RFQ for Stable Program Instructions and Coordination

LACKAWANNA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
OFFICE OF YOUTH AND FAMILY SERVICES
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
FOR STABLE PROGRAM INSTRUCTIONS AND COORDINATION
Fiscal Years 2026-2027 through 2028-2029
Issued: April 24, 2026 RFQ ID #: 114/26/1100/04
1. INTRODUCTION:
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a fair and open process, sealed
submittals will be received and reviewed by the County of Lackawanna ("COUNTY")
Board of Commissioners ("Board of Commissioners") for the provision of services to
eligible individuals served by the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of
Youth and Family Services STABLE program. This RFQ will be used in applying for
funds to provide services for Fiscal Years: July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029.
Submission Deadline:
Respondents must submit their written Submittals by 4:00 p.m.
prevailing time: May 25, 2026
Contact Person: Gayle Sensi Email: sensig@lackawannacounty.org
Submissions received will be reviewed and evaluated by the Department of Human
Services - Office of Youth and Family Services (herein after referred to as the
Department), based upon such criteria as the Department, in its sole discretion, deems
appropriate. The Department reserves the right to request clarification or additional
information from any respondent. The Department, in its sole discretion, may accept or
reject any or all submittals.
The Department reserves the opportunity to modify this Request for Qualifications
(herein after referred to as RFQ) at its own discretion and without prior notice, and to
waive any immaterial defect or informality in any proposal as may be permitted by law.
Page 1 of 12

2. PURPOSE:
The purpose of this Request for Qualifications is to solicit submissions from qualified
agencies and /or individuals to provide professional services on behalf of the County in
connection with the administration of the STABLE Program.
Service areas include:
Management and Care of Horses and potentially other livestock used in an
instructional setting
Horse riding and horsemanship instruction
Assistance in curriculum development with OYFS personnel to foster
prosocial interactions with adults and peers in the STABLE program in
partnership with a child welfare professional and/or a law enforcement
professional
Instruction to at-risk youth regarding care of animals
3. PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS:
One (1) original copy of the Submittal must be provided.
Submittals must be emailed directly to Lackawanna County Department of
Human Services, Office of Youth and Family Services - Attn: Gayle Sensi at
sensig@lackawannacounty.org. Submittals must be sent with the submitting
agency or individual and the RFQ number clearly marked in the Subject Box.
Submittals by fax, telephone, or UPS is not permitted.
The final selection will be made in the sole discretion of the Department.
4. PRE-SUBMITTAL MEETINGS:
Submitters can request a pre-submittal meeting by contacting Gayle Sensi at
sensig@lackawannacounty.org .
5. QUESTIONS:
Questions can be submitted via email to sensig@lackawannacounty.org
* Questions will be answered by the appropriate individual(s) and responded to within 3
business days via email, with a return reply acknowledging receipt of the email request.
Page 2 of 12

* QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WILL BE SHARED WITH ALL SUBMITTERS within 7
days through posting on the Lackawanna County website at
www.lackawannacounty.org
All questions pertaining to this RFQ must be electronically submitted on or
before: Friday, May 8, 2026
6. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF QUALIFICATIONS:
The Department will independently evaluate each submittal and selection will be made
upon the following criteria:
1. Experience and reputation in the field.
2. Experience and reputation in the field with respect to contracting with or
directly working for governmental entities to provide services on behalf of the
County.
3. Nationally recognized certification(s) for horse riding instruction or at least ten
years of instruction/riding experience.
4. Experience in working with at-risk children including but not limited to children
with a history of abuse and/or neglect, behavioral health issues, intellectual
disabilities, and criminogenic needs in a primarily outdoor setting.
5. Availability to accommodate any required meetings of the Department.
6. Ability to meet reporting requirements and timelines for completion as set forth
by the Department including data collection for research and analysis regarding
program outcomes.
7. Other factors determined to be in the best interest of the County in the
Department's sole discretion.
7. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
Each Submission must be in sufficient detail to permit evaluation, at a minimum, with
respect to the following issues. Submissions must include the information that is
specifically requested herein as well as such additional information as a respondent
deems relevant to the process. Each submitter agrees that their Submittal constitutes a
firm offer to the County that cannot be withdrawn for ninety (90) days from the
Submission due date
Page 3 of 12

To achieve a maximum degree of comparability, the Submissions shall be organized in
the manner specified below and use corresponding lettering and/or numbering.
Title Page:
(1 page): Show name of your firm, address, name of contact, telephone
number(s) and email address along with the current date. Also include the title and
number of the RFQ.
Table of Contents:
All Submissions to the County must include the following:
SECTION 1 Agency Information (see Form A)
Name, address, phone number and email address of the agency;
The corporate officer's name, title and signature. This person must
be able to execute agreements on behalf of the agency;
The service(s) for which the submittal has been prepared.
SECTION 2 Agency Description (see Form A)
A brief description of your agency's history, ownership and
organizational structure;
Include as attachments an organizational chart, a copy of the most
recent audit and a copy of any licenses that pertain to services
provided.
SECTION 3 Agency Services (see Form A)
List all services provided by your agency and address at which they
are provided.
SECTION 4 Scope of Services/Statement of Qualifications (see Form B)
Provide a description of the proposed service and your agency's
qualifications and experience in providing this service;
Provide the names, experience, qualifications and applicable
licenses held by the individual primarily responsible for servicing
the Program and any other person(s), whether as employees or
subcontractors, with specialized skills that would be assigned to
service the Program.
Page 4 of 12

