RFP 2026000281 Family First Program Intermediaries .docx

Request for Proposals Family First Program Intermediaries

RFP IHFA 2026000281

July 14, 2026 Basic Information and Timeline

1. Child First

2. Functional Family Therapy (FFT)

3. Parents as Teachers (PAT)

4. Healthy Families America (HFA)

5. Fostering Healthy Futures – Preteen (FHF-P)

Renewable for up to four additional years:

07/01/2027 - 06/30/2028 07/01/2028 - 06/30/2029 07/01/2029 - 06/30/2030 07/01/2030 - 06/30/2031

Thursday, August 13 · 1:15 p.m.

Google Meet joining info Video call link: https://meet.google.com/quy-vave-tvf Or dial:

PIN:

All dates and times are subject to change and are in Mountain Time.

Colorado Department of Human Services Solicitation Number: 2026000281 Division of Contracts and Procurement (v. 03/26) Page 1 of 2

A. Quick Resources

1. For questions about this solicitation, contact the Single Point of Contact identified above.

2. For help with Vendor Self Service (ColoradoVSS), contact the Vendor Self Service Help Desk vsshelp@state.co.us or 303-866-6464.

3. For information about doing business with the state of Colorado generally, go to: https://osc.colorado.gov/spco/accesscolorado.

4. The Department is always interested in improving. Please take this survey at any time: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScIgv9lgrT3x5AGzcvT1xkvpucrRhhN5QJ23vLcbyfvc2smaw/viewform (We do actually read the responses)

B. Introduction and Background The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) is a federal law that provides funding to states to prevent children from entering or re-entering foster care. As part of this, the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) has identified nine programs that qualify for Federal Reimbursement to serve high-risk families and youth. To ensure consistency, each of these programs has a "Program Intermediary" that provides oversight, monitors quality, and manages the program's growth in Colorado. This approach is outlined in Colorado's Five-Year FFPSA Prevention Plan (found at: https://cofamilyfirst.org/resources/?_sf_s=prevention%20services%20plan&_sft_resource_type=report) and has been approved by the Administration for Children and Families.

The following five programs are currently serving families in Colorado and are identified on Colorado’s Five Year FFPSA Prevention Plan to be eligible for federal reimbursement. CDHS is seeking the National Program Organization (NPO) for each of these five programs, or a vendor designated by the National Program Organization as the Colorado liaison who oversees program sites in Colorado. If submission is from a 3rd party vendor, then evidence of National Program Organization approval must be demonstrated.

Child First is a program provided to families with young children (prenatal through age 5 at entry). The program targets children with social-emotional, behavioral, developmental, or learning problems. These children usually come from families experiencing trauma and adversity. Many of these families also experience multiple social, economic, or psychological challenges (e.g., depression, substance misuse, intimate partner violence, abuse and neglect, homelessness).

Functional Family Therapy is intended for 11- to 18-year-old youth who have been referred for behavioral or emotional problems by juvenile justice, mental health, school, or child welfare systems. Family discord is also a target factor for this program.

The Parents As Teachers (PAT) program is a home-visiting parent education program that teaches new and expectant parents skills intended to promote positive child development and prevent child maltreatment. PAT aims to increase parent knowledge of early childhood development, improve parenting practices, promote early detection of developmental delays and health issues, prevent child abuse and neglect, and increase school readiness and success.

The Healthy Families America (HFA) program is a home-visiting program for new and expecting parents at risk of child maltreatment. The program's goals are to strengthen parent-child relationships, promote healthy development, and improve family functioning.

The Fostering Healthy Futures® for Preteens (FHF-P) program is a positive youth development program for preadolescent youth involved in the child welfare system. The 30-week program includes mentoring and group-based skills training to reduce adverse outcomes and promote healthy development.

C. How to Submit a Proposal

1. In General. Email the proposal, Signature Page, and any other required documents in one zip file as an attachment to this email address: SR_2026.jsz6g5rkfntjc2ez@u.box.com Please be aware of email server file size limitations. The maximum file size the Department can accept is 15 GB.

