NIGP 96271: Religious Services

NIGP 96271 Religious Services is an Item code under which state and local governments procure chaplaincy services, religious programming, and faith-based support activities for incarcerated populations and other institutionalized or vulnerable groups. The San Mateo County Sheriff's Office RFP (2026RFP00580, due July 30, 2026) exemplifies the current scope: the county is seeking providers to deliver chaplaincy services across multiple denominations, manage religious materials distribution, coordinate special religious requests, and staff religious programming at two adult correctional facilities. The code also encompasses broader supportive services often bundled with chaplaincy work, including library services, indigent support, and reentry coordination. Issuing bodies under this code include county sheriff departments operating correctional facilities, with San Mateo County representing the repeat buyer in the recent opportunity set. Qualification thresholds typically require four years of experience in similar services within the seven-year window preceding proposal submission, along with an account manager holding two years of relevant experience within the prior five years.

San Mateo County's chaplaincy solicitation reflects geographic concentration in California, though the recent-opportunities block contains no additional religious services procurements elsewhere to establish broader regional patterns. The San Mateo RFP permits five percent additional evaluation points for local businesses and local nonprofits (three percent more for small or five percent more for micro entities), indicating preference for local service delivery. Mandatory pre-proposal meetings, tentative interviews scheduled for August 5, 2026, and a contract award target of August 20, 2026 signal an active procurement timeline. The initial contract term runs one year with one option to extend up to two years at the county's sole discretion. Price carries twenty-five percent evaluation weight, with the remainder distributed across project approach, firm and team qualifications, and references. This is a cooperative procurement, permitting other organizations to utilize any resulting agreement.