Sacramento County Children's Coalition - School Suspension Prevention

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to fund a project that addresses prevention of school suspension of children and youth in Sacramento County.

Sacramento County experiences school suspension rates that exceed statewide averages and disproportionately impact its most vulnerable children and youth. According to the 2022 Sacramento County Children’s Report Card, the county’s suspension rate of 5.3% is 1.8 percentage points higher than the state average. Students who are suspended miss critical instructional time and struggle to make up missed coursework, placing them at an academic disadvantage compared to their peers.

Suspension also contributes to harmful social and emotional outcomes, including feelings of exclusion, disconnection, fear, and increased rates of depression—particularly for students exposed to violence or trauma. Removing students from school environments heightens their vulnerability to negative outcomes, including increased contact with law enforcement and involvement in the juvenile justice system. Punitive disciplinary approaches fail to address the underlying causes of behavior, instead distancing children from supportive systems and reinforcing cycles of disengagement and instability.

The consequences of suspension extend beyond students to families and the broader community. Families, particularly working caregivers, often face sudden childcare challenges when a child is suspended, resulting in lost wages, financial strain, and emotional stress. These impacts compound existing inequities and place additional burden on already stressed households.

Children and youth involved in the Child Welfare System are especially affected, with a county suspension rate of 20.1% (Children’s Report Card 2022), the highest of any identified subgroup. Similarly, children exposed to domestic violence and other Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are significantly more likely to experience suspension due to trauma-related behaviors such as aggression or disruption. For these children, suspension becomes an additional stressor that compounds trauma and increases the risk of adverse educational and behavioral outcomes.

Multiple factors—including those described above and others not fully explored—diminish educational equity, weaken school climate, and negatively affect long-term outcomes for children and youth as they progress through the educational system. This proposal seeks to address the root causes of school suspension by advancing preventative, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate approaches that keep students engaged in learning and connected to supportive environments.

To address school suspension rates, the Sacramento County Children’s Coalition seeks a community-based organization with the capacity and organizational infrastructure to conduct an in-depth analysis of suspension trends and develop a comprehensive, actionable plan to guide policymakers and community stakeholders in implementing strategies that meaningfully impact the students most affected.

Some areas the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) and Coalition are seeking to include:

1. Provide a comprehensive analysis of school suspension rates across Sacramento County, examining data from most, if not all, school districts to identify trends, disparities, and patterns.
2. Identify actions, policies, and promising practices implemented by community-based organizations, schools, and school systems that have either contributed to reducing suspension rates or unintentionally exacerbated them.
3. Develop clear, actionable recommendations for Sacramento County policymakers to implement strategies that meaningfully and sustainably reduce school suspension rates.
4. Conduct an in-depth examination of the root causes of school suspensions, including the influence of socio-economic factors, implicit and explicit bias, and the role of in-school and out-of-school engagement and support systems.

The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) and the Sacramento County Children’s Coalition seek demonstrated evidence of strong partnerships with organizations and agencies across Sacramento County, or a clear commitment and articulated plan to establish and strengthen such partnerships.

This project will be funded with Children's Trust Fund dollars.

Background

The Sacramento County Children's Coalition - Children's Trust Fund

The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) was created by California State legislation (Assembly Bill 2994), enacted in 1983, to provide funding for child abuse and neglect prevention and intervention programs operated by private non-profit organizations or public institutions of higher education with recognized expertise related to child well-being. Funding for the CTF is derived primarily from a portion of the fees charged for certified copies of birth certificates in Sacramento County. The CTF may be augmented by grants, gifts, and bequests from private sources, tax appeals, and/or funds appropriated to Sacramento County for the CTF by the California State Legislature.

County Boards of Supervisors may designate a local voluntary commission, board, or council to carry out the purposes of the legislation establishing the CTF. Accordingly, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors appointed the Children’s Coalition (Coalition), an advisory board composed of community volunteers, as the body responsible for administering the CTF and conducting its competitive bid/selection processes. The CTF Committee has been delegated by the Coalition to carry out this competitive bid/selection process by issuing this RFP. The Sacramento County Department of Child, Family and Adult Services is the fiscal agent for the Children's Coalition; therefore, awards will result in contracts with the County.

The Coalition is made up of a broad range of individuals who intersect with various children’s systems in Sacramento County, such as education, physical and mental health, child advocacy, childcare, and social services.

In August 2025, the SCCC held its annual member retreat, during which the Coalition identified advocacy priorities for 2025–2026 based on insights gained from interactions and information gathering over the past two years. The Coalition recognizes that true child abuse prevention and early intervention start with addressing the social determinants that ensure positive mental health, safety in the home and education support.

Project Details

• Reference ID: 2026-RFP-0027
• Department: Child, Family and Adult Services
• Department Head: Shelby Boston (Director)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-03-18T00:00:00.000Z

Addenda

• Addendum #1 (released 2026-03-17T16:24:18.441Z) —

  Updating Language to Workplan and Budget Narrative under Minimum Qualification Section: 

  Work Plan 
  Submit a work plan for each year of the 2-year program, found in the Proposal Questionnaire and Submission section questions 2.1-2.3 (Limit to 12000 characters total broken down per question):

  1. Program Description, Focus Population, and Goal(s) – Provide a clear and concise description of the program and who the program would serve. Include a description of gaps in existing services the program would help resolve, and how the program would help close the gaps. Describe the population and areas/regions of the County that you are/would be serving and their needs.
  2. Objectives – Provide explicit, measurable, and time specific objectives for each goal, identifying the target group, stating the result (change), specifying the degree of change in measurable terms, and identifying when change would happen.
  3. Activities– List the activities to be implemented, specifying a timeframe for start and completion of the activity. Include activities such as hiring staff, conducting outreach or training, implementing activities, etc. State services to be provided by subcontractors or consultants (if applicable).
  4. Outputs/Outcomes Data and Reporting - Describe how program activities and progress towards completing the objective(s) will be documented to provide evidence that the activities took place and are tracked (e.g. outreach logs, sign in sheets, functional timesheets, lists of referrals made, materials developed, etc.). Describe data collection and reporting processes. Identify the outcome(s) and the amount of change expected as a result of program activities within each year. Include how change will be measured.

  
  Budget (Exhibit A)
  Submit a budget for each year of the 2-year programs, using the attached template (Exhibit A) as a guideline for formatting.

  1. Provide a budget proposal for each fiscal year within the two-year term (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027 and July 1, 2027 - June 30, 2028). Budget proposals must provide the complete budget of the program during the funding cycle, assuming grant award, and include other funding sources necessary to maintain the program over the 2-year funding cycle. The budget proposal should include, if applicable, one-time start-up costs; ongoing operational costs that incorporates all overhead; match funding (cash or in-kind); salary and percentage of time for each position identified; and any other anticipated costs associated with providing the services detailed in this RFP. Indirect costs funded by Children’s Trust Fund are limited to a maximum de minimis indirect rate not to exceed 10% of funding provided by this grant.

   

   Budget Narrative (Exhibit A)
  Submit a budget narrative for each year of the 2-year program to correspond with the budget using the attached template (Exhibit A) as a guideline for formatting.

  1. Provide a budget narrative which supports the budget proposal and demonstrates fiscal responsibility and reasonableness, sufficient resources to perform tasks, as well as maintain and sustain the proposed program over the 2-year funding cycle. Include a description of project-funded staff positions, their knowledge, training, experience, and their specific role(s) in the project. The budget narrative should include a thorough explanation of all line items identified in the budget proposal.
• Addendum #2 (released 2026-03-17T22:39:36.782Z) —

  Grant Award Amount

  This project will be funded with Children’s Trust Fund dollars in an amount not to exceed $200,000, with a maximum of $100,000 per fiscal year, for a two-year term. The final award will be made to a single proposer and is subject to approval by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors.

Evaluation Criteria

• Minimum Qualifications (10 pts) —

  Respondent meets all of the minimum qualifications as outlined in Section 4.

• Financial Evaluation (10 pts) —

  All required financial documents submitted and demonstrates financial stability.

