonstrate capacity to oversee Evaluation Plan development, coordinate multi‑county data collection, and manage contract deliverables.

3. Describe the number and administrative structure of employees dedicated to this project, including roles and responsibilities of key evaluation, data‑analysis, and project‑management personnel, as well as any subject matter experts or subcontractors.

Work Plan Narrative

The Offeror, with the highest raw score for the Work Plan, will receive 400 points. The remaining Offerors that are not otherwise disqualified will receive a percentage of the maximum points available based upon the following formula:

Work Plan Score = (Offeror’s Work Plan points / highest Work Plan points) x 400

2. Cost Evaluation

Before review of the Work Plans or at any time during the evaluation process, the State may review the cost proposals to determine whether any Proposals should be rejected because of excessive cost. After evaluating the Work Plans, or after any interviews, presentations, and demonstrations have occurred, the State may consider the costs of one or more of the higher-ranking Proposals.

a. Cost Proposal Scoring

The Offeror with the lowest proposed cost will receive 100 points. The remaining Offerors will receive a percentage of the maximum cost points available based upon the following formula:

Cost Score = (lowest proposed cost / Offeror’s proposed cost) x 100

3.Final Scoring

The Offeror with the highest total score will be recommended for the next phase of the evaluation process.

Technical Score + Cost Score = Total Score

D. Preferences

The State will apply all preferences pursuant to Ohio Administrative Code 123:5-1-06.

Following the initial evaluation and scoring, all Proposals will be considered for preferences. Preferences will be calculated at a rate of five percent (5%) for the first preference and two percent (2%) each for the second and third preferences. The preferences shall be combined and applied as a total percentage of the original Proposal to determine the score for evaluation purposes.

Preferences will only be applied if there is at least one Offeror that does not qualify for that particular preference. For purposes of qualifying for a preference, an Offeror failing to complete the certification for each preference will be deemed as not qualifying for that preference.

(a) For the Buy American preference, if any Offeror offers a product that is not a domestic source end product, the State will add the applicable percentage of the total available points to the total score of each Offeror offering a domestic source end product.

(b) For the Buy Ohio preference, if any Offeror is a Buy Ohio Offeror claiming the preference, the State will add the applicable percentage of the total available points to each Buy Ohio Offeror’s total score.

(c) If claiming the preferences in (a) and (b) based on the product(s) offered, an Offeror is only eligible to receive the preference if the cost of the product(s) offered exceeds 50% of the total offered cost for products and services. A Buy Ohio Offeror is also eligible to receive the Buy Ohio preference based on its significant economic presence in Ohio or a border state.

(d) For the Veteran-Friendly Business preference, the State will add the applicable percentage of the total available points to any certified veteran-friendly business Offeror’s total score.

Section 3 – Instructions to Offeror

A. Introduction to General Instructions

The following sections provide details on how to get more information about this RFQ and how to respond to this RFQ. All responses must be complete and in the prescribed format.

B. Inquiries

Offerors may not contact the State directly at any time during the solicitation process, however Offerors may make inquiries regarding this RFQ any time during the inquiry period listed in OhioBuys.

To make an inquiry, Offerors must login to OhioBuys, navigate to the solicitation, open the Inquiry tab and submit their inquiry. Offerors will not receive a personalized e-mail response to their question, nor will they receive notification when the question has been answered. Offerors may view inquiries and responses on the OhioBuys Public Solicitations page by opening the Solicitation Overview and navigating to the inquiries section of that page.

The State will attempt to respond to all inquiries within three business days of receipt, excluding State holidays. The State will not respond to any inquiries received after 8:00 a.m. on the inquiry end date listed in OhioBuys. The State will use its discretion in deciding whether to provide responses as part of this RFQ process. Responses to inquiries are not considered changes to the RFQ.

C. Restrictions on Communication

Other than the communication options described in this RFQ, Offerors must not make unsolicited contact with any elected official or office of the State, any staff member of DAS or the Agency, or any agent or representative of DAS or the Agency, regarding this RFQ. Offerors must not represent themselves to anyone as having the endorsement of the Agency or the State, nor as the Agency’s next supplier of the Work. For contractors currently doing business with the Agency, any communication regarding this RFQ is prohibited except as provided for in this RFQ. Any such unauthorized contact may result in an Offeror being disqualified from further consideration under this RFQ. The State will not discuss the particulars of this RFQ process with external parties.

D. Proposal Format

1. These instructions describe the required format for a responsive Proposal.

Each Proposal must include sufficient data to allow the State to verify the total cost for the Work and all of the Offeror's claims of meeting the RFP's requirements. Each Proposal must respond to every request for information in this RFP, whether the request requires a simple "yes" or "no" or requires a detailed explanation. Simply repeating the RFP's requirement and agreeing to comply may be an unacceptable response and may cause the Proposal to be rejected.

Proposals should use a consistent contrasting font and color so that the responses are readily distinguishable to the State; using the color blue to provide responses is suggested to contrast with the black text of this document. Formats are acceptable that use different typefaces, styles, or shaded backgrounds, so long as the use of these formats is consistent throughout the Offeror’s Proposal and readily distinguishable from the original RFP. Below is an example of the required format for responding to the RFP requirements. Alterations to the State-provided RFP language are strictly prohibited. The State will electronically compare Offeror Proposals to the posted RFP, and deviations or alterations to the State’s RFP requirements may result in a rejection of the Proposal.

Illustrative Example: Customers Served in the Widget Space

Instructions: The Offeror is to describe the customers (i.e., companies, agencies, entities, etc.) served in the Widget domain and the nature of the services provided, as well as the duration of the service.

Offeror Response: The Acme Corporation has been in business for over 20 years. Acme is a leading supplier of Widget and Widget-based services with clients in a variety of sectors, including public (23 states) and private (125 companies).

Offerors are advised to limit Offeror marketing statements and pre-printed technical inserts to the area(s) of the Proposal applicable to those statement(s) and not include duplicative or otherwise repetitive statements throughout its Proposal.

Any additional links or documents incorporated by reference by the Offeror will not become part of the Contract unless expressly accepted by the State.

2. Technical Proposal: The Offeror’s Work Plan must be submitted in Microsoft Word®, if possible (certain forms may be submitted as PDFs), through OhioBuys and as instructed in the technical questionnaire in OhioBuys. The Work Plan shall consist of all questionnaire responses and documents submitted in response to this RFQ excluding the cost proposal. All Work Plan documents must be submitted in the order listed below.

3. Cost Proposal: The Offeror’s cost proposal must be submitted through OhioBuys as instructed in the cost questionnaire in OhioBuys. The cost proposal shall consist of a separate cost section as described below and in the required format.

E. Proposal Submittal

Each Offeror must submit a Work Plan and a cost proposal as separate sections of its Proposal before the Proposal due date and time and pursuant to the instructions in this section. Proposals, including all components of the Proposals, must not be password protected or the State may reject any such Proposals.

Offerors must submit their Proposals electronically in OhioBuys before the noted time on the Proposal due date. Paper submissions will be destroyed and will not be considered. OhioBuys will not allow submission or modification to a submission after the deadline. An Offeror submitting an electronic Proposal must allow for adequate time for uploading a Proposal prior to the due date and time. Technical difficulties experienced by the Offeror will not be an exception.

Each Offeror must carefully review the requirements of this RFQ and the contents of its Proposal. Once opened, Proposals cannot be altered or withdrawn, except as allowed by this RFQ.

The State may reject any Proposal if the Offeror takes exception to the terms and conditions of this RFQ, includes unacceptable assumptions or conditions in its Proposal, fails to comply with the procedure for participating in the RFQ process, or fails to meet any requirement of this RFQ. The State also may reject any Proposal it believes is not in its interest to accept, cancel this RFQ, or decide not to award a Contract to any or all of the Offerors responding to this RFQ.

