DISC 1221 Post Release Support Services AMENDED 2026-08-25.pdf

DISC 1221 Post Release Support Services in Erie and Niagara Counties

Title: Discretionary Opportunity Announcement (DISC) 1221

Post Release Support Services in Erie and Niagara Counties Amended 8/25/2026

Agency: Children & Family Services, NYS Office of Bureau of Contract Management

Contract term: 12/1/2026 – 11/30/2028 1/1/2027 – 12/31/2028

Date of issue: 7/28/2026

Due date/time: 8/25/2026 9/16/2026 by 4:00 PM Eastern Time

Locations: Buffalo, NY and Niagara Falls, NY

Counties: Erie and Niagara Counties

Background

The New York State Office of Children & Family Services (OCFS) announces a Discretionary Opportunity (DISC) for qualified entities for Post-Release Support Services in Erie and Niagara Counties. These services will support the successful reintegration and stabilization of youth transitioning from residential placement under OCFS custody back into the community (including those already residing in Erie and Niagara Counties under conditional release or aftercare). Please see the Eligibility Criteria section for additional information.

After placement in a residential facility, some OCFS youth transition back into the community under conditional release or home placement, typically lasting, on average, four to five months. OCFS prioritizes delivering community-based services, support, and supervision to ensure these youth successfully reintegrate back into their homes and communities while reducing recidivism and promoting positive development. Youth who are placed in OCFS care and custody require innovative interventions and creative solutions to repair and restore family and community connectedness. These young people face significant challenges reengaging with traditional community supports, including educational, vocational, and pro-social opportunities.

These youth often present with very high needs and multiple risk factors, including living in high-crime areas, pervasive gang involvement, exposure to human trafficking, and a heightened likelihood of experiencing severe trauma.

According to The Sentencing Project, nearly one-fifth of violent crimes committed by youth occur in the four hours between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on school days.

This solicitation exemplifies OCFS’s commitment to promoting services that are appropriate for age and development, family-centered, trauma-responsive, responsive to local needs, and demonstrably effective in achieving positive outcomes for justice-involved youth. The funded programs must be community-based, culturally and linguistically competent, and mitigate risks through a combination of individualized and group-based interventions that promote positive youth development, goal achievement, and long-term stability.

This advertisement is public notice that OCFS is seeking to contract with two organizations to provide the following comprehensive supports in Erie and Niagara Counties, focusing on the City of Buffalo, City of Niagara Falls, and surrounding areas.

• structured supervision and engagement for youth during the critical after school hours of 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. (or as adjusted to align with local school schedules)

• individualized mentoring, case management, and support

• evidence-based programming, skill development, and activities

• linkages to education, employment, and vocational resources

• community referrals and warm handoffs for linkage to continued ongoing support services

• qualified staff trained and certified in Trauma-Informed Care, Aggression

Replacement Training, and Restorative Justice practices

• safe transportation, meals, and other basic supports when determined necessary.

Please see the Scope of Work section for additional information.

OCFS intends to select one contractor per county based on the criteria outlined in this announcement.

This opportunity is authorized under Section 163 of State Finance Law as a discretionary purchase. OCFS intends to contract pursuant to its discretionary purchasing authority under State Finance Law Section 163(6), which authorizes purchases without a formal competitive process in certain circumstances. This funding opportunity is limited to purchases up to the discretionary buying threshold from respondent organizations.

Scope of Work

The awarded organizations will provide services to each youth until their successful discharge from OCFS custody (typically 4-5 months following discharge from residential placement). The program will devote a minimum of 20 hours per week of dedicated staff effort to OCFS-referred youth. The program will serve up to 10 youth at any time while providing the following deliverables:

Deliverable 1 - Intake Assessments and Goal Plans The awarded contractor will develop and submit an assessment form to OCFS for approval prior to providing youth services. OCFS will provide the following tools: a standardized youth referral form and an individualized goal tracker for use in developing individualized goal plans.

• OCFS will provide a youth referral to the program at least 30 days prior to the end of their residential placement. The referral form will include all necessary information for the contractor to conduct an individualized intake assessment that assesses the youth’s current needs across key domains, such as their educational https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/STF/163 goals, vocational goals, family and community connectedness, and other relevant domains (e.g., mental health, substance use, trauma history, and risk factors). The contractor will provide OCFS with the completed assessments quarterly.

• The contractor will meet with the youth (and, where appropriate, family/guardian) to develop and establish an individualized goal plan utilizing the OCFS-provided Individualized Goal Tracker. This plan will be focused on facilitating the successful transition from residential care to relevant community aftercare/support.

