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Burke County authorizes RFQ to pursue private partner to bolster foster‑care capacity
Summary
The Burke County Board of Commissioners voted 5–0 to authorize the county manager to issue a 30‑day request for qualifications to seek a single vendor to recruit, license and support foster parents in hopes of increasing placements, reducing time in care and improving reunification outcomes.
Burke County commissioners voted unanimously Dec. 15 to authorize the county manager to issue a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking a private partner to coordinate foster‑care recruitment, licensing and support across the county.
County Manager Mr. Manuel told the board the county’s foster‑care caseload is higher than state and regional averages and that children in custody in Burke County tend to remain in care longer than typical benchmarks. “We have about 187 children in care, and when you look at time to permanency our average was around 1,298 days,” he said, arguing the county needs additional, coordinated resources to shorten placements and improve reunification.
The manager proposed a vertically integrated vendor to provide recruitment, licensing, clinical assessments, substance‑use treatment referrals and parenting education — services the county says will allow faster placements and more efficient use of county funds. He also noted limits in local services (for example, some services are not Medicaid reimbursable locally) that a dedicated partner could help navigate.
Commissioners framed the RFQ as a next step rather than a binding contract. Commissioner Burns, who moved to authorize the RFQ, said the approach is intended to “increase licensed foster parents, lower the number of children in care and stretch our purchasing power.” The motion passed on a 5–0 voice/hand vote.
The county intends to post the RFQ for about 30 days, form a selection committee (including a board member), and pursue a 60– to 90‑day implementation window for the chosen provider. Mr. Manuel said the county currently spends about $2.7 million a year on foster‑care operations and that officials expect the procurement to be budget‑neutral at worst and likely to reduce some operating costs while focusing on faster reunification.
What happens next: the county manager will publish the RFQ, accept submissions, convene a selection team, and return to the board with recommended next steps following evaluation. There was no contract award or vendor selected at this meeting.
