Background
The Department of Children and Families (DCF) issued a request for proposal (RFP) for case management services for the Milwaukee child welfare system. Consistent with state procurement requirements, DCF is conducting a competitive RFP procurement process for the next round of these contracts.
DCF administers the child welfare system in Milwaukee County through the DCF Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services (DMCPS). DMCPS contracts with external organizations to carry out some of its child welfare functions, including case management services for families involved in the child welfare system. The contracted agencies play a key role in advancing the department’s efforts to dramatically increase the proportion of children supported in their homes and communities.
Last Fall, the department held four listening sessions in Milwaukee to gather input and feedback about the case management and family support services that DMCPS provides through contracted partners. That information was used to restructure the contracting process and delivery of child welfare services in Milwaukee County. The changes made to the contract structure seek to increase the involvement of relatively small, community-based organizations – including minority-owned organizations – in the delivery of child welfare-related services to families. As we heard at the listening sessions and in discussions with stakeholders in Milwaukee, small community-based organizations are often known and trusted by members of the community and are often composed of culturally competent and racially diverse staff with knowledge of and connections to the local families and communities they serve.
Key system changes incorporated in the Milwaukee case management RFP that create enhanced opportunities for relatively small, community-based organizations to play a role in providing child welfare services in Milwaukee County include:
1. The opportunity for organizations to form and submit a proposal as a consortium, which may be particularly helpful for small organizations with expertise in some, but not all, of the functions required in the RFP.
2. Explicit guidance in the RFP that contractors are encouraged to subcontract with small community-based organizations located within the Milwaukee communities where children and families are being served.
3. A lower minimum caseload size for contracted case management agencies of 250 children rather than 500 children, giving smaller organizations the opportunity to serve as a case management agency.
4. The availability of a start-up period with funding resources for agencies not currently under contract with DMCPS for these services.
5. Establishment of a cost-based rather than case-based payment approach, which reduces the complexity and uncertainty of the revenue flow to contractors, which can be particularly helpful for small organizations.
In addition, the department plans to issue a future procurement contract for DMCPS Early Intervention Services to maintain children safely in their homes and prevent out-of-home removal. Delivery of Early Intervention Services may also be well-suited to relatively small, community-based organizations.
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Problem
I wanted to inform you all that the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families has made a decision in regards to the RFP referenced in their press release. DCF said they intended to use the results of the RFP to award up to three contracts, but something happened. Given that only three (3) organizations responded to the RFP: CSSW, SaintA, and Fresh Start, it is disappointing that the relatively small, community-based, minority business was not selected. The Department's intent is to award all 2,500 children to the other agencies.
Fresh Start Family Services is protesting the awarding of this contract for a number of reasons.
1. The evaluation criterion DCF provided to evaluators was biased. As a result, causing relatively smaller, community-based minority businesses to score lower on the evaluation and gave the current vendors a competitive advantage.
2. Fresh Start has produced exceptional outcomes in the areas of child safety, well-being, and permanency for our clients over the past 18 years.
3. In a community where 66% to 73% of the children, youth, and families that have been served by our local child protective service system over the past 22 years are African American, DCF/DMCPS has never engaged a qualified African-American business as a Case Management Service Agency.
4. DCF held four listening sessions that misled the community into thinking that they were committed to working with a smaller community-based agency as a Case Management Services agency by using their feedback and input to restructure the contract and delivery of services.
If you would like to receive a copy of the 20-page letter and 33 supporting documents, please email me.
If you have any concerns about what transpired with this procurement process, feel free to contact the following people:
Governor Tony Evers: Governortonyevers@wisconsin.gov or 608-266-1212Secretary Emelie Amundson: Emilie.Amundson@wisconsin.gov or 608-422-7067Your State RepresentativeYour Senator
Take care,Jermaine Reed
Executive DirectorFresh Start Family Services(O) 414.351.1100 Ext. 150 (F) 414.351.0436