All Proposals and other material that Offerors submit will become the property of the State and may be returned only at the State's option. All Proposals will be open to the public after the State has awarded the Contract. The State will retain all Proposals, or a copy of them, as part of the Contract file for at least six years. After the six-year retention period, the State may dispose of the Proposals and any copies of them.

The State is not responsible for any costs an Offeror incurs in responding to this RFQ or from participating in the evaluation process or negotiations process (if any), regardless of whether the State awards the Contract through this process, decides not to go forward with the Contract award, cancels this RFQ for any reason, or contracts for the Work through some other process or through another RFQ.

F. Requests for Revisions or Additions to the RFQ

Offerors are required to comply with all of the terms and conditions of the RFQ regardless of any statement or omission in the Proposal that might indicate an Offeror’s contrary intention. DCY will not agree to any additional or inconsistent terms or conditions proposed by the Offeror. The terms and conditions of the RFQ prevail over any inconsistent or additional terms or conditions in the Proposal proposed by the Offeror. For the avoidance of doubt, any inconsistent or additional terms or conditions will be stricken before award.

G. Rejection of Proposals Generally

The State may reject any Proposal for the reasons listed in this RFQ, that fails to comply with the procedure for participating in the RFQ process, that fails to meet the RFQ requirements, or that is not in the State’s interest to consider or to accept. In addition, the State may cancel this RFQ, reject all Proposals, and seek to do the Work through a new RFQ or by other means.

H. Proprietary Information

As set forth in Ohio Administrative Code 123:5-1-07 and 123:5-1-08, if an Offeror includes in its Proposal information it considers exempt from disclosure in a public records request, it must submit a redacted version of any document containing such information, as further described in this paragraph. Offerors must only redact (black out) the specific language that is exempt from disclosure pursuant to the Ohio Public Records Act. Examples of actions that are not acceptable for the protection of information in a Proposal include: (a) redaction of sections in their entirety simply because they may contain some information exempt from disclosure pursuant to the Ohio Public Records Act; (b) inclusion of a blanket confidentiality or copyright notice anywhere in the Proposal; and (c) redaction of the cost proposal in its entirety. Prices, makes, models, catalog numbers of the items offered, deliveries, and terms of payment will be available for public inspection regardless of any designation to the contrary.

In addition to the redacted document(s), Offerors must submit a list of each redaction, using the Offeror Redaction Justification Form (Form 5c) in Part 5, with a detailed legal explanation for each redaction to demonstrate that the redacted information is protected under the Ohio Public Records Act. A blanket statement that all redactions are exempt from disclosure pursuant to the Ohio Public Records Act and/or the Uniform Trade Secrets Act is not a sufficient explanation. The redacted version(s) must be submitted as an electronic copy in a searchable PDF format. The redacted version(s) and accompanying explanation, as submitted, will be available for inspection and released in response to public records requests.

By submitting a redacted Proposal, the Offeror agrees to indemnify the State, DAS, and the Agency for any court costs, statutory damages, attorney fees, or other award issued against the State, DAS, or the Agency for any violation of the Ohio Public Records Act resulting from the State, DAS, or the Agency providing the Offeror’s redacted version of its Proposal in response to a public records request.

By not submitting a redacted version of the Proposal with accompanying explanation, an Offeror consents to the release of the original Proposal submission in response to a public records request. If redacted version(s) with the accompanying explanation are not submitted, or if an improperly redacted version or insufficient explanation is submitted, the State will advise the Offeror in writing what portions of the Proposal are subject to disclosure in response to public records requests.

I. Proposal Components

1. Work Plan. The specifics of the Work Plan must include sufficient detail for the State to understand the Offeror’s knowledge and approach to the following: managing the Work; documenting planning decisions; facilitating communication among stakeholders; defining key management review as to content, scope, and schedule; and providing a baseline for progress measurement and Work control.

