S-10000-00016509 Sole Source.pdf

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SOLE-SOURCE DETERMINATION MEMO

FOR SUPPLIES AND SERVICES

Date: April 15, 2026 Sole source number: S-10000-00016509 (6253)

To: Kirk N. Rhoades, Designated Procurement Officer ODHS Office of Contracts & Procurement

Requestor: Jennifer Vigil

Agency/division: Office of Child Welfare Programs, herein after referred to as “Agency” or “CW.”

Program/office: Equity, Training, and Workforce Development (ETWD) Program Contract specialist: Louie Thomas

Agency Sole source rule: Sole source authority:

DHS OAR 125-247-0275 OAR 125-246-0170(2)

DAS Delegation 649-11, as amended

Estimated total contract value: Initially $150,000.

Description of goods or services: Certifying six Agency staff by the Safe & Together Institute to deliver Safe and Together (S&T) training to CW staff, which informs their work with families experiencing domestic abuse and child maltreatment.

S&T is proprietary, trademarked, and is the intellectual property of David Mandel & Associates, doing business as the Safe & Together Institute, and is available from no other source.

1. Background: This sole source justification applies to the purchase of:

a) Contract from this single-award sole source allows a minimum of six CW staff to become facilitators and trainers of the S&T training. The six will attend and be certified by the Safe & Together Institute by attending the S&T four-day core training, then attend the Contractor’s “Train the Trainer” program where, upon completion and certification, the staff will train Agency staff in the S&T model.

Over 400 Agency staff will be trained by the six who are certified to provide the training. There may be circumstances where additional trainers or training staff

V2 / l.thomas Page 2 of 4 may be required to accomplish that goal and provide for future trainings to new staff.

b) Since at least 2011, the Five Critical Components of the S&T Model have been an integral part of the “Child Welfare Practices in Cases with Domestic Violence” guidelines (known as the “DV Guidelines”) and the companion DV Resources OWL page.

Child Welfare (CW) Practices in Cases with Domestic Violence (DV) Guidelines

CW Policy states: “To ensure safety for the children and adult victim an assessment should document: the batterer’s pattern of coercive control over the adult victim and family; the specific actions the batterer has taken to harm the children; the full spectrum of efforts made by the non-offending parent to protect the child; the adverse impact of the batterer’s behavior on the child; and the role of substance abuse, mental health, culture, and other socioeconomic factors.”

These trainings were discontinued four or five years ago but CW has since determined the trainings are fundamental to the Work of the Agency.

Research by the ODHS DV Intervention Coordinator revealed that the S&T model is the most comprehensive DV intervention framework for child protection agencies that is currently available. Inconsistent application of the S&T model in the Oregon Safety Model (OSM) across CW programs results in increased risks to adult and child survivor safety, inequitable service provision for all families experiencing domestic violence, and is not in alignment with the three guiding principles of the Vision for Transformation or the ODHS Equity North Star.

Without CW staff who are certified to facilitate trainings on the S&T model or utilization of S&T tools, such as mapping perpetrator patterns, the Agency risks violating ethical practice standards by misrepresenting (or a perceived misrepresentation) of current certified trainer status and could face possible legal repercussions.

c) The Work is proprietary, trademarked, and is the intellectual property of David Mandel & Associates, doing business as the Safe & Together Institute, and is available from no other source.

https://dhsoha.sharepoint.com/teams/Hub-ODHS-CW/SiteAssets/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fteams%2FHub%2DODHS%2DCW%2FSiteAssets%2FSitePages%2FCPS%2DResources%2FCW%2DPractices%2Dfor%2DDV%2DCases%2Epdf&parent=%2Fteams%2FHub%2DODHS%2DCW%2FSiteAssets%2FSitePages%2FCPS%2DResources

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2. Prospective contractor/vendor:

Legal entity name: David Mandel & Associates LLC DBA: Safe & Together Institute Address: PO Box 745, Canton, Connecticut 06019 Contact person: Leah Vejzovic, North America Regional Manager Phone: (860) 319-0966 Email: leahvejzovic@safeandtogetherinstitute.cc

Protests are due by 3:00 PM within seven calendar days after the first date the notice is posted on OregonBuys. Protests must be sent via email to the following address:

Protests via telephone will not be accepted.

Oregon Department of Human Services Office of Contracts and Procurement ATTN: Louie Thomas, Senior Contracts and Procurement Specialist Address: 500 Summer Street NE, Salem, Oregon 97301 Phone: (971) 283-4755 (email preferred) Fax: (503) 378-4324 Email: louie.thomas@odhs.oregon.gov

Agency reserves the right to purchase additional goods and services, including additional training attendees, if necessary, or additional resources, if warranted.

3. Written findings of fact (market research):

The findings below must include factual information supporting the determination that meet the sole source requirement in statute.

Pursuant to ORS 279B.075, Agency must conduct market research that supports the assertion that there is only one source that can provide the goods or services. Market research includes utilization of the internet, trade journals, agency vendor lists, professional organizations, studies, catalogs/industrial periodicals, vendor sources, yellow pages, etc.

Agency must select at least one of the findings and prepare the determination as it specifically relates to the good or service being procured. More than one finding can be addressed. The findings are as follows:

V2 / l.thomas Page 4 of 4 or Pursuant to ORS 279B.075 (2)(d): Any other findings that support the conclusion that the goods or services are available from only one source.

S&T is proprietary, trademarked, and is the intellectual property of David Mandel &

Associates LLC, doing business as the Safe & Together Institute, and is available from no other source.

APPROVED:

By:

Signed by DPO electronically via OregonBuys Kirk N. Rhoades or acting DPO