RFI_35910-17051_Taylor_Initiative.pdf

11-20-13 RFI

STATE OF TENNESSEE

Department of Children’s Services

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

FOR

THE TAYLOR INITIATIVE –

TENNESSEE TOGETHER AGAINST CHILD TRAFFICKING CONSULTANCY

RFI # 35910-17051

August 10, 2026

1. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:

The State of Tennessee, Department of Children’s Services (DCS) issues this Request for Information (“RFI”) for the purpose of providing consultant services for The Taylor Initiative – Tennessee Together Against Child Trafficking. We appreciate your input and participation in this process.

2. BACKGROUND:

Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) is seeking a consultancy firm to lead strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation for The Taylor Initiative: Tennessee Together Against Child Trafficking. The Taylor Initiative is a statewide, strategic collaborative designed to improve outcomes for children and youth impacted by trafficking and exploitation. It will strengthen child and family well-being through survivor-informed, community-driven strategies proven to bridge fragmented systems and proactively identify victims of trafficking; address victim needs to create sustainable healing solutions; promote safe housing; and catalyze whole family healing.

The Contractor must have proven in-depth knowledge of and expertise in child and youth trafficking and sexual exploitation; offer lived-experience consultant services; have proven, successful experience advocating for legislative reform and navigating statutes in Tennessee;

and be adept at managing partners, strategy, and practice serving children and youth victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the United States.

Under this contract, the Contractor will be expected to:

• Manage Taylor Initiative program development and implementation.

• Work with the DCS Commissioner, Executive Director for Special Projects, appointed panel members, and steering committees to design and implement The Taylor Initiative.

• Provide consulting, coordination, and technical assistance to The Taylor Initiative and three

(3) sub-committees (Safe Housing, Strategic Collaboration, and Whole Family Healing) to include:

o Schedule and attend subcommittee meetings.

o Assist subcommittee Co-Chairs with scribing meetings and capturing notes.

o Conduct research, provide information, and ensure follow-up of committee member requests.

o Provide quarterly updates to all Taylor Initiative partners, including comprehensive updates and subcommittee progress reports.

• Plan, facilitate, attend, and coordinate a biannual Human Trafficking Summit to be held in

Nashville, TN, in the spring and fall each year.

• Consult with the Commissioner, Executive Director for Special Projects, and Director of the

Human Trafficking Team to improve the quality of DCS-provided services to victims of human trafficking.

• Identify best practices and evidence-based models. Advise partners regarding policy, system, and campaign development and practice implementation.

• Successfully navigate Tennessee legislative and judicial landscapes to progressively advance the State’s human trafficking prevention and response framework, victim identification, and survivor services.

• Research and analyze national legislative best practices and make recommendations for

Tennessee to strengthen support for victims.

• Provide in-person lived-experience consulting for Taylor Initiative activities, including subcommittee meetings, Human Trafficking Summits, and related DCS events.

• Produce an annual report and co-designed strategic plans to strengthen Tennessee’s response serving children impacted by human trafficking.

3. COMMUNICATIONS:

3.1. Please submit your response to this RFI to:

Will Harmon | Sourcing Account Specialist Central Procurement Office Will.harmon@tn.gov

3.2. Please feel free to contact the Department of Children’s with any questions regarding this

RFI.

The main point of contact will be:

Lily Lee | Program Specialist Department of Children’s Services 315 Deaderick Street, 12th floor, Nashville, TN 37243 615-309-8821 EI_DCS.contracts@tn.gov

3.3. Please reference RFI # 35910-17051 with all communications to this RFI.

4. RFI SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

EVENT

TIME

(Central Time

Zone)

DATE

(all dates are State business days)

1. RFI Issued August 10, 2026

2. RFI Response Deadline 2:00 p.m. August 24, 2026

5. GENERAL INFORMATION:

5.3. Please note that responding to this RFI is not a prerequisite for responding to any future solicitations related to this project and a response to this RFI will not create any contract rights. Responses to this RFI will become property of the State.

5.3. The information gathered during this RFI is part of an ongoing procurement. In order to prevent an unfair advantage among potential respondents, the RFI responses will not be available until after the completion of evaluation of any responses, proposals, or bids resulting from a Request for Qualifications, Request for Proposals, Invitation to Bid or other procurement method. In the event that the state chooses not to go further in the procurement process and responses are never evaluated, the responses to the procurement including the responses to the RFI, will be considered confidential by the State.

5.3. The State will not pay for any costs associated with responding to this RFI.

6. INFORMATIONAL FORMS:

The State is requesting the following information from all interested parties. Please fill out the following forms:

RFI # 35910-17051

TECHNICAL INFORMATIONAL FORM

1. RESPONDENT LEGAL ENTITY NAME:

2. RESPONDENT CONTACT PERSON:

Name, Title:

Address:

Phone Number:

Email:

3. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIENCE PROVIDING SIMILAR SCOPE OF

SERVICES/PRODUCTS

4. Technical questions:

A. Describe your expertise in child sex trafficking, labor trafficking, online exploitation, and commercial sexual exploitation of children, and implementing survivor- and trauma-informed practices.

B. Describe your organization's experience managing statewide child trafficking or child exploitation initiatives, including working with state child welfare agencies and multidisciplinary partnerships involving government, nonprofit, law enforcement, healthcare, education, and survivor organizations. What differentiates your organization from other consultancy firms?

C. Describe your methodology for developing statewide strategic plans. How do you establish measurable goals, objectives, and performance indicators? How do you identify implementation risks and mitigation strategies?

D. Describe your facilitation methodology for advisory committees and steering committees.

How do you ensure productive meetings, hold members accountable, and track progress?

How do you maintain stakeholder engagement over a multi-year initiative?

E. Describe how lived-experience consultants are recruited, supported, compensated, and integrated into project activities. What safeguards ensure survivor participation is ethical, trauma-informed, and voluntary? How do lived-experience consultants influence strategic recommendations and decision-making?

F. Describe your experience supporting legislative reform efforts and advocacy campaigns in

Tennessee.

G. Describe your expertise in safe housing models for child trafficking survivors.

H. Describe your approach to whole-family intervention.

I. What performance measures would you recommend for The Taylor Initiative? How would success be measured over a three-year contract?

J. Describe your experience planning statewide conferences of similar size and complexity.

K. Describe your approach to developing executive and annual reports.

L. Describe the proposed project team and key personnel. How do you ensure continuity if key personnel leave during the contract?

COST INFORMATIONAL FORM

1. Describe what pricing units you typically utilize for similar services or goods (e.g., per hour, each, etc.:

2. Describe the typical price range for similar services or goods

3. Outline an estimated annual budget to carry out these activities, not to exceed $160,000 per year for the four (4) year contract period.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

1. Please provide input on alternative approaches or additional things to consider that might benefit the State: