May independent consultants and consulting firms, including small teams, submit proposals? How should teams identify their personnel and rates? Yes. Both qualified independent consultants and consulting entities may submit proposals, including organizations proposing a small consulting team. However, APHSA expects one designated lead consultant to perform the majority of the analytical work, writing, and coordination of deliverables. Respondents proposing a team must identify the lead consultant, describe each supporting team member’s role, and provide applicable hourly rates. All proposals will be evaluated using the published scoring criteria.
Please refer to Amendment I, Section 5, “Consultant Structure & Responsibilities”.
Will the consultant facilitate or attend stakeholder engagement activities? The consultant’s primary responsibility will be to analyze and synthesize stakeholder information collected through activities facilitated by APHSA and its partners. The consultant is not required to facilitate listening sessions, focus groups, interviews, or other stakeholder engagement activities. Participation in selected meetings may be requested by mutual agreement, consistent with the established scope and budget. Please refer to Amendment I, Section 5, “Consultant Structure & Responsibilities”.
What analytical work samples are acceptable, including de-identified, original, publicly available, or co-authored work? Please refer to the RFP, page 7, “PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND FORMAT REQUIREMENTS,” regarding the required analytical work sample. APHSA will accept original, de-identified, publicly available, or co-authored samples, provided the respondent identifies their contribution; primary authorship is preferred. No specific sample length is prescribed.
How must proposals be submitted? Proposals must be submitted electronically via email to Carolyn Carter at ccarter@aphsa.org no later than 5:00 pm Eastern Time on Thursday, November 5, 2026. Submission through an online application portal is not required and will not constitute an acceptable submission under this RFP. Please refer to Amendment I, Sections 1 and 2, “Revised Procurement Schedule” and “Submission Method”.
Will this award be a federal subaward or a professional services contract? Are federal subrecipient registrations and compliance requirements applicable? This engagement will be structured as a professional services contract under APHSA’s Independent Contractor Agreement, not as a federal subaward. Accordingly, federal subrecipient requirements under 2 CFR Part 200, including federal subaward-related registration and reporting requirements, do not apply to this engagement.
Please refer to Amendment I, Section 4, “Contractor Classification,” which supersedes the corresponding provisions of the original RFP.
May an individual employed by a state human services agency submit a proposal? Yes. Current employment with a state human services agency does not automatically disqualify an individual from submitting a proposal. However, respondents are responsible for ensuring that their participation does not violate applicable employer policies, outside employment restrictions, or conflict-of-interest requirements. Please refer to the RFP, page 6, “ELIGIBLE BIDDERS,” and page 9, “BIDDERS CONDITIONS, REPRESENTATIONS AND AUTHORIZATIONS”.
What type of analysis is anticipated, and will administrative child welfare datasets be provided? Please refer to the RFP, pages 4–5, “SCOPE OF SERVICES,” under “Information Management” and “Stakeholder Feedback, Research, and Policy Synthesis.” APHSA anticipates primarily qualitative analysis and does not plan to provide child welfare administrative datasets.
Are particular analytical software platforms or tools required? Please refer to the RFP, page 4, “SCOPE OF SERVICES – Information Management.” APHSA does not prescribe a specific analytical software platform. Any proposed software costs should be included in the cost proposal, consistent with Amendment I, Section 6, “Billing & Expenses.”
Is the estimated 250 hours a maximum? Please refer to the RFP, page 3, “INTRODUCTION & INTENT,” and page 7, “TERMS.” The approximately 250 hours is an estimate; the $40,000 not-to-exceed contract value is the firm financial ceiling.
How much routine meeting participation is anticipated? Please refer to the RFP, page 6, continuation of “CORE DELIVERABLES & ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE,” regarding routine virtual project meetings. APHSA currently estimates approximately two to four hours per month.
What are the anticipated turnaround times and volume of analytical deliverables? APHSA has not established a fixed number of stakeholder feedback syntheses or uniform turnaround times beyond the deliverables and anticipated frequencies outlined in the RFP. Specific deliverable schedules and turnaround expectations will be established collaboratively with the selected consultant during contract negotiations and project planning, consistent with the approved scope of services, anticipated level of effort, and $40,000 contract ceiling.
Please refer to the RFP, page 5, “CORE DELIVERABLES & ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE,” and page 8, “PROPOSAL CONSIDERATIONS”.
What existing systems and information management processes will be available? Please refer to the RFP, page 4, “SCOPE OF SERVICES — Information Management,” and page 5, “CORE DELIVERABLES & ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE.” APHSA has some existing processes; the selected consultant will work with the project team to refine the information-management framework.
Will APHSA provide transcripts and written notes? Is transcription part of the consultant’s scope? APHSA will provide transcripts and written notes from stakeholder engagement activities for the consultant’s review and analysis. The consultant will not be responsible for providing transcription services, and transcription costs should not be included as a separate expense in the proposed budget.
Please refer to Amendment I, Section 6, “Billing & Expenses”.
Are APHSA-branded deliverable templates or design services required? Please refer to the RFP, page 5, “CORE DELIVERABLES & ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE,” regarding required written products. APHSA will provide applicable branding guidance; graphic design services are not required.
What confidentiality and data-security requirements apply to stakeholder information? The consultant is expected to review stakeholder engagement transcripts and related materials that may contain stakeholder names and professional affiliations. APHSA does not anticipate providing sensitive child welfare case information as part of this engagement.
All stakeholder information received, collected, or analyzed in connection with the engagement must be treated as confidential and may not be disclosed, distributed, or used for purposes unrelated to the contracted services without APHSA’s prior written authorization.
The selected consultant will be required to comply with the confidentiality, information-security, and data-handling requirements established in the executed Independent Contractor Agreement.
Please refer to the original RFP, page 4, “Scope of Services – Information Management,” and Amendment I, Section 8, “Contract Terms & Insurance”.
How will the engagement be priced, invoiced, and paid? Is this a staffing engagement? This is a project-based, time-and-materials professional services engagement, not a staffing placement or fixed-fee deliverable contract. The selected consultant will be compensated based on actual hours worked at the hourly rate(s) established in the executed agreement.
Invoices will be submitted monthly and must identify the services performed, hours worked, applicable rates, and corresponding charges. Total compensation shall not exceed $40,000 during the anticipated twelve-month engagement. Payment terms and invoice processing requirements will be governed by APHSA’s executed Independent Contractor Agreement.
Please refer to Amendment I, Section 6, “Billing & Expenses”.
Are travel, transcription, supplies, software, or other expenses reimbursable separately? Travel is not required for this engagement, and APHSA will provide transcripts and written notes from stakeholder engagement activities. Separate reimbursement for travel, transcription, or other direct expenses is not anticipated.
Respondents should incorporate all costs necessary to perform the required services, including applicable supplies or software, into their proposed pricing. Total compensation, including any expenses approved by APHSA, must remain within the $40,000 contract ceiling.
Please refer to Amendment I, Section 6, “Billing & Expenses”.
Who will direct and review the consultant’s work? Please refer to the RFP, page 3, “INTRODUCTION & INTENT,” and page 5, “CORE DELIVERABLES & ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE,” regarding collaboration with APHSA project staff. APHSA will oversee and review the consultant’s work, with support from another consulting team as appropriate.
Will APHSA provide a draft agreement before proposals are due, and what contract terms will apply? APHSA anticipates entering into its standard Independent Contractor Agreement with the selected respondent. The agreement will be subject to APHSA’s established contract review and negotiation process and must be fully executed before services commence.
The resulting agreement will govern applicable contractual terms, including compensation, invoicing, confidentiality, ownership of work products, indemnification, insurance, and termination. A draft agreement will not be issued as part of this solicitation.
Please refer to Amendment I, Section 8, “Contract Terms & Insurance”.
What insurance coverage will be required? The selected consultant will be required to maintain Professional Liability (Errors and Omissions) insurance with minimum coverage limits of $1,000,000 per claim and $1,000,000 in the aggregate. Evidence of the required coverage must be provided before services commence, and coverage must remain in effect throughout the contract period.
Separate Cyber Liability insurance is not required for this engagement. However, the selected consultant must comply with the confidentiality and data-protection requirements established in the executed Independent Contractor Agreement.
Please refer to Amendment I, Section 8, “Contract Terms & Insurance”.
Is a separate technical approach or work plan required? Yes. Respondents must submit a separate technical approach/work plan describing their proposed methodology, approach to information management and synthesis, anticipated workflow, and plan for meeting the required deliverables and timelines.
The technical approach/work plan will be evaluated under the applicable published scoring factors, including “Proposed Approach & Understanding of Scope,” which carries a maximum of 20 points.
Please refer to Amendment I, Section 3, “Proposal Preparation & Format,” and the original RFP, page 8, “Proposal Evaluation”.
What is the anticipated volume of stakeholder engagement activities? Please refer to the RFP, page 5, “CORE DELIVERABLES & ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE,” regarding syntheses tied to engagement activity. APHSA hosts between two (2) and four (4) stakeholder engagement events per month; this is an estimate, not a guaranteed volume.
