RFI 1218 Development of Automated Child Protective Intake Decision-Making Tool

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), Division of Child Welfare and Community Services, has issued a Request for Information (RFI 1218) seeking vendor input on developing an automated child protective intake decision-making tool for the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). The RFI aims to procure a sophisticated software solution that can support hotline specialists in registering child protective reports while ensuring consistency, objectivity, and compliance with NYS statutes and OCFS policies. The primary deliverables include a user-friendly automated tool capable of analyzing approximately 300,000 annual intake calls across 150 staff members, with key objectives of promoting equitable and accurate decision-making processes. Vendors are expected to provide comprehensive details about their proposed approach, including design methodology, implementation strategies, and potential evaluation mechanisms for the tool. The RFI requires vendors to submit detailed responses electronically to funding@ocfs.ny.gov by August 12, 2025, at 4:00 PM Eastern Time, with the submission covering aspects such as organizational mission, previous experience, service delivery capabilities, and proposed technical approaches.

The RFI does not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations, suggesting the opportunity is open to a wide range of technology and consulting firms with expertise in child welfare information systems. While no incumbent vendors are mentioned, the document indicates a preference for vendors with demonstrable experience in developing complex decision-making tools for public sector child protective services. The RFI emphasizes that this is an information-gathering exercise and does not guarantee future contract opportunities, with all response preparation costs to be borne by the vendors. Although specific budget ranges are not disclosed, the complexity of developing an automated tool for processing 300,000 annual intake calls suggests a potentially significant investment. Vendors are encouraged to provide cost estimates for tool development, implementation, and post-implementation analysis, with a focus on creating a solution that is cost-effective, adaptable to various complexity levels, and capable of providing meaningful data analysis for child protective intake processes.