Credible Messengers

The Iowa Judicial Branch, specifically Juvenile Court Services within the Seventh Judicial District (JCS D7), is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure Credible Messenger Transformative Mentoring services for justice-involved youth in Scott County, Iowa. The program seeks to deliver mentoring and support services to youth adjudicated as delinquent or at risk of juvenile delinquency, with emphasis on relationship-building, restorative justice practices, and trauma-informed care. Qualified respondents must staff the program with a Project Coordinator (part-time minimum, bachelor's degree required with 3-5 years experience), one full-time Lead Credible Messenger, and at least one full-time Credible Messenger, all possessing lived experience in the juvenile or criminal justice system. All personnel must complete initial training through the Academy for Transformational Change (ATC) and subsequent professional development in trauma-informed care, adverse childhood experiences, motivational interviewing, and related competencies within the first year. Key performance objectives include contacting all referred youth within five business days, maintaining 80 percent re-engagement success after attendance lapses, ensuring 90 percent of youth obtain and maintain needed services, achieving 75 percent monthly participation in prosocial activities, and maintaining a caseload of 8-10 active youth per full-time mentor. Respondents must propose either a set monthly unit rate or unit rates in 15-minute, 30-minute, or one-hour increments that are all-inclusive of direct client contact, travel, training, administration, youth incentives, and all related expenses. Proposals will be evaluated on 7,500 total points, comprising 7,000 technical points and 500 cost points, with the contract awarded to the respondent offering the best overall value. The deadline for letters of intent to bid and written questions is May 19, 2026, at 3:00 PM Central Time, with an anticipated Notice of Intent to Award on June 16, 2026, and contract execution by July 1, 2026.

The RFP does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting eligible respondents to disadvantaged enterprises or particular organization types. The program has been operating in Scott County since April 2025, initially serving youth involved in firearm-related delinquent acts and expanding in December 2025 to include youth returning from placement and those with high-risk gang affiliations or involvement in drug-related offenses, indicating an existing program infrastructure and service model that the selected respondent will continue and manage. Respondents must be registered to do business in Iowa and comply with state sales tax requirements. Insurance requirements include general liability coverage of $2 million general aggregate, automobile liability of $1 million combined single limit, and professional liability of $1 million per occurrence. The initial contract term runs one year (July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027), with five optional one-year renewal terms exercisable at the discretion of the IJB. The RFP does not specify an anticipated award value or budget range, requiring respondents to propose their own cost structure based on service delivery requirements and existing referral volume patterns in Scott County.