1.01Introduction and Program Description

The Department of Family and Community Services, Division of Office of Children's Services (OCS), is requesting proposals from eligible applicants to provide Circles of Support Family Preservation Services for the State of Alaska in FY2026 through FY2028. Program Services are authorized under 7 AAC 78 Grant Programs. State of Alaska statutes and regulations are accessible at the Department of Law Document Library or through the contact person identified on the cover page of this Request for Proposals (RFP).

OCS seeks applicants to provide family preservation services, through the Circles of Support Family Preservation Services program, to families with children in their home who are at risk of maltreatment and removal. OCS responds to allegations of child abuse and neglect, determining whether the allegations are substantiated and if government intervention is needed due to risk of future harm. When OCS determines that a child can remain in their parental home, but risk of future maltreatment is still present, a plan is developed with the family for services to be delivered. To ensure the success of an in-home plan, the family often requires a variety of individual and family services as well as close supervision and frequent monitoring. The needs identified in the initial assessment are then used in conjunction with the parent(s) input to formulate their case plan.

With the availability of the Circles of Support Family Preservation Services program, OCS may retain an open for services case or may close the case, depending on the circumstances, after a referral to the agency providing services (grantee). OCS may also refer a family who has been reunited with their child after a foster care placement to support their continued success. Cases which remain open will have a developed safety plan and OCS and the grantee will work together to provide services.

Family preservation services require significant coordination to provide available services for identified areas of need. These services may involve intensive intervention, involuntary services provision, and court involvement. In many cases there is need for immediate services to be coordinated and delivered such as substance abuse assessment or urinalysis testing, support for parents to eliminate any health or safety hazards in the child's physical environment, mental health assessment and/or stabilization, and assistance with seeking a protective order when domestic violence is present.

Grantees of this program are expected to serve 10-50 families at any given time depending on location. In-home services are designed to be short term in nature, approximately 90-days, however some situations may resolve sooner or may last longer depending on the need and complexity of the familial issues. If safety threats are identified or the parent becomes unwilling to engage, it would be incumbent on the grantee to report the progress to OCS. OCS will respond by assessing and determining if there are grounds for filing a petition for custody or whether a removal from the home is necessary.

1.02Program Goals and Anticipated Outcomes

The proposed project must demonstrate a thorough understanding and support of the grant program goals and outcomes anticipated by the Department.

PROGRAM GOALS: The goal of this program is to deliver family preservation services through in-home education and supportive services to families identified and referred by OCS, to strengthen the family while decreasing the likelihood of family disruption/child removal and placement in an out-of-home setting.

ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES: Services provided through this grant must result in measurable outcomes. Outcomes are the results a program intends to achieve by implementing a service. They are changes which occur or differences made for individuals, groups, families, organizations, or communities during or after receiving services. OCS has determined specific outcomes linked to this funding.

Applicants must describe how the proposed services and project outcomes would support the outcomes of the grant program:

• Increased Protective Factors
• Increased Supports for Families
• Reduced need for Out-of-Home Placements

Strengthening Families Protective Factors Framework: Strengthening Families™ is a research-informed, strength-based approach to helping families reduce stress, address risk factors, and promote healthy development. The overarching goal is the promotion of child and family well-being. It is based on engaging families, programs and communities in building five protective factors that help families succeed and thrive, even in the face of risk and challenges. Alaska was selected in 2005 by the Center for the Study of Social Policy to pilot this approach and continues to work with programs and communities in implementing this framework.

It is the role of the grantee to work with families to increase their protective factors to reduce the occurrence of child abuse and neglect. By understanding risk and protective factors for children, families, and communities, programs will be better equipped to enhance protective factors and minimize risk factors for children and families.

Five Protective Factors are the foundation of the Strengthening Families approach:

1. Parental resilience.
2. Social connections.
3. Concrete support in times of need.
4. Knowledge of parenting and child development.
5. Social and emotional competence of children.

Any outcomes of service delivery will aim to increase the protective factors of families served by the proposed program.

Projects must meet or exceed anticipated minimum outcomes described in this RFP.

1.03Program Services/Activities

Proposals must outline how each of these services will be provided. In addition, applicant proposals must describe the ways in which the project aligns with program intent. The submitted project proposal will identify agency resources available to the project; describe project activities; and clearly state the project’s anticipated goals, outputs, and outcomes. 

The grantee will be responsible for providing the following services:

1. Service plan or Case plan Implementation, Coordination and Monitoring
2. Assessment of Family Progress
3. Parent Education and Support
4. Transportation Services

Service or Case Plan Implementation, Coordination and Monitoring: Referrals to the Circles of Support Family Preservation Services program will be followed by an intake meeting which is an in-person meeting with the family, the grantee, Tribal representative (if applicable), and the OCS worker to discuss the need for the family preservation services. These meetings should occur in the family home whenever possible. This effort will support parent empowerment and provide a warm hand off of the services which will result in increased program participation. Referrals must include a release of information (ROI) signed by the family for communication between OCS and the grantee to allow for the referral and reporting the outcome of the offered services. In the event that the OCS worker is not available within 5 business days of the agency's receipt of referral, grantee will initiate contact without OCS worker participation.

OCS may have a case plan with the family, which can be used to guide program service provision. In cases where OCS will not continue working with the family after referral, there will be no case plan. In those cases, the applicant must develop a service plan outlining the family goals and services. Families should only have one plan. The case plan or service plan must be reviewed by the grant provider and the family at least once per month to identify success. Proposals must outline the intake process as described above. If an applicant is recommended for award, the applicant will be required to provide their proposed service plan format as a condition of award.

Service coordination is an active, ongoing process that involves assisting families by helping them identify the array of services they are already engaged in, compiling information about those services, and facilitating access to services needed but not yet utilized. Applicants must describe how they will work with individual family members to coordinate and actively support involvement in early childhood services, medical services, substance abuse services, education/employment and behavioral health services as needed. Each member of the family should be considered when coordinating services. Due to abuse, violence, stress, or addiction, families may have lost their connection to their natural supports through their families or the community. This program will assist families in recovering and learning to access and utilize their own or the community resources.

A primary focus of these services is the development of support systems for families with children at risk of out-of-home placement. Monitoring requires frequent face to face contact with children and parents in their own home to the extent possible. In open in-home cases, contact must be weekly or more often when service provision begins. This focus will ensure all families are effectively linked to the right services and supports. 

Assessments of Family Progress: Assessment is to be an ongoing process through the duration of service delivery in order to measure changes in protective factors and identify areas where workers can focus on increasing individual family protective factors. The grantee will utilize the Protective Factors survey to evaluate family progress. Protective Factors Surveys and user manual. Ongoing assessment should look at progress and client achievement, as well as account for changes in family circumstances and need.

Assessment will take place during frequent face to face contact with both the child and caregivers, in their own home and other appropriate community settings such as playgrounds, libraries or other places where services are being provided to the family or child. Any assessment made regarding immediate or impending threats to the child's safety must be reported to OCS. The applicant's proposal must describe how they will utilize and implement the Protective Factor's survey for their proposed program.

Parent Education and Support: The purpose of the parent education component is to allow families to learn parenting techniques and gain skills which help to increase parental capacity by providing hands-on education to caregivers. When possible, coaching should be provided in the family home environment, but alternative locations are acceptable. Additional support can be provided through telephonic and virtual platforms; in a group setting or may take place through a parent support group method.

For community parent education classes or parent support groups to be funded through this program, the curriculum must be classified as evidenced based, or a promising practice. Parent support groups have been identified as an evidence-based practice for parents to gain both support and education, and to have long range positive effects in family wellness. In addition to parenting training, a family centered approach recognizes the usefulness of a broader range of subjects, which may include: financial literacy, tradition and cultural practices, stress reduction, systems navigation, leadership skills, goal setting, self-esteem and other skill-builders which promote resilience.

The applicant must include a clear outline of the curricula or models chosen. Include an outline of any curricula used with the proposal as well as a description of the evaluation tool which will be used to determine whether the parenting group or curriculum delivered is effective, i.e. survey or other evaluation tool. If employee training is needed to implement this component, funds must be allocated and outlined in the proposed budget.

Transportation Services: Applicants must be able to provide transportation for parents and children to service activities. One option is by facilitating access to public transportation through taxi vouchers, community shuttle services and/or bus tokens. The applicant may also have a company vehicle that can provide transportation directly to clients; personal vehicles may not be used to transport clients. Proposals may include costs for leasing a vehicle for program activities. Applicants requesting funds to lease a vehicle to support program activities must include an estimate of the annual costs for leasing a vehicle and explore multiple leasing options. No funds for leasing a vehicle shared agency-wide or for vehicle purchase will be approved. The applicant must describe how transportation services will be provided to parents and children under this program.