At a minimum, the Work Plan must include the following:

a. A description of the project management approach; and

b. A high-level overview of the following subsidiary project management plans:

If applicable to the Work, the Offeror must identify all proposed equipment needed for the Work during the installation, customization (as applicable), implementation, and ongoing operations phases. The Proposal must include the proposed manufacturer's name and model for all equipment. Additionally, the Offeror must identify any equipment that the State will require for the implementation and ongoing operation of the Work that is not otherwise specified in this RFQ.

Additionally, in the Work Plan, the Offeror should address potential and known risks, and proposed risk mitigation strategies.

2. Cost Proposal components.

a. Cost Proposal Form. The Offeror’s total cost for the Work must include all one-time and ongoing costs and be represented as a firm fixed price.

Contractor will be paid according to the fee structure within the Cost Proposal Form.

The Offeror must ensure its cost proposal is submitted separately from the Work Plan as indicated in the Proposal Submittal paragraph above. Cost information must not be included in the Work Plan.

The Offeror may not modify or reformat the Cost Proposal Form. The Offeror must complete the required portions of the Cost Proposal Form. Additionally, all portions of the Cost Proposal Form must be completed in the exact format provided. The Offeror must not include exceptions, additional terms and conditions, or assumptions in the submitted Cost Proposal Form. The State may reject any Proposal with a modified or reformatted Cost Proposal Form; a Cost Proposal Form that is not separately submitted; or a Cost Proposal Form that includes exceptions, additional terms and conditions, or assumptions.

The State will not be liable for any costs the Offeror does not identify in its cost proposal. There will be no additional reimbursement for travel or other related expenses.

b. Preference Certification Form (Form 5b). Offerors claiming preference for Domestic Source End Products, the Ohio (Buy Ohio) preference, and/or Veteran Friendly Business Enterprise (VBE) must complete the Preference Certification Form.

3. Offeror Redaction Justification Form (Form 5c). The Offeror must complete the Offeror Redaction Justification Form pursuant to the instructions above, Proprietary Information, and Form 5d if the Offeror includes in its Proposal information it considers exempt from disclosure in a public records request.

4. Acceptance of Terms and Conditions. The Offeror must include the entire content of Parts 2 and 3 as a single section in its Proposal. The Offeror must include a statement at the beginning of this section indicating that the Offeror has read, understands, and agrees to all of the terms and conditions contained in Parts 2 and 3.

5. Pre-Existing Materials. If applicable, the Offeror must list any Pre-Existing Materials (defined in Part 2 that will be included in a Deliverable in Form 5d in Part 5. The State may reject any Proposal that includes Pre-Existing Materials for a custom solution if the State believes that such is not appropriate or desirable for the Work.

6. Commercial Material. If applicable, the Offeror must list any Commercial Material (defined in Part 2, including Commercial Software (defined in Part 2), that the Offeror will deliver in which the State will have less than full ownership in Form 5d in Part 5. Generally, these will be from third parties. The Offeror need not list patented parts of equipment.

The Offeror must attach the applicable license agreement(s) for all Commercial Material for the State to review. However, the State may require the Offeror or third party to enter into the State’s Master Contract for Software Licensing.

CONTRACT

Part 1 – Scope of Work

1. Evaluation Plan

1.1. Evaluation Plan Requirements

1.1.1. The Contractor must design a comprehensive Evaluation Plan that outlines qualitative and quantitative methodologies and research designs tailored to analyze Grantee performance. The primary objective of the Evaluation Plan is to evaluate the overall effectiveness and impact of the RFI Initiative implemented by the original five Grantees across 12 Ohio counties. For reference, please see Exhibit 1, titled Grantees’ - Scope of Work. The Contractor must submit an outline of an Evaluation Plan as part of its response to the RFQ.