• The individualized goal plan will be reviewed and updated monthly during individual monthly meeting sessions with the youth (and, where appropriate, family/guardian). These monthly meeting sessions will include progress review against established goals, setting new goals, and offering feedback on progress.

• All completed intake assessments, individualized goal plans, and related documents will be submitted to OCFS quarterly concurrently with claims/invoicing.

Deliverable 2 - Case Conference Meeting with Community Multi-Service Offices

(CMSO)

• The contractor will meet monthly for approximately one to two hours (virtually, in person, or via other means approved by OCFS) with the relevant CMSO staff, as defined by OCFS, to review each youth’s progress made towards goals, supportive services in place, and any barriers or emerging needs. The agenda for these meetings will include discussion of current status and program functioning, new referral and intake information, and any difficulties or challenges encountered.

• The contractor will use information from the referral form, information obtained during the meeting, and other relevant sources to develop or refine individualized goal plans, identify additional supportive services, and facilitate the youth’s successful reintegration and stabilization back into the community with aftercare/supervision.

Deliverable 3 - Youth Incentives

• The contractor will reinforce the youth’s engagement in the program and goal achievement by providing each youth the opportunity to earn program incentives.

Incentives may include gift cards, special outings, prosocial activities, or other age-appropriate, motivating items consistent with positive youth development practices contingent upon OCFS approval. Funding in the amount of $4,000 per year must be earmarked for youth incentives, and an outline must be submitted for review and approved by OCFS prior to providing incentives. This outline must detail how those incentives are earned and distributed (including specific criteria tied to goal progress, attendance, tracking mechanisms, distribution procedures, and safeguards to ensure appropriate use).

Deliverable 4 – Individualized Goal Tracker

• The contactor and the youth will collaboratively identify and set goals together, with this information being recorded in the OCFS-provided Individualized Goal Tracker.

• The contractor must submit completed and/or updated Individualized Goal Trackers for each youth at the end of each quarter, concurrent with the corresponding claim/invoice, to the designated program contact (email and/or secure mailbox), or as otherwise directed by OCFS. A summary must be included that highlights progress made toward goals, incentives earned, and any other relevant updates, for review by the OCFS program manager.

Deliverable 5 - Individualized Meetings with youth

• The contractor will lead 1-on-1 meetings (in-person in community settings and/or virtually) to assess progress made toward goals, identify obstacles and emerging needs, and set, revise, or update new goals as appropriate.

• Contractor will provide qualified staff to meet with each youth, preferably in-person (or virtually if approved by OCFS), on at least a weekly basis to discuss goals, set new goals, support progress toward established goals, and facilitate connections and warm handoffs to community resources when needed.

• Support from the contractor will include assisting youth in advancing their education and seeking employment opportunities, including practical assistance with securing a NYS state-issued ID, opening a bank account, and/or connecting youth with the New York State Department of Labor Career Center (or equivalent local workforce development resource).

Deliverable 6 - Group Activities Group activities are essential to program success and positive youth development. The contractor will identify, address, and mitigate all barriers to youth participation in group activities through individualized accommodations and proactive solutions.

• Component 1 - Large Group activities (6-10 youth) o The contractor will provide a safe, appropriate, trauma-informed, and accessible space, qualified staff trained in group facilitation and youth engagement, and positive youth development group activities for referred youth. Activities shall include but are not limited to anger management, problem solving, moral reasoning, restorative justice circles, pro-social skills development, civic engagement, community service/learning projects, and other developmentally appropriate group experiences. Additionally, the contractor will provide safe transportation* (as detailed below), meals and/or light refreshments when appropriate, based on the time, duration of the activity, and necessary supplies to support participation.

• Component 2 - Small Group Activities (2-5 youth) o Contractor will provide a safe, appropriate, trauma-informed, and accessible space and qualified staff to facilitate small group activities designed for youth sharing similar goals to concentrate on goal achievement, positive skill development, and including but not limited to communication skills, anger management, work-based learning skills, financial literacy, conflict resolution, and other relevant pro-social or life skills aligned with their individualized goal plans. Additionally, the contractor will provide safe transportation* (as detailed below), meals and/or light refreshments when appropriate, based on the time, duration of the activity, and necessary supplies to support participation.

o *Transportation needs will be discussed in advance with each youth participating in group activities (and, where appropriate, their family/guardian). Transportation must be provided whenever it is identified as a barrier to participation in activities. Solutions will include contractor-provided transportation, rideshare options (with appropriate safety protocols), public transportation vouchers, other OCFS and contract awardee mutually agreed-upon arrangements, or other reasonable accommodations that provide safe, reliable, and timely transportation to and from group activities.

The contractor will provide OCFS with a monthly schedule at the beginning of each month that includes all planned meetings, activities, group sessions, case conferences, and any other scheduled program engagements. All individualized youth meetings and group activities must be conducted in-person unless OCFS provides prior approval for virtual delivery. Supportive services, including transportation and related logistics (e.g., meals or refreshments when appropriate) will be provided by the contractor as necessary for youth to safely attend and return from in-person meetings, activities, or group sessions, based on the individualized needs identified in the youth’s goal plan or intake assessment.

Meetings with relevant CMSO staff will be conducted either virtually or in-person, in a manner as mutually agreed upon by OCFS and the contractor.

Applicants may not subcontract any component of the scope of work.

Eligibility Criteria

Interested parties who meet the following criteria are eligible to respond:

• Agree to provide the services outlined in the Scope of Work section.

• Be registered to do business in the State of New York as evidenced by an active registration status in the NYS Department of State (DOS) Corporation and Business Entity Database.

• Have a minimum of three (3) years of experience providing supportive, prevention, or re-entry (post-release) services to justice-involved or at-risk youth ages 13-21.

• Have at least one (1) year of experience providing re-entry (post-release) services to youth (ages 13-21) with prior involvement in the juvenile justice system, including youth returning to the community following detention, placement, or probation supervision.

• Provide at least three (3) professional references from organizations or partners your organization has collaborated with in providing similar youth services (e.g., post-release support, mentoring, or juvenile justice-related programming within the past two (2) years).

Funding Details

There is an anticipated maximum funding amount of $49,500 per year per contract. This amount will cover all costs associated with providing and delivering all services as specified in the scope of work.

Funding for this project may be subject to change and is contingent upon the availability of funds in the state and/or federal budgets and the number of interested and eligible parties that respond to this solicitation.

Payments will be processed monthly following the completion of services and upon submittal of required documentation for services performed and/or a signed claim for payment form, as directed by OCFS in Appendix C-1 of the resulting contract.

Term of Contract (Amended 8/25/2026)

The anticipated contract start date is 12/1/2026 1/1/2027, and the anticipated contract end date is 11/30/2028 12/31/2028. Funding is anticipated to be available for the first year of the contract. The award of a contract does not guarantee funding will be available for subsequent years. Contractors may not begin providing services before the contract start date; OCFS has no obligation to pay for services rendered before the New York State Office of the State Comptroller and the Office of the Attorney General approve the contract.

How to Respond

To be considered responsive, interested parties should complete and submit all required documents in conformance with the format and content requirements as explained in this document. A response that does not provide all the information requested may be subject to rejection. The response should contain sufficient information to assure OCFS of its accuracy. The information provided should, wherever possible, verify your organization meets the requirements in the Eligibility Criteria section of this solicitation.

Responses must be emailed to funding@ocfs.ny.gov and should be received by the due date and time specified on the first page of this announcement.

Interested parties should complete and provide the following documents:

• Attachment 1 – Letter of Interest

• Attachment 2 – Submission Checklist

• Attachment 3 – References

• Attachment 4 – Cost Proposal

Additionally, the following documents should also be completed and provided in the bid, otherwise they may be required to be completed and submitted later in the process:

• NYS Required Forms o Non-Collusive Bidding Certification o NYS Required Certifications Identifying Data o Offerer’s Certification of Adherence to Executive Order 177 o Offerer’s Certification of Adherence to New York State Finance Law o Sexual Harassment Prevention Certification Form o Freedom Of Information Law Redaction Request o Offerer’s Certification of Adherence to Executive Order No. 16 o Offerer Assurance of No Conflict of Interest or Detrimental Effect o Gender-Based Violence and the Workplace Certification

• Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire (or proof of online VendRep certification)

• OCFS-3460, MWBE Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement Form mailto:funding@ocfs.ny.gov https://ocfs.ny.gov/forms/nys/NYS-Required-Forms-2025.pdf https://www.osc.state.ny.us/state-vendors/vendrep/vendor-responsibility-forms https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/Forms/Contracts/OCFS-3460.docx

• OCFS-4821, CMS User Authorization

• OCFS-4715, Confidentiality Non-Disclosure Agreement

• OCFS-4716, Contractor Employee and Volunteer Background Certification

OCFS reserves the right to require the provision of these forms prior to making an award.