SECTION 5 County Contracts (see Form C)
Provide a listing of all like or similar service contracts or Mutually
Agreed Upon Written Agreement (MAWA) with other county
programs to provide services. Include agency name, contact
person, services, contract dates and amounts. If no other contracts,
please state N/A.
SECTION 6 Statement of Assurances (see Form D)
A statement of assurance that your agency is not currently in
violation of any regulatory rules and regulations set forth by the
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) that may have
any impact on your agency's operations;
A statement of assurance that your agency has no conflict of
interest in providing service on behalf of Lackawanna County;
A statement of assurance that your agency is not involved in any
current or pending litigation involving Lackawanna County or any of
its Departments or Authorities;
A statement of the insurances currently held by your agency.
SECTION 7 Additional Information
Include any additional information not specifically required but
deemed important and relevant by the submitting agency.
SECTION 8 Subcontractors
RESPONDENTS SHOULD NOTE THAT ANY AND ALL WORK
INTENDED TO BE SUBCONTRACTED AS PART OF THIS
SUBMITTAL MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY BACKGROUND
MATERIALS AND REFERENCES FOR PROPOSED
SUBCONTRACTOR(S) - NO EXCEPTIONS
8. RESPONSIBILITIES:
The successful Submitter shall have primary responsibility for the following:
* The provider must be able to provide care of horses and other Program animals
as needed including but not limited to weekends, holidays, or evenings.
Page 5 of 12

* Possess a working knowledge of psychological trauma as it pertains to abused
and neglected children.
* Possess a working knowledge of animal behavior, especially related to horses, in
order to request medical care or other supports if the animal's behavior or
appearance requires specific interventions
* Properly and efficiently meet reporting requirements and follow contract
guidelines.
9. CONFIDENTIALITY:
All Submissions in response to this RFQ shall be held confidential until a contract is
awarded. Following the contract award, Submissions are subject to release as public
information unless the Submission or specific parts of the Submission can be shown to
be exempt from the Pennsylvania Public Information Act. Respondents are advised to
consult with their legal counsel regarding disclosure issues and take the appropriate
precautions to safeguard trade secrets or any other proprietary information. The County
assumes no obligation or responsibility for asserting legal arguments on behalf of
potential Respondents. If a Respondent believes that a Submission or parts of a
Submission are confidential, then the Respondent shall so specify. The Respondent
shall stamp in bold red letters the term "CONFIDENTIAL" on that part of the
Submission, which the Respondent believes to be confidential. Vague and general
claims as to confidentiality shall not be accepted. All Submission and parts of
Submissions that are not marked as confidential will be automatically considered public
information after the contract is awarded.
10. CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
Any agency or person considering doing business with Lackawanna County
Government must disclose the agency or person's affiliation or relationship that might
cause a "Conflict of Interest" with County Government entity. Any attempt to
intentionally or unintentionally conceal or obfuscate a conflict of interest may
automatically result in the disqualification of the Submitter's submittal.
11. COMMUNICATION WITH ELECTED OR APPOINTED OFFICIALS
All communications during this process should be directed to the appropriate contact
listed in this RFQ. Any firm that makes any effort to communicate with any other official
of Lackawanna County, either directly or indirectly, during this process will be
EXCLUDED from consideration.
Page 6 of 12

12. FORMS ATTACHED
Form A - Agency Information, Description and Services
Form B - Scope of Services/Statement of Qualifications
Form C - County Contracts
Form D - Statement of Assurances
Qualification Base Selection Process
The statement of qualifications will be evaluated in accordance with the County's
Qualifications Base Selection Process. Anyone submitting a statement of
qualifications is advised to review that process, which is set forth on the
County's website.
Page 7 of 12

DHHS-OYFS Stable Instruction and Coordination
AGENCY SUMMARY
FORM A
This form should be completed and submitted with the Request for Qualification by the
submission date noted in the Annual Request for Qualification for Service Providers.
I. AGENCY INFORMATION
Agency Name:
Corporate Address:
City: State: Zip Code:
Phone: Email:
Services
Provided:
EIN Number:
*Corporate Officer's Name: Title:
Corporate Officer's Signature:
* Person authorized to execute agreements
II. AGENCY DESCRIPTION
In the space below, please provide a brief description of your agency's history,
ownership and organizational structure. Include as attachments an organizational
chart, copy of your most recent audit, applicable licenses and other supporting
documents.
Page 8 of 12

DHHS-OYFS Stable Instruction and Coordination
lII. AGENCY SERVICES
Instructions: In the space below, please list all services and the address of service
delivery provided by your agency.
This form should be completed and submitted with the Request for Qualification by the
submission date noted in the Annual Request for Qualification for Service Providers.
Service Name Address
Page 9 of 12

DHHS-OYFS Stable Instruction and Coordination
SCOPE OF SERVICES/STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
FORM B
I. SERVICE DESCRIPTION
In the space below, please provide a brief description of the proposed service and
your agency's qualifications and experience in providing this service.
II. EMPLOYEE DETAILS
In the space below, please provide the names, experience, qualifications, and
applicable licenses held by the individual primarily responsible for servicing the
Program and any other person(s), whether as employees or subcontractors, with
specialized skills that would be assigned to service the Program.
Page 10 of 12