2. Only Attachments. Only the zip file goes through. The Department cannot see any text or messages sent to the email address identified above. Written questions may be emailed to the Single Point of Contact.

3. File Names. The zip file name should start with the solicitation type, solicitation number, and vendor name (e.g., “RFP 2026000281 Vendor Name…”). Vendors may include additional information in the zip file name.

4. Timing. The zip file typically uploads within five minutes; however, vendors should submit zip files at least thirty minutes prior to any deadline to ensure the file is received.

5. Confirmation. Vendors will receive an email confirmation from box.com that the zip file was uploaded correctly. If not, please contact the Single Point of Contact.

6. No Encryption. Do not encrypt emails sent to the submission email as it may prevent full submission.

7. Pre-bid Conference. There will not be a pre-bid conference.

8. Questions. Vendors may submit questions by email to the Single Point of Contact prior to the Questions Due Date identified in the Basic Information and Timeline above. The Department may answer some, all, or none of the questions asked by posting them publicly.

9. Late Proposals will not be accepted unless specifically allowed by rule and at the Department’s sole discretion.

D. Proposal Format

1. Maximum Length. Proposals should not exceed 10 pages. The Department may evaluate proposals negatively if this page limit is not followed.

2. Other Format Requirement. Please include a Statement of Work that clearly states at the top of first page which one of the five programs the submission is for.

Child First Functional Family Therapy (FFT) Parents as Teachers (PAT) Healthy Families America (HFA) Fostering Healthy Futures – Preteen (FHF-P) If submitting a proposal for multiple programs, they should be separate submissions. A proposal should be a separate, complete, and individualized proposal for only one program, and that this proposal does not reference another proposal (for example, Vendors may not state “See Proposal for program 1 for this answer” in a program 2 Proposal document). Each program will be evaluated separately, and the state may not review, or consider proposals for award if not submitted individually.

E. Proposal Content

1. Proposal Substance. Please answer or address the following questions or issues:

i. Mandatory Criteria Vendors must provide evidence that they are either the National Program Organization (NPO), or a vendor designated by the National Program Organization as the Colorado liaison who oversees program sites in Colorado. If submission is from a 3rd party vendor, then evidence of National Program Organization approval must be demonstrated.

ii. Additional Criteria Please review Exhibit B - Program Intermediary Statement of Work and respond to the following questions or issues:

a. Oversight of Program Sites

i. Please explain your methodology for ensuring and tracking provider qualifications, ongoing annual training mandates, and ongoing model adherence across multiple program sites.

ii. Outline your approach to identifying opportunities for program sustainability, geographic expansion, and maximized service utilization across the state.

iii. Explain how you will collaborate with state and county staff to identify and promote opportunities that increase federal reimbursement through FFPSA.

iv. Detail your framework for providing ongoing technical assistance, coaching, and operational support to local program sites as necessary.

b. Program Monitoring

i. Please outline your processes for regional or statewide program oversight, specifically how you analyze trends, collect client feedback, and troubleshoot systemic issues to identify areas needing operational support.

ii. Describe your process for creating or using fidelity measurements, coordinating provider data submissions, and collaborating with CDHS staff to align this data with the statewide dashboard framework.

iii. Describe your process for identifying appropriate trauma-informed training resources from an approved state list to ensure local providers comply with both initial and ongoing training requirements.

iv. Please demonstrate or describe what specific monitoring protocols and verification practices you will implement to ensure that local site staff are actively delivering services in a trauma-informed manner?

v. Detail your proposed workflow for verifying that local sites are accurately collecting client demographics and confirming candidate eligibility for FFPSA purposes.

vi. How will you ensure that local sites maintain a functional process for working with county casework staff to monitor individualized service authorizations and verify program service types?

c. Program Evaluation

i. Please describe your experience and approach to collaborating with designated evaluation and research partners to fulfill rigorous program evaluation requirements and support evidence-building activities.

