Dane County Vendor Registration Program
All bidders wishing to receive a bid/proposal award must be a paid registered vendor with Dane County. Prior to the bid opening, you can complete a registration form online by visiting our web site at or you can obtain a Vendor Registration Form by calling 608.266.4131. Your completed Vendor Registration Form and Registration Fee must be received prior to the bid award.REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
FOR
COUNTY OF DANE, WISCONSIN
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
DIVISION: OF CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES
JUVENILE SEX OFFENDER EDUCATION/ TREATMENT GROUP
RFP # 5958
Proposals must be submitted
no later than
2:00 PM August 29, 2002
For further information regarding this
RFP, contact June Buchanan at (608) 266-4133.
Issued by
Dane County Purchasing Division
Department of Administration
LATE PROPOSALS WILL BE REJECTEDTABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 / GENERAL INFORMATION1.1 / Introduction and background
1.2 / Scope
1.3 / Procuring and contracting department/division
1.4 / Definitions
1.5 / Clarification of the specifications
1.6 / Vendor conference
1.7 / Reasonable accommodations
1.8 / Calendar of events
1.9 / Contract term and funding
2.0 / PREPARING AND SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL
2.1 / General instructions
2.2 / Proprietary Information
2.3 / Incurring costs
2.4 / Submitting the proposal
2.5 / Proposal organization and format
2.6 / Multiple proposals
3.0 / PROPOSAL SELECTION AND AWARD PROCESS
3.1 / Preliminary evaluation
3.2 / Proposal scoring
3.3 / Right to reject proposals
3.4 / Evaluation criteria
3.5 / Award and final offers
3.6 / Notification of intent to Award
4.0 / GENERAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
4.1 / Introduction
4.2 / Organization capabilities
4.3 / Staff qualifications
4.4 / Proposer references
5.0 / TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
5.1 / Description of Service
5.2 / Target Population
5.3 / Client Eligibility
5.4 / Goals & Objectives
5.3 / Service Hours & Locations
6.0 / COST PROPOSAL
6.1 / General instructions on submitting cost proposals
6.2 / Format for submitting cost proposals
6.3 / Fixed Price Period
6.4 / Method of Payment
8.0 / REQUIRED FORMS
ATTACHMENTS
A. / Signature Affidavit
B. / Vendor Data Sheet
C. / Reference Data Sheet
D. / Designation of Confidential and Proprietary Information
E. / Cost Summary Page
9.0 / STANDARD TERMS & CONDITIONS
#5958
1.0 / GENERAL INFORMATION1.1 / Introduction and Background
The purpose of this document is to provide interested parties with information to enable
them to prepare and submit a proposal for developing and implementing a group educational/ treatment program for young adolescent, first-time sexual offenders.
The County as represented by its Department of Human Services intends to use the results of this process to award a contract to develop and provide an education-oriented treatment group for low-risk male sexual offenders.
Treating sexual offenders is one of the larger challenges facing the human service community, and is increasingly being recognized as a responsibility of the juvenile justice system. A recent study published by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention indicates that many adult sexual offenders began their abusive behavior as juveniles, and that many juvenile offenders committed prior sexual offenses before coming to the attention of local authorities. The actual incidence of sexual offending among juveniles may be underestimated since many offenses go unreported, and offenders may not be identified until years have passed.
Youth who commit sexual offenses are a diverse group. Although experts have tended to classify youthful offenders by the severity of the offense(s), characteristics of the victim(s), and other factors, there are some common aspects to adolescents who sexually offend. Most juvenile sex offenders are male. Most demonstrate a number of deficits – they frequently lack social skills, have poor peer relationships, and may be socially isolated. They often have academic problems, although some are above-average academic achievers. Their knowledge and beliefs about sex are often lacking, and substance abuse may be a problem for some offenders. Family relationships and other environmental factors may also play a role in their offenses.
Once a juvenile has been properly assessed and their treatment needs are known, appropriate treatment resources need to be available. The National Task Force on Juvenile Sexual Offending has recommended creating a continuum of care to best meet the needs of juvenile sex offenders. Such a continuum might include community-based outpatient programs; day treatment programs; residential programming; and secure units with specialized programming. In Dane County, a number of resources are available for youth who present intensive therapeutic needs and a troubling history of sex offenses, such as individual and group therapy, residential services and other resources to meet both the needs of the youth and the safety needs of the community.
Another resource recommended by the National Task Force in a continuum of care is short-term psychoeducational programs to serve youth with less serious offenses and less intensive treatment needs. A local workgroup of juvenile justice system professionals, studying the needs of juvenile offenders, recognized this type of service as a gap in the local continuum of care. This request addresses that gap.
Note: References used in this section are from: Righthand, Sue and Welch, Carlann (2001). Juveniles Who Have Sexually Offended: A Review of the Professional Literature. Washington, D.C., Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
1.2 / Scope of the Project
1.2.1 / Project Description
Dane County is seeking a program based on a group education/treatment format. The program will be targeted to youth ages approximately 12-15 years who have committed relatively minor sex offenses (e.g., 4th degree sexual assault, or sexual contact without the victim’s consent). The proposed group would not be appropriate for high-risk youth, or those whose offenses are of a serious nature (e.g., those which would be charged as 1st or 2nd degree sexual assault). The program cycle should be 10-12 hours in length, over an eight week period, with enough program cycles offered to meet the numbers and needs of offenders. Program cycles must be limited to a single gender – proposers should describe how they intend to serve male and female offenders separately. The program should be structured so that sessions will last approximately 60-75 minutes, and should be located so as to be readily accessible to participants. The program’s content should address a number of areas, including but not limited to:
- Developing age-appropriate relationships;
- Social skills development;
- Empathy training;
- Sexuality information;
- Values clarification;
- Personal boundaries;
- Cognitive processing;
- Impulse control strategies; and
- Criminal aspects and consequences of sexual behavior (e.g., felony offenses, lifetime sex offender registration, etc.
The proposer is urged to discuss methods of involving parents and/or caretakers of youthful offenders in the program. Also, in keeping with balanced and restorative justice (BARJ) principles, the proposer should describe their strategy for incorporating input from sexual assault victims or their advocates in their program development and implementation plans. However, due to the limited scope of the proposed program, it is not recommended that the bidder incorporate direct contact between perpetrators and their victims.
1.2.2 / Objectives
The goals for this program are based in principles of balanced and restorative justice as they relate to young sex offenders:
- Assure community safety by preventing youth from committing further offenses;
- Interrupt further sexual problems among youth;
- Assist youth in developing appropriate relationships with peers;
- Help youth develop empathy for the victim of their offense.
1.2.3 / Needs
As the National Task Force on Juvenile Sexual Offending has recommended, creating a continuum of care is necessary to meet the needs of juvenile sex offenders. In Dane County, a Juvenile Sex Offender Workgroup has been meeting over the past several years to set standards for assessments, improve treatment and supervision, discuss systems issues, and assess the resources available for youthful offenders. The workgroup noted a high number of delinquency referrals for less serious offenses (in 2001, one-third of sex offense referrals were for 4th degree assault), but a lack of resources appropriate to address the needs of these low-level offenders. A resource which could fill the gap in Dane County’s continuum of care is a short-term assessment/educational/ treatment program as outlined in this document.
1.2.4 / Current Operations
Dane County’s juvenile justice system is rooted in the principles of balanced and restorative justice: community protection, accountability and competency development. Youth who commit delinquent offenses are served in the least restrictive setting necessary, while assuring that the public is kept safe from harm. Supervised youth are held accountable for harm they have done to individuals and to the community, and receive services geared toward helping them build skills and furthering their academic progress.
