Family Services and Youth Opioid Recovery

Arapahoe County is issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) on behalf of the Region 9 Opioid Abatement Council to contract for Family Services and Youth Opioid Recovery services. The solicitation seeks organizations capable of establishing stronger infrastructure for wrap-around care for families struggling with substance use disorder, with a specific focus on youth in Arapahoe County. Key objectives include increasing awareness of resources, providing pro-social alternatives to substance use, and expanding youth treatment and recovery services. The RFQ evaluation will utilize a best value approach, with scoring distributed as follows: proposed approach (40%), experience/qualifications (30%), project completion capacity (20%), and proposed budget (10%). Critical procurement dates include questions due by October 15, 2025, and qualifications submissions due by October 30, 2025. The contract term will be one year with potential for four additional one-year renewals, contingent on satisfactory performance. Successful respondents will be expected to develop collaborative, evidence-based strategies aligned with Region 9's priorities of prevention, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, and planning/coordination.

Funding for this initiative derives from opioid settlement agreements, with multiple awards possible based on available resources. The Council has allocated approximately $1.17 million in 2024 and an additional $4.8 million committed for 2025-2026 for opioid-related initiatives. While no specific set-aside designations were mentioned, the RFQ suggests a preference for organizations with demonstrated experience in substance use disorder interventions, particularly those focused on youth and family services. The procurement appears open to various types of service providers, including non-profit organizations, community health providers, and specialized treatment agencies. The available budget is variable and will depend on proposed activities and anticipated outcomes. Proposals will be evaluated on their ability to provide comprehensive, innovative approaches to addressing substance use challenges, with an emphasis on collaborative and evidence-based strategies that can effectively support youth and families in Arapahoe County.