Licensed and Specialized Counseling Provider Services

The County of Orange Social Services Agency is soliciting proposals from qualified licensed mental health professionals to provide counseling services to children and families under an RFA with questions due September 29, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. and proposals due October 12, 2026. The County intends to award contracts to multiple qualified respondents; no single-award or set-aside restriction applies.

Respondents must hold current licensure as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC), or Licensed Clinical Psychologist from the California Department of Consumer Affairs Board of Behavioral Sciences. Minimum qualifications include five years of consecutive recent experience providing same or similar services and two years of specific experience with children and families with histories of child abuse and neglect. All personnel must pass background checks, including clearance from the National Sex Offender Website and Megan's Law Registry. Respondents must also hold a valid D-U-N-S number, Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), and current business ability in Orange County.

The scope spans individual, conjoint, and family counseling for children from birth through 17 years, Non-Minor Dependents, and parents or caregivers at risk of or with histories of child abuse and neglect. Services must utilize family-centered, trauma-informed, evidence-based approaches with a maximum of 20 counseling sessions per referral within a seven-month service period. Contractors must provide services during standard business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), evening availability from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for a minimum of three days per week, and weekend hours. Language capacity is required in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Cambodian, Farsi, and American Sign Language.

The contract term runs July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2030, with an optional two-year renewal at the County's sole discretion. Compensation is a fixed rate of $150 per counseling session billed monthly in arrears. Estimated annual funding is $840,000, totaling approximately $2.52 million over three years, shared among all selected respondents with no guaranteed minimum referral volume. Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance including Commercial General Liability ($1 million per occurrence), Professional Liability ($1 million per claims-made or occurrence), Workers' Compensation (statutory), Network Security & Privacy Liability ($1 million), and Sexual Abuse and Molestation coverage ($1 million per occurrence).

Evaluation uses a 900-point scale with a passing score of 630 points, weighted across employment experience (150 points), education and professional experience (150 points), areas of specialization (200 points), hours of operation and office location (250 points), record keeping (75 points), and client engagement (75 points). Proposals must be submitted electronically via the County's eProcurement Portal and remain valid for at least 365 calendar days. Award is contingent on County Board of Supervisors approval, reference checks, past performance verification, and state budget approval.