Access and Visitation Services

The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), specifically the Economic Services Administration's Division of Child Support (DCS), is seeking qualified contractors to administer an Access and Visitation (AV) grant program across multiple counties including Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Chelan, and Yakima. The primary objective is to support and facilitate noncustodial parents' access to and visitation with their children through services such as mediation, parenting plan development, visitation enforcement, counseling, education, and guidelines for alternative custody arrangements. Contractors will be responsible for collecting and submitting quarterly service provider data, developing agency safety plans, and implementing comprehensive services to improve parent-child relationships. The Request for Proposals (RFP) #2513-876 requires contractors to provide detailed proposals demonstrating their capacity to deliver these services effectively. Key evaluation criteria total 1,650 possible points, assessing management qualifications, technical response, cost proposal, and additional points for business certifications. The solicitation timeline includes a pre-bid conference on August 5, 2025, with proposal submissions due by September 5, 2025, and an anticipated contract period from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026.

The procurement encourages participation from specific business categories, including Washington Small Businesses, Veteran-owned businesses, and Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBE), with additional evaluation points offered for certified businesses. Eligible bidders are limited to courts, state/local public agencies, and non-profit entities such as dispute resolution centers and community organizations. Bidders must provide a 10% local match from cash or in-kind contributions, with federal IV-D child support grant funds expressly prohibited from meeting this requirement. The total budgeted amount for the project is $139,629, to be allocated across multiple contractors based on proposed budgets and organizational capacity. Contractors must comply with extensive requirements including data security, confidentiality, insurance, staff training, and mandatory reporting of safety concerns. The contract includes provisions for potential renewal up to three times, with each renewal limited to one year, and requires strict adherence to federal and state regulations, including civil rights laws and nondiscrimination requirements.