Failure to provide required forms may result in your response being disqualified from consideration. If requested, forms should be provided to OCFS within 5 business days.

The subject line of the email submission of your response should include the following information: DISC 1221 Post Release Support Services in Erie and Niagara Counties.

Additionally, please clearly identify the vendor’s name in the body of the email and in the file names of attached documents to ensure your submission is processed efficiently.

Early submissions are encouraged, as late responses may be subject to rejection.

Please limit your Letter of Interest to a maximum of 3 page(s), Arial 12-point font, single line spacing and one-inch margins. Attachment 1 – Letter of Interest is provided for your reference.

Email delivery or read receipts are recommended. OCFS will provide a confirmation email that the submission has been received. Bidders are responsible for contacting OCFS prior to the deadline if confirmation has not been received. OCFS will not be liable for any costs incurred by interested parties in the preparation of documents submitted in response to this solicitation. Vendors may modify or withdraw, in writing, the content of any submission at any time prior to the due date and time specified on page one of this announcement.

Questions

Questions should be submitted via email to funding@ocfs.ny.gov prior to the due date and time specified on the first page of this announcement. The subject line should include the following information: DISC 1221 Post Release Support Services in Erie and Niagara Counties. Please submit your question(s) with adequate time for response.

OCFS recommends allowing at least five business days. Late questions may not be addressed.

Under the requirement of the Procurement Lobbying Act, all communications regarding advertised projects are to be channeled only through the primary contact identified herein.

Evaluation Process

An internal review by OCFS will confirm eligibility. This solicitation is not a guarantee or promise of funding. Available funding to support this initiative will be limited to the amount(s) appropriated in the enacted budget for this purpose and will be awarded among those interested organizations who are deemed to meet the eligibility requirements and are determined by OCFS to be suited for the program.

OCFS may require additional information from an organization before deciding whether the interested organization is eligible and can supply the requested commodities or services. If OCFS requests additional information, it must be provided within five business days from request or as otherwise directed in the request.

https://ocfs.ny.gov/forms/omtv/OCFS-4821.docx https://ocfs.ny.gov/forms/ocfs/OCFS-4715.pdf https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/Forms/Contracts/OCFS-4716%20Contractor%20Employee%20Background%20Certification.dot mailto:funding@ocfs.ny.gov

Upon determination of eligibility, OCFS will notify eligible organizations of their status and the proposed award amount (if any). OCFS will also request a work plan and budget with justifications in addition to other completed documents necessary to develop contracts.

Awards are contingent upon vendors maintaining and certifying a Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire through the New York State VendRep System. Vendors must be found responsible and cannot be listed on the OGS non-responsible entities list or DOL database of debarred entities. Vendors must provide their New York State vendor identification number when enrolling. To request a vendor identification number or for direct VendRep System user assistance, contact the OSC Help Desk at 866-370-4672 or 518-408-4672, or by email at itservicedesk@osc.ny.gov.

OCFS Reserved Rights

OCFS reserves the right to withdraw, amend, or postpone this solicitation, without notice and without liability, to any applicant or other party, and may exercise these rights at any time. In addition, OCFS reserves the right to:

• place a monetary cap on the funding amount made in each contract award;

• change any of the schedule dates stated in the solicitation;

• make an award under this solicitation in whole or in part;

• disqualify any applicant whose conduct and/or response fails to conform to the requirements of this solicitation;

• reject any response if, in the sole discretion of OCFS, it determines the applicant is not a responsible vendor;

• request all applicants who submitted responses to present supplemental information clarifying their proposals either in writing or by formal presentation;

• direct all organizations who submitted responses to prepare modifications addressing solicitation amendments;

• make funding decisions that address and maximize compliance with the outcomes identified in this solicitation;

• fund only one portion, or selected activities, of the selected applicant’s response and/or adopt all or part of the selected applicant’s response based on federal and state requirements;

• eliminate any solicitation requirements unmet by all applicants, upon notice to all parties that submitted responses;

• waive procedural technicalities, or modify minor irregularities, in responses received, after notification to the applicant involved;

• correct any arithmetic errors in any proposal, or make typographical corrections to responses, with the concurrence of the applicant;

• negotiate with the eligible applicant(s) prior to contract award;

• require that all responses be held valid for a minimum of 365 days from the closing date for receipt of applications, unless otherwise expressly provided for in writing;

• fund any or all of the responses received in response to this solicitation. However, issuance of this solicitation does not commit OCFS to fund any proposals. OCFS can reject any proposals submitted;

