Funding Opportunities

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DISC 1132
Barber School at Goshen Secure Center

The New York State Office of Children & Family Services (OCFS) announces a Discretionary Funding Opportunity (DISC) for qualified entities that can provide a Barbering Program to teach and train the art of barbering to at-risk youth who reside at Goshen Secure Center. Youth should obtain the skills and knowledge that are needed to master the industry standard art of barbering to become eligible to qualify for an apprenticeship in a barbershop. The goal is to teach and train at-risk youth valuable barbering skills that can be used to obtain gainful employment when reintegrating into the community.

• DISC 1132 – Barber School at Goshen Secure Center
• DISC 1132 – Attachment 1 – Letter of Interest
• DISC 1132 – Attachment 2 – Submission Checklist
• DISC 1132 – Attachment 3 – Affirmation of Business Status
• DISC 1132 – Attachment 4 – References

IFB 1150
Supervising Psychiatrist Eastern Region

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) operates the state's residential juvenile justice programs for juvenile delinquents and juvenile offenders and oversees locally operated foster care, child abuse, daycare, and Youth Development and Delinquency Prevention Programs (YDDPP) for juvenile delinquents and juvenile offenders.

OCFS DJJOY is issuing this Invitation for Bids (IFB) to seek one (1) contractor to provide psychiatric supervision services for juvenile delinquent youth and youthful offenders residing at the following OCFS facilities in the Eastern Region of New York State: Brentwood Residential Center, Highland Residential Center, Brookwood Secure Center for Youth and Goshen Secure Center.

• IFB 1150 – Supervising Psychiatrist Eastern Region (includes Attachment 1 - Statement on Sexual Harassment)
• IFB 1150 – OCFS-0910 Request for Bid
• IFB 1150 – Attachment 2 – Submission Checklist

IFB 1155
Psychiatric Services for Finger Lakes and Harriet Tubman

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) operates the state's residential juvenile justice programs for juvenile delinquents and juvenile offenders and oversees locally operated foster care, child abuse, daycare, and Youth Development and Delinquency Prevention Programs (YDDPP) for juvenile delinquents and juvenile offenders.

OCFS DJJOY is issuing this Invitation for Bids (IFB) to seek contractors to provide psychiatric services for juvenile delinquent youth and youthful offenders residing at Finger Lakes Residential Center and Harriet Tubman Residential Center.

• IFB 1155 – Psychiatric Services for Finger Lakes and Harriet Tubman (includes Attachment 1 - Statement on Sexual Harassment)
• IFB 1155 – OCFS-0910 Request for Bid
• IFB 1155 – Attachment 2 – Submission Checklist
• IFB 1155 – Questions and Answers

RFP 1157
AmeriCorps 2024-2025 Competitive Pool

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services on behalf of the Commission on National and Community Service (hereafter “the Commission”) seeks applicants for 2024-2025 AmeriCorps Competitive grant funding. The Commission is a governor-appointed commission with a diverse, non-partisan body of, among others, representatives of business, labor, education, government, human service agencies and community-based organizations. The Commission directs national service policy for the state and directly administers funding awarded by AmeriCorps for National and Community Service (hereafter “AmeriCorps” or “AMERICORPS”) to support New York State AmeriCorps programs.

• RFP 1157 – AmeriCorps 2024-2025 Competitive Pool
• RFP 1157 – Bidder's Notice
• RFP 1157 – Attachment 1 – Statement on Sexual Harrassment
• RFP 1157 – Technical Info Session 11/6/2023 – PDF for RFP 1157 Technical Info Session | Webex video for RFP 1157 Technical Info Session
• RFP 1157 – Program Info Session 11/6/2023 – PDF for RFP 1157 Program Info Session | Webex video for RFP 1157 Program Info Session
• RFP 1157 – Questions and Answers

IFB 1153
Automatic Vending Machine Service for USPS Lyell Avenue Rochester

The New York State (NYS) Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), Commission for the Blind, hereinafter known as the Commission, as authorized under the Federal Randolph Sheppard Act of 1974, the NYS Unconsolidated Laws, Section 8714-a, the NYS Social Services Law, Sections 20 (3) (d) and 38, and the NYS Public Buildings Law, Section 3 (13), is soliciting bid proposals for automatic vending machine service for the purpose of providing income, benefits and services to NYS residents who are legally blind.

