RFI June 2026 (4) (2).docx

State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

RESPONDENT MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING

FIRM:

COMPLETE ADDRESS:

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

SIGNATURE: DATE:

TYPED NAME & TITLE OF SIGNER:

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

SCOPE OF SERVICE

State of Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is issuing this Request for Information RFI DHHS-2026-1 for the purpose of gathering information to identify vendors interested in providing the evidence-based program (EBP), Familias Unidas, for purposes of continued implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA).

Written questions are due no later than August 17, 2026. and should be submitted via e-mail to DHHS.RFPQuestions@nebraska.gov.

Respondent should submit one (1) original of the entire RFI response. RFI responses should be submitted by the RFI due date and time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ii SPB RFI | 09/25/2017

SCOPE OF THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is seeking vendor interest in providing the evidence-based program (EBP), Familias Unidas, for purposes of continued implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA).

ALL INFORMATION PERTINENT TO THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT: https://das.nebraska.gov/materiel/purchasing.html https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Contract-Opportunities.aspx

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

The State expects to adhere to the tentative procurement schedule shown below. It should be noted, however, that some dates are approximate and subject to change.

https://das.nebrask a.gov/materiel/bid-opportunities.html https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Contract-Opportunities.aspx

August 21, 2026

+1-408-418-9388,,24944147338## United States Toll September 1, 2026

2:00 PM

Central Time

RFI RESPONSE PROCEDURES

OFFICE AND CONTACT PERSON

Responsibilities related to this Request for Information reside with the State Purchasing Bureau. The point of contact for the RFI is as follows:

GENERAL INFORMATION

A subsequent Request for Proposal (RFP) may not be issued as a result of this RFI. There will not be a contract as a result of this RFI and the State is not liable for any cost incurred by vendors in replying to this RFI. If an RFP is issued, the information provided will assist the State of Nebraska in developing the Request for Proposal. This RFI does not obligate the State to reply to the RFI responses, to issue an RFP, or to include any RFI provisions or responses provided by vendors in any RFP.

COMMUNICATION WITH STATE STAFF

From the date the Request for Information is issued and until RFI opening (as shown in the Schedule of Events), contact regarding this RFI between potential vendors and individuals employed by the State should be restricted to written communication with the staff designated above as the point of contact for this Request for Information.

The following exceptions to these restrictions are permitted:

Written communication with the person(s) designated as the point(s) of contact for this Request for Information;

contacts made pursuant to any pre-existing contracts or obligations; and State-requested presentations, key personnel interviews, clarification sessions, or discussions.

Violations of these conditions may be considered sufficient cause to reject a vendor’s response to the RFI. No individual member of the State, employee of the State, or member of the Interview Committee is empowered to make binding statements regarding this RFI. The State of Nebraska will issue any clarifications or opinions regarding this RFI in writing.

WRITTEN QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Any explanation desired by a vendor regarding the meaning or interpretation of any Request for Information provision should be submitted in writing to the DHHS and clearly marked “RFI Number DHHS-2026-1; Familias Unidas Questions”. It is preferred that questions be sent via e-mail to: DHHS.RFPQuestions@nebraska.gov

It is recommended that Respondent submit questions sequentially numbered, include the RFI reference and page number using the following format.

Written answers will be provided through an addendum to be posted on the Internet at https://das.nebraska.gov/materiel/bid-opportunities.html on or before the date shown in the Schedule of Events.

SUBMISSION OF RESPONSE

DHHS is only accepting electronic responses submitted in accordance with this RFI. DHHS will not accept RFI responses by mail, email, voice, or telephone, unless otherwise explicitly stated in writing by DHHS.

Pages may be consecutively numbered for the entire RFI response or may be numbered consecutively within sections. Figures and tables should be numbered and referenced in the text by that number. They should be placed as close as possible to the referencing text.

It is the respondent’s responsibility to ensure the RFI response is received electronically by the date and time indicated in the Schedule of Events. RFI Responses must be submitted via ShareFile by the date and time of the opening of the Schedule of Events. No late RFI responses will be accepted.

It is the responsibility of the respondent to check the website for all information relevant to this RFI to include addenda and/or amendments issued prior to the opening date. The website can be found here: https://das.nebraska.gov/materiel/bidopps.html

Emphasis should be concentrated on conformance to the RFI instructions, responsiveness to requirements, completeness, and clarity of content. If the RFI response is presented in such a fashion that makes evaluation difficult or overly time consuming the State reserves the right to reject the RFI response as non-conforming.

The ShareFile link for uploading RFI Response(s) is provided in the Schedule of Events, Section I.C.

***UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, DO NOT SUBMIT DOCUMENTS

THAT CAN ONLY BE ACCESSED WITH A PASSWORD***

ShareFile link for uploading RFI response(s) provided in the Schedule of Events, Section I.C. https://nebraska.sharefile.com/r-r015bc2b73405461f808a8008d835640e

a. The RFI response and Proprietary information should be uploaded as separate and distinct files.

b. ELECTRONIC RFI RESPONSE FILE NAMES The respondent should clearly identify the uploaded RFI response files. To assist in identification the respondent should use the following naming convention:

i. DHHS-2026-1 Company Name If multiple files are submitted for one RFI response, add number of files to file names:

DHHS-2026-1 Company Name File 1 of 2 DHHS-2026-1 Company Name File 2 of 2

ii. If multiple responses are submitted for the same RFI, add the response number to the file names:

DHHS-2026-1 Company Name Response 1 File 1 of 2

The “Contractual Agreement Form” must be signed manually in ink or by DocuSign and returned by the opening date and time along with the respondent’s RFI response and any other requirements as stated in this RFI in order for the respondent’s RFI response to be evaluated.

PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

Data contained in the response and all documentation provided therein, become the property of the State of Nebraska and the data become public information upon opening the response. If the vendor wishes to have any information withheld from the public, such information must fall within the definition of proprietary information contained within Nebraska’s public record statutes. All proprietary information the vendor wishes the state to withhold must be submitted in a sealed package, which is separate from the remainder of the response. The separate package must be clearly marked PROPRIETARY on the outside of the package. Vendor may not mark their entire Request for Information as proprietary. Failure of the vendor to follow the instructions for submitting proprietary and copyrighted information may result in the information being viewed by other vendors and the public. Proprietary information is defined as trade secrets, academic and scientific research work which is in progress and unpublished, and other information which if released would give advantage to business competitors and serve no public purpose (see Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-712.05(3)). In accordance with Attorney General Opinions 92068 and 97033, vendors submitting information as proprietary may be required to prove specific, named competitor(s) who would be advantaged by release of the information and the specific advantage the competitor(s) would receive. Although every effort will be made to withhold information that is properly submitted as proprietary and meets the State’s definition of proprietary information, the State is under no obligation to maintain the confidentiality of proprietary information and accepts no liability for the release of such information.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION OPENING

The electronic responses will be publicly opened and the responding entities announced on the date, time, and location shown in the Schedule of Events.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SCOPE OF WORK

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is seeking vendor interest in providing the evidence-based program (EBP), Familias Unidas, for purposes of continued implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA).

The respondent should provide the following information in response to this Request for Information.

PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The desired outcome is to prevent child welfare involvement by strengthening families, communities and cultural groups through early intervention and supportive resources to reduce trauma to families.

The DHHS mission is “Helping people live better lives”. Within this mission is the commitment to support families and ensure every child has what they need to thrive in a safe, stable, and permanent home, sustained by nurturing relationships and strong family and community connections. DHHS is focused on providing the right services at the right time to the right families and to prevent unnecessary system entry.

The Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) intends to expand accessible services and programs to support families outside of formal DCFS involvement while focusing on prevention; this will include enhancing all categories within the continuum of prevention and intentional efforts to address disparities in race, class, and geographic access.

The establishment of Familias Unidas means that DCFS can continue to expand its prevention service array, both within child welfare and outside of child welfare, that aligns with Nebraska’s approved FFPSA Plan.

CURRENT BUSINESS PRACTICES

The current business practice of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) in Nebraska is to contract with a provider and refer eligible families to evidence-based programs (EBP), that are not involved with DCFS and also those who are currently working with DCFS.

DCFS business practice engages system partners, parents, families, youth, and others in various initiatives and ensures stakeholders are actively involved in discussions and development of DHHS initiatives, including evaluation of DHHS goals and developing future CFSP goals. Prevention and preserving families by providing access to support, funding, and navigation through a community pathway and child welfare, is a priority of the DCFS as identified in its 2025-2029 Child and Family Services Report (CFSP).

Through a Gaps/Needs Analysis conducted by Chapin Hall, the need for parenting skills programs that are culturally specific, with an emphasis on the needs for Hispanic families, was identified. It is recognized that Nebraska offers a continuum of prevention services, targeted community-based services, child welfare services and prevention initiatives for children and families within child welfare and outside of child welfare.

