RFP_35910-12703_Amd%203_Questions.pdf

RFP # 35910-12703 – Amendment # 3 Page 1 of 19

STATE OF TENNESSEE

DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS # 35910-12703

AMENDMENT # 3

FOR HOME STUDIES

DATE: December 11, 2025

RFP # 35910-12703 IS AMENDED AS FOLLOWS:

1. This RFP Schedule of Events updates and confirms scheduled RFP dates. Any event, time, or date containing revised or new text is highlighted.

EVENT

TIME

(central time zone)

DATE

1. RFP Issued OCTOBER 13, 2025

2. Disability Accommodation Request Deadline 2:00 p.m. OCTOBER 17, 2025

3. Notice of Intent to Respond Deadline 2:00 p.m. OCTOBER 20, 2025

4. Written “Questions & Comments” Deadline 2:00 p.m. OCTOBER 23, 2025

5. State Response to Written “Questions &

Comments”

DECEMBER 11, 2025

6. Response Deadline 2:00 p.m. DECEMBER 19, 2025

7. State Completion of Technical Response

Evaluations

JANUARY 9, 2026

8. State Opening & Scoring of Cost Proposals 2:00 p.m. JANUARY 13, 2026

9. Negotiation JANUARY 15-16, 2026

10. State Notice of Intent to Award Released and

RFP Files Opened for Public Inspection

JANUARY 20, 2026

11. End of Open File Period 4:30 p.m. JANUARY 27, 2026

12. State sends contract to Contractor for signature

JANUARY 28, 2026

13. Contractor Signature Deadline 2:00 p.m. JANUARY 29, 2026

RFP # 35910-12703 – Amendment # 3 Page 2 of 19

2. State responses to questions and comments in the table below amend and clarify this RFP.

Any restatement of RFP text in the Question/Comment column shall NOT be construed as a change in the actual wording of the RFP document.

RFP

SECTION

PAGE

QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

1. One place says Cost Proposal must be sent in a sealed envelope, another place says it can be sent via email. Please clarify the expectation.

Please refer to RFP Section 3.2.2., “A Respondent must submit their response as specified in one of the two formats below.”

You may choose to submit in the format detailed in subsection 3.2.2.1 Digital Media Submission, or you choose to submit in the format detailed in subsection 3.2.2.2. Email Submission.

Each format has it’s own requirements.

2. What is the volume of services expected to be, specifically in the Mid State and TN Valley regions?

Please refer item #4 for information on expected annual volume for all regions, as detailed in their respective evaluation factor.

3. Will multiple agencies be selected per region or just one per region?

Please refer to RFP Section 1.1.

Statement of Purpose. “The State of Tennessee, Department of Children's Services will procure six

(6) contracts for Home Study Services”. There will be ONE (1) contract awarded per region.

4. Do we have to accept all referrals sent? If no, what are the parameters for which we can deny.

Yes. The only exception would be if there was a conflict of interest.

5. Must we commit to doing the ICPC home studies? I am unclear if those would be in Tennessee or travel if staff would have to travel to other states to do the required home visit.

Yes. The studies would be for families who live in TN and were requested by other states. There are no expectations to complete studies on families outside of TN.

6. Would we have time to train up for ICPC home studies and order of reference as those are not things we have done before?

We expect the provider to execute the contract when implemented.

However, we could provide training

RFP # 35910-12703 – Amendment # 3 Page 3 of 19

PAGE

QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

for whomever is selected as soon as we are aware of the selection.

7. Please confirm, State will enter [home studies] into TFACTS?

Yes.

8. Date service is to start

A start date of the contract has not been identified. In the interim, respondents can refer to the Schedule of Events referenced in Section 2 of the RFP.

9. Please confirm, is this for foster parent home studies, adoption home studies, or both?

This contract will be primarily used for foster homes. Sometimes foster homes are also adoptive homes.

We do not intend to use this specifically for adoptive homes only.

10. Can the Department clarify the expected annual or monthly volume of home studies by region (Traditional, ICPC, and Order of Reference)?

Alternatively, can the Department provide the historically completed count of home studies from the past three years by region.

Please see the response to question #2.

The Department is unable to provide historical data due to changes in the regions.

11. Will contractors be expected to provide services after normal business hours or on weekends to meet timelines?

Contractors would be expected to meet the availability of the family. In many cases families tend to be available after hours or on the weekends.

12. Are there penalties or incentives associated with timeliness or quality metrics?

Failure to meet timelines could affect our willingness to continue the contract. There are no incentives for doing what is required in the contact.

