RFI 11107_Final.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

VENDOR'S CONFERENCE

FOR DICUSSION REGARDING

OPERATING SECURE FEMALE RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS

RFI # 11107

E-MAIL QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION TO:

SARAH ZIMMERMAN, OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF JUVENILE JUSTICE

BUREAU OF PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

2737 CENTERVIEW DRIVE, SUITE 1111

TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32399-3100

TELEPHONE NUMBER: (850) 717-2554

EMAIL ADDRESS: SARAH.ZIMMERMAN@FLDJJ.GOV

mailto:SARAH.ZIMMERMAN@fldjj.gov

SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION

Pursuant to Rule 60A-1.042 Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), an agency may request information from the business community by issuing a written Request for Information (RFI). Agencies may use RFIs in circumstances including, but not limited to, determining whether to competitively procure a commodity or contractual service, determining what solicitation process to use for a particular need, or researching general, special, and/or technical specifications for a solicitation. A vendor’s answer to a RFI question at the vendor’s conference or subsequently in writing is not an offer and shall not be used to justify a contract with the vendor without otherwise complying with Chapter 287, F.S., and Chapter 60A-1, F.A.C. Vendors submitting answers to an agency’s RFI are not prohibited from responding to any related subsequent solicitation. The Department reserves the right to use or reject any information supplied in response to this

RFI.

THIS RFI IS NOT A PROCUREMENT THAT WILL RESULT IN A CONTRACT. Information received in response to this RFI may be used to determine provider needs and develop specifications for one or more competitive procurements.

1.1 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Listed below are the important actions, dates, and times by which the actions must be taken or completed.

All listed times are local time (Eastern Daylight Time) in Tallahassee, Florida.

DATE

TIME ACTION

July 29, 2026 9:30 a.m.

(EDT)

Release of RFI

July 31, 2026 11:00 a.m.

(EDT)

Optional Site Visit:

Orange Annex Orange Regional Juvenile Detention Center 3150 39th Street Orlando, FL 32839

August 4, 2026 10:00 a.m.

(EDT)

Optional Site Visit:

Formerly Redwood Youth Academy 14692 NE County Road 199 Raiford, FL 32083

August 6, 2026 1:30 p.m.

(EDT)

Via Microsoft Teams

RFI Vendor’s Conference Call/Webinar Computer, tablet or smartphone.

Dial in by phone 850-320-8983 Phone conference ID: 312 855 518#

Microsoft Teams meeting Join:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/271217440765761?p=mB3gZlX1 k2farG6Opz Meeting ID: 271 217 440 765 761 Passcode: ab2zV6rJ

Vendors interested in attending in person must appear at Department of Juvenile Justice Headquarters, Knight Building, Residential Suite 2200, Tallahassee, FL.32399

1.2 INQUIRIES/VENDOR CONFERENCE

The Department is conducting an RFI Vendor’s Conference, with the primary purpose of asking questions and facilitating discussions regarding the feasibility of providing residential programs for https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/271217440765761?p=mB3gZlX1k2farG6Opz https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/271217440765761?p=mB3gZlX1k2farG6Opz female youth at either the former Redwood Youth Academy in Raiford, Florida or the Orange Annex located at the Orange Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Orlando, Florida.

1.3 OPTIONAL SITE VISITS

The Department is conducting optional site visits at the locations located in 1.1 Schedule of Events. The purpose of these site visits is to allow interested parties the opportunity to view the location(s) where a secure residential program could be operated, to better inform their answers to the RFI questions.

1.4 BACKGROUND

Currently, there is an insufficient amount of residential programs which can accommodate the needs of the secure committed female youth population, which results in female youth residing in detention for longer periods of time while awaiting placement in a residential program. The number of female youth requiring a residential placement has steadily increased over the past couple of years; however, the Department does not have enough secure residential female programs available for youth placement. Additionally, the female population tends to be a more difficult population to serve, due to their differing needs, which triggers a lack of interest from providers.

1.5 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The purpose of the RFI Vendor’s Conference is to facilitate open dialogue between the Department and experienced providers regarding female residential programs. It is in the best interest of the Department to meet with prospective vendors to mitigate the procurement process for the female population. The aim is to gather the most reliable information on the feasibility of providing services to committed females promptly to alleviate extended stays in detention centers.

1.6 STATEMENT OF NEED

The Department is interested in exploring with providers, ways to deliver services to primarily high-risk and/or maximum risk females. The Department is currently faced with an abundance of female youth pending residential placement and not enough beds to place them in timely. The Department also requests feedback from providers to understand obstacles faced in operating such programs.

Female youth tend to have more complex needs than male youth. The Department would like to discuss means for swift placement and how to best meet the needs of the youth while in placement.

The youth’s assessed needs may include, but are not limited to, educational or vocational options;

substance or mental health needs; family dysfunction; peer influence; anger management; and value or belief systems inclusive of criminality personality traits.

The Department recognizes females committed to residential programs are waiting in secure detention for extended periods of time with limited access to the services they need. The Department does not have the adequate capacity to place all committed females relative to the number of committed and the average length of stay needed in the programs.

SECTION 2 DISCUSSION CONTENT

2.1 QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND DIALOGUE

Below are questions posed by the Department that will be used on the Vendor’s Conference to gather information and facilitate discussion. As time permits, after the conclusion of the questions listed here, interested parties will be allowed to ask additional questions on the call.

A. What resources would be required to effectively operate a secure female program?

B. What staff to youth ratio is needed for functional and effective operation of the program?

C. How many additional staff would a provider need to hire for successful operation?

D. What workforce challenges are providers experiencing when it pertains to secure female residential programs?

E. What obstacles do providers face when serving females with Intensive Mental Health needs versus those with mental health needs?

F. What barriers would make it more difficult to serve females effectively at the Raiford or Orange locations?

G. What community resources, if any, could be utilized in the secure female program?

H. What innovative approaches or program enhancements would be implemented, if any, to better serve a female population?

I. What are one or two changes (e.g. policy, funding, services) that would have the largest positive impact on the ability to expand or operate a secure female residential program?

J. What are a provider’s reservations about operating a secure female program?

K. What is the per diem cost needed to effectively operate a secure female program?

2.2 CONCERNS AND COMMENTS

All discussions held at the RFI Vendor Conference are public record. The Department invites all interested parties to submit any additional questions and concerns in writing after the conclusion of the RFI Vendor’s Conference to the individual listed on the cover page of this RFI.

SECTION 3 ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

3.1 RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

The Department reserves the right to selectively request additional information from any and/or all providers and may invite providers to elaborate upon their RFI response in an oral presentation to Department staff. If scheduled, such presentation may be held at the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice headquarters in Tallahassee, Florida or via Microsoft Teams. If requested, the date and time will be identified after responses to this RFI are due. All presentations related to this RFI are open to the public.

3.2 PUBLIC RECORDS

Article 1, Section 24, Florida Constitution, guarantees every person access to public records.

Florida law generously defines what constitutes a public record in section 119.07, Florida Statutes.

As such, all responses to this RFI are public record unless exempt by law.