Bartow County Wellness Clinic RFP 4_6_26.pdf

Bartow County Wellness Clinic — Request for Proposal (RFP)

Release Date: April 6, 2026

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Bartow County Government hereby issues this Request for Proposal (RFP) for Near-Site Employee

Wellness Clinic Services. This RFP is issued in accordance with applicable Georgia law and Bartow

County procurement practices. The County operates under a sole commissioner form of local government, and final award authority rests exclusively with Bartow County Commissioner Steve

Taylor.

This RFP is being issued to interested providers with demonstrated experience operating employer-sponsored onsite/near-site clinics for public-sector clients. Submission of a proposal does not obligate Bartow County Government to award a contract or to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal. Bartow County Government reserves the right to reject all proposals, to waive technicalities or informalities, to request additional information, and to negotiate with the selected proposer in the best interest of Bartow County Government. All proposals submitted shall become public record subject to the Georgia Open Records Act, unless exempted by law.

1. INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND

Bartow County Government requests proposals to establish and operate a near-site Employee

Wellness Clinic. The clinic will serve approximately 750 full-time employees and ~2,000 covered health-plan members (employees, spouses, dependents). City of Cartersville may participate via intergovernmental agreement; vendors shall provide pricing/options that include (a) Bartow County only and (b) Bartow County + City of Cartersville. City of Cartersville has approximately 356 full time employees that take health coverage.

Primary goals:

• Improve access to routine and preventive care, with convenient hours and location.

• Lower total cost of care by shifting care to the clinic and improving medication adherence.

• Enhance workforce well-being and productivity through integrated occupational health services.

2. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of establishing the Bartow County Wellness Clinic are:

• Lower cost for employees’ basic medical care.

• Increase access and reduce barriers via a near-site location convenient to County offices.

• Encourage compliance with covered members for medical treatment and medications through in-clinic dispensing of common generics (where legally permissible) and care coordination.

• Provide comprehensive occupational medicine services (e.g., required screenings, workers’ compensation triage and follow-up) to reduce external vendor costs and improve turnaround times.

3. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The selected provider shall furnish all professional, clinical, administrative, operational, and compliance services necessary to operate the Wellness Clinic. Services include, at minimum:

3.1 Primary & Preventive Care

• Acute and routine primary care; chronic disease management (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, asthma, depression/anxiety screening and brief intervention).

• Preventive services: annual physicals, well-woman/man exams, age-appropriate screenings, behavioral health screening and short-term counseling/referral.

• Immunizations & vaccinations (e.g., influenza, Tdap, Hepatitis B series for occ health, MMR/Varicella as appropriate).

3.2 Laboratory & Diagnostics

• Point-of-care testing under CLIA Certificate of Waiver (e.g., rapid strep/flu/COVID, A1c, lipid panel, urinalysis, urine pregnancy).

• Specimen collection and send-out labs; timely result reporting and follow-up.

3.3 Pharmacy / Medication Access

• Prescription writing per Georgia law (APRNs/NPs under physician protocol agreement).

• In-clinic dispensing of a limited formulary of common generics to improve adherence, subject to Georgia Board of Pharmacy and Georgia Composite Medical Board requirements.

Vendors shall describe licensure, oversight pharmacist relationships, inventory controls, and formulary list with proposed copays (if any).

• Coordination with the County’s PBM to maximize generic use and 90-day fills when appropriate.

3.4 Occupational Medicine

• Drug & alcohol testing: Non-DOT and DOT (49 CFR Part 40) if applicable to CDL positions; chain-of-custody; random pool administration (optional).

• Pre-employment, post-offer, return-to-work, and fit-for-duty exams; functional capacity evaluations (as available).

• Workers’ compensation injury triage, treatment, case management, referrals, and follow-up;

employer work-status notes within 24 hours.

• OSHA services: respirator fit testing (29 CFR 1910.134), audiograms (hearing conservation), vaccinations, exposure protocols.

• Firefighter medicals per NFPA 1582 including EKG, spirometry, laboratory, and clearance documentation. Vendors shall detail scope, pricing, and scheduling capacity.

• Vision screening, TB testing, and other employer-required screenings.

3.5 Access, Scheduling & Telehealth

• Walk-in and scheduled appointments; same-day access targets; after-hours triage line; secure messaging; telehealth visits as appropriate.

3.6 Care Coordination & Referrals

• Navigation to in-network community providers; closed-loop referrals; chronic care pathways;

social determinants resources where applicable.

3.7 Quality, Safety & Patient Experience

• Clinical protocols, Georgia-appropriate APRN/NP collaboration agreements, credentialing and privileging; incident reporting; patient satisfaction surveys.

4. CLINIC LOCATION, HOURS & STAFFING MODEL

Bartow County anticipates the clinic will be:

• A near-site facility centrally located within 5 miles of the County Courthouse at 135 W.

