Statewide Recovery Community Organization (RCO) Support Services

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), specifically the Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) division, has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking a statewide support organization for Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs). The procurement targets a Florida-based 501c3 nonprofit, peer-run organization with extensive experience in recovery support services. Key deliverables include providing technical assistance, training, and support to current, emerging, and new RCOs, with objectives centered on public education of peer-based recovery support services, facilitating peer recovery support training and certification, and developing RCO infrastructure. Required qualifications include demonstrable capabilities in board development, policy implementation, statewide support capacity, and ability to collaborate with multiple partners. Critical procurement dates include the RFI release on 04/10/2025, a deadline to submit inquiries by 04/24/2025, departmental response to inquiries on 05/08/2025, and a response submission deadline of 05/19/2025. The department is specifically seeking an organization with proven experience in navigating certification processes, managing training programs, developing RCOs from the ground up, and providing technical assistance to community leaders.

The RFI explicitly indicates a preference for an existing RCO but does not impose strict set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. The procurement is specifically aligned with the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant, which has been funding RCO development since 2018. While no specific budget range is detailed in the documents, the RFI is characterized as an information-gathering exercise with potential for future competitive procurement. The geographic scope is statewide, with a specific focus on Leon County, and the selected organization will be expected to support RCOs across Florida. No incumbent vendors are explicitly mentioned, and the document does not specify existing technological infrastructure requirements for integration. The primary evaluation criteria appear to center on organizational experience, statewide capacity, technical expertise in recovery support services, and demonstrated ability to provide comprehensive support to emerging and existing RCOs.