RFP 202605083 HOMEBUILDERS_FINAL.docx

This is a Request for Proposals issued by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services, soliciting statewide Adoption, Kinship, Foster, and Resource Family Recruitment Services. The scope of work requires the contractor to develop and implement a comprehensive statewide diligent recruitment plan within 90 calendar days of contract start, conduct quarterly recruitment events across five marketing domains (businesses, schools, community, places of worship, and media), maintain the "A Family for ME" website with a Heart Gallery, provide child and youth-specific adoption-focused recruitment services, and operate a 24/7/365 toll-free information line. Facility operations must be available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with flexible scheduling. The contractor must load child and adoptive family information into the Department-approved Adoption Matching Software within 60 calendar days and complete child biographies in AdoptUSKids within seven calendar days of referral. Proposals are due July 24, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. via the Vendor Self Service System, with questions due July 10, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. The initial contract period runs October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2028, with two optional renewal periods extending through September 30, 2031.

Performance targets include 300 prospective resource families attending informational sessions annually (75 per quarter), 200 completed applications from prospective resource families annually, and 90 percent completion of identified quarterly diligent recruitment plan activities. Staffing requirements include sufficient Resource Family and Parent Recruitment Coordinators to support these volumes, and Adoption and Generalized Recruitment Coordinators serving a maximum of 100 children annually. All staff must comply with background check requirements and MaineIT security policies. Evaluation utilizes a 100-point scale: 25 points for Organization Qualifications and Experience, 40 points for Proposed Services, and 35 points for Cost Proposal, with costs scored mathematically awarding 35 points to the lowest bid. Bidders submit cost proposals on the prescribed form with no best and final offer process. The Department anticipates making one award and reserves the right to reject all proposals or negotiate with the highest-ranked bidder. Appeals are available under Maine Revised Statutes 5 M.R.S.A. 1825-E within 15 calendar days of award notification.