Sexual offenses present a unique set of challenges in bringing these principles to bear. Recognizing these challenges, Dane County’s juvenile justice officials formed the Sexual Offender Initiative Workgroup to address issues surrounding these offenses and those who commit them.
During this time, the group has worked on creating quick response teams once a referral is made, clarifying assessment and evaluation information, better coordinating supervision and treatment services, and coordinating the efforts of those working with victims and offenders.
Dane County has made a number of resources available for the supervision and treatment of more serious offenders, such as individual and group treatment services, intensive case management, foster care and more specialized residential placements, child caring institutions and secure placements. Up until now, no specialized resources have been available to serve those with relatively minor offenses. This year, however, the County has approved funding of $31,000 to provide a group for education and treatment of young offenders.
1.3 / Procuring and Contracting Department/Division
This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by Dane County, Department of Administration, Purchasing Division, which is the sole point of contact for the County during the selection process. The person responsible for managing the procurement process is Wayne Hanson.
The contract resulting from this RFP will be administered by Dane County,
Department of Human Services. The contract administrator will be Stephen Blue.
1.4 / Definitions
The following definitions are used throughout the RFP.
County means Dane County, Department of Human Services, Division of Children, Youth and Families
Proposer/vendor means a firm submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.
Contractor means proposer awarded the contract.
Juvenile means a person age seventeen or younger.
Fourth Degree Sexual Assault means, according to Wis. Stat. 940.225(3m), having sexual contact with a person without the consent of that person. Fourth degree sexual assault is a Class A misdemeanor.
Sexual contact means any of the following: intentional touching either directly or through clothing of the victim’s intimate parts if that touching is for the purpose of sexually degrading or humiliating the victim, or for gratifying the offender.
Consent means, according to Wis. Stat. 940.225(4), words or overt actions by a person who is competent to give informed consent indicating a freely given agreement to have sexual contact.
Low Risk means that the youth is considered unlikely to commit a subsequent sexual offense, based on a professional assessment of the youth. Such an assessment would typically include use of a recognized risk assessment instrument such as the Violence Risk Appraisal Guide (VRAG), Sexual Offender Risk Appraisal Guide (SORAG), or Juvenile Sexual Offender Assessment Protocol (JSOAP).
High Risk means that the youth is considered likely to commit a subsequent sexual offense, based on a professional assessment of the youth. Such an assessment would typically include use of a recognized risk assessment instrument such as the VRAG, SORAG or JSOAP.
1.5 / Clarification and/or revisions to the specifications and requirements
Any questions concerning this RFP must be submitted in writing by mail, fax or e-mail on or before August 16, 2002 to:
June Buchanan
Dane County Purchasing Division
Room 425 City County Building
210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Madison, WI 53703-3345
VOICE: (608) 266-4133 / FAX: (608)266-4425
E-MAIL:
Vendors are expected to raise any questions, exceptions, or additions they have
concerning the RFP document at this point in the RFP process. If a vendor discovers
any significant ambiguity, error, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other deficiency in
this RFP, the vendor should immediately notify the above named individual of such
error and request modification or clarification of the RFP document.
In the event that it becomes necessary to provide additional clarifying data or
information, or to revise any part of this RFP, revisions/amendments and/or
supplements will be provided to all recipients of this initial RFP.
Each proposal shall stipulate that it is predicated upon the terms and conditions of this
RFP and any supplements or revisions thereof.
1.7 / Reasonable Accommodations
The County will provide reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. If you need accommodations at a proposal opening, contact the Purchasing Division at (608) 266-4131 (voice) or 608/266-4941 (TTY)
1.8 / Calendar of Events
Listed below are specific and estimated dates and times of actions related to this Request for Proposal (RFP). The actions with specific dates must be completed as indicated unless otherwise changed by the County. In the event that the County finds it necessary to change any of the specific dates and times in the calendar of events listed below, it will do so by issuing a supplement to this RFP. There may or may not be a formal notification issued for changes in the estimated dates and times.
DATE / EVENT
August 1, 2002 / Date of issue of the RFP
August 16, 2002 / Last day for submitting written inquiries
August 29, 2002 / Proposals due from vendors
September, 2002 / Award of contract
October 1, 2002 / Contract start date (estimated)
1.9 / Contract Term and Funding
The contract shall be effective on the contract execution date and shall run for 12 months from that date. Any renewal of the contract, by mutual agreement of the County and contractor, will be subject to availability of funds. The amount of funding available through this proposal is $31,000.
2.0 / PREPARING AND SUBMITTING A PROPOSAL
2.1 / General Instructions
The evaluation and selection of a contractor and the contract will be based on the information submitted in the vendor’s proposal plus references. Failure to respond to each of the requirements in the RFP may be the basis for rejecting a response.
Elaborate proposals (e.g. expensive artwork) beyond that sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal, are not necessary or desired.
2.2 / Proprietary Information
All restrictions on the use of data contained within a proposal and all confidential information must be clearly stated on the attached “Designation of Confidential and Proprietary Information” form. Proprietary information submitted in a proposal, or in response to the RFP, will be handled in accordance with the applicable Wisconsin State Statute(s).
To the extent permitted by law, it is the intention of Dane County to withhold the contents of the proposal from public view until such times as competitive or bargaining reasons no longer require non-disclosure, in the opinion of Dane County. At that time, all proposals will be available for review in accordance with the Wisconsin Open Records Law.
2.3 / Incurring Costs
Dane County is not liable for any cost incurred by proposers in replying to this RFP.
2.4 / Submitting the Proposal
Proposers must submit an original and five copies of all materials required for acceptance of their proposal by 2:00 p.m., August 29, 2002 to:
DANE COUNTY PURCHASING DIVISION
ROOM 425 CITY-COUNTY BLDG
210 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BLVD
MADISON WI 53703-3345
Proposals must be received in the above office by the specified time stated above. All proposals must be time-stamped in by the County Purchasing Division by the stated time. Proposals not so stamped will not be accepted.
All proposals must be packaged, sealed and show the following information on the
outside of the package:
- Proposer’s name and address
- Request for proposal title
- Request for proposal number
- Proposal due date
2.5 / Proposal Organization and Format
Proposals should be typed and submitted on 8.5 by 11 inch paper bound securely. Proposals should be organized and presented in the order and by the number assigned in the RFP. Proposals must be organized with the following headings and subheadings. Each heading and subheading should be separated by tabs or otherwise clearly marked. The RFP sections which should be submitted or responded to are:
- Introduction (See Section 4 of this RFP)
- Response to general requirements (See Section 4 of this RFP)
Organizational qualifications
Staff qualifications and Facilities
References
- Response to technical requirements (See Section 5 of this RFP)
- Cost proposal (See Section 6 of this RFP)
- Required forms (See Section 8 of this RFP)
Attachment A / Signature Affidavit
Attachment B / Vendor Data Sheet
Attachment C / Reference Data Sheet
Attachment D / Designation of Confidential and Proprietary Information
Attachment E / Cost Summary Page
- Appendices (Optional Additional Information the proposer submits)
2.6 / Multiple Proposals
Multiple proposals from a vendor will be permissible, however each proposal must conform fully to the requirements for proposal submission. Each such proposal must be separately submitted and labeled as Proposal #1, Proposal #2, etc. on each page included in the response. Alternate acquisition plans do not constitute multiple proposals.
3.0 / PROPOSAL SELECTION AND AWARD PROCESS
3.1 / Preliminary Evaluation
The proposals will first be reviewed to determine if requirements in Section 2.0 are met, and if additional mandatory requirements are met. (see Section 4.0). Failure to meet mandatory requirements will result in the proposal being rejected. In the event that all vendors do not meet one or more of the mandatory requirements, the County reserves the right to continue the evaluation of the proposals and to select the proposal which most closely meets the requirements specified in this RFP.