Employment Support Services for System Involved Young Adults

1 STATE OF TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT SERVICES FOR SYSTEM INVOLVED YOUNG ADULTS RFI # 35910-10315 November 6, 2023 1. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: The State of Tennessee, Department of Children’s Services (DCS) issues this Request for Information (“RFI”) for the purpose of intensive, wraparound employment support for youth who 1) are in foster care, 2) were in foster care and achieved permanency, or 3) are participating in the Extension of Foster Care (EFC) program. We appreciate your input and participation in this process. 2. BACKGROUND: DCS provides supervision and support to youth in the foster care system. These youth in state custody are linked with services to support transition into adulthood including employment. There is a need for comprehensive, trauma-informed services to support youth entering the workforce and maintaining employment while in foster care. Employment builds technical and inter- personal skills that a

youth can rely upon after exiting the child welfare system. Likewise, those youth who achieve permanency may need support that their peers have received from biological families. In particular, those youth who have exited custody through adoption or subsidized permanent guardianship would benefit from additional supports in achieving and maintaining employment as they stabilize in their new legal families. Currently, children who exit foster care by turning eighteen (18) years old have the option to participate in the EFC program up to the age of twenty-one (21). There are existing case management and generalized services that support youth to address several aspects of young adulthood. This program was recently expanded to allow DCS to support youth who decide that employment in lieu of education is the path to stability they want to pursue. This has caused an increase of approximately 50% in the population being served. DCS is seeking to gain a better understanding of employment support programs across the state. In particular, the geographic coverage of existing agencies, the types of services to assist young adults in obtaining and maintaining employment, existing relationships between agencies and employers and the potential for expansion of current programming. As the population described above typically has long history of involvement with the child welfare system, special attention to trauma-informed interventions and advocacy provided are a necessary component in responding to this request. 3. COMMUNICATIONS: 3.1. Please submit your response to this RFI to: Will Harmon Sourcing Account Specialist Central Procurement Office will.harmon@tn.gov 3.2. Please feel free to contact the Department of Children’s Services with any questions regarding this RFI. The main point of contact will be: Lily Lee Program Specialist Department of Children’s Services 315 Deaderick Street, UBS Tower 9th Floor 615-306-8821 EI.DCS.contracts@tn.gov 3.3. Please reference RFI # 35910-10315 with all communications to this RFI. 4. RFI SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: EVENT TIME (Central Time Zone) DATE (all dates are State business days) 1. RFI Issued November 6, 2023 2. RFI Response Deadline November 20, 2023 5. GENERAL INFORMATION: 5.1. Please note that responding to this RFI is not a prerequisite for responding to any future solicitations related to this project and a response to this RFI will not create any contract rights. Responses to this RFI will become property of the State. 5.2. The information gathered during this RFI is part of an ongoing procurement. In order to prevent an unfair advantage among potential respondents, the RFI responses will not be available until after the completion of evaluation of any responses, proposals, or bids resulting from a Request for Qualifications, Request for Proposals, Invitation to Bid or other procurement method. In the event that the state chooses not to go further in the procurement process and responses are never evaluated, the responses to the procurement including the responses to the RFI, will be considered confidential by the State. 5.3. The State will not pay for any costs associated with responding to this RFI. 6. INFORMATIONAL FORMS: The State is requesting the following information from all interested parties. Please fill out the following forms: RFI #35910-10315 TECHNICAL INFORMATIONAL FORM 1. RESPONDENT LEGAL ENTITY NAME: 2. RESPONDENT CONTACT PERSON: Name, Title: Address: Phone Number: Email: 3. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIENCE PROVIDING SIMILAR SCOPE OF SERVICES/PRODUCTS 4. FILL IN WITH REQUESTED INFORMATION AS NEEDED COST INFORMATIONAL FORM 1. Describe what pricing units you typically utilize for similar services or goods (e.g., per hour, each, etc.: 2. Describe the typical price range for similar services or goods 3. FILL IN WITH REQUESTED INFORMATION AS NEEDED ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS 1. Please provide input on alternative approaches or additional things to consider that might benefit the State: