2026 015 RFQ guardian ad litem (GAL) services

Spalding County, Georgia is conducting a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to establish a qualified pool of Guardian ad Litem (GAL) providers to serve the Juvenile Court on a case-by-case appointment basis. The County seeks qualified attorneys and other statutorily eligible professionals to represent the best interests of children in dependency, delinquency, Children in Need of Services (CHINS), and competency-related proceedings in accordance with Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated and applicable Juvenile Court Rules. Core GAL responsibilities include conducting independent and objective investigations, reviewing court materials, participating in all ordered proceedings, preparing written GAL reports, and directly contacting children and interviewing relevant parties to formulate best-interest recommendations to the Court. Respondents must demonstrate comprehensive understanding of Georgia's juvenile justice and child-welfare systems, sound professional judgment grounded in child development and trauma-informed principles, and ethical independence with confidentiality and reliability in sensitive matters. Minimum qualifications require respondents to be licensed Georgia attorneys in good standing or otherwise statutorily eligible to serve as GALs, with completion of required training under Georgia law and demonstrated experience in child-welfare, dependency, or juvenile advocacy. The RFQ was issued April 15, 2026, with written questions accepted through April 30, 2026, and qualifications due May 12, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST at the Spalding County Courthouse Annex; submissions must include one original and three copies in sealed format with public opening scheduled for the same date and time. Evaluation criteria include the ability to perform data-driven quarterly reporting on caseload metrics (case types, active versus closed cases, average case duration, hearing attendance, written reports submitted, permanency outcomes, and GAL-child contact frequency) and establishment of performance measurement systems addressing timeliness of report submission, court participation and engagement, quality of work product, professional development and compliance, and caseload management.

The RFQ documentation does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to particular enterprise types, indicating that all qualified respondents meeting statutory and professional requirements may apply. No incumbent vendors, current contractors, or existing infrastructure or technology integration requirements are identified in the procurement materials. Compensation for GAL services will be established through subsequent agreements, approved rate schedules, or court orders and is not required to be specified at the submission stage; consequently, specific award values or budget ranges are not provided in the RFQ. Performance reporting shall be provided annually or upon reasonable request and may inform program evaluation, training needs identification, workload planning, and decisions regarding continued participation in the qualified GAL provider pool.