1.1.2. Upon award of the Contract, the Contractor must participate in discussions with the DCY Agreement Manager, as needed, to review the initial proposed Work Plan, finalize core performance areas, establish evaluation priorities, and identify supplemental and external data that the Contractor must gather. These discussions must also determine how the Contractor will communicate with Grantees to obtain Grantee Work Plans, which must be used to identify each Grantee’s specific implementation processes. The Contractor and the DCY Agreement Manager will use these discussions to finalize the operational approach and make any necessary adjustments without altering or expanding the established scope of work. The Contractor must deliver a finalized Evaluation Plan to the DCY Agreement Manager for approval within 30 calendar days following the Contract award.

1.2. Data Collection

1.2.1. Data Collection Design and Requirements

1.2.2. Data Collection Design

The Contractor must develop and refine all primary data collection tools, including but not limited to:

a. Surveys

b. Interviews and interview guides

c. Focus group scripts

d. Case notes and collection forms

e. Administrative data reporting formats

1.2.3. The Contractor must utilize existing data and reports provided by the DCY Agreement Manager as the foundational baseline for all evaluation, reporting, and assessment activities. DCY will furnish the following data sets to the Contractor: DCY Goals Report, Initial Assessment Report, Pre- and Post-Survey Report, Action Plan Report, Progress Reports, and the Annual Narrative and Data Report. The Contractor must incorporate these materials into all analytical processes, ensuring that baseline information is reflected in implementation assessments, performance measurement, and participant-level evaluation activities.

In addition to using DCY-provided baseline data, the Contractor must independently request, collect, and manage data directly from Grantees to address information gaps and ensure comprehensive evaluation coverage. The Contractor must develop and document step-by-step protocols for engaging Grantees, administering data collection tools, and addressing non-compliance or low response rates. Protocols must be designed to ensure consistent, reliable, and complete data acquisition in support of county-level implementation assessments and all participant-level evaluation requirements.

Data collected from Grantees by the Contractor must include, but is not limited to, the following categories:

a. Participant eligibility documentation, including intake logs and verification of eligibility criteria defined by each Grantee.

b. Participant demographic and background characteristics, including education, employment status, family composition, housing stability, and relevant health or behavioral health indicators.

c. Participant needs assessments and baseline risk factors.

d. Individualized service plans and related case documentation, including progress toward fatherhood or parenting goals and any barriers affecting fatherhood involvement, program participation, or engagement success.

e. Parenting and family relationship data, including parenting skill development, father‑child bonding indicators, co‑parenting dynamics, family stability outcomes, and reunification efforts when applicable.

f. Economic stability and employment data, including job readiness participation, job placement outcomes, job retention (when available), GED/literacy/vocational enrollment, financial literacy progression, and housing stability changes.

g. Referral activities and outcomes, including participation in health, behavioral health, or substance treatment services, and documentation of service utilization patterns.

h. County-level facility access logs, partnership engagement records, and documentation of partnership utilization.

The Contractor must ensure that all data collected — whether provided by DCY or gathered independently — meets quality, completeness, and reliability standards required for program evaluation and reporting. The Contractor is responsible for maintaining organized records of all data interactions, ensuring secure handling of sensitive information, and integrating all collected data into the overall evaluation framework defined in subsequent sections of this scope of work.

1.3. Data Security and Compliance Requirements

1.3.1. Security Compliance Standards

The Contractor must establish and maintain data governance protocols ensuring that all gathered, stored, and processed data complies with all applicable federal, state, and DCY security standards. This includes, but is not limited to, the implementation of end-to-end data encryption, secure file transfer protocols, restricted access controls, and strict confidentiality measures.

1.3.2. Data Sharing and Confidentiality Agreement - Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

To formalize these data protection obligations, the Contractor must complete, sign, and adhere to Exhibit 2. Data Sharing and Confidentiality Agreement - Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) included in this solicitation. The fully executed MOU must be delivered to the DCY Agreement Manager prior to the start of any work described in this scope of work.

