New York State Department of Health plans to extend, via a sole-source contract, the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths Assessment for New York (CANS-NY) tool’s training, certification, and technical maintenance. The work supports required implementation under New York’s 1915(c) Children’s Home and Community Based Services Waiver and is needed because the tool is copyrighted and accessible only through Dr. John Lyons (University of Chicago). This is an award/continuation notice, not an open call for new applicants.

New York State Department of Health intends to continue and combine the services provided under the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths Assessment for New York (CANS-NY) Assessment Tool and Technical Assistance Institute contracts (#C037762, C037332) for an additional fourteen (14) months through a new Sole Source contract C042472 with the University of Chicago. Dr. John Lyons, who holds the copyright of the CANS-NY Tool, transitioned from his role at the University of Kentucky Research Foundation to University of Chicago effective 1/1/2026. This transaction will allow for continued training and certification in the use of the CANS-NY Tool, as well as provide maintenance of the tool, which is required under the 1915c Children's Home and Community Based Services Waiver. A competitive procurement for this service was not feasible because Dr. John Lyons holds the copyright of the CANS-NY Tool and no other vendor has access to this tool through Dr. Lyons. The resulting contract will have a term of 1/1/2026 through 2/28/2027 and the contract value of $1,954,000.00.