Availability and Flexibility: Applicants must explain how they will demonstrate flexibility and the ability to provide services when they are most convenient for the family. If your agency has a crisis line or works extended hours, this information must be in your proposal.

The services delivered through the Circles of Support Family Preservation Program are anchored around the philosophy that services will be:

1. Individualized and strength based.
2. Culturally sensitive/competent.
3. Trauma informed.

Applicants must describe how the project will ensure adherence to these service standards through provision of services. Any training or professional development provided must also be outlined.

Individualized and Strength-Based: Assessing for and recognizing the unique strengths which exist within each family and using those identified strengths to build on is critical to achieving optimal outcomes for children and their families. Applicants must describe how they will incorporate this philosophy of service into the delivery of their program.

Culturally Sensitive/Competent: Cultural competence is defined as a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals and enables that system, agency, or those professionals to work effectively in cross-cultural situations (Cross, Bazron, Dennis, & Isaacs, 1989). Cultural sensitivity broadens knowledge and understanding of the individuals and communities we work with. Cultural sensitivity begins with recognition that there are differences between cultures, an understanding of culture and race-based biases and the institutional racism present in our society.

Developing a culturally competent attitude is an ongoing process. Applicants must describe how they will ensure continued education for workers in the area of cultural awareness and history of the people being served. In addition, educational and recreational opportunities for families served should be reflective of the culture and incorporate cultural activities whenever possible.

Trauma Informed Services: Research has taught us the extensive negative impacts of traumatic experiences on the developing brain. Humans who have experienced childhood trauma have a significantly higher likelihood of developing chronic health problems, mental illness, substance misuse issues, experiencing poverty, domestic violence, incarceration, homelessness, child protection involvement and more. Applicants must describe how they will ensure the services they offer will approach at risk families from a position of understanding trauma and its impacts on the human experience.

Documentation: The applicant must describe how they will document the number of hours spent on each of the services listed above for each family. Grant reporting will require quarterly reporting of the number of unduplicated hours of services provided for the family. For example, time spent transporting a client cannot also be counted as time spent assessing progress or providing parenting education or support.

Applicants will upload a timeline for the initiation of services and project activities. Applicant must be operating within 90 days after July 1, 2025. Applicant must be in communication with the Program Manager regarding their implementation progress.

Applicant proposals must describe the ways in which the project aligns with program intent. The submitted project proposal will identify agency resources available to the project; describe project activities; and clearly state the project’s anticipated goals, outputs, and outcomes.

1.04Program Evaluation Requirements and Reporting

Results Based Budgeting Framework

Results based budgeting provides a framework in which allocated resources support, and are justified by, a set of outputs and expected results. Within this framework, actual performance and achieved outcomes are measured by objective performance measures.

Projects are required to align with program objectives expressing Department priorities and core services. Projects will use performance measures to evaluate progress toward meaningful outcomes, and to initiate data collection and reporting consistent with Department priorities.

The Department Priorities, Core Services, Objectives, and Performance Measures of Effectiveness and Efficiency for this program are:

Department Priorities 

• 1 Health & Wellness Across the Life Span
• 3 Safe & Responsible Individuals, Families & Communities

Department Objectives

• 1.2.1 Improve the safety of children receiving department services
• 3.2.1 Decrease the rate of maltreatment in children

Performance Measures

Effectiveness: % of parents demonstrating enhanced protective factors

Efficiency: Cost per family served

The applicant's proposed evaluation plan will incorporate the performance measures of effectiveness and efficiency identified above. Applicants can propose additional performance measures for evaluating the project’s progress in achieving results supportive of program goals and outcomes. The applicant's evaluation plan must include indicators and data gathering strategies that will be used.

The applicant's proposed evaluation plan will incorporate the performance measures of effectiveness and efficiency identified above. Applicants can propose additional performance measures for evaluating the project’s progress in achieving results supportive of program goals and outcomes. (The applicant's logic model/evaluation plan must include indicators and data gathering strategies that will be used.)

Grant Reporting

Required reporting will include:

1. Cumulative Fiscal Reports recording overall grant and match expenditures by budget line; and
2. Program Reports in the format prescribed by the program.

1.05Target Population and Service Area

Applicants must clearly describe the population targeted by the project, including the area or communities that will be served. Proposals will be evaluated for compatibility with the program’s intended target population identified in this solicitation.

Target Population: The target population for the solicited services is the target population for the solicited services are families with children under 18 years old residing in their home who have been identified by OCS as at risk of future child maltreatment and possible out-of-home placement/removal.

Service Areas and Communities: The service areas are OCS Regions: Anchorage, Northern, and Southcentral. 

The intent is to fund one award in each of the identified service areas. Funding levels will be determined based on the percentage of children currently in out of home care in each region and the number of children in out of home care in the proposed community. If there are no successful applicants in a service area, funds may be reallocated among the remaining service areas.

1.06Program Funding

Funds available for this program are anticipated to total Budget of $573,000.00 with 93% Federal funds and 7% of General Funds. Total estimated funding for the 3-year duration is $1,719,000.

• FED - SSBG: $429,750.00
• FED - TITLE IVB-I: $58,800.00
• FED - TITLE IVB-II: $44,437.50
• G/F Match - $40,012.50

Match Requirement: The budget must include matching funds equal to 15.00% of the proposed Department funds. Calculate required match with the following formula.

Total Requested Grant Award x Required Match Percentage = Required Match

Federal grant funds may not be used to match federal funds awarded through this grant program, and State grant funds may not be used to match State funds awarded through this grant program.

Eligible sources of matching funds include:

• Local Cash: local sources, including local tax receipts, municipal revenue sharing, cash donations
• Local In-Kind:  donated items of value for which the applicant incurs no cost, including volunteer labor and donations of supplies, equipment, space
• Other Sources:  government and non-government grant awards, third party receipts, direct receipts such as gaming or sales of goods
• Grant Income: earnings anticipated as a result of this project proposal receiving award, and Medicaid reimbursements if award of this grant is required for the applicant to bill Medicaid for awarded services
• Medicaid: includes Medicaid which is not Grant Income, as well as other third-party receipts)

Proposed Budget: The applicant must submit a budget proposal for the first fiscal year of the project. The proposed budget detail and narrative, including required match, will support the program's results-based service delivery and staffing requirements stated in this RFP.

The proposed budget will be fully compliant with the limitations described in this RFP, and those detailed in 7 AAC 78.160 (Costs). Regulations are provided under the GEMS Documents tab.

Resources specific to budgeting are also available under the GEMS Documents tab. The Department's Grant Budget Preparation Guidelines provide information and guidance about budget lines, cost detail groupings, and narrative requirements. Grantee User Manual Part I provides detailed instructions for entering a budget proposal in the chapter "Responding to a Solicitation."

Other Agency Funding: Prior to submitting a proposal, applicants are required to list all other agency funding received and applied for. This task must be completed by an Agency Power User in the Other Funding section of the Agency Administration tab. This is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

Indirect Costs: If the proposed budget includes indirect costs, 7 AAC 78.160(p) requires a copy of the agency's current federally approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. The agreement is to be uploaded in the Agency Administration tab. Lapsed agreements can be used if uploaded with the negotiating federal agency's written approval to continue using the rate until a new agreement is negotiated. If an agency has never entered into a federally approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or no longer has a federally approved agreement in place, the recently updated Federal Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 now allows that agency to budget the 10% De Minimis.

Payment for Services/Grant Income: If applicable to the services proposed in response to this solicitation, awarded grantees will have a Medicaid Provider Number or apply to obtain one, and will make reasonable effort to bill all eligible services to Medicaid and any other available sources of payment before seeking grant support for delivery of the proposed services. Department funds are the payer of last resort.

In the applicant’s proposed budget, anticipated receipts and expenditures for all grant income must be evident in the detail and narrative. Fiscal reports for awarded income generating projects will include the receipts and expenditure of all grant income.

2.01Agency Experience

Proposal evaluation will include consideration of the applicant’s history of compliance with service and grant requirements, and previous experience in providing the same or similar services. Evaluation may include Department site reviews, program audits, and confirmation of the successful resolution of any findings. This is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

The applicant must describe previous experience providing services the same or similar to those proposed. The description must clearly identify the time period over which services were provided and the target population served.

2.02Project Staffing

Project staffing must be sufficient to implement the proposed activities in order to meet program goals and the anticipated outcomes.

Applicant must describe program staffing, and any specific requirements and professional credentials required of the positions.

Resumes (and/or position descriptions) and professional credentials for key project personnel must be uploaded as part of the response. This is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

Staff must be cleared through the State of Alaska, Family and Community Services (FCS) Background Check Program (BCP) which provides centralized background check support for programs which provide for the health, safety, and welfare of persons who are served by the programs administered by the Department.

The BCP program processes fingerprint-based criminal history checks for individuals associated with licensed and/or certified entities under the authority of DFCS or are otherwise eligible to receive payments, in whole or in part, from the Department.

2.03Administrative, Management, and Facility Requirements

The applicant must demonstrate the agency's sustainable fiscal and administrative capacity. Executive, administrative, and financial staff must be qualified, as indicated by the resumes of position holders uploaded as an element of the proposal. This is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

1. The applicant must ensure procedures are in place to protect client confidentiality compliant with State and federal standards.
2. The applicant must ensure its most recent financial audit was submitted to the appropriate state office (see Audit Requirements below), and any findings identified have been resolved.

Awarded proposers will be required to submit additional agency information if the agency GEMS record is not current.

Audit Requirements:

Federal Requirements: Agencies spending $750,000 or more total Federal Financial Assistance in the agency fiscal year may be required to comply with conditions of the Single Audit Act of 1984, P.L. 98-502, as amended by the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996, P.L. 104-156, and as defined in 2 CFR 200.

State Requirements: Agencies spending $750,000 or more total State Financial Assistance in the agency fiscal year are required to comply with the conditions of 2 AAC 45.010-090. The current regulations may be viewed at the State of Alaska, Department of Law website, Department of Law Document Library, or copies may be obtained from the contact identified on the cover page of the RFP.

Information on State and Federal Single Audit Acts compliance may be obtained from:

State Single Audit Coordinator
Department of Administration
Division of Finance
PO Box 110204
Juneau, AK 99811-0204
Telephone: (907) 465-4666
Fax: (907) 465-2169

Department of Family and Community Services Program Audit Requirements: All DHSS grantees are subject to the requirements of 7 AAC 78.230. If awarded, agencies which are not required to file State Single Audits under 2 AAC 45.010 must ensure a fiscal audit of the agency operations under the grant program is performed by an independent, licensed, certified public accountant at least once every two years and submitted to:

State of Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
Finance and Management Services
Audit Section
PO Box 110602
Juneau, AK  99811-0602
Telephone: (907) 465-3120

Facility, Service Access, and Safety:

1. The applicant must address potential safety concerns for clients and staff in the management of services proposed in response to this RFP.
2. The applicant should describe client accessibility to services and the way in which that will enhance project success.
3. All applicants for Department grants should have a written plan for emergency response and recovery that provides for potential safety concerns and the safe evacuation of clients and staff. This plan is mandatory for agencies providing residential and/or critical care services as noted in the State Grant Assurances.

2.04Support/Coordination of Services

Applicants must demonstrate the proposed project has the necessary support and coordination for the successful delivery of services. The proposal must address the following:

1. Community support where services are proposed;
2. Partnerships and collaborations specific to the proposed project; and
3. Coordination with necessary referring agencies and the role of each described.

3.01Eligibility

Applicants must be eligible to apply under 7 AAC 78.030 (Eligible Applicants). Eligible applicants are state agencies; political subdivisions of the state such as cities, organized boroughs, and Regional Educational Attendance Areas; nonprofit organizations and consortia of nonprofits; and Alaska Native entities. As follows, eligibility will be verified by Grants and Contracts.

1. Political subdivisions of the state and Regional Educational Attendance Areas will be verified by State records.
2. Eligible nonprofits are listed in the State's database of registered nonprofit entities or the US Internal Revenue Service's register of tax-exempt organizations. Nonprofit subsidiaries of nonprofit corporations must also provide a letter from the parent organization confirming nonprofit status.
3. Alaska Native entities as defined in 7 AAC 78.950(1) must submit, with the application, a legally binding resolution waiving the entity's sovereign immunity to suit through the duration of the program, identified in RFP Subsection 3.05. The resolution must be authorized in compliance with the tribe's constitution, either by the tribal council or by majority vote of the tribal membership. The required template is provided at Subsection 4.02, Other Technical Requirements.

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA): In accordance with 2 CFR Chapter 1, Part 170 Reporting Sub- Award And Executive Compensation Information, reporting is required of any grant award with federal funding equal to or greater than $30,000. FFATA is intended to hold the federal government accountable for spending decisions. Accountability data is available to the public at U.S. Government spending. Reporting requirements extend to recipients of State-issued awards with federal funds. An Agency Power User must complete the FFATA form under Federal Reporting in the GEMS Agency Administration tab. The report data will reflect the audited figures of the agency's most recently completed fiscal year. The report captures expenses and executive compensation for your agency. More information regarding FFATA requirements can be found at Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act Subaward Reporting System.

