The New York State (NYS) Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), Division of Child Welfare and Community Services, Bureau of Permanency Services (BPS), is seeking information and collecting input from interested parties regarding the preparation of a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a software application that can streamline and make easier the foster/adoptive certification or approval process by allowing applicants to create their own user accounts in order to access, manage, and update their applications and documents securely via computers, tablets and/or smartphones, while complying with NYS security policies and standards as well as any other relevant security frameworks.

OCFS’s goals in issuing this RFI are to:

• Inform the public of OCFS’s intent to establish a web-based module for the process of certification and approval process for foster and adoptive parent applicants
• Elicit descriptions of modular components that address the numerous functional areas of the foster/adoptive applicant process
• Support NYS statutory, regulatory and policy requirements in a streamlined process that allows foster/adoptive applicants access from any web browser

THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes - it does not constitute a RFP or an Invitation for Bid (IFB) or a promise to issue a RFP or an IFB. This RFI does not commit NYS OCFS to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Vendors are advised that OCFS will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP or IFB.

The RFI document contains additional information regarding:

• Program Background & Proposed Collaboration of Services
• Desired Modules for Development and/or Integration
• Support Operations
• Data Management
• Guidance to Respondents
• Requested Information

Please see the RFI document located on the "Documents" tab for the additional information referenced above and submission instructions.