MADISON – The Department of Children and Families (DCF) issued requests for proposal (RFP) for the statewide and regional components of the Wisconsin Family Connections Center: Resources and Supports for Families with Out-of-Home Care Involvement. Consistent with state procurement requirements, DCF is conducting a competitive RFP procurement process for the selection of contract recipients.

The Wisconsin Family Connections Center is designed to meet the needs of families across the out-of-home care continuum. Services and resources outlined in the RFPs will be available for birth parents, relative and like-kin caregivers, foster parents, pre-adoptive and adoptive parents, guardians, and the public, private and tribal child welfare professionals who support them.

The RFPs can be found on two websites:

The deadline for submission of statewide proposals is March 14, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. The deadline for submission of regional proposals is March 21, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. DCF encourages all organizations with possible interest to review and consider responding to these RFPs.

Two optional Zoom conferences for these RFPs will be held for interested proposers:Statewide RFP (437003-G23-0002125): February 2, 2023, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. via Zoom.Toll Free Phone Number: 1-312-626-6799Meeting ID: 879 7202 5313Passcode: 462986https://dcfwi.zoom.us/j/87972025313?pwd=UGEvb1BnaTRFejhudzlrR21lM1VFdz09Regional RFP (437003-G23-0002126): February 3, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. via Zoom.Toll Free Phone Number: 1-312-626-6799Meeting ID: 838 8385 3812Passcode: 069243https://dcfwi.zoom.us/j/83883853812?pwd=NGxDUmN4MFE1aVRGN1lHbFR3RmNTdz09

The statewide and regional Wisconsin Family Connections Center contracts will replace the existing contracts for the Foster Care and Adoption Resource Center (FCARC), operational since 2004 and the Wisconsin Adoption and Permanency Support Program (WiAPS) operational since 2019. Both contracts will expire June 30, 2023.

Last spring, DCF facilitated discussions with lived experience stakeholders and surveyed caregivers and child welfare professionals to gather feedback about the services provided through FCARC and WiAPS. That information was used to restructure those contracts into the Wisconsin Family Connections Center and to make changes that better align with Wisconsin’s Putting Families First initiative.

Further questions regarding these Requests for Proposal should be directed to Beth Blanchar, DCF Purchasing Agent Senior, at DCFProcurement@wisconsin.gov. Please note that no phone calls, emails or other correspondence to other State staff regarding this procurement are permitted during the procurement process.

To learn more about the Wisconsin Family Center and other initiatives, visit DCF’s website or follow @WisDCF on Twitter and Facebook.

This press release is also available in PDF format.

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