• use the responses submitted in response to this solicitation as part of an approved https://www.osc.ny.gov/state-vendors/vendrep/vendrep-system https://www.osc.ny.gov/state-vendors/vendrep/vendrep-system https://ogs.ny.gov/debarred-and-non-responsible-entities https://apps.labor.ny.gov/EDList/searchPage.do https://apps.labor.ny.gov/EDList/searchPage.do mailto:itservicedesk@osc.ny.gov contract. At the time of contract development, awardees may be asked to provide additional budget and program information for the final contract;

• utilize any and all ideas submitted in the responses received where an award is ultimately made;

• make inquiries of third parties, including but not limited to applicant’s references, regarding the applicant’s experience or other matters deemed relevant by OCFS. By submitting a response to this solicitation, the applicant gives its consent to any inquiry made by OCFS; and

• where applicable, require contractors to participate in a formal evaluation of the program to be developed by OCFS. Contractors may be required to collect data for these purposes. The evaluation design will maintain participants’ confidentiality and recognize practical constraints of collecting this kind of information; and

• when applicable, consider statewide distribution and regional distribution within New York City, including borough distribution methodology, in evaluating proposals; and

• reject any extraneous terms, alternate activities/work to be performed, added conditions, or exceptions stated by applicants within their response. This includes, but is not limited to, proposed changes to the standard terms and conditions of the resulting contract(s).

Contract Documents

The contract documents consist of the following:

1. Face Page

2. Signatory Page

3. OCFS Agreement

4. Appendix A: Standard Clauses for NYS Contracts

5. Appendix A-1: Standard Clauses for all OCFS Contracts

6. Appendix A-2: Program-Specific Clauses

7. Appendix A-3: Federal Assurances and Certifications & Federal Fund Vendor

Determination (when applicable)

8. Appendix B: Budget

9. Appendix C: Payment and Reporting Terms and Conditions

10. Appendix D: Work Plan

11. Appendix HIPPA (when applicable)

12. Appendix MWBE Minority- and Women-owned Business Enterprises

13. Appendix E: Notice of Grant Award, if federally funded

14. Appendix X: Modification Agreement

The following documents may be required during the contract development process:

• Proof of Workers’ Compensation Insurance (if applicable)

• Proof of Disability Benefits Coverage (if applicable)

• ST-220-CA Contractor Certification to Covered Agency (if applicable)

• OCFS-4631, MWBE Utilization Plan Form (if applicable)

• OCFS-4629, Project Staffing Plan Form

• SDVOB 100, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Utilization Plan (if applicable)

• OCFS-4441, MWBE Quarterly Report Form (Required during contract term. See http://www.wcb.ny.gov/content/main/forms/AllForms.jsp http://www.wcb.ny.gov/content/main/forms/AllForms.jsp https://www.tax.ny.gov/pdf/current_forms/st/st220ca_fill_in.pdf http://ocfs.ny.gov/main/Forms/Contracts/OCFS-4631%20M-WBE%20Utilization%20Plan%20Form.dot https://ocfs.ny.gov/forms/ocfs/OCFS-4629.docx https://ogs.ny.gov/sdvob-100-utilization-plan http://ocfs.ny.gov/main/Forms/Contracts/OCFS-4631%20M-WBE%20Utilization%20Plan%20Form.dot

Attachment MWBE/Appendix MWBE for more information.)

Contact Information

Primary contact:

Director of Contracts Office of Children & Family Services 52 Washington Street Room 202S – Procurement Unit Rensselaer, NY 12144 funding@ocfs.ny.gov

Submit to contact:

Director of Contracts Office of Children & Family Services 52 Washington Street Room 202S – Procurement Unit Rensselaer, NY 12144 funding@ocfs.ny.gov

Attachments

Please see the following attachments to this announcement, which are available on the New York State Contract Reporter website at https://www.nyscr.ny.gov or the OCFS website at https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/contracts/funding/.

• Attachment 1 – Letter of Interest*

• Attachment 2 – Submission Checklist*

• Attachment 3 – References

• Attachment 4 – Cost Proposal

* Attachments marked with an asterisk must be completed and included with your response submission.

https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/contracts/docs/mwbe/MWBE-Attachment.pdf http://ocfs.ny.gov/main/bcm/MWBE-Appendix.pdf mailto:funding@ocfs.ny.gov mailto:funding@ocfs.ny.gov https://www.nyscr.ny.gov/ https://ocfs.ny.gov/main/contracts/funding/