Effective April 4th, 2022, the US Federal Government transitioned from the Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to a System for Award Management (SAM) generated Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) alpha-numeric value for federal awards management. All grantees receiving awards with federal funds are required to have a UEI. More information regarding this transition can be found on the U.S. General Services Administration.

The Grants Electronic Management System (GEMS) has been updated to include fields for both the DUNS nine-digit number and the UEI twelve-digit alpha-numeric value under the General section of the Agency Administration tab. An Agency Power User must confirm the current UEI number is listed in GEMS. The DUNS number will continue to be displayed in GEMS until further notice.

Applicant agency GEMS records must contain the agency's current State of Alaska Business License number, and a current governing board roster which includes titles, contact information, and terms of office for each seat. The roster must include emergency contact information outside the applicant agency for one or more officers.

Grants and Contracts will verify neither the applicant agency nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from receiving grant assistance from any State or federal department or agency. If an agency or its principals are excluded from receiving grant assistance, the proposal may not be considered.

If this grant program includes Federal funding, effective November 12, 2020 Federal Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 requires that agencies be registered on the System for Award Management (SAM) website at System for Award Management (SAM). If an applicant is recommended for award and is not registered on this site, the offered award will not be executed, and funds will not be issued until agency registration is confirmed.

Applicants who have had a contract or grant to help produce this RFP are not eligible to apply and any submitted proposal will not be considered.

3.02Acceptance of Terms

By submitting a proposal, an applicant accepts all terms and conditions of this RFP including all identified attachments and guidelines, 7 AAC 78, and any other applicable statutes and regulations. Copies of these may be accessed through the contact person identified on the cover page or through the web address(es) identified in this RFP.

If a grant is awarded, this RFP and the applicant’s proposal become part of the grant agreement. The applicant will be bound by the provisions contained in the awarded proposal unless the Department agrees that specific parts of the proposal are not part of the agreement.

Proposals and other materials submitted in response to this RFP become the property of the State and may be returned only if the State allows. Proposals are public documents and may be inspected or copied by anyone after grants have been awarded.

3.03Inquiries

Applicants should immediately review this RFP for defects and questionable or confusing content. Questions that can be answered by directing the applicant to a specific section in the RFP may be answered verbally by the contact person identified on the RFP cover page. Questions that cannot be answered by directing an applicant to a specific section of the RFP may be declared substantive. The applicant will be directed to submit the question in writing to the contact person at the email address on the cover page no later than the Deadline for Written Inquiries, also identified on the cover page. This will allow issuance of any necessary amendments and/or clarifications to all prospective applicants.

Applicants are responsible for monitoring GEMS or the State’s Online Public Notices website (Online Public Notices) for any clarifications or amendments that may be issued regarding this solicitation.

Proposals will not be accepted after 3:59 PM prevailing local time on the due date identified on the cover page.

3.04Proposal Costs and Content

The Department will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by the applicant prior to the authorized grant performance period. All costs of responding to this RFP are the responsibility of the applicant.

The applicant is responsible for the content of the proposal.

3.05Duration

This RFP is for a 3-year period, beginning 7/1/2025 through 6/30/2028. At the discretion of the Department, a project funded under this RFP may be considered for continued funding in subsequent program year(s). The annual decision to continue funding for the subsequent year(s) of the 3-year grant cycle is based on the following general conditions:

1. the Department's judgment that there is a continued need for the grant project service;
2. the grantee's satisfactory performance during the previous grant year;
3. the availability of sufficient grant program funds, and whether continuation of the financing is consistent with public health and welfare; and
4. the ability of the grantee and the Department to agree on any adjustments in payments or service.

Applicants will submit a budget proposal for year one of the grant only. Funding in each subsequent year will require submission and approval of documents needed to update service plans, evaluation measures, and budgets. Grants and Contracts will notify grantees of specific submission requirements necessary to qualify for consideration of continued funding.

This RFP is for fiscal year FY2026, 7/1/2025 through 6/30/2026.