• IFB 1153 – Automatic Vending Machine Service for USPS Lyell Avenue Rochester
• IFB 1153 – Appendix A – Standard Clauses for NYS Contracts June 2023
• IFB 1153 – Appendix C – Modified Vending Machine Services
• IFB 1153 – Appendix D – USPS Lyell Avenue Rochester Vending Machine Locations
• IFB 1153 – Attachment 1 – Bid Commitment Form
• IFB 1153 – Attachment 2 – OCFS-4553 Bidder Identification Form
• IFB 1153 – Attachment 3 – OCFS-2633 MacBride Fair Employment Form
• IFB 1153 – Attachment 4 – AC-3290-S Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire
• IFB 1153 – Attachment 5 – OCFS-4822 Procurement Lobbying Act
• IFB 1153 – Attachment 6 – OCFS-2634 Non-Collusive Bidding Certification
• IFB 1153 – Attachment 7 – OCFS-2647 EO 177 Certification
• IFB 1153 – Attachment 8 – References Template
• IFB 1153 – Questions and Answers (There were no questions received for this IFB.)

RFP 1068
Permanency Resource Centers

The New York State (NYS) Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) has released this request for proposals (RFP) to solicit applications from qualified applicants to increase the state’s capacity to support and strengthen families and to promote the permanency and well-being of children. Programs should be designed to meet the unique needs of post-adoptive, post-guardianship, and kinship families with a goal to maintain and support children residing in permanent households. Applicants must agree to provide required services to families in a minimum of four or more counties or all boroughs of New York City.

• RFP 1068 – Permanency Resource Centers
• RFP 1068 – Attachment 1 – Budget Template
• RFP 1068 – Attachment 2 – Workplan Template
• RFP 1068 – Attachment 3 – Case Management Attestation
• RFP 1068 – Attachment 4 – Participant Satisfaction Survey
• RFP 1068 – Attachment 5 – Performance Targets
• RFP 1068 – Attachment 6 – Target Population
• RFP 1068 – Attachment 7 – OCFS Regions
• RFP 1068 – Attachment 8 – BIPOC Leadership
• RFP 1068 – Attachment A1-B – Program-Specific Terms and Conditions
• RPP 1068 – Questions and Answers

SOI 1147
Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Amended 11/9/2023

The New York State Office of Children & Family Services (OCFS) announces a Solicitation of Interest (SOI) for qualified entities that can provide Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) staff consultation and training services required within our Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) to at-risk youth in our custody. DBT is an integral part of the New York Model (NYM). The NYM is the behavioral treatment program used by DJJOY staff to serve the needs of court adjudicated youth in our custody. The NYM is utilized throughout a youth’s placement, from their facility stay through their reintroduction to their communities through our Community Multi-Services Offices (CMSO). DBT fosters skills to manage painful emotions and decrease conflict in relationships. DBT specifically focuses on providing therapeutic skills in four key areas. First, mindfulness focuses on improving an individual's ability to accept and be present in the current moment. Second, distress tolerance is geared toward increasing a person’s tolerance of negative emotion, rather than trying to escape from it. Third, emotion regulation covers strategies to manage and change intense emotions that are causing problems in a person’s life. Fourth, interpersonal effectiveness consists of techniques that allow a person to communicate with others in a way that is assertive, maintains self-respect, and strengthens relationships. This advertisement is public notice that OCFS is seeking to contract with organizations to provide in-person and virtual DBT consultant services to OCFS staff, and DBT training and development to our DJJOY staff. Consultant services would include both direct consultation and training.

• SOI 1147 – Dialectical Behavior Therapy Amended 11/9/2023
• SOI 1147 – Attachment 1 – Letter of Interest
• SOI 1147 – Attachment 2 – Submission Checklist

RFQ 1144
Contracted Hearing Officers

Amended 10/4/2023 and 10/27/2023

The New York State Office of Children & Family Services (OCFS) announces a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for qualified entities to administer Hearing Officer services to the Bureau of Special Hearings (BSH) under contract.

