RFP 202605083 Q

This is a Question and Answer document for RFP 202605083 issued by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services (OCFS) for the Statewide HOMEBUILDERS(R) Program. The RFP seeks proposals for a single statewide contractor to deliver intensive in-home family preservation and reunification services across eight OCFS districts. The contractor must establish eight HOMEBUILDERS teams with specified staffing structures, operate a statewide administrative office, and provide services at full capacity and fidelity 52 weeks per year with 24/7/365 availability. The service scope includes 8-10 hours per week of intensive in-home services over 4-6 weeks, family team meetings, case conferencing, and North Carolina Family Assessment Scale v.2 completion. An informational bidder's meeting is scheduled for June 25, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. via Zoom, with questions due June 30, 2026, notice of intent to bid due July 17, 2026, and proposals due July 24, 2026. The contract runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2028, with two optional renewal periods through September 30, 2031, subject to funding availability and satisfactory performance.

The bidder's cost proposal must include required HOMEBUILDERS training, ECM training, fidelity review costs, and a $500 annual allowance for emergency basic needs per enrolled family. The state does not impose a capped indirect/administrative rate; bidders may use their Federal NICRA indirect rate (if approved), the 15% de minimis allocation with modified total direct costs, or calculate rates using specified budget forms in compliance with 2 CFR 200. COLA increases beyond the initial contract period will be negotiated between the Department and the awarded bidder. The Department expects HOMEBUILDERS services to be delivered primarily in-person within families' homes or other locations convenient to families, with phone contact acceptable only when in-person services cannot be provided. For rural areas such as Aroostook County, exceptions to the 30-minute emergency response expectation are permitted where 30-minute travel is not feasible. All proposal documents must be submitted through VSS with no additional attachments beyond those specified in the RFP.