Annual subscription and support for Neighborly, a fully functional, web-based, hosted Grants Management System (GMS) used to manage the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUPTRS BG) and the Strategic Prevention Framework Partnerships for Success (PFS) grant. Continuity is critical. ODP currently utilizes Neighborly to administer all aspects of SUPTRS BG and PFS funding, including application intake, reviewer scoring, grant award management, reimbursement requests, grantee quarterly activity reporting, and historical data storage. Neighborly was competitively procured in 2021 through a Request for Quotes (RFQ) process and has reached the maximum allowable contract term under state procurement rules. Disruption to ODP’s grant management system at any point during grant application, review, award, and evaluation cycles would significantly impact program administration, delay reimbursements, disrupt grant reporting, and risk compliance with federal funding requirements and federal and state budget and reporting timelines. Neighborly is fully integrated into ODP operations, and transitioning to a new vendor at this time would require redevelopment, migration, and retraining that cannot be completed without interrupting service delivery.Neighborly’s platform has already been fully customized to ODP needs and integrated into ODP operations. It is used to facilitate the annual grant application, review, and award processes for ODP’s various federal grant programs and is used daily by ODP staff and grantees to manage existing grant awards. Changing vendors at this stage would require substantial cost and time, create disruption to active grant cycles, disorder archived grant funding and reporting data from previous grant cycles, and put ODP at risk of noncompliance with federal funding timelines. Given Neighborly’s unique capabilities, existing integration, and the operational risks of switching systems, ODP believes this request qualifies under the criteria for a one-time exemption pursuant to IDAPA 38.05.01.042.05.vi. If this request does not meet the requirements for approval, we respectfully request the Division of Purchasing’s guidance on the best path forward to meet compliance standards and programmatic timelines. ODP remains fully committed to following all procurement procedures while ensuring the success of this critical system.
