APS - Adoption Resource Consultant

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Grants and Purchasing, issued Request for Proposal 21-2098 on June 9, 2021, with a proposal due date of July 7, 2021, seeking qualified contractors to provide Adoption Resource Consultant services for children in the foster care system with a permanency goal of adoption. The contract period runs from October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2024, with potential renewal for up to two additional one-year periods at the state's discretion. Contractors must deliver four primary service categories: case reviews and development of initial adoption readiness assessments for youth in active status, case reviews for youth in monitoring status with an adoption goal, services related to achieving alternate permanency goals for youth in monitoring or inactive status, and technical assistance and training. The RFP covers two geographic regions—Region 1 encompassing 22 southern Michigan counties (including Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb) and Region 2 covering 57 counties throughout mid-Michigan and the Upper Peninsula—with bidders required to submit separate proposals for each region they wish to serve. Adoption Resource Consultants must possess at least a bachelor's degree in social work or a related field (master's degree preferred) with documented child welfare experience, maintain an average caseload of 18 cases with a maximum of 15 in active status, and meet minimum performance metrics including one adoption per consultant annually and four adoption matches per consultant annually. Proposals will be evaluated on a 100-point scale with only those scoring 80 points or higher considered for award, and submissions must be made electronically through the SIGMA Vendor Self Service (VSS) website by the specified deadline.

The RFP prohibits proposals from current Michigan state employees and requires all contractors to comply with comprehensive criminal background check requirements, including ICHAT and Central Registry checks for staff working directly with clients or accessing client information. Contractors must maintain direct service providers within 75 miles of their assigned geographic area and obtain all required licenses and permits. The contract imposes extensive insurance requirements including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 per accident), Workers' Compensation, Employers Liability ($500,000 per accident), Privacy and Security Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), and Professional Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence). The combined maximum award for both regions totals $9,570,000 over the three-year contract period, with Region 1 allocated $5,160,000 ($1,720,000 annually) and Region 2 allocated $4,410,000 ($1,470,000 annually); pricing must be submitted as unit rates for each service category with transportation costs based on mileage reimbursement and specific assistance expenses not exceeding $200 per youth per year. Invoices are payable within 45 days of state receipt through Electronic Funds Transfer only, and contractors must maintain detailed financial and accounting records for four years after contract termination, subject to state audit. No incumbent contractor or set-aside designation information is specified in the RFP documents.