• Insurance Evaluation (10 pts) —

  Insurance requirements are met by submission of an insurance certificate(s) demonstrating current coverage or submission of a letter from an insurance broker indicating that a policy for the level of coverage required can be issued.

• Service Descriptions (40 pts) —

  Applicants should describe the services they propose to provide and how these services will support the intended outcomes. In their response, applicants should address the following:

  • Describe the activities, strategies, or approaches proposed to prevent or reduce school suspensions for children and youth in Sacramento County, including efforts focused on prevention, early intervention, or systems improvement.
  • Explain how the proposed approach will be responsive to the needs of the identified target population(s), including considerations related to age, school context, cultural relevance, and equity.
  • Describe any coordination, referral, or partnership strategies with schools, families, or community-based organizations that will support implementation and strengthen outcomes.
  • Provide examples of how the proposed work will be carried out, including settings (e.g., school-based, community-based, virtual) and methods (e.g., data analysis, policy review, training, engagement activities, or pilot strategies).
• Service Standards (30 pts) —

  Applicants should describe how their proposed program will meet high-quality service standards. In their response, applicants should address the following:

  • Hours of Operation and Service Locations: What are the intended hours of operation for your program, and where will services be provided?
  • Safety and Compliance: How will your program ensure that services are provided in safe, appropriate, and suitable environments? What policies or practices will be in place for safety, confidentiality, and mandated reporting?
  • Trauma-Informed and Culturally Responsive Practices: How will your program ensure that services are trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and developmentally appropriate for the target population?
  • Staffing and Capacity: How will your program maintain adequate staffing levels to meet service demand and ensure quality delivery?
  • Regulatory Compliance: How will your program comply with all applicable County, State, and funding requirements?
• Reporting Requirements (30 pts) —

  Applicants should describe their approach to data collection, reporting, and continuous improvement. In their response, applicants should address the following:

  • Data Collection: What types of data will your program collect to document program activities, service delivery, and the demographics of children and youth served?
  • Service Utilization and Outcomes: How will your program track service utilization and measure outcomes for children and youth?
  • Continuous Improvement: How will your program identify challenges, lessons learned, and strategies for improvement based on the data collected?
  • Reporting Processes: How will your program manage reporting, including the frequency and format of reports to support reporting and evaluation?
• Budget and Budget Narrative (20 pts) —

  Use the budget template provided in Section 17. Attachment A to illustrate a budget proposal that clearly outlines costs for services provided.

  • Fiscal responsibility and reasonableness (5 points)
  • Sufficient resources to perform tasks (5 points)
  • Proposed budget with explanation of all sections; match funding addressed (5 points)
  • Knowledge, training, experience and ability of project-funded staff, and their specific role(s) in the project; resume(s) of project-funded staff included (5 points)

Submission Requirements

• Contracts Administration Questionnaire
• Business Legal Name and Physical Address (required) —

  Enter the following information:

  1. Legal Name of Business
  2. Physical Street Address, City, State, & Zip Code
  3. Mailing Address (if different from physical address)
• Employer Identification Number: (required)
• Point of Contact Name and Title (required) —

  Enter the name and title of the person to contact regarding this RFP. 

• Point of Contact Email Address (required)
• Name of Person Authorized to Submit Claims (required) —

  Enter the name of the person who is authorized to submit claims on behalf of the organization. This person will receive an invitation to complete the vendor registration process on the County's PaymentWorks portal.

  To clarify, if you are set-up with other agencies using PaymentWorks, that information is not available to the County, so you must complete this process for the County.

• Agency's fiscal year: (required)
• Enter agency's fiscal year if "Other" is marked in previous question.
• Type of Business (required)
• Is this a non-profit organization? (required)
• In which U.S. State is your business located in? (required)
• Certification of Independent Contractor Status (required) —

  "I hereby certify that the organization employs five or more full-time employees. "Full-time," as defined by the Internal Revenue Service, means persons employed for 20 or more hours per week, and excludes temporary employees whose term of employment will be less than one (1) month. This certification satisfies the Internal Revenue Service criteria for treatment of the above-named organization as an independent contractor, not an employee for tax withholding purposes."

• Would you prefer to have taxes withheld? (required)
• Do you or your organization own or lease vehicles to be used while performing services under this contract? (required)
• DocuSign Opt-in or Opt-Out (required) —

  Completing this section allows Contractors the option to utilize the DocuSign application to execute contract documents.

  The Department of Child, Family and Adult Services utilizes DocuSign, an electronic signature application.  DocuSign provides a quick, convenient and secure tool to send, review and execute contract documents from almost anywhere, on practically any electronic device with no log on required.

  Government Code Section 16.5 – Digital Signatures states:

  1. In any written communication with a public entity, as defined in Section 811.2, in which a signature is required or used, any party to the communication may affix a signature by use of a digital signature that complies with the requirements of this section.
  2. The use of acceptance of a digital signature shall be at the option of the parties.
  3. “Digital Signature” means an electronic identifier, created by computer, intended by the party using it to have the same force and effect as the use of a manual signature.
• Name and email address of authorized signer for DocuSign (required) —

  If opt-in to sign agreement electronically, enter name and email address for the individual who has Authority to sign the Agreement.  This field is REQUIRED in order to complete electronic signatures.

  If opt-out to sign agreement electronically, enter N/A.

• Name and email address of individual(s) if other than the signer noted above are designated to receive an electronic copy of the fully executed Agreement. (required) —

  Note: the authorized signer will automatically receive an electronic copy of the executed Agreement via DocuSign once signed by all parties.

  If opt-out to sign agreement electronically or no other individual(s) are designated to receive an electronic copy, enter N/A.

• Contractor Certification of Compliance, Part 1 (required) —

  WHEREAS it is in the best interest of Sacramento County that those entities with whom the County does business demonstrate financial responsibility, integrity and lawfulness, it is inequitable for those entities with whom the County does business to receive County funds while failing to pay court-ordered child, family and spousal support which shifts the support of their dependents onto the public treasury.

  Therefore, in order to assist the Sacramento County Department of Child Support Services in its efforts to collect unpaid court-ordered child, family and spousal support orders, the following certification must be provided by all entities with whom the County does business:

  CONTRACTOR hereby certifies that either:

• Contractor Certification of Compliance, Part 2 (required) —

  New CONTRACTOR shall certify that each of the following statements is true:

  1. CONTRACTOR has fully complied with all applicable state and federal reporting requirements relating to employment reporting for its employees; and
  2. CONTRACTOR has fully complied with all lawfully served wage and earnings assignment orders and notices of assignment and will continue to maintain compliance.

  NOTE: Failure to comply with state and federal reporting requirements regarding a contractor's employees or failure to implement lawfully served wage and earnings assignment orders or notices of assignment constitutes a default under the contract; and failure to cure the default within 90 days of notice by the County shall be grounds for termination of the contract. Principal Owners can contact the Sacramento Department of Child Support Services at 1-866-901-3212, by writing to P.O. Box 269112, Sacramento, 95826-9112, or via the Customer Connect website at www.childsup.ca.gov.

• Confidential Company Information (if applicable) —

  The County will treat all information submitted in a proposal as available for public inspection once the County has selected a contractor. If you believe that you have a legally justifiable basis under the California Public Records Act (Government Section 6250 et. seq.) for protecting the confidentiality of any information contained within your proposal, you must identify any such information, together with the legal basis of your claim in your proposal, and present such information in this section as part of your response package. Click "File Upload" below to upload your confidential documents.

• Financial Documents (required) —

  Please upload financial documents here as outlined in Section 6.1 Financial Screening. 

• Insurance Dcouments (required) —

  Please upload Certificate of Insurance or insurance letter from broker as outlined in Section 6.2 Insurance Screening.

• Certification Regarding Debarment and Suspension (required) —

  CONTRACTOR agrees to comply with 5 U.S.C. 1501-1508, 31 U.S.C. §1352 and 45 CFR Part 76.100 (Code of Federal Regulations), which provides that federal funds may not be used for any contracted services, if CONTRACTOR is debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any federal department or agency.

