T1932 - Contracted System Administrator (CSA) for the Childrens System of Care (CSOC)

The New Jersey Department of Children and Families is soliciting proposals for a Contracted System Administrator (CSA) to manage the Children's System of Care (CSOC) under Bid Solicitation #26DPP01212 (T1932), with quotes due October 1, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. A Small Business and Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Subcontracting Set-Aside with good-faith solicitation requirements applies.

The CSA will operate a statewide integrated system serving approximately 67,000 youth annually with behavioral health, mental health, substance use, and intellectual and developmental disability services across 21 counties. Core deliverables include a 24/7/365 call center with 30-second answer-time standards; a web-based Management Information System supporting approximately 25,000 users; care coordination and utilization management; Medicaid eligibility determinations and prior authorization; fiscal management and third-party liability processing; training and orientation; and monthly reporting across demographics, access, outcomes, utilization, and performance domains. The contractor must maintain an office within 40 miles of DCF's Central Office in Trenton.

Pricing is firm fixed and submitted monthly across five contract years on a state-supplied price sheet covering eleven service categories: administrative fees, call center and customer service, MIS/IT operations, counselor and care coordination, medical eligibility management, fiscal management, website services, training and materials, and performance improvement services. No specific contract value is disclosed.

Executive and managerial staffing requirements are rigorous: an Executive Director with a Master's degree and 10+ years of managed care experience; a Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist as Medical Director; clinical, operations, IT, and quality leadership positions, each holding advanced degrees and 10+ years of direct experience; and five manager-level roles with healthcare or data-analytics backgrounds. The contractor assumes full HIPAA Business Associate compliance, must complete a comprehensive 30-control-area Third-Party Information Security Questionnaire, and maintain cyber-liability insurance. Annual independent financial audits and triennial operational audits are mandatory. The contract term is five years with potential extension options, commencing upon award notification with a maximum 180-day mobilization period. Questions were due June 30, 2026. Six bid amendments extended the original timeline; the most recent (Bid Amendment #6, September 10) moved the quote deadline to October 1, 2026.