6-QA.pdf

Q & A

RFP 26-031

Virtual Mental Health Services

1. Which vendor is Bibb County currently using to deliver teletherapy services to middle and high school students? Additionally, what is the current level of usage?

BCSD is not currently contracting with any vendor to provide virtual teletherapy services to middle and high school students, and there is no existing usage level to report.

2. Are you willing to accept proposals from vendors that are not on the Georgia Department of Education "Suggested Telehealth Vendor" list? No. Only vendors identified by the Georgia Department of Education as a “Suggested Telehealth Vendor” through the 2025 GaDOE RFI process are eligible to submit proposals for this solicitation, as specified in Section IX of the RFP.

3. The RFP mentions the contract start date as March 15th, 2026, however the RFP due date is March 17th. What is effective contract date of this opportunity? The contract effective date is tentative and will begin as soon as possible following RFP review, any necessary approvals, and contract award.

While the RFP initially referenced March 15, 2026, the revised tentative start date is as early as April 15, 2026, though the actual date may be later depending on the approval process.

4. What is the size of the opportunity? Can you specify the number of students in grades 6-12 that are going to be serviced through this RFP. Due to the variable nature of student mental health needs, BCSD cannot guarantee the number of students who will be served through this contract.

5. As a DBHDD-approved Core Service Agency, may therapists who are not yet independently licensed—but are actively pursuing licensure—provide services under the supervision of a fully licensed practitioner, or is independent licensure required for all therapists under this proposal? All clinicians providing services under this RFP must hold active Georgia licensure as an LPC, LMFT, or LCSW, as specified in Section IX. Provisionally licensed clinicians or those practicing under supervision are not eligible to provide services under this contract.

6. Is the RFP only providing services for remote-individual therapy? Or are other remote wellness services allowed to be included, such as Caregiver and/or Educator Wellness Workshops provided via Zoom? The RFP is limited to synchronous, real-time individual virtual mental health services delivered directly to students in grades 6–12 by licensed clinicians.

Wellness workshops or programming for caregivers or educators are not included within the scope of this solicitation.

7. What is permitted to be included in the cost proposal? We understand that the majority of revenue for the organization chosen will be through insurance reimbursement, however what other items are allowed to be included? We see under the tab Primary Responses that there are the following options: Licensing Fees; Initial setup, configuration, and integration costs; Training and onboarding costs; and Other Fees. Are these strictly the only items that we can include in the cost proposal? And do you have a general estimate of what the total cost of these items that you'd be willing to fund would be? Vendors may include applicable costs within the categories provided in the cost proposal form (e.g., licensing fees, setup/configuration, training/onboarding, and other related fees). While hybrid billing (e.g., Medicaid or private insurance) is permitted as described in Section VIII, vendors should not assume that insurance reimbursement will represent the primary revenue source, and BCSD does not guarantee insurance billing opportunities. In addition, BCSD has not established a predetermined budget for these items, and all proposed costs will be evaluated for reasonableness and alignment with the Scope of Work.

8. Please clarify what is meant by “home-based access is standard” in the statement in section 6-D: “Home-based access is standard; school-based sessions provided when required and feasible.” “Home-based access is standard” means virtual mental health services should primarily be accessible to students outside of the school setting (e.g., from home) and outside the school day when appropriate. School-based sessions may occur only when necessary and feasible, based on student needs, academic schedules, and staff availability.

9. Do the Service Utilization Reports need to show aggregated data only or is individual student information expected to be shared in these regular reports?

Service Utilization Reports should include individual student-level information, including sessions delivered, attendance, services provided, and any referrals or interventions, while maintaining all required confidentiality and compliance with HIPAA/FERPA.

