Community-Based Housing Services for Justice-Involved Y

The State of Maine Department of Corrections, Division of Juvenile Services, issued this Request for Proposals to procure community-based housing services for justice-involved youth across three Juvenile Justice Regions. The services sought include Transitional Living Programs, Master-Leasing Programs, Rapid Re-Housing, Voucher Support, and Emergency Shelter, with bidders able to apply for one or more counties within a specific region, though preference is given to organizations capable of serving entire regions. Qualified bidders must be current 501(c)(3) nonprofits licensed in compliance with Maine Code of Rules 10-148, demonstrate programs classified as Evidence-Based, Promising Practices, or Evidence-Based Practices, serve youth up to age 21, and conduct comprehensive background checks on staff while providing a minimum of 12 continuing education units annually. The evaluation will utilize a 100-point scoring scale allocating 20 points for organizational qualifications and experience, 55 points for proposed services, and 25 points for cost proposals submitted as fixed amounts covering the initial performance period. Key deadlines include a bidders' conference with questions due by April 9, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. local time and proposal submissions due by April 30, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. local time via the Vendor Self Service System. The contract period runs from January 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028, with two optional renewal periods extending through June 30, 2031. Bidders must comply with Maine's data classification policies, NIST security standards, and state information security policies, and must submit organizational financial documentation for three years, current insurance certificates, organizational charts, and litigation history.

This procurement is restricted to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, which represents a specific organizational set-aside limiting competition to the nonprofit sector. Bidders must also demonstrate technical compliance with Maine's data security and confidentiality standards for juvenile information, requiring integration with state systems and adherence to strict data protection protocols. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the available documentation, nor are specific budget ranges or award values disclosed. The State of Maine reserves the right to make one or multiple awards based on the best interests of the State, allowing flexibility in determining the number of successful bidders. All submissions will become public records following award notification under Maine's Freedom of Access Act unless marked confidential with supporting legal authority, which bidders should consider when submitting proprietary information.