SW250704.pdf

This is a Solicitation Waiver Justification and Request Form from the State of Nevada's Department of Administration Purchasing Division, involving the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) and the Praed Foundation. The document seeks to continue using the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment tool, with a total estimated contract value of $420,000. The contract is for a new agreement with a start date upon approval and an end date of 9/8/2031, funded by 67% state appropriations and 33% federal funds.

The CANS tool, developed by Dr. John Lyons in 1999, is a multi-purpose assessment instrument used for initial assessment, care planning, treatment planning, and outcomes monitoring in child welfare and behavioral health systems. DCFS wants to contract with the Praed Foundation, which holds the copyright for CANS, to provide technical assistance, training, and implementation support. The Praed Foundation is positioned as the sole provider of this service in the United States and abroad, with a previous contract from 01/01/2020 to 09/30/2023 valued at $185,000. The waiver request emphasizes that no other entities can provide comparable CANS training and support, making this a single-source procurement.