Tuolumne County Resource Family Home (TCRFH) Quality Parenting and Caregiving Respite Services

The Tuolumne County Health and Human Services Agency, Department of Social Services, is issuing a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for Quality Parenting and Caregiving Respite Services to be provided at the Tuolumne County Resource Family Home (TCRFH). The County seeks to establish a qualified provider list of three to five Resource Families to deliver 24-hour temporary emergency and crisis care services for children ages 0 to 17+ years old placed in protective custody or voluntarily placed through the Child Welfare Services system. Key deliverables and objectives include providing safe residential care at the TCRFH facility (capacity of six children, with increases available for sibling groups), meal preparation, transportation coordination, medical and mental health support, school enrollment and support, behavior management, and comprehensive documentation of all care activities. Required qualifications include current Resource Family Approval (RFA) certification, current first aid and CPR certification, a valid California Class C driver's license, and successful passage of criminal background clearance and DMV record checks. The evaluation criteria allocate 25 points for proposal completeness, 25 points for valid RFA certification, and 25 points for proposal quality; desired qualifications include knowledge of Tuolumne County demographics, child development, juvenile court processes, and a valid California driver's license. The RFQ was posted on March 27, 2026, with a submission deadline of June 30, 2027, at 5:00 p.m. via the County's e-Procurement platform, and approved providers could commence respite care services as early as May 1, 2026.

This procurement contains significant restrictions on eligibility: current Tuolumne County employees are prohibited from applying under California Government Code 29708 and must separate from employment prior to contract award, and CalPERS retirees may be subject to retired annuitant restrictions if the contracted work is the same or similar to their previous County employment. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents. The County will provide a vehicle for TCRFH-related duties with full insurance coverage, as well as a computer and printer for TCRFH operations; the County will also reimburse necessary clothing purchases within 15 days of child placement. The initial contract term is one year with four optional one-year renewal terms by mutual agreement, contingent on adequate funding, demonstrable success, and continued County need. Compensation is structured as a daily rate of $100 per day for respite services, with additional payment based on the state-determined Level of Care prorated for each day a child resides at the facility (with the last day of placement not compensated). Contractors will receive four days per month of paid time off and four one-week vacations annually (76 days total), though additional respite services may be needed in unforeseen circumstances.