  I (We) certify to the best of my (our) knowledge and belief, that CONTRACTOR named below and its principals:

  1. Are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any federal department or agency;
  2. Have not within a three (3)-year period preceding this proposal been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (federal, state, or local) transaction or contract under a public transaction; violation of federal or state antitrust statutes or commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property;
  3. Are not presently indicted or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity (federal, state, or local) with commission of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph (2) of this certification; and
  4. Have not within a three (3)-year period preceding this application/proposal/agreement had one or more public transactions (Federal, State, or local) terminated for cause or default.
  5. Shall notify COUNTY OF SACRAMENTO, CONTRACT & PURCHASING SERVICES DIVISION within ten (10) days of receipt of notification that CONTRACTOR is subject to any proposed or pending debarment, suspension, indictments or termination of a public transaction.
  6. Shall obtain a certification regarding debarment and suspension from all its subcontractors that will be funded through this Agreement.
  7. Hereby agree to terminate immediately, any subcontractor’s services that will be/are funded through this Agreement, upon discovery that the subcontractor is ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any federal department or agency.
• SAM.gov (required) —

  Please enter your legal entity name for SAM.gov verification.

• The respondent has read the sample terms and conditions and will accept the contract terms and conditions. (required)
• Under penalty of perjury, the undersigned states that the foregoing statements are true and correct. The undersigned also acknowledges that any person, firm, corporation or entity intentionally submitting false information to the County in an attempt to qualify for local preference shall be prohibited from bidding on Sacramento County products and services for a period of one (1) year. (required)
• Proposal Questions —

  Respond to all requests for information and completion of forms contained in this section. A qualifying response must address all items. Any materials not specifically requested in this solicitation, including brochures, marketing content, product literature, supplemental documents, or hyperlinks to external websites, videos, or other online resources, will not be considered a complete response, will not be accepted as such, nor will they be reviewed or considered during the evaluation process. Responses considered incomplete may be rejected. 

• Describe the proposed services and supports and how they will contribute to the intended outcomes of this initiative. (required)
• Describe how the proposed program will meet the service standards outlined in this RFP. (required)
• Describe the proposed approach to data collection, reporting, and continuous improvement. (required)
• Use the budget template provided (Section 17 - Attachment A) to illustrate a budget proposal that clearly outlines costs for services provided. Provide a budget narrative that explains and justifies all proposed expenses, including staffing costs and indirect overhead. (required)
• Does the respondent meet all minimum requirements as specified in this solicitation? (required)
• Describe in detail how your agency meets the Minimum Qualifications as outlined in this solicitation. (required)
• Resumes of key staff assigned to the project. (required)
• References (required) —

  Include three (3) Company references that include the following information here:

  Reference 1

  • Agency/Company Name
  • Project Name
  • Project Size (Cost/Unit & Total Cost)
  • Project Type
  • Year Completed
  • Name of Project Manager
  • Email Address & Phone Number
  • Brief Physical Description of Project
• References Letters of Support —

  Upload letters of support here (if applicable). 

• Show scoring/weights for the evaluation criteria in RFP? (required)
• Will this procurement require onsite services or goods to be delivered by the supplier? (required)
• Are services involved in this project? (required)
• Include HIPPAA form? (required)
• Include Good Neighbor Policy? (required) —

  Applies to contract when vendor provides a direct service to County constituents and has a potential impact on neighborhoods

• Is this project going to exceed $1m? (required) —

  If project is in excess of $1M, this will Include the Iran Contracting Act Disclosure Form and exclude the local/micro business preferences.

• Include Web Accessibility Policy? (required) —

  Applies contracts with web content

• Is this project Federally funded? (required)
• Will this project include software (any type)? (required)
• Include Prevailing Wage? (required)
• Do you want to include a question for respondents to confirm that they will accept all County contract terms & Conditions? (required) —

  If "YES" Buyer must attach the associated contract or contract language in the Attachments section.

• Basis for Award (Calendar Days) (required) —

  Proposal responses will be considered valid for a period of [##] calendar days after RFP closing date above (Enter a number value only such as "90" or "120").

• Include Results-Based Accountability language? (required)

Questions & Answers