The County of Sacramento, Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health, Perinatal Equity Initiative Program (PEI) is seeking a qualified organization to implement a Fatherhood Program. The Dad Brand program was developed by a father and for fathers to meet the specific needs and challenges that men experience when having a baby. The program focuses on pregnancy and postpartum preparation, advocacy, empowerment and support. The selected organization will be responsible for implementing tasks such as those outlined in the Scope of Work.
Project Details
- Reference ID: LOI - SCPH/104
- Department: Health Services
- Department Head: Tim Lutz (Director)
Evaluation Criteria
- Rights of the County —
This will be the only advertisement of this request for LOI. The County of Sacramento reserves the right to cancel this public notice and/or issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for these services, to reject any or all LOIs and/or proposals received, request additional information/documentation from applicants, and to determine which LOI shall be accepted. Only those organizations that successfully respond to this public notice are eligible to participate in the RFP for these services if an RFP is utilized in the future. The County reserves the right to make a contract award to one or more bidders for all or part of the services. Issuance of this LOI in no way constitutes a commitment by the County to award a contract.
Responses are due and must be received by the deadline in the LOI through this OpenGov posting. Submissions received any other way will not be accepted. Late submissions will not be accepted.
- Overview —
The County of Sacramento, Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health, Perinatal Equity Initiative Program (PEI) is seeking a qualified organization to implement the Black Dad Brand Fatherhood Program. The Black Dad Brand program was developed by a father and for fathers to meet the specific needs and challenges that men experience when having a baby. The program focuses on pregnancy and postpartum preparation, advocacy, empowerment and support. The selected organization will be responsible for implementing tasks such as those outlined in the Scope of Work.
- The organization MUST meet ALL of the following minimum requirements: —
- Have a minimum of 5 years of verifiable experience working directly with Black communities and/or fatherhood-focused populations, including responsibilities such as program implementation, community engagement, case management, or culturally responsive service delivery.
- Have at least 5 years of experience serving pregnant families or families with children 2 years of age or younger.
- Have at least 3 years of experience implementing fatherhood groups using the Dad Brand Pregnancy and Postpartum curriculum.
- Have at least 3 years of experience implementing the Boot Camp for New Dads training and qualify for Master Coach Certification.
- Have an office physically located in Sacramento County.
- Per requirement of funding source, agency must be identified as 501(c) 3 organization or other non-profit in good standing.
- Single agency responses only. No collaborations, partnerships, multi-agency, or fiscal sponsorship responses will be accepted.
- Overview —
The California State Department of Public Health (CDPH) launched its Perinatal Equity Initiative in 2018 to reduce disparities in birth outcomes, particularly targeting statistically high infant mortality rates among Black families—as the statewide mortality rate for Black infants continues to be approximately two (2) to four (4) times higher than rates for other groups. As part of these efforts, specialized programs have been created to engage fathers and partners—often referred to in the context of “Dad Programs” or “Fatherhood Initiatives.” These fatherhood and/or partnership initiatives promote the importance of engaged partners during the pregnancy process, bolstering mental, emotional, and physical health during pregnancy and post-delivery—toward the end of further reducing pre-term births and infant mortality. Additional information can be found at https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CFH/DMCAH/PEI/Pages/default.aspx.
Sacramento County Perinatal Equity Initiative (PEI) will serve fathers through the Dad Brand program. The County is seeking an organization to build community and offer brotherhood to fathers using the existing Dad Brand Pregnancy and Postpartum curriculum.
Dad Brand Program Overview
The Dad Brand program provides structured education, community‑building, and ongoing support for fathers. Organizations applying to deliver these services must be prepared to facilitate the following program components:
1. Weekly Group Sessions
- Facilitate weekly, 2‑hour group sessions with 10–20 fathers per cohort.
- Deliver educational content focused on pregnancy, postpartum health, and infant care.
- Lead discussions, activities, and skill‑building exercises aligned with the Dad Brand curriculum.
Example session topics include:
- How Fathers Can Emotionally Support Their Partner During Pregnancy
- Postpartum Health and Mental Wellness: Resources for Fathers
- Infant Care Essentials: Feeding, Sleep, and Developmental Milestones
- The Role of Fathers in Nurturing Early Childhood Development
2. Bi‑Monthly Community Events
Applicants must plan, coordinate, and host two community‑building events per month designed to strengthen fatherhood bonds and promote wellness.