d. Member of the Program Intermediary Advisory Team

i. Please describe how you will act as a primary liaison with central leadership, including your capacity to actively participate in regular stakeholder and advisory meetings.

ii. Explain your approach to collaborating on systemic quality improvement processes to develop and implement system-wide recommendations, policies, and procedures.

e. Deliverables & Reporting Requirements

i. Please demonstrate your existing tracking mechanisms and processes to guarantee that all providers meet initial qualifications, fulfill annual training mandates, and successfully onboard to central reporting dashboards. Detail how you will manage routine data exports and align your fidelity data with the required adherence frameworks.

ii. Please outline your process for timely communication and fulfillment of intermediary responsibilities if a program is designated for a formal, rigorous external evaluation.

iii. Describe how you will track and report on all required metrics, including number of families served, site openings/closures with justifications, referral and utilization rates, underperforming site engagement efforts, and sustainability planning.

2. Cost. Please answer or address the following questions or issues:

i. No formal budget is required. The fixed award amount will be $20,025 per year, per Program Intermediary. In your proposal, please explicitly confirm that you accept this fixed amount as full payment for the services provided.

ii. Additional information. This section will not be scored. All invoices submitted as part of the award must clearly identify the item charged, the amount charged, and the purpose for the line item in completing the scope of work requested in the solicitation.

F. Demographic Form

1. In an effort to best comply with Colorado Procurement Code rule R-24-103-901 re maximizing opportunities, we like to gather certain voluntary demographic information from potential vendors where possible. This is entirely voluntary and does not affect an organization’s application/proposal/quote/bid or contract whatsoever in any way. It is not taken into consideration in this procurement process or reviewed by evaluators in this process. The information gathered is submitted directly to a data gathering team at CDHS who provide general statistics on outcomes and trends to CDHS Contracts & Procurement leadership on approximately a quarterly basis so that this leadership can look for ways to generally and overall maximize opportunities as described in the Code. Please fill out the following form regarding your organization’s demographic information if and to whatever extent you are willing. This is again entirely voluntary and has no impact on your potential work for the State: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/219f6db8803b4994afb9bf70e84fa421 G. How Proposals are Evaluated

1. In General. The Department will identify the proposal(s) most advantageous to the State through an objective and competitive process. A committee will review all acceptable proposals and may request more information or clarifications from any vendor. The committee will then recommend one or more proposals for award. The Single Point of Contact will notify all vendors of the final decision.

2. Mandatory Criteria. The Department may identify mandatory criteria. However, the Department reserves the right to waive mandatory requirements pursuant to Rule 24-103-301-03.

3. Evaluation Factors. The Department may evaluate proposals based on the information requested or referenced in the proposal content section, or as noted throughout the solicitation.

4. References. The Department may contact references, whether provided or not, and also consider them as part of the evaluation.

5. Standard Contracting Terms. Vendors must submit any requested changes to the attached standard CDHS Contract/PO terms and conditions and exhibits ("State Agreement Pieces") in redline with their submission. These terms are difficult to modify and the State does not guarantee acceptance of any changes, even after a notice of intent to award. Requested modifications increase risk and cost to the State, which may negatively impact any evaluation or award. Changes also significantly delay contract execution, as approvals are required from multiple State agencies (e.g., DPA, AG, OIT, CDHS). If no exceptions are noted, the Vendor accepts the State's terms as-is. A notice of intent to award does not imply acceptance of any proposed changes.

H. Ethics and Accessibility

1. Any person involved in the purchasing process for the State, any end users of such goods and services, any vendor or contractor that does business with the state, and any other interested third parties to the procurement process shall enhance the proficiency and stature of the purchasing process by adhering to the highest standards of ethical behavior.

2. Accessibility Requirements. All work performed as a result of this solicitation must comply with all applicable provisions of §§24-85-101, et seq., C.R.S., and the Accessibility Standards for Individuals with a Disability, as established by the Office Of Information Technology pursuant to Section §24-85-103 (2.5), C.R.S. and 3) all State of Colorado technology standards related to technology accessibility and with Level AA of the most current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), incorporated in the State of Colorado technology standards.

