Promoting Safe and Stable Families

RFP#
CYF 26-03
Request for Proposals
For Professional Services
Bid under Title 29 Chapter 69 Section 6981
SERVICE COMPONENTS IN THIS RFP
PROMOTING SAFE AND STABLE FAMILIES
INFORMATIONAL BIDDERS CONFERENCE: NONE
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Monday, June 15, 2026, by 2:00 pm Eastern Time
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The RFP schedule is as follows:
QUESTIONS:
Submit questions to H. Ryan Bolles, DSCYF Procurement Administrator, at
herbert.bolles@Delaware.gov Questions received close to the deadline may not receive a
response. The State of Delaware reserves the right to determine if there is enough time to answer
submitted questions.
BIDDERS CONFERENCE:
There is no bidders' conference scheduled for this RFP.
PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME:
Proposals must be received by email by 06/15/2026 by 2:00 PM Eastern Time
PROPOSAL DELIVERY:
All proposals must be submitted by email as described below. Please submit the minimum
number of email attachments as possible to stay within state attachments(s) size limitations. A
single proposal attachment is preferred, but not mandatory.
Bidders must submit proposals to DSCYF_Bids_Submission@delaware.gov Do not submit a link
to a "dropbox" or any type of cloud storage as it will not be accepted. NOTE: the State of Delaware
is not responsible for undelivered or delayed emails for any reason. Submitted email must have
a date and time stamp when received by the State of Delaware in compliance with the stated
due date and time. You are advised NOT to wait until the last minute to submit your proposal.
Emailed proposals arriving with a State of Delaware system date and time stamp after 2:00 pm
Eastern Time on the stated due date will not be accepted. DSCYF is not responsible for undelivered
or delayed emails for any reason. If you experience any problem, please reach out to Ryan Bolles
at herbert.bolles@delaware.gov as soon as possible.
The contents of any proposal shall not be disclosed by the State of Delaware to competing entities
during the negotiation process.
AWARDS AND NOTIFICATION:
The Department will work diligently to complete the proposal review and selection process in an
expeditious fashion. While DSCYF reserves the right to contact bidders for additional information
proposals are expected to be able to stand alone based upon the written information submitted.
Award decisions are expected to be made and announced as soon as possible. Initial notification
to all bidders will be sent by email.
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Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) Supplemental Request for Proposals
Background
The Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services (DPBHS) provides a range of
statewide voluntary behavioral health treatment, prevention, and early intervention services for
children and families. Prevention and early intervention programs nurture children, families, and
communities, increase child safety, support social and academic success, and promote early
identification of children's social, emotional, and behavioral health needs. In addition, DPBHS
provides a continuum of behavioral health treatment interventions for eligible children and youth
through age 17.
Our vision: All children and families are strong, resilient, and live in supportive communities.
Our mission: To develop and support a family-driven, youth-guided, trauma-informed prevention
and behavioral health system of care.
The Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families (DSCYF), Division
of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services (DPBHS), is the recipient of the Children's Bureau's
Title IV-B, MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families funding. These funds support
family support and family preservation services and may be used flexibly to protect children,
strengthen families, train the workforce, and prevent maltreatment.
DPBHS is pleased to announce this Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Promoting Safe and Stable
Families (PSSF) Program. The goal of this funding is to support coordinated, community-based
services that strengthen and preserve families, promote child safety, and prevent maltreatment.
DPBHS is seeking proposals for family-centered services, including but not limited to:
* Family support and preservation services
* Fatherhood engagement
* Culturally responsive and community-driven family strengthening programs
Services are intended to improve family functioning, reduce risk factors, and enhance protective
factors that contribute to child and family well-being.
New and emerging organizations are encouraged to apply.
Funding Information
* Total Funding Available: $250,000 annually (approximate)
* Project Period: September 1, 2026 - August 31, 2027
* Award Structure: Multiple contracts anticipated
* Term: One-year initial contract term, renewable up to five years based on satisfactory
performance and availability of funds.
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Contracts resulting from this RFP are considered "cost reimbursable" such that successful bidders
will invoice for actual expenses to provide the contracted services for the previous month against
an agreed upon budget included in the contract. Therefore, each bidder is required to include with
its proposal a completed 12-month DSCYF Budget Form and Salary Detail (available in Excel
where this RFP is posted) and include a budget narrative which describes all assumptions and
calculations made to arrive at each line-item budgeted amount.
Trauma-Informed Care
In 2018, Delaware Governor, John C. Carney, signed Executive Order #24, making Delaware a
Trauma-informed state. This Order provided direction for the Family Services Cabinet Council to
help mitigate the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and build resilience in children,
adults, and communities. ACEs are traumatic events occurring before age 18. ACEs include all
types of abuse and neglect as well as parental mental illness, substance use, divorce, incarceration,
and domestic violence.
According to the Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health, 21.6% of children have
experienced at least one adverse childhood experience and 17.3% have experienced two or more
(https://www.childhealthdata.org/browse/survey/results?q=12228&r=9) . Parental separation or
divorce (31.8%) and substance abuse (20.4%) were the most prevalent adverse childhood
experiences whereas criminal behavior in the household (7.6%) and physical neglect (4.6%) were
the least prevalent (https://djph.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/djph-25-020.pdf) . Additional
Delaware specific information can be found from Kids Count at
https://datacenter.aecf.org/data/tables/11384-prevalence-of-adverse-childhood-
experiences#detailed/2/any/false/2490,2105,2043,1769,1696,1648,1603/6398,6388,8085/22031
DSCYF has committed to a trauma-informed approach in our work with children, families, staff
and our partners. To guide our trauma-informed work, DSCYF has adopted the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-
Informed Approach (https://store.samhsa.gov/product/SAMHSA-s-Concept-of-Trauma-and-
Guidance-for-a-Trauma-Informed-Approach/SMA14-4884.html. Consistent with SAMHSA's
framework, DSCYF is working to ensure that service recipients, service providers and DSCYF
staff are knowledgeable about the prevalence of exposure and opportunities for resilience, healing
and recovery for children, families and communities served. DSCYF encourages the use of
strategies to build the capacity of staff and providers to recognize and respond to trauma exposure,
including the use of trauma screening and assessment, trauma-specific treatment interventions,
trauma training for staff, and trauma informed supervision practices. DSCYF is committed to
actively resisting the re-traumatization of service recipients and staff and supports the
incorporation of trauma informed principles into all aspects of organizational policy and practice
(e.g. environments that promote a sense of physical and psychological safety, practices that
promote collaboration with and empowerment of service recipients). This trauma informed
framework is consistent with DSCYF's commitment to the systems of care principles. DSCYF
reserves the right to give preference to bidder or bidders which demonstrate having adopted a
Trauma Informed Care model in its service delivery practices.
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Requirement: Successful bidders will be invited to participate in trauma trainings offered by
DSCYF.
Bidders must demonstrate how their programs incorporate trauma-informed principles, including:
* Safety
* Peer support
* Trustworthiness and transparency
* Collaboration and mutuality
* Empowerment, voice, and choice
Bidders must include staff training, policies, and practices that reflect trauma-informed care.
Goals of PSSF
Bidders must address one or more of the following:
* Build family resilience and protective factors
* Reduce stressors associated with child maltreatment
* Promote family health and wellness
* Enhance parenting capacity and caregiver-child relationships
* Support father engagement
* Foster family self-sufficiency and empowerment
Target Population
Proposed services must target families in Delaware with at least one child age 17 or younger,
including:
* Custodial and non-custodial parents
* Families working toward reunification
* Youth transitioning out of foster care-
Priority must be given to DPBHS referred families experiencing stressors such as trauma, housing
instability, unemployment, or behavioral health challenges.
