First 5 Sacramento Pregnancy Peer Support for African American Families

First 5 Sacramento has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP #2023-0258) for a Pregnancy Peer Support program targeting African American families in Sacramento County. The procurement seeks community-based organizations to implement a three-year program focused on reducing risks of poor pregnancy and birth outcomes, including premature births, low birth weight births, and infant deaths. Successful proposers will provide trained peer mentors to deliver comprehensive support services such as education, accompaniment, navigation, and advocacy for pregnant African American individuals from their 30th week of pregnancy through 6 weeks postpartum. Key deliverables include one-on-one mentorship, health assessments, and direct client support in seven specific high-risk county areas. Evaluation criteria will encompass organizational capacity, staffing, program description, community involvement, budget development, and sustainability planning. Critical dates include a mandatory proposers' conference held on October 4, 2023, a letter of intent deadline of October 25, 2023, and the final proposal submission deadline of November 13, 2023 at 5:00 pm. The funding recommendation is scheduled to be announced on January 3, 2024, with the program implementation period spanning July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027.

The RFP explicitly excludes government agencies from applying, targeting instead community-based organizations with existing relationships in Sacramento County's African American communities. Eligible proposers must be special or general purpose government units, non-profit organizations, or private businesses with current licenses. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were mentioned in the documentation. The maximum funding allocation for the entire three-year program is $2,520,000, with a recommendation to maintain an equal budget across contract years and minimal annual increases. Proposers must demonstrate cultural competence, provide detailed plans for peer mentor training, and establish collaborative partnerships with local health and social service providers. The funding originates from First 5 Sacramento's budget, supported by Proposition 10 tobacco tax revenues, and is part of the organization's broader strategic framework emphasizing racial equity, health, and systems improvement. Successful organizations will be required to participate in ongoing data collection, evaluation activities, and develop a sustainability plan to ensure continued service delivery beyond the initial funding period.