DCY-C-2627-0116 Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator

Through this RFP, DCY seeks one qualified Offeror to lead statewide management of OhioKAN serving Kinship caregivers and Adoptive families. The Offeror must also provide training, ensure program fidelity, lead quality improvement, maintain OhioKAN's regional structure while conducting statewide outreach, and support PASSS application processing. Offerors must demonstrate strong knowledge of kinship and adoption needs, familiarity with child welfare programs and best practices and capacity to deliver services statewide and foster strong community partnerships
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Project management
Inquiries Inquiry 95322 | Part 1, Section D.3 requires the Contractor to maintain standing as a licensed Training for Adoption Competency (TAC) site through C.A.S.E. Given that TAC site licensure is granted by C.A.S.E. through its own application process, will the State accept, as satisfying this requirement at Contract execution, a binding commitment to obtain TAC site licensure through C.A.S.E. on an expedited basis, with licensure activities incorporated into the implementation plan? If so, what timeframe does the State consider acceptable? | Answer: To clarify, the RFP does not require the Contractor to already hold TAC site licensure through C.A.S.E. at the time of contract execution. Instead, the Contractor must be able to secure and maintain the necessary standing with C.A.S.E. to perform TAC‑related responsibilities, including coordinating cohorts, recruiting participants, and supporting future TAC trainers.DCY will accept a demonstration in the proposal that the Offeror can obtain this standing. Offerors should also include their anticipated timeframe for establishing the required agreement or standing with C.A.S.E. and explain how that timeline aligns with their implementation plan. | Answered: 8/27/2026 Inquiry 95325 | If the annual TAC clinician cohort is in progress at the time of Contract transition, what are the State's expectations for continuity of that cohort, and will the incumbent's cooperation in cohort completion be facilitated under the transition assistance provisions? | Answer: If the annual TAC clinician cohort is in progress at the time of Contract transition, the State’s expectation is that the cohort will continue without interruption. To support continuity, the incumbent contractor will be required to cooperate under the contract’s transition assistance provisions. This includes providing all information, materials, and coordination necessary to allow the incoming contractor to assume responsibility for cohort completion.The incoming contractor will be expected to maintain TAC cohort operations as part of its role as a TAC site, including ongoing coordination, communication with participants, and completion of all activities associated with the current cohort. The State will facilitate cooperation from the incumbent to ensure the transition is smooth and that participants experience no disruption in training. | Answered: 8/27/2026 Inquiry 95328 | Offerors may propose and price from equal information, will the State provide current program baseline data, including Navigator and staff counts by region, families served by tier and by region for the most recent 12 months, OhioKAN phone line call volumes, Stability Supports disbursement volumes and PASSS application volumes? | Answer: The State will not be providing program baseline data prior to vendor selection. As outlined in the RFP, Offerors are expected to propose and price based on the information currently provided in the solicitation. Program‑specific operational data, such as Navigator and staff counts by region, families served by tier and region, OhioKAN call line volumes, Stability Supports disbursement volumes, and PASSS application volumes, are not required for Offerors to prepare responsive proposals and will therefore not be released during the competitive procurement process.Following award and contract execution, the selected Contractor will receive access to necessary program information to support implementation and ongoing operations in alignment with the Scope of Work. | Answered: 8/27/2026 Inquiry 95331 | The Cost Proposal workbook shows nine months of quantities for monthly Deliverables in SFY27. Please confirm the anticipated Contract start date and service commencement date assumed for pricing purposes. | Answer: Due to the timing of the RFP, the anticipated contract start date will be no earlier than October 1, 2026, which aligns with nine months of contracted services in SFY 27. The State will work with the selected Contractor to finalize the contract commencement date. For pricing purposes, Offerors should rely on the quantities and timeframes provided in the Cost Proposal workbook. The nine-month quantities shown for SFY 27 are intended solely to support consistent pricing across proposals and do not represent a finalized program start date. | Answered: 8/27/2026 Inquiry 95334 | Part 1, Section A.6 requires management of subrecipient and regional site partner agreements. May the Contractor propose its own subrecipient network within the pre-defined regional structure, or does the State require continuation of the current regional site partner organizations? | Answer: Part 1, Section A.6 requires the Contractor to manage subrecipient and regional site partner agreements. The State does not require continuation of the current regional site partner organizations. Offerors may propose their own subrecipient network, provided that the proposed structure aligns with the pre‑defined regional framework and enables the Contractor to meet all requirements related to regional coordination, service delivery, and oversight.Any proposed subrecipient network must demonstrate the capacity to fulfill all responsibilities outlined in the Scope of Work, including regional site management, service accessibility, data reporting, and collaboration with DCY and designated partners. | Answered: 8/27/2026 Inquiry 95337 | Will the State make available to all Offerors the current OhioKAN Program Manual, the OhioKAN Workforce Development Framework, the BASICS assessment instrument and the fidelity metrics referenced in Part 1, to the extent these are not fully published at manual.ohiokan.org? | Answer: All materials that the State intends to make available for proposal development are included in the RFP or are publicly accessible at manual.ohiokan.org. The State will not be distributing additional program documents, such as the OhioKAN Workforce Development Framework, the BASICS assessment instrument, or the fidelity metrics, beyond what is already published and publicly available.Following Contract award, the selected Contractor will receive access to the full set of current program materials necessary to support implementation and ongoing operations in alignment with the Scope of Work. | Answered: 8/27/2026 Inquiry 95340 | Regarding Part 1, Section F, will the DCY-approved process for SACWIS access allow Contractor and subrecipient staff credentialing and required training to begin during the implementation period prior to service go-live? | Answer: Yes. Under the DCY‑approved SACWIS access process, the State will allow the Contractor and subrecipient staff to begin SACWIS credentialing and any required training during the implementation period, prior to service go‑live. This approach is intended to ensure that all necessary access and training requirements are completed in advance so staff are fully prepared to perform SACWIS‑related responsibilities on the first day of service delivery.The State will coordinate with the Contractor during implementation to facilitate onboarding steps and ensure compliance with SACWIS security and training requirements. | Answered: 8/27/2026 Inquiry 95343 | Does the current program operate a DCY-approved supplemental data system under Part 1, Section F.4.e, and if so, will it, and the existing OhioKAN Information Hub resource database content, transfer to the successor Contractor? | Answer: Yes, the current program does operate a DCY‑approved supplemental data system as referenced in Part 1, Section F.4.e. However, this supplemental system is proprietary to the incumbent contractor and will not transfer to the successor Contractor. Likewise, the existing OhioKAN Information Hub and its associated resource database will not transfer.The program data, however, will transfer to the successor Contractor following Contract award. The State will ensure that all required program data is made available in accordance with applicable data security, privacy, and transition requirements so the incoming Contractor is able to support ongoing program operations without disruption.The successor Contractor will be responsible for establishing or utilizing its own DCY‑approved supplemental data solution that meets all requirements outlined in Part 1, Section F. The State will work with the awarded Contractor during implementation to ensure that any new supplemental data processes, resource navigation tools, and system configurations comply with DCY’s data standards and operational expectations. | Answered: 8/27/2026