DCAT3-25-113
Credible Messengers
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
Credible Messengers
DCAT3-25-113
Page 1 of 43
Form Date 6/24/20
Amy Huntington
600 West 4th Street, 3rd Floor,
Davenport, Iowa 52801
Phone: (563) 326-8794
Amy.huntington@hhs.iowa.gov
DCAT3-25-113
Credible Messengers
RFP Purpose.
The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals that will enable the Department of Health and Human Services
(Agency), Juvenile Court Services, and the Scott County Decategorization Board to select the most qualified
contractor to provide the Academy for Transformational Change's Credible Mentoring Program (ATC) in the 7th
Judicial District.
Duration of Contract.
The Agency anticipates executing a contract that will have an initial 6 year contract term with the ability to extend
the contract for 5 additional 1-year terms. The Agency will have the sole discretion to extend the contract.
Procurement Timetable
There are no exceptions to any deadlines for the Bidder; however, the Agency reserves the right to change the dates.
Times provided are in Central Time.
Event
Agency Issues RFP Notice to Targeted Small Business Website (48 hours):
Agency Issues RFP to Bid Opportunities Website
Bidder Letter of Intent to Bid Due By
Bidders’ Conference Will Be Held on the Following Date and Time
(Mandatory to all Bidders)
Bidder Written Questions Due By
Agency Responses to Questions Issued By
Bidder Proposals and any Amendments to Proposals Due By
Agency Announces Apparent Successful Bidder/Notice of Intent to Award
Contract Negotiations and Execution of the Contract Completed
Date
November 14, 2024
November 16, 2024
December 13, 2024
11 a.m.
December 9, 2024
10 a.m.
December 20, 2024
3 p.m.
December 30, 2024
January 24, 2025
11 a.m.
February 21, 2025
February 28, 2025
Anticipated Start Date for the Provision of Services
March 1, 2025
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Form Date 6/24/20
DCAT3-25-113
Credible Messengers
Section 1 Background and Scope of Work
1.1 Background.
The Scott County Decategorization Governance Board provides oversight to Decategorization funding in Scott
County. Decategorization of child welfare and juvenile justice funding is an initiative intended to establish
systems of delivering human services based upon client needs to replace systems based upon a multitude of
categorical funding programs and funding sources, each with different service definitions and eligibility
requirements. Decategorization is designed to redirect child welfare and juvenile justice funding to services which
are more preventive, family-centered, and community-based in order to reduce use of restrictive approaches that
rely upon institutional, out-of-home, and out-of-community services. To this end, the Scott County
Decategorization Board is soliciting proposals for Credible Messengers programming which is a mentoring
service created by the Academy for Transformational Change (ATC) to be utilized in the 7th Judicial District. At
the initiation of the program, youth referred to Juvenile Court Services (JCS) with weapons violations will have
access to mentoring in order to coach youth out of the system, and lower recidivism rates. As the program
progresses, the hope is to expand the scope to include additional charges and referrals from community resources.
Through this Request for Proposal (RFP), we seek to select a contractor to hire and maintain mentors who were
formerly involved in the juvenile justice system. Credible Messengers will be led by a Project Coordinator and
two mentors who will collaborate with JCS staff to identify, create and develop meaningful ways to engage youth
with gun charges currently experiencing the juvenile justice system.
1.2 RFP General Definitions.
When appearing as capitalized terms in this RFP, including attachments, the following quoted terms (and the
plural thereof, when appropriate) have the meanings set forth in this section.
“Agency” means the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
“Bid Proposal” or “Proposal” means the Bidder’s proposal submitted in response to the RFP.
“Bidder” means the entity that submits a Bid Proposal in response to this RFP.
“Contractor” means the Bidder who enters into a Contract as a result of this Solicitation.
“Deliverables” means all of the services, goods, products, work, work product, data (including data collected on
behalf of the Agency), items, materials and property to be created, developed, produced, delivered, performed, or
provided by or on behalf of, or made available through, the Contractor (or any agent, contractor or subcontractor
of the Contractor) in connection with any contract resulting from this RFP.
“Invoice” means a Contractor’s claim for payment. At the Agency’s discretion, claims may be submitted on an
original invoice from the Contractor or may be submitted on a claim form accepted by the Agency, such as a
General Accounting Expenditure (GAX) form.
Definitions Specific to this RFP.
When appearing as capitalized terms in this RFP, including attachments, the following quoted terms (and the
plural thereof, when appropriate) have the meanings set forth in this section.
“Decategorization Governance Board" or "Governance Board" means the group that enters into and implements
a Decategorization project agreement.
"Contract Manager" means an Agency employee who is accountable to the Contract Owner (Iowa Department
of Health and Human Services) for general management of the contract, monitoring and review functions or
oversees these functions if they are assigned to a designee(s).
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DCAT3-25-113
Credible Messengers
"Decategorization Director" means an individual who provides administrative support as determined by the
Decategorization Governance Board.
"DECAT" means Decategorization.
"HHS" means Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
“Juvenile Court Services” or “JCS” means a division of the Iowa Judicial Branch in which juveniles adjudicated
by the Iowa Juvenile Court as delinquent and Youth at risk of entering the court system receive services as
directed by the Chief Juvenile Court Officer or designee. Support may include case management and a variety of
community-based services known as graduated sanctions services. Pursuant to the authority granted in Iowa Code
chapters 232, 602, 7E and 8, and the annual appropriations Acts, the Executive Branch, represented by the
Department, and the Judicial Branch, represented by the State Court Administrator and the Chief Juvenile Court
Officers, are each charged with specific responsibilities for funding, administering, and providing services such as
those described in this RFP.
“Seventh Judicial District” means the Iowa Judicial District responsible for Juvenile Court Services in Clinton,
Jackson, Scott, Cedar, and Muscatine Counties.
“Juvenile Court Officer” or “JCO” means the Seventh Judicial District Juvenile Court Services staff with
primary supervision responsibility over a referred case.
"Recidivism" means the likelihood that a youth will be arrested and subsequently adjudicated delinquent.
"Academy for Transformational Change" or "ACT" means the program developed and disseminated by ACT
that
“Credible Messengers” means the program developed and disseminated by ATC to provide
intensive transformative mentoring services to youth being placed in detention and/or facing charges.
“Mentors” are advocates, community workers, and lifelines in urban landscapes that are marred by systemic
disparities and social injustices. They provide mentoring to youth in the Credible Messengers Program.
"GAX" means General Accounting Form used for billing.
1.3 Scope of Work.
1.3.1 Deliverables.
The Contractor shall provide the following:
1. Complete the vetting process with ATC in order to implement Credible Messengers in the Seventh
Judicial District. (See Attachment G)
2. ATC will:
a. Empower organizational leaders, managers, and supervisors to enhance staff competencies and build
effective systems to address crime, incarceration, and violence. The program strategically supports
community-based organizations and government agencies through a structured six-month coaching
engagement aimed at transforming organizational practices and staff capacity.
b. Establish a baseline understanding of organizational strengths and areas for improvement across four
core areas: Vetting, Hiring, and Transitioning Staff; Professional Development; Supervision and
Accountability; and System Partnerships.
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DCAT3-25-113
Credible Messengers
c. Teams complete the ATC Assessment Tool, rating various aspects of organizational practice on a
scale of 1 to 5.
d. Results are submitted to the ATC team, serving as a reference point for customizing the coaching
plan.
3. Contractor will provide appropriate staffing:
a. A full-time Project Coordinator position dedicated to the Credible Messengers program. A Project
Coordinator will be responsible for the management and administration of the program, the
supervision of mentors, communication with ATC, JCS and Decat Coordinator, tracking and
management of data, and coordination with training and technical assistance providers. Coordinator
shall possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in human services and 1-2 years of experience
working with youth and families in community-based programs.
b. Two full-time Credible Messengers to provide one-on-one support and mentoring to youth and
participate in trainings and community building opportunities. Credible Messengers are required to
have involvement in the Juvenile Justice system or Criminal Justice system and/or lived experience.
Mentors should be deeply rooted in the communities they serve, demonstrate credibility, integrity,
and leadership for youth.
c. Staff must have access to reliable transportation, with proof of a valid driver’s license, demonstrate a
willingness to travel within a specified service area, and possess the ability to provide youth and their
families with support as needed.
d. Assign dedicated staff to this project, meaning full-time personnel whose sole duty is this project.
4. Training:
a. All employees involved in the delivery of services related to the Credible Messengers Program are
fully trained according to ATC specifications. All initial training will be provided by ATC either in
person at a location in Scott County, remotely, or in an online format by ATC representatives.
b. Credible Messengers Project Coordinator is required to attend and actively participate in the initial
training plus additional training specific to Project Coordinator.
c. Ensure on-site training has appropriate workspace, training facilities, audiovisual and electronic
equipment and any technical or administrative assistance reasonably required by ATC.
Conferences at Lodging Facilities. In accordance with Iowa Code § 80.45A(5), if the following tasks
are a part of the Contractor’s scope of work under this Contract, prior to either (1) procuring space or
services for a conference, meeting, or banquet located at a site where lodging is available that is
owned, operated, or owned and operated by a lodging provider, or (2) hosting a conference, meeting,
or banquet at a site where lodging is available that is owned, operated, or owned and operated by a
lodging provider, and in either case, the lodging provider must pay Iowa hotel/motel taxes, the
Contractor shall verify the lodging provider is certified as having completed human trafficking
prevention training on a website maintained by the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The website is
currently available at https://stophtiowa.org/certified-locations. The Contractor shall submit proof of
this certification to the Agency’s contract manager with the claim for reimbursement.
d. Budget for ongoing training with ATC (See Attachment E).
5. Connect youth to services, supports, and resources that help them reach their goals
and developmental milestones.
6. Engage youth in positive, developmentally appropriate, and structured activities
that complement and enhance ATC’s approach for the care and supervision of
young people to enhance public safety.
7. Invest directly in local organizational and human resources that are accessible and
dedicated to strengthening young people and their families to create safer and
stronger communities in the long-term.
8. Adhere to the ATC Consultation:
a. Require any employees, including supervisors and direct care staff involved with the Credible
Messengers Program, participate in routine on-site and remotely delivered consultation with ATC.
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Form Date 6/24/20
This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.