Single Source Procurement: Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP)

Pursuant to New York State Finance Law § 163.10(b), The New York State Department of Health is presenting the following summary of relevant circumstances, and material and substantial reasons why a competitive procurement was not feasible.

The purpose of this memo is to request an eighteen month contract extension from 7/1/2016 to 9/30/2017 to continue the foster care and alternative school project at Inwood House. The current contract term for this contract ends 6/30/2016, which is the end of the current funding cycle. Annual funding is available for this project through Federal formula grants to states from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) for the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP).

The Inwood House project in NYS is one of four PREP programs in the country to be selected to participate in the national Federal Impact and Implementation Evaluation being conducted by the ACYF contractor, Mathematica Policy Research. These programs were chosen for this study in order to fill gaps in the existing research literature related to effective evidence-based programs (EBPs) for specific adolescent priority populations. The curriculum, Teen Choice, which has been developed by Inwood House, is one of the four programs chosen for the study. Teen Choice is being evaluated through the Federal evaluation to assess if participation in this curriculum improves key sexual behavioral outcomes for youth in foster care and youth with emotional and behavioral problems.

Funds for the Inwood House project are used to fund professional staff to recruit youth in foster care and alternative school settings into the project; provide the Teen Choice curriculum; and be responsible for other related program activities. OTPS expenses include participant travel, rental space, office supplies; healthy refreshments for youth participants, staff training and equipment. Through this funding, Inwood House will be responsible to implement the Teen Choice adolescent pregnancy prevention curriculum and participation of youth in adult preparation topics; and ensure access to reproductive health care services for youth.

To identify the most qualified agencies for the foster care project, NYSDOH worked with the NYS Office on Children and Family Services (OCFS) to identify foster care agencies that serve adolescents. NYSDOH identified all agencies serving youth in foster care that are currently funded as CAPP providers. Inwood House met the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) requirements for PREP and continues to be uniquely positioned to provide services to a racial/ethnic foster care population with high disparity in adolescent sexual health outcomes. Inwood House was the only organization approved by ACYF for this funding.

Procurement / Program Name Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP)
Contractor Name(s) Inwood House
Contract Period 7/1/2016 – 9/30/2017
Contract Number(s) C026977