JFS Soft Skills Training for County Job and Family Services Case Workers

Agency:	State Government of Ohio
State:	Ohio
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	611430 - Professional and Management Development Training
Posted Date:	Jan 20, 2026
Due Date:	Feb 20, 2026
Solicitation No:	SRC0000036380
Original Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

Description

Solicitation ID:	SRC0000036380
Solicitation Name:	JFS Soft Skills Training for County Job and Family Services Case Workers
Original Begin Date:	1/20/2026 9:41:51 AM
Begin Date:	1/20/2026 9:41:51 AM
End Date:	2/20/2026 1:00:00 PM
Inquiry End Date:	2/6/2026 1:00:00 PM
Commodity:	Employee education
MBE Set Aside:	MBE Set Aside
Agency:	JFS400002 CHILD SUPPORT JRST31 JFS-Job and Family Services
Solicitation Status:	Open for Bidding
Solicitation Type:	Request For Proposal (RFP) (Double Envelope)

Solicitation General Information

In an MBE set-aside solicitation, only those bidders/suppliers with an active MBE certification at the time the solicitation closes can submit a response

Solicitation ID

SRC0000036380

Solicitation Name

JFS Soft Skills Training for County Job and Family Services Case Workers

RFx Type

Request For Proposal (RFP) (Double Envelope)

Lot #

Solicitation Status

Open for Bidding

Round #

MBE Set Aside

Begin Date

1/20/2026 9:41:51 AM (ET)

Amendment?

End Date

2/20/2026 1:00:00 PM (ET)

Inquiry End Date

2/6/2026 1:00:00 PM

Summary

The State requires a solution that will create a set of soft skills trainings for County Job and Family Services case workers. ODJFS is seeking one (1) qualified vendor experienced in training development for health and human service professionals with knowledge of adult learning. This solicitation is a 100% MBE set‑aside. Only Offerors **currently certified** by the State of Ohio as Minority Business Enterprises may submit a Proposal. Certification must be active at the Proposal due date, at Contract award, and throughout the term of the Contract. The State’s MBE set‑aside procedures follow R.C. 125.081. If no Proposal is submitted by a certified MBE, the State may proceed according to usual procedures. Proposals must clearly demonstrate the vendor’s capability of providing services as described in this RFP.

ODJFS is committed to supporting Ohio’s families by shifting from transactional service delivery to a transformational model. This shift emphasizes the importance of caseworkers building stronger, trust-based relationships with clients—enabling more effective, personalized support.

The proposed training modules should be engaging, accessible, and grounded in adult learning theory to ensure that learners can apply these skills in real-world settings. Additionally, trainings should be designed for seamless compatibility with the existing Learning Management System (LMS) used by ODJFS and its county partners.

The solution will create training modules that help Job and Family Services (JFS), and county partner caseworkers build important soft skills to improve service to human services and child support program recipients. These trainings will cover:

An additional goal is to help caseworkers and supervisors handle stress better, reduce burnout, and lower staff turnover. The training will be designed to work well for people of all ages and experience levels in the workplace.

The training modules will be short, easy to use, and available on-demand through the current Learning Management System (LMS). The solution will also include a “train-the-trainer” program so that ODJFS or county trainers can teach others how to deliver the training. Trainings should be fully documented and supplemented with simple guides and reference resources. All materials must be owned by JFS in an editable format as well as in final format.

In addition, the training modules must include tools to assess what participants have learned and collect feedback on how effective the training is. This should help ensure the training is meeting the identified goals and can be improved over time.

The Scope of Work is provided in further detail in Part 1 – Scope of Work.

Predecessor Contract

Process

The State requires a solution that will create a set of soft skills trainings for County Job and Family Services case workers. ODJFS is seeking one (1) qualified vendor experienced in training development for health and human service professionals with knowledge of adult learning. This solicitation is a 100% MBE set‑aside. Only Offerors **currently certified** by the State of Ohio as Minority Business Enterprises may submit a Proposal. Certification must be active at the Proposal due date, at Contract award, and throughout the term of the Contract. The State’s MBE set‑aside procedures follow R.C. 125.081. If no Proposal is submitted by a certified MBE, the State may proceed according to usual procedures. Proposals must clearly demonstrate the vendor’s capability of providing services as described in this RFP.

This is a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (“ODJFS” or the “State”) administered utilizing agency competitive selection under House Bill 33 which is enacted in State of Ohio Administrative Policy, issued by the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, State Purchasing Procedures (PM-01). ODJFS Office of Contracts and Acquisitions on behalf of the Office of Child Support (OCS) is soliciting proposals from authorized Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) vendor to provide Soft Skills Training for County Jobs and Family Services (JFS) Case Workers.

If a suitable single Proposal is made by an offeror (Offeror) in response to this RFP, the State may enter into a contract (Contract). The selected Offeror (the Contractor) will perform all or part of the scope of work described in this RFP (the Work). This RFP provides details on what is required to submit a Proposal for the Work, how the State will evaluate the Proposals, and what will be required of the Contractor in performing the Work.

Ship To

Contracting Entity

JFS-Job and Family Services

1 Record(s)

	Participating Agencies
	JFS400002 CHILD SUPPORT JRST31

1 Record(s)

Solicitation Documents

Keywords

Reset

Title	Type	Att.	Validity End Date	Validity End Date
Attachment 2 - FY2627 Model Contract Template	Public Solicitation Documents (Approved)	Attachment 2_FY2627 Model Contract Template.pdf
Attachment 1 - Cost Proposal Workbook	Public Solicitation Documents (Approved)	Attachment_1-_Cost_Proposal_Workbook_OCS Soft Skills Final.xlsx
Supplement 1 - MBE Participation Packet	Public Solicitation Documents (Approved)	Supplement 1 - MBE Participation Packet.pdf
RFP	Public Solicitation Documents (Approved)	JFSR2627098428 OCS FY26 Soft Skills Training FINAL.pdf

4 Record(s)

Attachment Preview

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE SET-ASIDE OPPORTUNITY

RFP NUMBER: SRC0000036380

The State of Ohio, through the Department of Job and Family Services, Office of Contracts

and Acquisitions (“ODJFS” or the “State”) is issuing the following Request for Proposals

(RFP):

Soft Skills Training for County Job and Family Services Case Workers

DATE ISSUED: January 16, 2026

Proposals received after the due date and time will not be evaluated.

This RFP consists of 7 sections, 7 parts, 1 supplement, and 2 attachments, totaling 81

consecutively numbered pages excluding the supplements and attachments. Please verify

that you have a complete copy of all documents.

State of Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

Soft Skills Training – RFP #SRC000036380

On behalf of the Office of Child Support

RFP Version 1/15/2026

Page 1 of 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RFP Details

Section 1 Overview of Work

Section 2 Procurement Authority, RFP Overview, and Schedule of Events

Section 3 Instructions to Offeror

Section 4 Requirements for Proposals

Section 5 Evaluation Process

Section 6 Evaluation Metrics

Section 7 Contract Award

Contract

Part 1 Scope of Work

Part 2 Contract-Specific Terms and Conditions

Part 3 RFP Specific Terms and Conditions

Part 4 ODJFS Contract Terms and Conditions

Part 5 Cost Proposal

Part 6 Mutually Agreed Upon Changes

Part 7 Required Forms

Supplements to RFP and Contract

Supplement 1 MBE Participation Packet (Requirements and Form)

Attachments to RFP and Contract

Attachment 1 Cost Proposal Workbook

Attachment 2 Contract Template

State of Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

Soft Skills Training – RFP #SRC000036380

On behalf of the Office of Child Support

RFP Version 1/15/2026

Page 2 of 3

Section 1 – Overview of Work

RFP DETAILS

A. Term of Contract

Once awarded, the term of the Contract will be from the award date through June 30, 2027. The

State may renew this Contract for up to two (2) additional two-year term(s), subject to and

contingent on the discretionary decision of the Ohio General Assembly to appropriate funds for

this Contract in each new biennium. The State may solely renew this Contract at its discretion

for a period of one month after all renewals have been exhausted. Any further renewals will be

by mutual agreement between the Contractor and the State. Each renewal is subject to and

contingent upon the discretionary decision of the Ohio General Assembly to appropriate funds

for this Contract in each new biennium. The State may renew all or part of this Contract subject

to the satisfactory performance of the Contractor and the needs of ODJFS.

B. Purpose and Background

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from an experienced vendor to create a set of

soft skills trainings for County Job and Family Services case workers. ODJFS is seeking one (1)

qualified vendor experienced in training development for health and human service

professionals with knowledge of adult learning. This solicitation is a 100% MBE set-aside. Only

Offerors **currently certified** by the State of Ohio as Minority Business Enterprises may submit

a Proposal. Certification must be active at the Proposal due date, at Contract award, and

throughout the term of the Contract. The State’s MBE set-aside procedures follow R.C. 125.081.

If no Proposal is submitted by a certified MBE, the State may proceed according to usual

procedures. Proposals must clearly demonstrate the vendor’s capability of providing services

as described in this RFP.

ODJFS is committed to supporting Ohio’s families by shifting from transactional service delivery

to a transformational model. This shift emphasizes the importance of caseworkers building

stronger, trust-based relationships with clients—enabling more effective, personalized support.

The proposed training modules should be engaging, accessible, and grounded in adult learning

theory to ensure that learners can apply these skills in real-world settings. Additionally, trainings

should be designed for seamless compatibility with the existing Learning Management System

(LMS) used by ODJFS and its county partners.

C. Scope of Work Overview

The selected Contractor will create training modules that help Job and Family Services (JFS),

and county partner caseworkers build important soft skills to improve service to human services

and child support program recipients. These trainings will cover:

• Empowering clients to manage their finances and build long-term self-sufficiency

• Motivational interviewing

• Calming tense situations (de-escalation)

• Understanding trauma (trauma-informed care)

State of Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

Soft Skills Training – RFP #SRC000036380

On behalf of the Office of Child Support

RFP Version 1/15/2026

Page 3 of 4

• Recognizing and responding to family violence

• Awareness of behavioral health (including mental health, and substance use)

An additional goal is to help caseworkers and supervisors handle stress better, reduce

burnout, and lower staff turnover. The training will be designed to work well for people of

all ages and experience levels in the workplace.

The training modules will be short, easy to use, and available on-demand through the

current Learning Management System (LMS). The solution will also include a “train-the-

trainer” program so that ODJFS or county trainers can teach others how to deliver the

training. Trainings should be fully documented and supplemented with simple guides

and reference resources. All materials must be owned by JFS in an editable format as

well as in final format.

In addition, the training modules must include tools to assess what participants have

learned and collect feedback on how effective the training is. This should help ensure

the training is meeting the identified goals and can be improved over time.

The Scope of Work is provided in further detail in Part 1 – Scope of Work.

D. Objectives

The Agency seeks a qualified Contractor to design and deliver evidence-based soft skills

training for County Job and Family Services caseworkers and supervisors. The objectives of this

initiative are to:

• Strengthen essential skills such as communication, empathy, problem-solving, and

active listening

• Improve client engagement and service delivery through trust-based interactions

• Support workforce well-being with strategies for stress management, resilience, and

trauma-informed care

• Address specialized competencies including financial coaching, motivational

interviewing, de-escalation, family violence response, and behavioral health awareness

• Ensure training is interactive, accessible, and grounded in adult learning theory, with full

compatibility with the State’s Learning Management System (Ohio Learn)

• Provide sustainability through a train-the-trainer program and deliver all materials in

editable formats

A. Incorporate assessment tools to measure effectiveness and enable continuous

improvement

This initiative is designed to enhance service outcomes for Ohio families while equipping

caseworkers with the skills and resources needed for long-term success.

Section 2 – Procurement Authority, RFP Overview and Schedule of Events

A. Procurement Authority and RFP Overview

This is a Request for Proposals (RFP) issued by the Ohio Department of Job and Family

State of Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

Soft Skills Training – RFP #SRC000036380

On behalf of the Office of Child Support

RFP Version 1/15/2026

Page 4 of 5

Services (“ODJFS” or the “State”) administered utilizing agency competitive selection under

House Bill 33 which is enacted in State of Ohio Administrative Policy, issued by the Ohio

Department of Administrative Services, State Purchasing Procedures (PM-01). ODJFS Office

of Contracts and Acquisitions on behalf of the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) and Office of

Child Support (OCS) is soliciting proposals for an Employment Income Verification Solution.

If a suitable single Proposal is made by an offeror (Offeror) in response to this RFP, the State

may enter into a contract (Contract). The selected Offeror (the Contractor) will perform all or

part of the scope of work described in this RFP (the Work). This RFP provides details on what is

required to submit a Proposal for the Work, how the State will evaluate the Proposals, and what

will be required of the Contractor in performing the Work.

B. Schedule of Events

The schedule of events for the RFP process and Work is provided in the solicitation general

information section in OhioBuys for this RFP. The State may change this schedule at any time.

If the State changes the schedule before the Proposal due date, it will post an amendment to

this RFP in the OhioBuys public portal. It is each Offeror’s responsibility to monitor the

OhioBuys public portal for current information regarding this RFP. Offerors must not contact

ODJFS (except as provided in this RFP) until the Contract award is announced.

There are references in this RFP to the Proposal due date. Unless it is clearly stated to the

contrary, any such reference means the date and time that the Proposals are due.

Proposals received after the Proposal due date posted in OhioBuys will not be evaluated. Any

failure to meet a deadline or any objection to the dates for performance of the Work may result

in the State refusing to consider a Proposal.

Section 3 – Instructions to Offeror

A. Introduction to General Instructions

The following sections provide details on how to obtain information about this RFP and how to

submit a Proposal. All responses must be complete and in the prescribed format.

B. Contacts

The following persons will represent the State:

• Anthony Norwood, Sr. Sourcing Analyst

During the performance of the Work, a state representative will represent ODJFS and be the

primary contact for matters relating to the Work. The state representative will be designated in

writing after the Contract award.

C. Inquiries

Offerors may not contact the State directly at any time during the solicitation process, however

Offerors may make inquiries regarding this RFP any time during the inquiry period listed in the

Schedule of Events.

State of Ohio Department of Job and Family Services

Soft Skills Training – RFP #SRC000036380

On behalf of the Office of Child Support

RFP Version 1/15/2026

Page 5 of 6

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

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JFS Soft Skills Training for County Job and Family Services Case Workers

Description

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