Foster Plus Program

The Oregon Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Division is seeking a Coordinating Entity for the Foster Plus program, a collaborative initiative involving Behavior Rehabilitation Services (BRS) Proctor Care agencies serving Marion County and Salem. The primary objectives are to increase the number of certified proctor homes in Oregon, improve home retention, and enhance home utilization for children with complex needs. The selected vendor will be responsible for comprehensive program management, including strategic planning, expenditure tracking, and reporting for participating proctor care agencies. Evaluation criteria will focus on project management experience, governing structure, interpretation of rules and statutes, ability to coordinate multiple entities with competing priorities, and key personnel qualifications. Key deadlines include a proposal due date of August 24, 2023 at 3:30 PM Pacific Time, a pre-proposal conference on May 31, 2023, and questions/clarification requests due by August 14, 2023. The initial contract term is anticipated to be approximately 27 months, with potential renewal options up to a cumulative maximum of five years. The total possible score for proposals is 150 points, and the contract will be awarded based on the most advantageous proposal.

The Request for Proposal includes a Certified Disadvantaged Business Outreach Plan requirement, mandating proposers identify and describe past contracts with minority-owned, woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, or emerging small businesses. Proposers must outline their strategy for soliciting participation from such firms as subcontractors if awarded the contract. The current incumbent vendor is Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc., which has been managing the program and has demonstrated a conversion rate of 3.8% for certified homes. As of the RFP, the program currently has 175 certified BRS proctor and Behavior Health - Treatment Foster Care homes, with some serving as respite homes. While the RFP does not specify a specific budgeted amount, the contract will include monthly reimbursements for administrative costs and funding for marketing and special projects, with the ability to adjust certain line items by up to 10% without prior approval. Two proposers were identified in the procurement process: Greater Oregon Behavioral Health, Inc. and Public Consulting Group LLC, with the former ultimately receiving the Intent to Award notice.