Examples of recurring events include:
- Saturday Father‑and‑Baby Stroller Walks
- Sunday “Refresh and Revive” Cookouts
- “Workout Wednesday” fitness meetups
3. Quarterly Listening Sessions
- Conduct quarterly listening sessions with program participants.
- Gather feedback on fathers’ needs, challenges, and interests.
- Use this feedback to revise curriculum content and recommend new events or services.
4. Peer Mentoring and Individual Support
- Provide ongoing peer mentoring, encouragement, and resource navigation to each father throughout their participation in the program.
- Maintain regular communication and offer individualized support as needed.
The selected organization will be responsible for implementing tasks such as those outlined in the Scope of Work.
- Scope of Work —
Description of Services
- CONTRACTOR will build and serve a community of 150 unduplicated fathers per fiscal year.
- CONTRACTOR will only enroll fathers in the program who are either expecting a baby or have a child up to 2 years old.
- CONTRACTOR will create a pregnancy and postpartum training curriculum for fathers, approved by program leadership.
- CONTRACTOR will provide fathers with culturally grounded information related to pregnancy, birth, postpartum, breastfeeding, and infant care.
- CONTRACTOR shall collaborate with Black Infant Health and other Sacramento County MCAH Programs to align fatherhood engagement with maternal health priorities, offering MCAH program services to all enrolled families.
- CONTRACTOR and the PEI Program Coordinator will meet to develop a full work plan. Activities will potentially include, but are not limited to:
- Facilitate weekly in-person fatherhood groups using the Black Dad Brand Pregnancy and Postpartum curriculum.
- Train participating fathers to become peer advocates and father ambassadors who support other fathers entering the program.
- Develop and maintain an on-demand micro-learning video library.
- Provide prenatal educational tools, guides, and resources for fathers.
- Provide father-centered birth plan templates and postpartum support tools.
- Continue expanding the Black Dad Brand Pregnancy and Postpartum guide ecosystem with digital companion tools.
- Create and maintain an on-demand micro-learning library featuring health professionals and birth experts.
- Provide fathers with access to QR-enabled digital microsites and mobile tools that reinforce learning between group sessions.
- Provide resources and referrals for mental health, co-parenting support, etc.
- Meet monthly with Sacramento County PEI coordinator and State PEI team representatives.
- Participate in community advisory board meetings, birth equity collaboratives, and community problem-solving sessions.
- Scope of Work —
Description of Services
- CONTRACTOR will build and serve a community of 150 unduplicated fathers per fiscal year.
- CONTRACTOR will only enroll fathers in the program who are either expecting a baby or have a child up to 2 years old.
- CONTRACTOR will develop additional pregnancy and postpartum curriculum and learning materials for fathers, approved by County program leadership.
- CONTRACTOR will provide fathers with culturally grounded information related to pregnancy, birth, postpartum, breastfeeding, and infant care.
- CONTRACTOR shall collaborate with Sacramento County Maternal Child Adolescent Health (MCAH) programs to align fatherhood engagement with maternal health priorities, offering MCAH program services to all enrolled families.
- CONTRACTOR and the COUNTY PEI Program Coordinator will meet to develop a full work plan. Activities will potentially include, but are not limited to:
- Facilitate weekly in-person fatherhood groups using the Dad Brand Pregnancy and Postpartum curriculum.
- Train participating fathers to become peer advocates and father ambassadors who support other fathers entering the program.
- Develop and maintain an on-demand micro-learning video library.
- Provide prenatal educational tools, guides, and resources for fathers.
- Provide father-centered birth plan templates and postpartum support tools.
- Continue expanding the Dad Brand Pregnancy and Postpartum guide ecosystem with digital companion tools.
- Create and maintain an on-demand micro-learning library featuring health professionals and birth experts.
- Provide fathers with access to QR-enabled digital microsites and mobile tools that reinforce learning between group sessions.
- Provide resources and referrals for mental health, co-parenting support, etc.
- Meet monthly with Sacramento County PEI coordinator and State PEI team representatives.
- Participate in community advisory board meetings, birth equity collaboratives, and community problem-solving sessions.
Submission Requirements