CURRENT ENVIRONMENT

Nebraska received formal approval of their FFPSA Plan [footnoteRef:1]in June 2026. This Plan includes Familias Unidas, which is rated as “well supported” by the Federal Clearinghouse[footnoteRef:2]. At this time, Familias Unidas is not provided in Nebraska. [1: https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Family-First-Reports-and-Documents.aspx#docaccess-e90505c4039649a71a26b4a8b27ac701 ] [2: https://preventionservices.acf.hhs.gov/programs/793/show

SYSTEM OVERVIEW

According to the Federal Clearinghouse, Familias Unidas is provided to Hispanic adolescents ages 12 to 16 and their families to address mental health, substance use and parenting skills. It is delivered over the course of 12 weeks; eight (8) parent support network group sessions and four (4) individual family visit sessions. It is a family centered intervention that focuses on preventing substance use and risky sexual behavior amount Hispanic adolescents. It works to empower parents by increasing their support network, teaching them about protective risk factors, improving parenting skills, enhancing parent-adolescent communication, and facilitating parental involvement and investment in adolescents’ lives. The main intervention components are:

· Parents participate in parent support network groups led by two facilitators.

· Facilitators conduct family visits in the home

· Parents participate in individual and group parent-school personnel meetings aimed at establishing or strengthening positive parent-school connections

· Adolescents engage in supervised family activities with their peers that allow parents to become more informed and involved in the adolescent’s peer world

· Parents complete family homework assignments to practice parenting skills and discuss this during group sessions.

Favorable outcomes for Familias Unidas include:

· Reduction of internalizing symptoms and help to improve internalizing symptoms by increasing family functioning.

· Child behavioral and emotional functioning

· Child substance use and sexual risk behaviors

· Positive parenting practices

· Positive family functioning

Familias Unidas will initially be provided through a pilot site. Prioritization to location of delivery of the EBP will be dependent on the propensity of Hispanic communities involved with child welfare across Nebraska. Determination for state expansion will be made during the pilot phase.

Providing this service internally at DCFS, carries the risk of reducing trust with the families, as they may be hesitant to call DCFS directly due to the stigma associated with child welfare involvement. This could lead to delayed help seeking and potentially exacerbate problems.

SCOPE OF WORK

If a Request for Proposal (RFP) is solicited, and an agreement is awarded, it will be for a maximum of a one-year initial term. After year 1, DHHS will evaluate if Familias Unidas is meeting the goals of preventing children from entering child welfare and/or foster care.

If an agreement is awarded, the selected vendor will have staff trained in the Familias Unidas model, which will address the theoretical framework and explain the goals, outcomes, intervention strategies and materials needed for each family support network group and family visit session. It is recommended that facilitators have the following:

· At least a bachelor’s degree

· Speak Spanish fluently

· Complete a 32-hour training to become certified

Certified facilitators can receive additional training to become a Familias Unidas Trainer after they have delivered the intervention at least six times. Trainers must complete a 32-hour “Training of Facilitators” training and be observed by a master trainer when completing their first training with their agency.

Each certified facilitator can serve up to 12 families.

If a vendor is selected, they must adhere to the fidelity standards, such as conducting video recordings of family sessions for the model purveyor to observe that all content is covered by the facilitator, session completion and how well the session was. The model purveyor also reviews how well the facilitator engages the family. The fidelity adherence measures are recorded on a form the model purveyor has developed.

If a vendor is selected, they will establish a structured process to collaborate with the model purveyor, existing intersectoral groups, that supports the community-based prevention system.

The selected vendor will ensure staff participate in annual training as required by DHHS.

The selected vendor will connect families with appropriate education and support services in their communities.

The selected vendor will collaborate with the 211 Warmline to establish a process with appropriate confidentiality protections, that offers a path for families identified by the Hotline and/or Community as needing to be assessed for service referral/resource education.

Reporting Requirements:

If a vendor is selected, they will be responsible for reporting data information to DCFS and the model purveyor, as required by the model purveyor, for monitoring the fidelity of the service provided. This will include reporting on performance outcome measures, such as but not limited to:

· 85% of families referred via FFPSA will have their children in home at time-of-service discharge

· Six months post service discharge, 85% of the families who had their children in-home at discharge will have safely maintained their children in home without removal or placement outside of the home.

Form A

Vendor Contact Sheet

Request for Information Number (####) Comment by Tambwe, Rodri: Review with Rene

Form A should be completed and submitted with each response to this RFI document. This is intended to provide the State with information on the vendor’s name and address, and the specific persons who are responsible for preparation of the vendor’s response.

Preparation of Response Contact Information

Vendor Name:

Vendor Address:

Contact Person & Title:

E-mail Address:

Telephone Number (Office):

Telephone Number (Cellular):

Fax Number:

Each vendor shall also designate a specific contact person who will be responsible for responding to the State if any clarifications of the vendor’s response should become necessary. This will also be the person who the State contacts to set up a presentation/demonstration, if required.

Communication with the State Contact Information

Vendor Name:

Vendor Address:

Contact Person & Title:

E-mail Address:

Telephone Number (Office):

Telephone Number (Cellular):

Fax Number: