9410 Dhs Bjjs Direct Care Staffing

Office of Children Youth & Families
Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services
Statement of Work
Contracted Staffing - Juvenile Support Aide Position
I. Objective.
The Department of Human Services ("DHS" or "Department"), Bureau of Juvenile Justice
Services ("BJJS") is issuing this Invitation to Bid ("IFB") to establish a multiple award
agency contract for the Department to procure contracted staffing Juvenile Support Aides
("JSAs") at the below facilities.
Facility Name Facility Address
South Mountain Secure Treatment Unit 10056 South Mountain Road, South
("SMSTU") Mountain, PA 17261
Loysville Youth Development Center 8 Opportunity Drive, Loysville, PA 17047
("LYDC")
Southeast Youth Development Center 1212 Mokychic Drive, Building 12,
("SYDC") Schwenksville, PA 19473
North Central Secure Treatment Unit 36 Kirkbride Drive, Danville, PA 17821
("NCSTU")
North East Secure Treatment Unit 701 Sathers Drive, Pittston, PA 18640
("NESTU")
Youth Forestry Camp #3 ("YFC #3") 4534 Tar Kiln Road, James Creek, PA
16657
The Department will award an agency contract to qualified Contractors, who will then be
able to submit quotes for staffing JSAs, as needed, at the listed facilities.
II. Background.
A. All BJJS sites are residential treatment facilities that provide services to youth who
have been adjudicated delinquent. All BJJS sites are secure except YFC#3 which is
considered non-secure. Youth have been committed to the YDC/YFC system via court
order and are between 13 and 20 years old. All youth in the BJJS sites are male except
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for one program for female youth located at NCSTU. The BJJS sites operate 24 hours
per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.
1. SMSTU, located in Franklin County, is a secure, residential treatment facility for
males. Additional details are included in the attached Appendix A, SMSTU BJJS
Brochure.
2. LYDC, located in Perry County, is a secure, residential treatment facility for males.
Additional details are included in the attached Appendix B, LYDC BJJS
Brochure.
3. NCSTU, located in Montour County, is a secure, residential treatment facility for
males and females. Male and female youth are housed separately, and the programs
do not interact. Additional details are included in the attached Appendix C,
NCSTU BJJS Brochure.
4. NESTU, located in Luzerne County, is a secure, residential treatment facility for
males. Additional details are included in the attached Appendix D, NESTU BJJS
Brochure.
5. SYDC, located in Montgomery County, is a secure, residential treatment facility
for males. Additional details are included in the attached Appendix E, SYDC BJJS
Brochure.
6. YFC#3, located in Huntingdon County, is a non-secure residential treatment facility
for males. Additional details are included in the attached Appendix F, YFC#3
BJJS Brochure.
B. POINTS OF CONTACT: The selected Contractors shall identify a project manager
("Point of Contact"), who may be on- or off-site, and one alternate Point of Contact to
serve as the project manager's designee for this contract.
The BJJS site administrative points of contact for this contract will handle items such
as communication with selected Contractors regarding scheduling and interviews, and
are listed below:
1. SMSTU - Robert Lucko, Facility Director. Contact should be made via phone (717-
788-1136) or email rlucko@pa.gov
2. LYDC - Lettie Truesdale, Facility Director. Contact should be made via phone
(717-789-5533) or email ltruesdale@pa.gov.
3. NCSTU Boys' Program - Al Maziekas, Facility Director. Contact should be made
via phone (570-271-4759) or email amaziekas@pa.gov.
4. NCSTU Girls' Program - Randell Swank, Facility Director. Contact should be
made via phone (570-271-4705) or email raswank@pa.gov.
5. NESTU - Cody Feldmann, Facility Director. Contact should be made via phone
(570-883-6848) or email cofeldmann@pa.gov.
6. SYDC - Richard Ennis, Facility Director. Contact should be made via phone
(570.932.1105) or email riennis@pa.gov.
7. YFC3 - Jaime Rosser, Facility Director. Contact should be made via phone (814-
658-4004) or email jrosser@pa.gov.
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8. Contract Monitor - Marcellus Simmons, Human Services Representative. Contact
should be made via email masimmons@pa.gov.
III. Term of Service.
The term of this service contract shall commence upon issuance of a contract to the selected
Contractors ("Effective Date") and shall expire five years after the Effective Date, unless
terminated earlier pursuant to the terms of the Contract.
The Department will then issue a Request for Quote ("RFQ") for staffing JSAs for any of
the individual facilities listed above, as needed. A purchase order ("PO") will be issued as
a result of each RFQ for a period of one year, with the option to renew for a subsequent
one-year period. At the time of each renewal, the Department and the selected Contractor
may negotiate the PO unit price, not to exceed a maximum of 3% over the unit price in
effect at the time of each renewal term. The term of the contract or PO may be extended
by and at the sole option of the Commonwealth for up to 3 months upon the same terms
and conditions where a continued needed exists for the services of the selected Contractor
and there has been no termination under the terms of the Contract or PO.
IV. Scope of Work.
A. Staffing.
DHS requires both full-time and part-time JSAs to fill three shifts at the BJJS sites for
the duration of this contract. The number of JSAs needed by BJJS site are listed below;
however, this number may increase or decrease during the term of the contract to meet
the needs of the Commonwealth. The selected Contractor for a facility must fulfill the
Commonwealth's temporary needs for direct care staffing to serve as JSAs.
1. SMSTU - 20 to 25
2. LYDC - 30 to 35
3. NCSTU Boys - 15 to 20
4. NCSTU Girls - 10 to 15
5. NESTU - 25 to 35
6. YFC3 - 10 to 15
7. SYDC - 15 to 20
The JSA is an essential, non-professional role providing the care, custody, and
supervision of adjudicated youth in the BJJS sites. Further information describing the
role is included in the attached Appendix G, Juvenile Justice Specialist Position. The
job title "Juvenile Justice Specialist" refers to Commonwealth employees performing
the same duties. Referring to contracted staffing as JSAs gives the Department a way
to differentiate between contracted and Commonwealth staff. The selected Contractor's
staffing must perform the job duties set forth in Appendix G.
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These positions are considered essential in that they provide critical services to
maintain the health and safety of the residents residing at the BJJS sites. Because of
this designation, JSAs must be ready to report for their assigned shifts at their assigned
location without delay or disruption. The BJJS sites continue to operate despite
emergency or administrative closures that other Commonwealth offices may
experience. This includes, but is not limited to, weather-related emergencies, and paid
office closing for holidays.
BJJS utilizes a case manage system called the Juvenile Justice Automated Case System
("JJACS"). JSAs must document incidents in JJACS in accordance with BJJS policy
and procedures, as set forth in Appendix H, BJJS JJACS Policy.
Work is performed under the supervision of a BJJS Juvenile Justice Services
Supervisor ("JJSS") or other BJJS professional staff member. JSAs must report to the
JJSS (or designated BJJS shift supervisor) on duty for assignments, and any concerns
or questions should be directed to that supervisor.
B. Shift Duty Overview. The work week for each JSA will run from Saturday through
Friday. Full-time JSAs will work approximately 40 hours per week. The hours for part-
time JSAs will vary based upon the operational requirements of the BJJS sites. Shifts
are typically scheduled for eight hours, with two 15-minute paid breaks; however, shifts
may be scheduled for longer or shorter periods. A mid-shift meal is provided by BJJS,
free of charge, for the shifts described in subsections a. and b. below. Meal periods are
30 minutes in duration, count as paid working time, and must be taken during the
youths' meal period. For the shift described in subsection c. below, JSAs are entitled
to a 30-minute paid meal period; however, the JSAs must be present at their assigned
work location and continue to perform job duties during that time. JSAs are expected
to supervise youth during meal periods.
1. 7am - 3pm. Duties include, but are not limited to, waking residents and supervising
morning routines and hygiene. JSAs also escort residents to and from school during
this shift when school is in session. JSAs must assist with monitoring of residents
while in school and supervising daily activities when not in school. Additional
duties that JSAs must perform during this shift may include accompanying
residents to medical/dental appointments and completing required documentation.
JSAs monitor residents during the lunch meal.
2. 3pm - 11pm. Duties include, but are not limited to, supervising behavioral therapy
groups, cleaning routines, and recreational activities. Additional duties that JSAs
must perform during this shift may include supervising religious services, showers,
and nighttime hygiene routines. JSAs monitor residents during the dinner meal.
3. 11pm - 7am. Duties include, but are not limited to, room checks and
documentation. Additional duties that JSAs must perform during this shift may
include preparation for the next day's activities and restocking supplies for
residents.
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C. Requirements for JSAs.
1. Minimum Experience and Requirements. All JSAs must meet the following
specifications prior to referral to BJJS:
a. be at least 21 years of age; and
b. have a high school diploma or GED.
2. Background Checks. All JSAs must have the following background checks
completed prior to attending training and working on BJJS sites in proximity to any
youth. All new hires must have new clearances run as listed below. Existing staff
must have all clearances renewed at least every five years. The selected Contractor
shall provide electronic copies of all clearances to BJJS Human Resources prior to
JSAs beginning employment with BJJS. The selected Contractor shall be
responsible for the cost of all clearances listed:
a. FBI Background Clearance;
b. PA Child Abuse Clearance - Volunteer clearance is not acceptable; and
c. PA State Police Clearance.
D. On-Boarding Process for new JSAs.
1. Referrals and Site Visits. The selected Contractor shall refer staff meeting the
specifications listed in section IV.C.a to the applicable BJJS site for a mandatory,
in-person site visit and interview. Potential JSAs must pass a physical, including a
TB test and drug screening, administered by the selected Contractor or its designee.
Upon successful completion of the site visit, physical, and TB test and drug
screening, staff will be approved to work at applicable BJJS site. BJJS will contact
the selected Contractor to give start dates for each approved JSA. Start dates will
correspond with the beginning of the next Juvenile Justice Academy ("JJA")
training as described below in Section II.E.
2. Withdrawal. BJJS will notify the selected Contractor of any staff that do not
successfully complete the site visit and interview. The selected Contractor shall
withdraw referral of any such staff.
3. Notification. Within five business days, the selected Contractor shall notify the
BJJS Contract Monitor and BJJS site administrative points of contact of any change
in status of the selected Contractor's employees' clearances, certifications, or
licensures, including any restrictions.
4. Trainings and Curricula. The Commonwealth requires mandatory trainings for
staff, and the selected Contractor must assist with coordination of JSAs successful
completion of such trainings. Mandatory BJJS trainings will occur during
scheduled, billable shifts. All JSAs shall successfully complete a 10-day BJJS JJA
training. Failure to complete this training will result in removal of each JSAs that
has not successfully completed the training. Treatment service trainings are also
mandatory.
5. Commonwealth Rights. BJJS, in its sole discretion, may:
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a. immediately ban, either temporarily or permanently, any of the selected
Contractors' employees, agents or independent contractors and subcontracting
entities from BJJS sites for any reason, including, but not limited to, the security
or operational order of the BJJS sites; or
b. deny access to the BJJS sites to any of the selected Contractor's employees or
independent contractors. Both the selected Contractor and staff will be notified
in writing of such denial.
6. Employment Restrictions. After the termination or expiration of the contract, the
selected Contractor may not enforce any non-compete or similar employment
restrictions that may be in place against any staff placed at Commonwealth
facilities.
E. Point of Contact. The selected Contractor shall designate one Point of Contact and
one alternate. The Point of Contact, alternate, or both shall be able to receive and
respond to calls and emails during all shifts covered by JSAs. The Point of Contact and
alternate must be employees of the selected Contractor and must assist with arranging
supplemental staffing needs at the request of the Commonwealth or BJJS. The Point of
Contact and alternate may not be reassigned or replaced without prior written consent
from the Commonwealth. The Point of Contact must be available to respond promptly
to requests and other communications. The Point of Contact's responsibilities shall
include, but not be limited to: providing administrative and technical direction to JSAs
assigned to the BJJS site at the request of the Commonwealth or BJJS; monitoring work
performance for accuracy, timeliness, and efficiency; and coordinating the resolution
of delivery concerns.
F. BJJS Responsibilities. BJJS shall:
1. schedule site visits based on the selected Contractor's referrals as set forth in section
IV.C above;
2. notify the selected Contractor's Point of Contact or designee of JSAs selected to
proceed after the on-site visit and interview;
3. notify the selected Contractor's Point of Contact or designee of staff who do not
successfully complete the on-site visit;
4. notify the selected Contractor's Point of Contact or designee of start dates of
selected JSAs, corresponding with mandatory JJA training;
5. determine schedules for each JSA based on operational needs and notify the
selected Contractor in writing of those schedules. BJJS will determine schedules in
two-week increments and will communicate each schedule to the selected
Contractor at least two weeks in advance;
6. report incidents including, but not limited to, anything necessitating JSAs being
pulled out of childcare or that may impact JSAs compensation, via email or phone
involving JSAs to the Point of Contact or alternate within 48 hours of its
occurrence;
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7. conduct performance evaluations for all JSAs every six months or less, as deemed
appropriate at each facility. Evaluations must address factors including, but not
limited to, time and attendance, call-offs, abuse allegations, and policy violations;
8. orient JSAs to all policies and procedures. BJJS will explain and make available at
the point of entry to each BJJS site the rules, regulations, and procedures governing
the entry and conduct of staff working inside the BJJS site. These may include, but
are not limited to:
a. all personnel entering a Commonwealth building or facility may be subject to a
search of their person and personal items. Such searches may be frisk searches,
searches by metal detectors, or searches by handheld metal detector wands;
b. all equipment, tools, supplies, and materials will be subject to search or
inventory at any time. Tools and materials must be carefully controlled at all
times and locked when not in use;
c. anything considered to be contraband (including, but not limited to, weapons,
cell phones, cans, glass bottles, tobacco products including vape pens, and other
items) will not be permitted within the BJJS site. Contractors must abide by
Appendix I, BJJS Policy 7.06B Contraband Search and Appendix J, 7.09B
Tobacco and Nicotine Use;
d. no person who appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol or who is
otherwise impaired will be allowed entry into a Commonwealth building or
facility;
e. BJJS site staff may deny entrance to anyone who is suspected of a breach of
security or for failure to follow published rules, regulations, or procedures; and
f. all personnel must be in possession of a valid identification with a recent, clear
photo in order to enter a Commonwealth building or facility; and
9. participate in the investigations process as set forth in Section IV.H below.
G. Contractor Responsibilities. The selected Contractor shall:
1. refer potential JSAs for on-site interviews that meet all requirements set forth in
section IV.C;
2. provide clearance information as per section IV.C;
3. coordinate completion of a physical, TB test and drug screening as set forth in
section IV. D above, and notify BJJS and withdraw the referral of any staff that
does not successfully complete any of these items;
4. not reassign a JSA from one BJJS site to another without written consent from
BJJS;
5. upon written request of BJJS, replace any JSA that BJJS deems incapable of
performing the required job duties;
6. if travel is necessary for JSAs to attend mandatory trainings, be responsible for
coordination and payment of travel expenses including, but not limited to, lodging,
mileage, and food (subsistence);
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7. maintain an adequate candidate pool to ensure availability of replacement JSAs in
the event a JSA is required to fill immediate needs or long-term absences to provide
continuity of care during the term of this contract;
8. confirm that all personnel, equipment, tools, keys, and supplies/materials comply
with all rules, regulations, and procedures of each Commonwealth agency, building
and facility;
9. confirm all equipment and/or Commonwealth property is returned when JSAs end
employment at a facility. This includes, but is not limited to, retainer keys, ID
badges and uniforms, which the selected Contractor may be held liable for replacing
if not returned;
10. maintain confidentiality of sensitive information and comply with applicable
federal and state laws, regulations, and rules regarding security and confidentiality
of information and attached Appendix K, Business Associate Addendum.
Information includes, but is not limited to, youth personal data, health data, youth
placement information, and other personal information;
11. comply with all applicable provisions of state and federal statutes, regulations, and
policies;
12. require all JSAs to comply with all applicable provisions of state and federal
statutes, regulations, and policies; and
13. participate in investigations as set forth in section IV.H below.
H. Investigations.
1. By BJJS. If a JSA becomes the subject of an investigation, BJJS may pursue two
different courses of action: placement on a plan of supervision for childcare duties
or unpaid suspension pending investigation. Upon initial review of the incident or
allegation, a determination will be made on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of
the Facility Director or designee.
a. Plan of Supervision for Childcare Duties - Any alleged incident involving a
youth resident will be called into Childline pursuant to BJJS policy 1.06B.
Childline will determine how the report is classified - either complaint, Child
Protective Services ("CPS"), General Protective Services ("GPS"), Adult
Protective Services ("APS") or Law Enforcement Only ("LEO"). The report
may also be sent to law enforcement. A plan of supervision for the JSA will be
developed by the Facility Director or designee based on the nature of the
allegation and the evidence at hand. Safety of both the youth resident and staff
are considered. Some examples of a plan of supervision may include no one-to-
one supervision of specific youth, no one-to-one supervision of any youth,
prohibition from working on a particular unit or removal of the JSA from
childcare. If the JSA is cleared and allegations are unfounded, the JSA may
return to childcare upon modification of plan of supervision. The selected
Contractor may not bill BJJS for any time that a plan of supervision involves
full removal of a JSA from childcare, outside of any time that JSA is required
to participate in investigation process.
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b. Unpaid Suspension Pending Investigation - if a determination is made that the
incident was egregious in nature, the JSA will be immediately suspended
without pay, pending the results of an investigation. The JSA may not report to
the work site and will not be paid for any further hours unless required to be
interviewed on-site. The JSA will not be eligible for any BJJS work assignments
unless and until the investigation comes back as unfounded. Based on findings
at the conclusion of the investigation, the JSA may face disciplinary action up
to and including removal from assignment. If BJJS chooses to place a JSA on
unpaid suspension during the pendency of the investigation, and the selected
Contractor has not made the same determination regarding the JSA's ability to
work pending the investigation, BJJS has the discretion to determine whether
or not the JSA is eligible to return to that assignment following the conclusion
of the investigation. The selected Contractor may place another JSA with BJJS
to assume the duties of the JSA that has been suspended without pay.
2. By Contractor. The selected Contractor shall maintain its own internal incident
reporting and investigation protocols. If both BJJS and the selected Contractor
initiate an investigation of a JSA, and the selected Contractor's internal
investigation results in a different determination than BJJS's investigation, both
parties are free to reach independent conclusions following their investigations. To
facilitate a seamless and responsible investigation process, the parties agree as
follows:
a. BJJS will notify the selected Contractor of any investigation involving a JSA
as soon as is practicable;
b. the selected Contractor agrees that law enforcement, CPS, and BJJS
investigations take priority over its internal protocols;
c. youth in placement at a BJJS site may not be interviewed by the selected
Contractor;
d. the selected Contractor will notify BJJS prior to and at the conclusion of any
internal investigations involving a JSA; and
e. to the extent permitted by law, BJJS will provide the selected Contractor all
supporting documentation of any investigation conducted by BJJS. In the same
manner and to the same extent, the selected Contractor shall provide BJJS all
supporting documentation of any investigation conducted.
I. Performance Reviews.
The Point of Contact or alternate shall meet with the BJJS Contract Monitor monthly
for the duration of the contract term for the purpose of performance review.
Performance reviews will include, but will not be limited to:
1. hiring numbers;
2. fiscal information;
3. JSA performance evaluations;
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4. areas of concern;
5. action items;
6. corrective actions; and
7. review of incidents.
BJJS may require the selected Contractor to submit and implement a corrective action
plan if it deems that the selected Contractor is deficient in any area of the contract. Such
corrective action plans shall be discussed with and approved by the BJJS Contractor
Monitor. The selected Contractor will have 30 days to cure any contractual deficiencies
identified in the corrective action plan.
J. Transition of Services.
The selected Contractor shall be responsible for managing a seamless and orderly
transition of all services, without any interruptions of services, to the Commonwealth.
The selected Contractor shall have 90 calendar days from the issuance of a PO to
provide the same number of fully trained JSAs as what was being provided by the
outgoing Contractor at the date of PO issuance. The selected Contractor shall be
provided a list of active contracted JSAs upon issuance of PO for each site and is
encouraged to interview and potentially hire current employees who work with the
outgoing Contractor.
V. Site Visits.
To be qualified to bid, a site visit to every site listed in Section I is required. Site visits will
be coordinated by the Department.
VI. Bid Requirements/Qualifications.
At time of Bid - Bidders' electronic submission must include the following at the time of
the bid to be considered:
a. Business Associate Addendum
b. Signed Lobbying Certification Form;
c. Proof of Visit Sheet (bidder must attend mandatory site visits at all sites);
d. Workers Protection and Investment Certification;
Failure to submit these items will result in the rejection of the Contractor's submission.
VII. Questions and Answers.
All questions regarding the IFB must be submitted via the RA-pwbidquestions@pa.gov
email address. All questions must be received by 05/28/2026 12pm. Include the IFB bid
number in the subject of the email.
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