3.06Proposal Review

Following the deadline for receipt of proposals, no revisions will be accepted unless provided in response to a request from the contact person named in this RFP. Proposals will be reviewed as follows:

1. Proposals will be evaluated in a manner that will avoid disclosure of contents before notices of grant award have been issued.
2. Department of Family and Community Services staff will evaluate each proposal for minimum responsiveness and other technical requirements and eliminate nonresponsive proposals from consideration.
3. Using the criteria set out in this RFP and 7 AAC 78.100 (Criteria for Review of Proposals), Department staff will evaluate each responsive proposal. Scores for each criterion will be based solely on the response to the associated question. Points will not be earned if the information was provided in response to another question in Section 4. Department staff will also review relevant departmental documentation regarding the applicant. Staff recommendations regarding awards and levels of funding will include consideration of the following:
   1. a history of the applicant's compliance with grant requirements, to include records of program performance, on-site program reviews, and prior year audits;
   2. priorities in applicable State health and social services plans;
   3. requirements of applicable State and federal statutes; and
   4. municipal ordinances or regulations applicable to the grant program.

If there are multiple responsive proposals for which there is insufficient money to fully fund, or supplementary expertise is deemed necessary to the review of proposed services, the Department may appoint a Proposal Evaluation Committee (PEC) as an additional advisory body. PEC members will initially evaluate proposals, independently of other committee members. As a committee the PEC will meet in a closed session (7 AAC 78.090 Review of Proposals) to further review proposals and develop recommendations. Scores will be assigned based on the applicant's response to each individual question and the associated criteria. Applicants will not earn points for a given question based on a response to another question in the RFP. The PEC review will include discussion of each proposal’s merits. PEC recommendations will rank proposals in priority order and include approval or disapproval for award, modifications to the proposed project, and special compliance conditions.

All staff advisory recommendations and, if applicable, those of the PEC, and all review materials will be submitted for consideration by the Division Director, who will make recommendations to the Commissioner of the Department of Family and Community Services or the Commissioner's designee.

3.07Final Decision Authority

Recommendations are advisory only, including those from any PEC that may be held. The final decision to approve or disapprove award, the amount of each award, and whether to impose special conditions or modifications rests with the Commissioner or Commissioner's designee.

NOTE: The final decision may include additional considerations, such as a lack or duplication of services in certain locations, or alternative services that may be available; a critical need for services by vulnerable populations; and matters of health, life and safety. The Department has the responsibility to ensure public monies are utilized in a manner that protects the interests of the people of the State and retains the right to make final awards that ensure responsible distribution of grant funds.

3.08Notification of Grant Award and Appeals

Within fifteen (15) days after the decision regarding grant awards, applicants will be notified of the final funding decisions, and, if awarded, any conditions of award or modifications. Following any necessary negotiations for revisions to the proposed budget and scope of services, successful applicants will be issued a grant agreement. This formal agreement will contain specific performance and reporting requirements consistent with Department policy and procedure and 7 AAC 78.

Per 7 AAC 78.305 (Request for Appeal), an applicant may appeal a final grant award decision. Requests for hearing must be addressed to the Commissioner and received in writing at the address below within 15 days after the applicant receives notification of the decision. The request must contain the reasons for the appeal and must cite the law, regulation, or terms of the grant upon which the appeal is based.

With a copy to the contact identified on the solicitation cover page, send appeal to:

Kim Kovol, Commissioner
Department of Family and Community Services
3601 C Street, Suite 902
Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5923

3.09Cancellation of the RFP/Termination of Award

Contingent upon funding appropriations and the Governor's approval, the Department may fund proposals from eligible applicants. The Department may withdraw this RFP at any time and reserves the right to refrain from making an award when such action is deemed to be in the best interest of the State. Funds awarded for a grant as a result of this RFP may be withheld and the grant terminated by written notice from the State to the grantee at any time for violation by the grantee of any terms or conditions of the grant award, or when such action is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

4.01Minimum Responsiveness Criterion per 78.100(2)(A)

Proposals that fail to meet the minimum responsiveness requirements below will be eliminated from consideration per 7 AAC 78.090(b)(2).

4.02Other Technical Requirements per 7 AAC 78.060, 78.090(b) and 78.100

Response & Organizational Documentation

4.03History of Compliance with Grant Requirements per 7 AAC 78.100(2)(B)

4.04Questions and Criteria Related to Program Policy, Goals, Outcomes, and Activities

4.05Applicant Qualifications - Criteria Relating to Personnel, Management, and Facilities

4.06Demonstration of Support/Coordination of Service