Focus areas include:
* New Castle County: 19805, 19720, 19802, 19801, 19702
* Kent County: 19901, 19904
* Sussex County: 19973, 19956, 19963, 19966, 19947
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Collaboration
Bidders are encouraged to partner with organizations addressing:
* Mental health and substance use
* Education and school readiness
* Financial stability
* Nutrition and wellness
* Mentorship and youth engagement
SMART Goals
Bidders must include at least one SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant,
Time-bound) aligned with program outcomes.
Evidence-Based Practice (Recommended)
Bidders are encouraged to incorporate at least one evidence-based program or practice into their
proposed service model and describe how it will be implemented with fidelity.
When engaging families, successful bidders are strongly encouraged to utilize structured,
evidence-based tools such as:
* Family Check-Up - a strengths-based, assessment-driven model using motivational
interviewing to improve parenting and child outcomes
* PAX Tools - practical strategies that promote self-regulation, positive behavior, and
nurturing family environments
* Triple P - Positive Parenting Program (Brief)
Duration: 1-4 sessions (within 8 weeks)
o
Focus: Parenting skills, behavior management, family relationships
o
Appropriate for prevention and early intervention
o
Please note the above-mentioned are not mandated, they are included as examples of acceptable
evidence-based tools. Comparable models may be proposed with supporting evidence.
While this RFP prioritizes the use of evidence-based practices and established program models,
DSCYF also recognizes that impactful and effective approaches are not always captured within
formal research or standardized curricula. Applicants are encouraged to propose innovative
services, interventions, or strategies that may be practice-informed, community-developed, or
culturally responsive, particularly those that have demonstrated success in supporting families and
fatherhood engagement within their specific communities. DSCYF values the expertise and lived
experience of providers who understand the unique needs of the populations they serve and invite
submissions that reflect promising, non-traditional approaches. Your ideas and insights may
represent the meaningful change needed to strengthen family preservation and support outcomes.
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Program Evaluation
Data collection and outcome measurement are essential to demonstrate program effectiveness.
Proposals must demonstrate how the program goals, objectives, data, data sources, data storage,
and data analysis are connected. The successful bidder must have staff designated to collect, store
and report agency data and outcomes or describe an alternative methodology.
Administrative Requirements
Criminal Background Checks
Delaware Code Title 31, Chapter 3, Section 309 requires a background check be completed
specifically for the Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families consisting of a
State and Federal criminal record check and a Delaware Child Protection Registry check for all
employees, volunteers, or representatives of any Department contractor who within the State of
Delaware: a) has "regular direct access to children, or b) "provides services directly to a child or
children". The requirement applies to all current and future representatives working as part of a
Department contract. Fingerprinting for a Department background check must be completed
before any individual meeting the above criteria can begin providing services for the
DEPARTMENT. The "DSCYF CONTRACTOR Criminal History and Child Abuse and Neglect
Background Check Request Form" MUST be completed and submitted by each contractor
representative using the process provided by the DEPARTMENT's Criminal History Unit. The
contractor representative will then be given the DSCYF "service code" to be used by the
contractor's representative when scheduling a fingerprinting appointment at a designated State of
Delaware authorized location. The contractor or representative must bear the cost of the
fingerprinting. If a "service code" other than the DSCYF "service code" is used for fingerprinting,
the contractor or representative must bear the cost of re-fingerprinting the representative. Third
party background checks are not accepted. The Department reserves the right to require additional
provider representatives who have access to sensitive information, as determined by the
Department, to complete the Department criminal background check and Child Abuse Registry
Check to work under the resulting contract. Contractor representatives are prohibited from working
with youth until fingerprinted in completed. Once the contractor receives the fingerprinting receipt
the representative can begin work as part of the resulting contract with supervision at all times
until final eligibility is determined by the Department's Criminal History Unit.
The contractor must notify the Department's Division of Management Support Services' Contract
Administrator at least quarterly, or as requested by the Department, all employee, volunteer, or
representative changes including those no longer working under the resulting contract and those
who begin working under the resulting contract.
Penalties for non-compliance: Any contractor failing to comply shall be guilty of a Class A
misdemeanor and punished accordingly. The contractor shall also be subject to a civil penalty of
not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000 for each violation.