10. At the top of the Offeror Affirmatio Form (page 5 of the bid form), what is meant to populate the blank space in the first paragraph? See text below:

"After careful examination of the solicitation document in its entirety, ___________________and any addendum(s) issued, the undersigned proposes to satisfy all requirements in accordance with said documents." Insert Bid #

11. Would the district reconsider proposals from vendors who were not identified by the Georgia Department of Education as a “Suggested Telehealth Vendor”, indicating non-participation in GaDOE’s Request for Information (RFI) process in 2025? No. Only vendors identified by the Georgia Department of Education as a “Suggested Telehealth Vendor” through the 2025 GaDOE RFI process are eligible to submit proposals for this solicitation, as specified in Section IX of the RFP.

12. Would the vendor be automatically disqualified if it were not identified as a GaDOE Suggested Telehealth Vendor (2025 RFI)? Yes. Vendors not identified by the Georgia Department of Education as a “Suggested Telehealth Vendor” through the 2025 GaDOE RFI process are not eligible to submit a proposal, per Section IX of the RFP.

13. For the Billing Structure & Cost Proposal: Would the district prefer a hybrid billing structure where the vendor bills Medicaid or private insurance separately from services billed to BCSD? BCSD does not have a preference regarding hybrid billing. Vendors may propose a hybrid structure (billing Medicaid or private insurance separately) as allowed in Section VIII, provided that services billed to the grant are clearly separated, parental consent is obtained, and no double billing occurs.

14. Can you verify that the district would obtain the necessary consent before service referrals are sent to the vendor? Yes. BCSD will ensure that initial parental or guardian consents are obtained before student referrals are sent to the vendor. Additional consents may be required if further referrals or services are needed.

15. Can you confirm that the vendor would adhere to the district's established approach for obtaining written consent for the vendor? Yes. BCSD will ensure that initial parental or guardian consents are obtained before student referrals are sent to the vendor. Additional consents may be required if further referrals or services are needed.

16. Can you confirm that all services rendered under this RFP shall be billable to the district, as the district is the payee? Yes. All services provided under this RFP will be billed directly to BCSD as the payee. If vendors also bill Medicaid or private insurance, those charges must be separately tracked and not included in the grant-funded billing to BCSD, as described in Section VIII.

17. Would the district provide their students with the necessary hardware (e.g., computers, webcams, headsets, etc.), test kits, supplies, and other materials they need for services? Students will have school-issued devices for use during Telehealth Mental Health Services, and the SBMH department provides earbuds with microphones as needed. Students may also use their own personal devices outside the school setting if more feasible.

Any additional supplies or materials required for service delivery are not guaranteed and should be included in the vendor’s proposal.

18. The "Total Bid Table - Data Management System (BT-18BY).xlsx" from Bonfire is asking for response to items not applicable to this RFP: License fees (per user or enterprise-wide); initial setup, configuration, and integration costs; training and onboarding costs; other fees. Can you provide more direction on how the vendor should complete this Total Bid Table in how the bid items are applicable, or provide an updated Bid Table with modified bid items? Bid Table Updated.

19. As part of its Full Bid File under the Cost Proposal, can the vendor you verify that this information should include the billing structure, pricing details, proposed rates, fee structures, no show/absence fees, and other additional fees for services? You should include your annual fee based off your hourly fee that will be charged and the number of hours you are proposing.

20. In lieu or in addition of providing flat rates per sessoion, can the vendor offer hourly bill rates for direct/indirect services? Yes, in your PDF information

21. Would the district also consider mental health services performed by Georgia licensed School Psychologists? No. Only services delivered by Georgia-licensed LPCs, LMFTs, or LCSWs are eligible under this RFP, as specified in Section IX. Services provided by school psychologists are not included in the scope of this solicitation.

22. The RFP mentions "three written references from school districts." Can you verify that the vendor is only expected to provide the contact information for references instead of written letters of reference? Vendors are expected to submit three written reference letters from school districts with whom they have partnered for virtual student mental health services, as stated in the RFP. Contact information alone is not sufficient.

23. Would you consider references from customers that received other related services (e.g., psychology, SLP, OT, etc.) if references for mental health services are unavailable at the time of submission? No. References must reflect experience providing virtual mental health services to students in grades 6–12, as specified in the RFP. References for unrelated services (e.g., psychology, SLP, OT) are not acceptable.