Deliverable 1: Finalized Evaluation Plan

The finalized Evaluation Plan incorporated all feedback from Evaluation Plan discussions. This document must include the detailed evaluation methodology for the RFI initiative, the clear identification of data sources (DCY-provided baseline data and Contractor-led external gathering), and all draft data collection instruments.

Due Date: Within 30 calendar days of contract execution.

2. Examine County Implementation

2.1. County-Level Implementation Assessments

The Contractor must evaluate each Grantee’s implementation of the RFI within each county served. This assessment must be sufficient to analyze variations, challenges, and successes across local implementation sites. The evaluation must synthesize qualitative and quantitative performance data across the following four core operational areas:

2.1.1. Recruitment and Enrollment Analysis

The Contractor must examine local outreach and intake workflows. This analysis must interpret recruitment methods, county-specific outreach barriers, and overall effectiveness — specifically evaluating the volume of fathers targeted versus the actual number enrolled.

2.1.2. Service Delivery Configuration and Alignment

The Contractor must examine the county-level approaches used to deliver core interventions (including parenting, workforce, financial literacy, child support, housing, and reentry services as applicable). The analysis must provide details to highlight frequency and type of services provided, local facility accessibility, alignment of services with intake needs, and implementation consistency across counties served by the same Grantee.

2.1.3. Retention Strategies and Attrition Performance

The Contractor must examine how Grantees defined, measured, and managed participant retention. This analysis must interpret attendance and participation trends, individual service plan completion rates, documented retention barriers, and clear outcomes related to continued participation versus drop-off trends.

2.1.4. Partnership Ecosystem and Referral Impact

The Contractor must examine local partnership networks. This analysis must evaluate the depth and effectiveness of these county-level collaborations, specifically measuring their impact on service accessibility, facility utilization, and sustained father engagement.

Deliverable 2: County Implementation Assessment Summary - Report 1

The Contractor must submit a comprehensive report that synthesizes and interprets the county-level operational data. Rather than a simple data compilation, this report must focus on evaluative results and actionable insights, specifically analyzing how variations in local implementation affected project outcomes. The summary must interpret the data identified in the four core operational areas.

Due Date: January 31, 2027

3. Examine Participant Data and Outcomes

3.1. Participant Data and Outcomes Summary Assessment

The Contractor must evaluate participant-level, data, characteristics and outcomes for each Grantee within each county served. This assessment must be sufficient to analyze variations, challenges, and successes in supporting fathers across local implementation sites. The evaluation must synthesize qualitative and quantitative participant data across the following core areas:

3.1.1. Fatherhood Involvement and Parenting Skill Development

The Contractor must evaluate how effectively Grantees supported fathers in developing parenting competencies and increasing meaningful fatherhood engagement. This evaluation must interpret pre‑program and post‑program parenting assessments to identify documented skill gains, review participation in fatherhood or parenting education activities, and examine improvements reported by Grantees in communication, co‑parenting, and father‑child engagement. The analysis must further assess progress toward individualized fatherhood or parenting goals as documented within participant service plans and determine how effectively these efforts strengthened fathers’ abilities to engage with their children and families.

3.1.2. Father-Child Relationship and Family Stability Outcomes

The Contractor must evaluate participant outcomes related to father‑child interactions, family dynamics, and reunification efforts, if applicable. This evaluation must assess reported improvements in father‑child communication and co-parenting interactions, analyze changes in father‑child engagement or bonding using evidence-based assessments or documented service notes, and examine any reported improvements in domestic stability or related family outcomes. The Contractor must review the Grantee’s service model and determine how effectively program participation contributed to strengthened father‑child relationships and overall family stability.