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Breach Notification
Any breach of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) as defined by the HIPAA law collected by
the successful bidders as part of the resulting contract must be reported as required by HIPAA and
when applicable 6 Del. C. 12B-102.
A Delaware Business License is required of each successful bidder at the time of contract
execution, but not at time of proposal. Successful bidders must obtain and maintain a Delaware
business license for the term of the resulting contract unless they are able to document IRS non-
profit status. The successful bidders are NOT a State of Delaware employee, but rather an
independent contracted provider.
Proposal Requirements
Bidders must describe:
* Implementation approach
* Staff training and supervision
* Family support and family preservation interventions
* Fidelity monitoring (when proposing to use an EBP)
* Expected outcomes
Proposals must include:
* Defined target population
* Recruitment and engagement strategies
* Service location (zip codes/counties)
* Intake and assessment tools
* SMART goal(s)
* Data collection and evaluation plan
* Trauma-informed approach
* Collaboration and partnerships
* Staff training and professional development
* Description of evidence-based model(s) used
* Completed DSCYF Budget Form, Salary Detail form and budget narrative descripting all
calculations and assumptions made to determine each expense item on the Budget Form
Evaluation and Scoring Rubric (130 Points)
All proposals will be reviewed and scored using the same scoring criteria by a panel assembled by
DSCYF. Scoring criteria are:
1. Program Design and Alignment (25 points)
* Clear and comprehensive program description
* Alignment with PSSF goals and priorities
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* Defined target population and service area
2. Evidence-Based, Practice-Informed, and Innovative Approaches (20 points)
* Clarity and appropriateness of overall service approach
* Use of structured or intentional engagement strategies/tools
* Training, supervision, and fidelity/implementation supports
* Use of evidence-based model(s) or well-supported effective practices (0-5 bonus points)
Note: Bidders are not required to use a formal evidence-based model to score well in this
section. Proposals that demonstrate strong rationale, community relevance, and
effectiveness may receive full base points. Bonus points are awarded for the inclusion of
established evidence-based models or clearly demonstrated, well-supported effective
practices.
3. Trauma-Informed Approach (15 points)
* Integration of trauma-informed principles into service delivery
* Staff training and organizational practices supporting trauma-informed care
4. Implementation Plan (15 points)
* Recruitment and engagement strategies
* Staffing structure and qualifications
* Feasibility, timeline, and readiness to implement
5. Data and Evaluation (10 points)
* Clear and measurable SMART goal(s)
* Outcome measurement, data collection, and reporting plan
6. Collaboration and Partnerships (10 points)
* Strength and relevance of partnerships
* Coordination with community resources and services
7. Equity and Cultural Responsiveness (5 points)
* Demonstrated understanding of community needs and populations served
* Inclusion of culturally responsive and equitable practices
8. Proposed Budget (20 points)
* Reasonableness, cost effectiveness, competitiveness, completeness, thoroughness
* Submitted on the required DSCYF Budget Form and Salary Detail forms
* Does the budget narrative clearly describe the calculations and assumptions for each
expense item in the budget
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* Has the bidder identified any "in-kind" contributions
9. Bidder's Experience, Reputation and Demonstrated Ability (10 points)
* The experience of DSCYF or other state agencies with the bidder: is the bidder
responsive, reliable, accountable, cooperative, etc.
Each bidder must submit the documents below with each proposal:
1. Cover Letter
2. Bidder Fact Sheet (provided online where this RFP is posted)
3. Assurance form and Certification, Representation, and Acknowledgements form
(provided online where this RFP is posted)
4. DSCYF Budget Form and Salary Detail (provided online where this RFP is posted)
Reference List
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Dishion, T. J., & Stormshak, E. A. (2007). Intervening in Children's Lives: An Ecological,
Family-Centered Approach to Mental Health Care.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). Trauma-informed care resources.
PAXIS Institute. PAX Tools research and implementation materials.
Sanders, M. R. (2012). Triple P-Positive Parenting Program research.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). Trauma-Informed
Approach Framework.
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