Child welfare, foster care, and youth development services under government contracts. Find active federal and state child and youth services contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
The U.S. federal government spends approximately $8–10 billion annually on child and youth services under NAICS 624110, primarily through HHS/ACF (Title IV-E foster care, adoption assistance), DoD (military child care and youth programs), and tribal governments. Contracts range from large, multi-year IDIQs (e.g., ACF's Child Welfare Waiver Demonstrations) to smaller, state-level foster care case management awards. Demand is driven by federal mandates (e.g., Family First Prevention Services Act) and ongoing needs for residential care, independent living, and behavioral health support. The market is moderately competitive, with a mix of national nonprofits, for-profit providers, and small businesses. Most work is awarded via competitive LPTA or best-value tradeoff, often with 8(a) or HUBZone set-asides for small businesses.
These agencies are the largest buyers of child and youth services services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 624110 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
To win Child and Youth Services contracts, focus on building relationships with state child welfare agencies and ACF regional offices, as they often influence federal awards. The most common set-asides are 8(a) and HUBZone, but many contracts are unrestricted due to limited small business capacity. The single highest-leverage move is to obtain accreditation from COA or CARF, which is often a mandatory requirement for foster care and residential treatment contracts. Additionally, team with established nonprofits to gain past performance in child welfare case management or youth development. Avoid generic SAM registration; instead, target specific RFPs from DoD's Child and Youth Programs or ACF's Family and Youth Services Bureau.
Child and Youth Services are typically bought via agency-specific IDIQs (e.g., ACF's Child Welfare Services IDIQ) or GSA Schedule 874 (Mission Oriented Business Integrated Services – MOBIS). Best-value tradeoff is common, with evaluation focused on past performance, staffing plans, and cultural competency. LPTA is used for lower-risk, routine services like after-school programs. The 8(a) STARS III GWAC and HUBZone set-asides are also used for small business awards.
Most federal child welfare contracts require accreditation from the Council on Accreditation (COA) or CARF International, plus state-specific foster care or child-placing agency licenses. For residential treatment, Joint Commission accreditation may also be needed.
Bonding is rarely required for service contracts under 624110, but some large IDIQs may require performance bonds if they include construction or facility modifications. Most awards are services-only and exempt from Miller Act bonding.
8(a) and HUBZone certifications are most valuable, as many agencies set aside contracts for these programs. Additionally, being a certified Community-Based Organization (CBO) or having a DUNS number with SAM registration is essential.
It is moderately competitive, with about 10–20 offers per solicitation. Large nonprofits like Boys & Girls Clubs of America and for-profit firms dominate, but small businesses can compete by targeting set-asides or niche services like tribal youth programs.
Awards range from $500,000 for small state-level foster care case management contracts to $50 million for multi-year ACF demonstration projects. The median award is around $2–3 million, often structured as cost-reimbursement or fixed-price with performance incentives.