Cherokee Ave., Cartersville.

• Accessible to Bartow County employees, covered spouses, and covered dependents and City of Cartersville employees, covered spouses, and covered dependents.

Vendors shall propose:

• Hours of operation (minimum 40 clinic hours per week, with at least two early-morning or early-evening days).

• Staffing plan including FTE levels and qualifications: at minimum one full-time Nurse

Practitioner/Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) with Georgia licensure and prescriptive authority under a physician protocol agreement, medical assistant(s), and medical director (Georgia-licensed physician) with defined oversight frequency; optional RN, behavioral health clinician, and PT/ATC for musculoskeletal triage.

• Coverage model for vacations/illness; surge capacity; holiday schedule.

5. VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

Proposals shall include:

• Company background and history; years operating employer clinics; public-sector references.

• Experience providing onsite/near-site clinics of similar size; case studies with health and financial outcomes.

• Relevant licenses, certifications, and accreditations (e.g., CLIA waiver, Georgia licenses, OSHA audiometry certifications if provided, pharmacy/dispensing licenses/agreements).

• Detailed proposed clinic model; EHR platform; patient portal; privacy/security posture;

Business Associate Agreement (BAA) approach.

• Implementation plan and timeline (site selection/fit-out, licensure, hiring/credentialing, data feeds, go-live readiness).

• Detailed fee structure (see Section 9 and Appendix B) with clear inclusions/exclusions;

cost-saving strategies and projected ROI (methodology).

• Performance guarantees and service levels (see Section 10).

• Insurance coverage: professional liability (medical malpractice) ≥ $1M/$3M, general liability

≥ $1M per occurrence, cyber/privacy ≥ $1M, workers’ comp statutory; certificates naming

Bartow County and City of Cartersville as additional insured where applicable.

6. COMPLIANCE & LEGAL

All services shall comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including but not limited to HIPAA/HITECH, Georgia Composite Medical Board requirements for APRN/NP protocol agreements and prescriptive authority, Georgia Board of Pharmacy rules for any in-clinic dispensing, OSHA standards, ADA/EEO requirements and separation of medical records from HR files, 49 CFR Part 40 (if DOT testing), and NFPA 1582 (firefighter medicals).

Bartow County Government does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or any other classification protected by law. Proposers shall comply with all applicable non-discrimination laws.

The selected proposer shall comply with the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act

(O.C.G.A. § 13-10-90 et seq.) and shall provide documentation affirming enrollment and participation in the federal E-Verify program, as required by law.

7. DATA, PRIVACY & REPORTING

• EHR & Data Integration: Vendor shall provide an ONC-certified EHR (or equivalent) with secure patient portal. Data sharing will follow HIPAA standards and a Business Associate

Agreement (BAA). Protected health information (PHI) must be segregated from HR files.

• Reporting: Monthly operational dashboards and quarterly stewardship reports including:

utilization; appointment availability and wait times; generic-dispensing rate; immunization and screening completion; avoidable ER/urgent care diversion; PMPM total cost-of-care trend; workers’ comp turnaround (first report within 24 hours); patient satisfaction (e.g., CAHPS-style).

• Audit & Oversight: County reserves audit rights for clinical quality, billing practices, and security controls. Vendor will participate in a Clinic Governance Committee (County, City if participating, vendor).

8. CLINIC IMPLEMENTATION & FACILITY

• Site: Vendor shall assist with site selection; propose facility size and layout; ADA compliance; biosafety and infection control; vaccine cold-chain; hazardous waste disposal.

• Licensure & Certifications: Vendor obtains/maintains all required licenses and certifications

(CLIA waiver, etc.).

• Go-Live: Target Q3 2026 (vendor to propose detailed schedule).

• Ownership & Fit-Out: Vendor shall detail responsibility for tenant improvements, furniture/fixtures/equipment (FFE), medical equipment, supplies, IT/network, and utilities.

9. PRICING & FINANCIAL TERMS

Vendors shall submit comparable pricing using various options as they see fit, potentially including:

• Model A: Fixed Monthly Base (covers staffing, operations, most primary care visits) + unit pricing for occupational services (drug/alcohol tests, firefighter exams, respirator fit tests, audiograms, etc.).

• Model B: PMPM (per eligible member per month) + unit pricing for occ health.

• Model C: Fee-for-Service (occ health) + fixed base for clinic.

Include implementation/start-up costs, vaccines, labs, point-of-care tests, medications/dispensing, and any pass-throughs. No balance-billing to members for covered clinic services. If billing the

County health plan for certain services, detail coordination with TPA/PBM, claim coding, and avoidance of double payment. Provide pricing for:

• Bartow County only; and

• Bartow County + City of Cartersville.

