Puuhonua reentry program

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is requesting proposals to establish and implement a culturally grounded reentry bridge model for Native Hawaiian participants, with proposals due September 28, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. HST via HIePRO (RFP SI 2026-021). This is a fixed-price, cost-reimbursement contract with a total budget of $200,000 for the first twelve-month term.

Offerors must demonstrate a minimum of five years of experience on similar projects in Hawaii and possess current business registration in Hawaii or with the State. The program targets 25–40 Native Hawaiian participants annually, prioritizing individuals assessed as high-risk for homelessness, unemployment, or recidivism. Scope includes individualized reentry needs assessments, personalized reentry plans, pre-release planning within correctional facilities, warm handoff coordination at release, housing navigation and stabilization, healthcare and behavioral health access integration, employment and economic pathways, cultural and community reintegration support, and post-release case management lasting six to nine months. Services must address systemic gaps identified in the Hoe Amau report, specifically fragmented service delivery, inadequate pre-release planning, and insufficient post-release support.

The budget allocates $110,000 to personnel, $40,000 to participant support, $20,000 to program operations, $15,000 to cultural practitioners and services, $10,000 to data and evaluation, and $5,000 to indirect and administrative costs. The contract is a single twelve-month term with optional extensions up to twelve months each, not to exceed sixty months total. Pricing is firm for the first twelve-month period, with potential adjustments limited to liability and automobile insurance increases not exceeding five percent. Contractors must maintain minimum insurance coverage totaling $2,000,000 in commercial general liability and other specified coverage, comply with Hawaii prevailing wage requirements, and demonstrate cultural competence and community engagement capacity with Native Hawaiian organizations. Registration forms are due September 4, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. HST. Notice of Award is anticipated in October 2026, with contract commencement in November 2026. Funding is contingent upon biennial budget approval by the OHA Board of Trustees and appropriation by the Governor and State Legislature.