ACF Lead Forward Leadership Development Framework

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), intends to award a sole-source, firm-fixed-price contract to small business DevelopUs Worldwide, LLC for specialized executive and leadership development services, with capability statements due by September 2, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET and planned contract award on or before September 30, 2026.

The acquisition is set aside for small business and conducted under FAR 12.201-1 simplified procedures. The sole-source justification rests on DevelopUs Worldwide's exclusive ownership of proprietary intellectual property—leaderLife, SBFI Feedback Model, and GROWTH Coaching Model—integrated into the existing ACF framework; market research confirms DevelopUs does not license these materials to third-party vendors.

The scope involves finalizing, refining, and transitioning the ACF Lead Forward Leadership Development Framework, currently 80–85% complete, to full internal government use by ACF University with a target launch date of January 1, 2027. Work is performed primarily remotely with limited onsite support available by prior government approval. Deliverables include completion of the existing curriculum and development of three new pathways (Mission Impact & Collaboration, Strategic Foresight & Systems Thinking, Supervisory Readiness); facilitator guides, participant workbooks, assessments, and coaching resources; SCORM-compliant digital learning assets; an evaluation framework; train-the-trainer sessions; and fully editable source materials for government ownership. The Project Management Plan is due within 30 calendar days of award, with monthly status reports throughout the 12-month performance period.

Although this is not a competitive Request for Proposal, all responsible sources may submit capability statements addressing transition and integration methodology for the remaining 15–20% of the framework and intellectual property compliance. The government retains discretion to conduct a competitive procurement based on responses received. Submit to Contracting Officer Chelsea Dean (Chelsea.Dean@hhs.gov) or Contract Specialist Christopher Capers (Christopher.Capers@hhs.gov).