RFP to Provide: Youth Service Bureau Services Response Due: March 5, 2021
Indiana Youth Services Association (IYSA), under contract with the Indiana Department of Child Services, is seeking proposals from Youth Service Bureaus for prevention of juvenile delinquency services. It is the intent of IYSA to solicit responses to this Request for Proposals (RFP) in accordance with Indiana Youth Services Association scope of work, proposal preparation section, and specifications contained in this document.
YSB Fund RFP 2021-23 (PDF)
Video
1503 RFP Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average award for a single agency? The individual agency awards range
from $37,000-$46,000.
Can an agency apply for more than one program and how does that affect the award amount received?
Yes, agencies can apply for more than one program. The funding amount received is based on a single agency award and the agency will then work with IYSA to divide the award amount among the proposed programs.
How is the funding allocation for awards determined?
DCS awards a set amount to IYSA for disbursement to the YSBs for prevention programs. This amount is divided by the number of accredited YSBs eligible to receive funding to arrive at a base amount. Once the grant proposals have been reviewed and scored, the average score will be calculated. The individual YSB scores will be compared to that base score to arrive at a percentage (higher or lower) which will be multiplied against the base amount to determine funding.
If the application is to be submitted electronically but the cover sheet form has to be signed in blue ink, how does the cover sheet form get submitted?
The cover sheet form, signed in blue ink, can be mailed separately to IYSA or can be color scanned and sent electronically with the rest of the application.
What qualifies as an evidence-based practice or program?
Any practice or program listed on the resources given in Attachment G qualifies as evidence-based. Additional source listings considered valid and reliable would include academic or professional organizations in fields related to youth services such as psychology, social work, juvenile justice and education. Evidence-based research typically includes verification and support from an objective third-party academic or professional source.
If the proposal includes more than one program for the upcoming year, am I committed to providing all of the programs in the proposal?
No, as mentioned before, the funding award is a single amount awarded to the agency. How the award is distributed through programs is determined by IYSA and the YSB jointly.
If the award is distributed among different programs of an YSB, can those funds be shifted between programs, if needed, at a later time in the grant year?
Yes, the YSB will work with IYSA to shift the funds so the agency is able to draw down as much of the award amount as possible.
Is there a page limit for the narrative portions of the RFP?
Yes, both the provider narrative and service narrative sections have page limits. See RFP instructions.
Is there a required format for the RFP?
No, there is no required format. However, following the outline and format of the Provider and Service Narratives and Budget Justification and Logic Model as they appear in the RFP instructions, Attachments C, D and E, is suggested.
Do the outcomes provided in the Service Standards and logic model apply to all prevention programs?
Yes, the outcomes were purposefully written to be broad enough to apply to all nine prevention programs implemented by the YSBs.
Can I obtain a copy of the RFP in Word format so I can modify the documents?
Yes, you can email Robin Donaldson at rdonaldson@indsyb.org for a copy of the RFP in Word format. However, please note: the application should be saved and submitted as a single PDF document.
How should we address reporting pre/post assessment data in the RFP when reporting on outcomes?
The only thing we will be looking at in terms of the past year’s outcomes is the rate of completion for the YSB funded youth. Due to COVID, we are using July 2018 – December 2019 data only. Any new YSBs will use the data from their first month of billing through December 2019. IYSA staff will look at the database reports to determine the rate of completion and assigning the points accordingly.
What is the date range used for outcomes?
July 2018 – December 2019. New youth who began services in 2020 are not included in the outcomes reporting percentage count due to the COVID pandemic and difficulty collecting post-outcome assessments.
How do I know if we have missing data on the IYSA database?
Unless otherwise notified by the IYSA Chief Operations Officer, you can assume all information in the database is up-to-date, as of June 30, 2020.
Are we committed to writing the RFP proposals for the programs we identified in the letter of intent?
No, you are no committed to write for the programs identified in the letter. The purpose of the letter of intent is solely to determine the number of agencies applying for funding.
Do we report on all agency programs?
You report on only the YSB funded program
Are we to use the outcomes on the RFP (Logic Model) or from the new Post test?
The outcomes on the Logic still work with the new outcome assessment tools, so you use the outcomes provided on the Logic model template.
Because we are introducing a new program through the currently funded program, do we need to do 2 proposals?
You do not write two proposals but you do need to answer the Service Narrative questions 2.a. – 2.f. and 3.a. and 3.c. for each program. Service narrative question 3.d. can be answered once for all proposed programs but be sure to mention all programs.
How do we report progress toward goals as requested in the Provider Narrative – History or Providing Quality Prevention Services section?
On the IYSA database reporting page, there are several reports that will allow you to determine your progress toward goals (Outcomes). Reports #19 and #20 provide a visual account of progress toward goals and Report #31 provides progress in percentages of change. As long as you report the number of youth served in the funded program for 2018-2020 and talk about the results from any of these reports, you will earn full credit for this portion of the RFP.
If we are to attach an organizational chart in the Provider Narrative does that count as one of the 5 pages allowed?
No. A separate org chart attachment does not count against the five-page limit.
Question about Budget: Item C. Indirect Costs: This would be the YSB percentage of the total agency’s cost for things like accounting services, etc.?
Yes, if the agency budget is a single program. For an agency with multiple programs, it would be the YSB % of the program, not the whole agency budget.
Are program incentives, such as gift cards, an allowable expense?
Yes, program incentives are an allowable expense, but for clients only.