3.2. Participant Eligibility Evaluation

The Contractor must examine participant eligibility processes within each county to ensure consistency, accuracy, and alignment with Grantee defined criteria. The Contractor must review eligibility determination practices for each Grantee and verify compliance with Grantee defined eligibility criteria. The Contractor must evaluate the completeness of participant intake documentation and assess any county level variations in intake completion rates. The Contractor must analyze county specific trends in participant eligibility, including demographics or barriers affecting eligibility determinations.3.2.1. Barriers to Participation and Access Challenges

The Contractor must examine participant level barriers that affect father engagement, program participation, and overall outcomes. This evaluation must review documented challenges such as incarceration, transportation limitations, scheduling conflicts, communication issues, court involvement, and financial hardship, and analyze how these barriers varied across counties and contributed to differences in participant retention or drop-off. The Contractor must further assess the steps taken by each Grantee to address or reduce these barriers and determine how specific challenges influence fatherhood involvement, parenting progress, and participant economic stability.

3.3. Economic Stability and Employment Outcomes

The Contractor must evaluate participant economic outcomes, including employment progress, financial literacy, and housing stability. This evaluation must examine baseline employment conditions across counties, assess participation in job readiness and workforce development activities, and review job placement and retention outcomes documented by Grantees. The Contractor must further analyze enrollment in General Educational Development GED, literacy, or vocational training programs, interpret participation in budgeting or credit education, and assess documented changes in housing stability associated with participation in the RFI to determine how effectively the initiative supported fathers in achieving greater economic stability.

Deliverable 3: Participant Data and Outcomes Summary – Report 2

The Contractor must submit a comprehensive report that synthesizes and interprets participant‑level data across all counties and Grantees. This report must present evaluative findings rather than simple data compilation, providing actionable insights on how participant characteristics, fatherhood involvement, parenting skill development, eligibility processes, participation barriers, family stability indicators, and economic outcomes influenced overall program performance. The summary must analyze variations in participant experiences across counties and interpret the data identified in each core participant‑level evaluation area.

Due Date: March 1, 2027

4. Evidence‑Based Recommendations and Final Comprehensive Evaluation Report

4.1. The Contractor must develop and deliver a Final Comprehensive Evaluation Report that presents a complete, integrated assessment of program implementation, participant outcomes, and overall effectiveness across all participating counties. To support the development of this final report, the Contractor must analyze all findings documented in the County Implementation Assessment Summary and the Participant Data and Outcomes Summary and use this analysis to produce evidence-based recommendations designed to strengthen, refine, or adjust program strategies. These recommendations must be directly tied to the evaluation measures described in this scope of work and must address opportunities to improve fatherhood engagement, parenting skill development, economic stability outcomes, family stability accessibility, and overall Grantee performance.

The Final Comprehensive Evaluation Report must consolidate and synthesize all evaluation components, including:

a. The County Implementation Assessment Summary

b. The Participant Data and Outcomes Summary

c. All evidence‑based strategy recommendations developed under this scope of work

The report must present a thorough evaluation of Responsible Fatherhood Initiative (RFI) implementation, participant-level outcomes, changes in fatherhood involvement, parenting skill development trends, economic stability indicators, and county‑level program performance. The Contractor must ensure that all findings, analyses, and recommendations are clearly documented, actionable, and aligned with program objectives and statewide RFI priorities.

Deliverable 4: Final Comprehensive Evaluation Report

The Contractor must submit a Final Comprehensive Evaluation Report that consolidates and interprets all evaluation findings from the County Implementation Assessment Summary and the Participant Data and Outcomes Summary. This report must integrate all evaluation components and present a complete, statewide analysis of RFI implementation effectiveness, participant outcomes, and variations across counties, accompanied by evidence‑based recommendations designed to strengthen fatherhood engagement, parenting skill development, economic stability, family stability, and overall program performance.