I. Administrative Information

1. Communication. All communication regarding this solicitation must be done through the Single Point of Contact identified above. Unauthorized contact with any Department personnel other than the Single Point of Contact regarding this solicitation is prohibited and may result in disqualification.

2. Notices. The Department may modify this solicitation by posting changes via the Colorado VSS website. All communications will be posted on the VSS, www.colorado.gov/vss , and/or through a direct email from the Single Point of Contact.

3. Modifications of Proposals. Proposals may be modified or withdrawn by the vendor prior to the established proposal due date and time.

4. Public Opening. On the date and time shown above, the Department will hold a public opening pursuant to Rule 24-103-201-13. Vendors may request an accommodation to attend the public opening from the Department.

5. Presentations or Site Visits. At the Department’s sole discretion, the Department may request presentations or site visits. Vendors should not, however, prepare the proposal with the assumption that an opportunity for oral presentations or revisions will be offered.

6. Acceptance of solicitation terms. A proposal submitted in response to this solicitation shall constitute a binding offer and acknowledgment that all terms and conditions of this solicitation are accepted. Vendors must identify any variations between its proposal and the solicitation. Failure to do so shall be deemed a waiver of any rights to subsequently modify the terms of performance.

7. Contract. Vendors must agree to the State’s contract terms, found here: https://cdhs.colorado.gov/procurement or as an exhibit to this solicitation. Please note that any referenced or attached model contract lists the State’s standard required legal provisions but may not include the specific scope of work and other specific terms or requirements for this solicitation. Vendors must review any attached contract terms and note any exceptions. If no exceptions are noted, Vendor is indicating an intent to accept the terms as-is. Modifications to the State’s contract terms constitute increased risk and costs to the State. Therefore, Vendor’s noted exceptions may be considered in any evaluation.

8. Award. The Department will notify all vendors who submitted a proposal when it issues a Notice of Intent to Award. The awarded vendor(s) must act in good faith to execute an agreement on or before the Anticipated Contract Start Date identified above. If this date is not met, through no fault of the State, the State, at its sole discretion, may cancel the Notice of Intent to Award.

9. Protests. Any actual or prospective vendor who is aggrieved in connection with the solicitation or award of a contract may protest to Lauren Ingalls (email to lauren.ingalls@state.co.us), Procurement Director, Division of Contracts and Procurement, Department of Human Services. The protest shall be submitted in writing within ten business days after such aggrieved person knows, or should have known, of the facts giving rise thereto.

10. CORE Registration. Unless otherwise noted, before the Department can award to any vendor, that vendor must be registered in CORE, which can be completed through Vendor Self Service at www.colorado.gov/vss.

11. EFT. Awarded vendors are encouraged to sign up for EFT transfers.

12. Secretary of State Registration. Before Contract execution, the awarded vendor must be registered to do business in the State of Colorado. If a vendor is a foreign corporation (formed under a statute or common law in a jurisdiction other than Colorado) or other foreign entity transacting business in the State of Colorado, it shall warrant that it currently has obtained and shall maintain any applicable certificate of authority to transact business in the State of Colorado and has designated a registered agent in Colorado to accept service of process.

13. System for Award Management. Before Contract execution, the awarded vendor(s) must be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

14. Confidentiality. The State of Colorado is subject to the requirements of §24-72-200.1, C.R.S., et seq., Colorado Open Records Act. Anything submitted by a vendor is likely to become public information. Vendors may submit, as a part of its solicitation response, a written request for classification of certain portions of the proposal as confidential information pursuant to Colorado Procurement Code R-24-101-401-03. Material for which confidentiality has been requested shall be readily identifiable and separable from other portions of the solicitation to facilitate public inspection of the non-confidential portion of the solicitation response, if it is not, the confidentiality request will not be considered. Commingling of confidential and non-confidential information is not acceptable and any confidentiality request made in this fashion will not be considered. In no event shall an entire proposal be classified as confidential. Marking an entire proposal as confidential is a confidentiality request that will not be considered. Price information will not be considered confidential. In addition to complying with the aforementioned restrictions, in order for the confidentiality request to be considered, the vendor must include the rationale for the request to classify portions as confidential, as specified in the Colorado Procurement Code R-24-101-401-03, specifying by line which section of §24-72-204, C.R.S. is the purported authority for the requested confidentiality determination ("Confidentiality Request Justification"). The confidentiality request shall also include both a proposed redacted version and an unredacted version of the submission. The Procurement Official or his or her designee shall determine if the information identified in the Offeror’s request is exempt from disclosure in accordance with §24-72-204, C.R.S., and shall inform the Offeror in writing of his or her determination. If the Offeror does not agree with the determination, the Offeror may protest the determination in accordance with article 109 of the Colorado Procurement Code and the terms of this solicitation. Reference Procurement Rule R-24-101-401-03. A confidentiality request, even if granted, will not render any potential later mutually-negotiated contract terms confidential, as such a resulting contract would be a matter of public record.

15. Background Checks. Pursuant to C.R.S. §27-90-111 and Department policy, any vendor, and its agent(s), who has direct contact with vulnerable persons in a state-operated facility, or who provides state-funded services that involve direct contact with vulnerable persons in the vulnerable person’s home or residence, shall:

1. submit to and successfully pass a criminal background check, and

2. report any arrests, charges, or summonses for any disqualifying offense as specified by C.R.S. §27-90-111 to the Department.

16. Proposal Prices. Estimated proposal prices are not acceptable. Best and final offers may be considered in determining the apparent successful vendor. Proposals shall be firm for a period of not less than 180 calendar days from the date of award.

17. Cancellation. A solicitation may be cancelled only when there are cogent and compelling reasons to believe that the cancellation of the solicitation is in the state's best interest. An award of a contract under a solicitation may be cancelled, in whole or in part, when the procurement official determines in writing that such action is in the state's best interest.

18. Costs. The Department is not liable for any cost incurred by vendors prior to any formal contract, purchase order, or other agreement. No property interest of any nature shall occur until a contract is signed by all concerned parties.

19. Proposal Rejection. The Department may reject a proposal, waive informalities, and minor irregularities, or accept any portion.

20. Tax ID. Any tax identification number provided must be that of the vendor responding to the solicitation. The vendor must be a legal entity with the legal right to contract.

21. News Releases. Vendors may not issue any news releases pertaining to this solicitation without the Department’s prior written approval.

22. Taxes. The Department is exempt from all federal excise taxes under Chapter 32 of the Internal Revenue Code (Registration No. 84-730123K) and from all state and local government use taxes C.R.S. §39-26-114(a). The Colorado State and Local Sales Tax Exemption Number is 98-02565. When materials are purchased in certain political subdivisions (for example - City of Denver), the vendor may be required to pay sales tax even though the ultimate product or service is provided to the State of Colorado. This sales tax will not be reimbursed by the State.

23. E-Verify. Vendors must participate in the federal E-Verify program or the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment Program as required by C.R.S. §8-17.5-101.

24. Services Outside of Colorado or the United States. Vendors must disclose services performed outside of Colorado or the United States as required by C.R.S. §24-102-206.

25. Notice to NonResident Bidders. If a nonresident vendor is from a state that provides a bidding preference to vendors from that state, then a comparable percentage disadvantage will be applied to the bid of that nonresident vendor pursuant to C.R.S. §24-103-908. The vendor may obtain additional information from the department of personnel's website.

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J. Exhibit List Exhibit A - State Purchase Order Terms and Conditions found at https://osc.colorado.gov/state-of-colorado-purchase-order-terms-and-conditions (not an attachment but a website) Exhibit B – Program Intermediary Statement of Work Exhibit C – HIPAA BAA K. Signature Page The vendor must complete and submit the Signature Page along with the bid.

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