13. How does DCS define “sufficiently detailed” for an accepted home study

- is there a standardized scoring or review rubric?

There is a worksheet with questions that outlines the topics that need to be discussed and documented.

RFP # 35910-12703 – Amendment # 3 Page 4 of 19

PAGE

QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

14. Are there minimum credentialing or training requirements for staff completing home studies (e.g., licensure, experience level)?

A four year college degree and completion of POPS training provided by our training team.

15. Are providers expected to bill only upon final DCS acceptance of the study, or is there any allowance for partial or withdrawn referrals (e.g., if a family discontinues the process)?

We will have a lessor rate for withdrawals or partials.

16. If an agency applies for multiple regions, will DCS limit awards to one region per contractor or consider multi-region awards?

DCS doesn’t limit awards to one region per contractor.

17. Are the proposed rates expected to remain fixed for the full contract period including renewals, or will there be an opportunity for rate renegotiation or adjustment (e.g., upon renewal, policy change, or inflation)?

The rates will remain fixed through the term of the contract.

18. Would DCS consider including a minimum case volume threshold or a case allocation mechanism to ensure operational sustainability for awarded contractors?

The agency is unable to predict the number or volume of cases.

19. What is the effective term of this contract? There is nothing listed in section B.1 of the scope of services.

A start date of the contract has not been identified. In the interim, respondents can refer to the Schedule of Events, RFP Section 2.

20. The cost proposals indicate a benchmark of completing Traditional studies in 89 days at an 80% completion rate, however the scope indicates that Traditional studies need to be completed within 60 days, 70% of the time. Which is correct? Completion of traditional home studies in 60 days is a concerning benchmark given that the TN KEY classes alone take 60 days to complete from start to finish. For additional reference, see below.

a) Page 3 – A5i says 70% should be completed within established timeframes versus 60%. Below

Traditional studies must be completed within 60 days at a 70% completion rate. The 89 days is old language that was an oversight.

RFP # 35910-12703 – Amendment # 3 Page 5 of 19

PAGE

QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

that in section 1 it does indicate 60 days for traditional (versus 89 days/80% listed in section C6 on page 23 and on the top of each cost proposal page).

b) Page 23 – C6 lists 80% in 89 days for traditional.

c) Page 24- C7 lists relative/kin and 120-day completion rate. Please confirm if relative/kin studies are supposed to be included in the scope of services or if this language needs to be omitted from the RFP.

21. Will there be a measure in place to utilize hold days for studies completed over 60 days due to reasons out of the grantee’s control?

For example, a family needs to complete training requirements, there’s a delay with criminal waivers being approved, families have difficulty getting medical forms completed, etc.?

Families are not required to complete training for the home study itself to be finalized.

Depending on the situation, the agency will review the specific factors when considering the overall timeframe. The percentage is lower to reflect families who may experience barriers.

22. There is no discontinuation factor listed in the cost proposals; is this intentional as previous RFP’s for this work have always included this factor?

This was an unintentional omission.

Please refer to item #4 for updated cost proposals.

3. Delete RFP section 1.1 in its entirety and insert the following in its place (any sentence or paragraph containing revised or new text is highlighted):

1.1. Statement of Procurement Purpose

The State of Tennessee, Department of Children's Services will procure six (6) contracts for Home Study Services in the following regions:

REGION

Completed Home Study

ICPC Home Study

Order of Reference

1. East 98 143 170

2. Mid-State 69 209 195

3. Mid-West 69 165 115

4. Northeast 52 129 170

5. TN Valley 55 127 120

6. West 40 204 120

Note: the quantities detailed in the table above represent annual amounts

RFP # 35910-12703 – Amendment # 3 Page 6 of 19

4. Delete RFP sections 6.3.a., 6.3.b., 6.3.c., 6.3.d., 6.3.e., and 6.3.f. in its entirety and insert the following in its place (any sentence or paragraph containing revised or new text is highlighted):

RFP # 35910-12703 – Amendment # 3 Page 7 of 19

5. Delete Pro Forma section C.3.b. in its entirety and insert the following in its place (any sentence or paragraph containing revised or new text is highlighted):

b. The Contractor shall be compensated based upon the following payment methodology:

Goods or Services Description Amount

(per compensable increment)

Home Study /per Home Study

ICPC /per Home Study

Order Of Reference /per Home Study

Discontinuation Service $225 / per Home Study

6. RFP Amendment Effective Date. The revisions set forth herein shall be effective upon release. All other terms and conditions of this RFP not expressly amended herein shall remain in full force and effect.