24. Can you verify that all of the vendors additional attachments (e.g., redline or additional terms for the contract and supporting documents) should be placed toward the end of the Bid File after following the required components? Yes, that is fine as long as its placed and easily identified.

25. Do you require resumes of potential service providers upon submission, and if so, would you consider blind resumes with full names/license numbers withheld?

Vendors should provide resumes or staff profiles demonstrating that proposed clinicians meet the minimum qualifications in Section IX.

Full names and license numbers may be withheld on initial submission if necessary, as long as sufficient information is included to verify credentials and relevant experience.

26. Does the district require page 15 of the original RFP ("Bid Tabulation Page") as part of the response, although the requested information is not applicable to this RFP? This is the bid tabulation page; assuming the title and YES, you can include the pricing of an annual basis, based off the hourly rate and the anticipated number of hours.

27. Can the district provide an annual estimate of students potentially referred for services, or an estimated range of therapy sessions under this contract? Due to the variable nature of student mental health needs, BCSD cannot guarantee or precisely estimate the number of students or therapy sessions under this contract.

28. Can BCSD share historical referral or utilization data from school-based mental health services (e.g., approximate number of students referred annually for therapy services in grades 6–12)? Referral and utilization numbers vary from year to year, and historically most referrals were directed to school-based mental health providers or community-based providers.

Not all referrals result in initiated services. For planning purposes, approximate data for students referred for therapy services from January–December 2024 (grades K–12) is as follows:

• Total students referred: 282

• Total students receiving services after referral: 102

This data is provided for reference only and does not represent a guaranteed volume under this contract. Vendors should note that the RFP focuses on services for grades 6–12.

29. Can the district confirm the approximate enrollment for students in grades 6–12 who would be eligible for referral under this contract? All students in grades 6–12 are potentially eligible for referral under this contract, but only students with identified mental health needs who accept referrals from BCSD SBMH are actually referred for services. The number of students referred may vary based on need, consent, and program capacity, rather than total enrollment.

30. Can BCSD share which grant/funding source will be used for this solicitation?

This solicitation is funded through the U.S. Department of Education School-Based Mental Health Services Program Grant, as indicated in Section I of the RFP.

31. Will GaDOE RFI funds be considered for this solicitation? No. This solicitation is funded solely through the U.S. Department of Education School-Based Mental Health Services Program Grant.

GaDOE RFI funds are not being used for this contract.

32. Can the district clarify how RFP 26-031 (Virtual Mental Health Services) and RFP 26-032 (Home-Based Mental Health Services) are intended to operate within BCSD’s mental health service continuum, including whether referrals may occur between the two service models? The BCSD School-Based Mental Health (SBMH) Department serves as the “central hub” for student intake, screening, and assessment, identifying each student’s mental health needs and recommending the most appropriate service type (school-based, community-based, virtual (RFP 26-031), or home-based (RFP

26-032), based on factors such as student/family preference, level of care needed, and barriers to access.

BCSD provides a continuum of mental health services across three tiers:

• Tier 1: Universal supports and prevention for all students

• Tier 2: Targeted interventions for students with emerging or moderate needs

• Tier 3: Intensive services for students with significant mental health needs

RFP 26-031 (Virtual Mental Health Services) and RFP 26-032 (Home- Based Mental Health Services) correspond to Tier 3 services.

Referrals between these service models are not expected, as the SBMH department strives to place students in the most appropriate service from the outset. However, if a student is not responding to the recommended service, such as virtual therapy, they may be discharged and offered home-based services, or vice versa, illustrating how a student could receive multiple types of services over time if clinically appropriate.

33. Approximately what percentage of student mental health referrals does the district anticipate directing to telehealth services as outlined in this RFP? Due to the variable nature of student mental health needs, BCSD cannot guarantee or precisely estimate the number of students or therapy sessions under this contract.