Due Date: April 30, 2027

Part 2 – Contract-Specific Terms and Conditions

A. Contract Construction and Compensation

1. Terminology

For purposes of this Contract, any references to “Offeror” in the documents that make up this Contract will mean “Contractor” as of the effective date of this Contract.

2. Compensation

In consideration of the Contractor's promises and satisfactory performance, the State will pay the Contractor the amount(s) identified in the Contract (the Fee), plus any other expenses identified as reimbursable in the Contract. In no event will payments under this Contract exceed the “not-to-exceed” amount in the Contract without the prior, written approval of the State and, when required, the Ohio Controlling Board and any other source of funding. The Contractor's right to the Fee is contingent upon the complete and satisfactory performance of the Work or, in the case of milestone payments or periodic payments of an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or annual rate, all relevant parts of the Work tied to the applicable milestone or period. Payment of the Fee is also contingent on the Contractor delivering a proper invoice and any other documents required by the Contract.

B. Ownership of Deliverables

1. License in Commercial Material

Commercial Material means anything that has been developed at private expense by the Offeror or a third party, commercially available in the marketplace, subject to intellectual property rights, and readily copied through duplication on magnetic media, paper, or other media. Examples of Commercial Material include written reports, books, pictures, videos, movies, computer programs, software, and computer source code and documentation. Commercial Material includes Commercial Software (defined below).

Use of any Commercial Material will be governed by the applicable license terms negotiated and accepted by the State. In addition to the license agreement(s) provided in Contractor’s Proposal (as negotiated and accepted by the State), if any Commercial Material is added to the Work after Contract award, Contractor must disclose the applicable license agreement(s) or other terms for any additional Commercial Material and assist the State as needed in any negotiation of the license agreement(s) or other terms.

In addition to the license or other terms applicable to the Commercial Material and except for Commercial Material that is software (“Commercial Software” as defined in the next section):

a. If the Commercial Material is copyrighted and published, the State will have the rights permitted under the Federal copyright laws for each copy of the Commercial Material delivered to it by the Contractor;

b. If the Commercial Material is patented, the State will have the rights permitted under the Federal patent laws for each copy of the Commercial Material delivered to it by the Contractor; and

c. If the Commercial Material consists of trade secrets, the State will have the same rights and duties permitted under the Federal copyright laws for each copy of the Commercial Material delivered to it by the Contractor, whether or not the material is copyrighted when delivered to the State, and the State will treat the Commercial Material as confidential. In this regard, the State will assume all obligations with respect to the Commercial Material that the Contractor assumes under the Confidentiality section of this Contract with respect to State Confidential Information.

C. Warranties, Maintenance, and Additional Insurance

1. Additional Insurance

In addition to the insurance requirements in Part 3 – Standard Terms and Conditions, the Contractor shall also procure and maintain for the duration of the Contract, the insurance coverage set forth below.

a. Professional Liability (Errors and Omissions) Insurance appropriate to the Contractor’s profession, with limits not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence or claim, $1,000,000 aggregate. Coverage must be sufficiently broad to respond to the duties and obligations as is undertaken by Contractor in this Contract and must cover all applicable Contractor personnel or subcontractors who perform professional services related to this Contract.

b. Cyber liability (first and third party) with limits not less than $1,000,000 per claim, $1,000,000 aggregate. Coverage must be sufficiently broad to respond to the duties and obligations as is undertaken by the Contractor in this Contract and must include claims involving infringement of intellectual property, including but not limited to infringement of copyright, trademark, trade dress, invasion of privacy violations, information theft, damage to or destruction of electronic information, release of private information, alteration of electronic information, extortion and network security. The coverage must provide for breach response costs as well as regulatory fines and penalties and credit monitoring expenses with limits sufficient to respond to these obligations.

D. Infringement of Patent or Copyright

If the Contractor is a public entity, this clause replaces Part 3, V. B. Indemnity in its entirety: To the extent permitted by law, if any of the materials, reports, or studies provided by Contractor are found to be infringing items and…