10. SERVICE LEVELS & PERFORMANCE GUARANTEES

• Access: Same-day appointments for acute issues; average wait time ≤ 15 minutes;

appointment availability metrics.

• Turnaround: Workers’ comp initial report within 24 hours; drug test results: rapid screens same day, lab confirmations within 48–72 hours.

• Quality: Protocol adherence, vaccination cold-chain compliance, incident reporting timelines.

• Patient Experience: ≥ 90% overall satisfaction target.

• Financial/Outcome: Year-over-year increase in clinic utilization and generic-dispensing rate;

total cost-of-care trend improvement (vendor to propose measure and target).

Vendors shall propose performance guarantees and remedies (e.g., fee at risk/service-level credits).

11. EVALUATION CRITERIA & SCORING

Proposals will be evaluated using the following weighted criteria:

• Clinical model & staffing (incl. Georgia compliance): 30%

• Occupational health capabilities (DOT/NFPA/OSHA fit): 15%

• Data, reporting & outcomes (KPIs, ROI methodology): 10%

• Implementation plan & schedule: 15%

• Price (comparability, transparency, value): 25%

• References & past performance (public-sector preferred): 5%

Bartow County reserves the right to conduct interviews/demos and request clarifications.

12. PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE & INSTRUCTIONS

• RFP Release: April 6, 2026

• Deadline for Questions: 5:00 PM ET, May 9, 2026

• Proposals Due: 3:00 PM ET, May 22, 2026

• Shortlist Notification (estimated): June 1, 2026

• Vendor Presentations (estimated): June 8–12, 2026

• Notice of Intent to Award (estimated): June 15, 2026

• Commissioner Award (estimated): July 8, 2026

• Go-Live Target: Q4 2026 or Q1 2027

Submission format:

• Electronic PDF via email and one hard copy delivered to:

Bartow County Government

Attention: Peter Olson

135 West Cherokee Avenue, Suite 256

Cartersville, GA 30120

Questions and registration of interest:

• Contact: Andy Findley, Director of Human Resources

770-387-5020 | findleya@bartowcountyga.gov

All questions must be submitted by the deadline via email. Addenda will be posted/distributed to all registered proposers. Contact with County staff outside the official process is prohibited.

Proposal format (max 40 pages, excluding appendices):

Executive Summary; Qualifications; Clinical & Occ Health Model; Staffing Plan; Compliance;

EHR/Data & Reporting; Implementation Plan; Price (Appendix B); Performance Guarantees;

References.

13. TERMS & CONDITIONS

Bartow County reserves the right to reject any/all proposals, waive informalities, and accept the proposal deemed in the County’s best interest. The County may terminate any resulting contract for convenience or for cause with notice as specified. Assignment requires County consent. The County mailto:findleya@bartowcountyga.gov retains audit rights. Indemnification and insurance requirements will be included in the contract. The selected vendor will execute a Business Associate Agreement with the County.

Appendices (include with the RFP)

Appendix A — KPI & Reporting Framework (minimum)

• Utilization: visits per 1,000 members/month; % same-day appointments.

• Access: average wait time; third-next-available appointment.

• Quality: preventive screening completion; chronic care metrics (A1c, BP control).

• Pharmacy: generic-dispensing rate; 90-day fill adoption.

• Occupational: drug test turnaround time; workers’ comp first report turnaround time;

OSHA/NFPA completion counts.

• Financial: ER/urgent care diversion estimates; PMPM trend vs baseline.

• Experience: patient satisfaction score & comments; grievance resolution turnaround time.

Appendix B — Price Proposal

• Staffing & FTEs (titles, hours, rates).

• Fixed Base / PMPM / Unit Prices (drug panels, BAT, NFPA 1582 exam packages, respirator fit tests, audiograms, vaccinations, labs, POC tests).

• Implementation & Start-Up (fit-out, equipment, EHR, credentialing).

• Dispensing/Pharmacy (licensure approach, formulary, per-script costs/copays).

• City of Cartersville Option (incremental pricing).

• Assumptions & Exclusions (must be explicit).

Appendix C — Staffing & Credentialing Checklist

• Georgia licenses; APRN protocol agreements; malpractice coverage; background checks;

immunization records; CPR/ACLS as applicable.

Appendix D — Occupational Health Services Checklist

• Drug/alcohol testing (panel types; lab vendors; MRO services).

• DOT exams & compliance (if applicable).

• Workers’ comp workflows; employer communication templates.

• OSHA services (fit testing/audiograms) with equipment specs/calibration.

• Firefighter medicals (NFPA 1582 elements).

• Vaccination protocols & post-exposure management.

Appendix E — Data Privacy & BAA Requirements

• HIPAA/HITECH obligations; PHI segregation; secure portal/messaging; breach notification;

audit rights; retention and destruction schedules.