The BSH, under OCFS, provides the forum for citizens to challenge a wide variety of decisions made by local and state social services officials. Hearings are held in a variety of areas including, but not limited to, foster care removals, enforcement of day care regulations and laws, enforcement of laws and regulations relating to family homes for adults, adoption applications, reimbursement of local social services districts for foster care expenditures, and issues relating to decisions made by the Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped. In addition, a significant portion of past and current hearings volume involves hearings arising out of the operations of the State Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR).

Due to statutory and regulatory requirements pursuant to SSL §§ 422(8) and 424-a, many of the hearing requests awaiting scheduling in BSH are SCR hearings. The number of current referrals to the SCR continues to grow, resulting in the need to retain Contract Hearing Officers to help process this caseload.

• RFQ 1144 – Contracted Hearing Officers Amended 10/4/2023 and 10/27/2023
• RFQ 1144 – Attachment 1 – Letter of Interest
• RFQ 1144 – Attachment 2 – Submission Checklist
• RFQ 1144 – Attachment 3 – References

DISC 1135
Statewide Dental Services Manager

The New York State Office of Children & Family Services (OCFS) Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) announces a Discretionary Opportunity (DISC) for one (1) qualified individual to provide coordination and consultation of dental services to youth in our agency’s nine (9) statewide residential facilities. The qualified individual must possess the necessary experience in providing dental treatment to youth and young adults and also have a background in pediatric dentistry. The individual will be responsible for reviewing and coordinating statewide dental services being provided by OCFS contracted vendors within the residential facilities and the corresponding billing rates/invoices submitted for payment on a monthly basis.

• DISC 1135 – Statewide Dental Services Manager
• DISC 1135 – Attachment 1 – Letter of Interest
• DISC 1135 – Attachment 2 – Submission Checklist
• DISC 1135 – Attachment 3 – Affirmation of Business Status
• DISC 1135 – Attachment 4 – References

SOI 1136
Socialization Skills Services for Children who are Legally Blind

The New York State Office of Children & Family Services (OCFS) announces a Solicitation of Interest (SOI) for qualified entities that provide a wide array of socialization skills programs for children who are legally blind, that will help develop and reinforce their social skills, independence, confidence, and self-esteem. These programs may take place after school, on weekends, on a year-round basis, or during school vacations; they may be residential or day programs.

• SOI 1136 – Socialization Skills Services for Children who are Legally Blind
• SOI 1136 – Attachment 1 – Letter of Interest
• SOI 1136 – Attachment 2 – Submission Checklist

SOI 1133
Daycare Registration Services for Erie and Monroe Counties

New York State (NYS) Office of Children & Family Services (OCFS) announces a Solicitation of Interest (SOI) opportunity for qualified entities that have experience with NYS Child Care regulations and statutes to deliver registration services, including complaint investigations and enforcement, in Erie and Monroe counties to all School-Age programs and Family Day Care providers. Currently, in Erie County there are approximately 65 Family Day Care Programs and 86 School-Age Child Care programs who would be served under this solicitation. In Monroe County, there are approximately 287 Family Day Care Programs and 44 School-Age Child Care Programs who would be served under this solicitation. This does not include new Family Day Care or School-Age programs that may wish to open in these counties. This advertisement is public notice that OCFS is seeking to contract with two organizations, one in Erie County and one in Monroe County, to provide these services. Please refer to the solicitation document for additional information.

• SOI 1133 – Daycare Registration Services
• SOI 1133 – Attachment 1 – Letter of Interest
• SOI 1133 – Attachment 2 – Submission Checklist
• SOI 1133 – Attachment 3 – Registration Performance Standards

IFB 1102 - WITHDRAWN
Grant Compliance Review Services - Child Care Stabilization 1.0 Monitoring
Withdrawn 11/29/2023

This IFB has been withdrawn. OCFS anticipates posting a new IFB in the near future.

The New York State (NYS) Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) announces the release of this Invitation for Bids (IFB) to perform a grant compliance review of childcare providers’ expenditures for funds they received from the Child Care Stabilization Grants.

• IFB 1102 – Grant Compliance Review Services
• IFB 1102 – OCFS-0910 Request For Bid Form
• IFB 1102 – Attachment 1 – Bidder's Certified Statements
• IFB 1102 – Attachment 2 – References
• IFB 1102 – Attachment 3 – Child Care Stabilization Grant Opportunity Announcement
• IFB 1102 – Attachment 4 – Allowable Expenses and Required Supporting Documents
• IFB 1102 – Attachment 5 – Submission Checklist
• IFB 1102 – Questions and Answers

RFI 1149
Regional Implementation of Evidence-Based Services

The New York State (NYS) Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), Division of Child Welfare and Community Services (CWCS), is seeking input from interested parties regarding the regional implementation of an evidence-based service through the Center for Excellence (CfE). OCFS will support the training and service delivery of Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) through preventive agencies to local departments of social services (LDSSs) through the CfE.

OCFS’s goals in issuing this RFI are to:

inform preventive agencies of OCFS’s intent to fund BSFT as an evidenced-based program; and

elicit input from preventive agencies related to the application process and challenges that may exist when implementing a regional model.

• RFI 1149 – Regional Implementation of Evidence-Based Services
• RFI 1149 – Attachment 1 – Vendor Response

SOI 1137
Pre-College Program for Legally Blind Students

The New York State Office of Children & Family Services (OCFS) and the New York State Commission for the Blind (NYSCB) announce a Solicitation of Interest (SOI) for qualified entities that provide a Pre-College Program for Legally Blind Students (Pre-College Program) entering their senior year of high school so they can be better prepared to adjust to college life. OCFS is seeking to contract with organizations to provide an annual four-week summer residential Pre-College Program on a college campus for legally blind students entering their senior year of high school, through a partnership between an eligible organization and a college or university.

• SOI 1137 – Pre-College Program for Legally Blind Students
• SOI 1137 – Attachment 1 – Letter of Interest
• SOI 1137 – Attachment 2 – Submission Checklist
• SOI 1137 – Attachment 3 – Code of Conduct
• SOI 1137 – Attachment 4 – Daily Medical Log
• SOI 1137 – Attachment 5 – Medication Log

RFI 1148
CMSO Family Night Dinners with Venue

The New York State (NYS) Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) and Community Multi-Services Offices (CMSOs), are seeking information and collecting input from interested parties regarding the opportunity for qualified entities to provide venues, coordination, and meals to host community-based Family Nights for OCFS-placed youth and their families.

DJJOY’s goal in issuing this RFI is to collect information from organizations that can:

• provide a culturally diverse buffet style meal
• arrange for a safe and inviting venue
• communicate with OCFS DJJOY and CMSO staff relative to menu and venue
• host up to 40 people per Family Night Dinner (these numbers will vary slightly based on youth population in each region)
• coordinate Family Night Dinners with CMSO staff once a month for up to a total of 24 months

DJJOY endeavors to enhance their engagement with families and parents by offering monthly family night dinners. Family night dinners would be hosted by vendors in the community and would be a safe space that encourages family attendance and participation. These family night dinners would include a sit-down meal for youth, their families, and CMSO staff, with the hope that the gatherings will help to build rapport and trust and lead to better participation and involvement in aftercare programming.

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or an Invitation for Bid (IFB), or a promise to issue an RFP or an IFB.

Please see the RFI document for additional information and submission requirements.

• RFI 1148 – CMSO Family Night Dinners with Venue
• RFI 1148 – Attachment 1 – Vendor Response

SOI
Workforce Retention Grant Program

The goal of the Workforce Retention Grant program is to support the early childhood education and child care workforce by providing funds for staff retention bonuses and recruitment activities. Only eligible child care programs can apply for the grant, individual staff cannot apply. Legally exempt programs are not eligible for this funding. The Workforce Retention Grant program is for eligible New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) licensed/registered School-Age Child Care Programs (SACC), Day Care Centers (DCC), Family Day Care Homes (FDC), Group Family Day Care Homes (GFDC), Small Day Care Centers (SDCC) and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) permitted Article 47 Group Day Care Centers (GDC). Utilizing ARPA, CRRSA, and state support, a total of $500M will be made available for programs applying from July 26, 2023 through September 15, 2023.

• Workforce Retention Grant