BPM057406_-_RFP_2027_PCO_Needs_Assessment.pdf

EXHIBIT A

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

PROCUREMENT ID NUMBER – BPM057406

Issue Date: June 5, 2026

Maryland Primary Care Office Needs Assessment

NOTICE

A Prospective Offeror that has received this document from the Maryland Department of Health’s website or https://procurement.maryland.gov, or that has received this document from a source other than the Procurement Officer, and that wishes to assure receipt of any changes or additional materials related to this RFP, should go to eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA emma.maryland.gov) and select the solicitation using the solicitation number.

Minority Business Enterprises Are Encouraged to Respond to this Solicitation

THIS SOLICITATION SHALL BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SMALL PROCUREMENT

REGULATIONS DESCRIBED IN COMAR 21.05.07

https://procurement.maryland.gov/ http://emma.maryland.gov/

STATE OF MARYLAND

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

RFP KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Proposals: Maryland Primary Care Office Needs Assessment

Solicitation Number: BPM057406

RFP Issue Date: June 5, 2026

RFP Issuing Office: Maryland Department of Health

Office of Population Health Improvement

Procurement Officer: Tiffanie D. Powell

Office of Population Health Improvement 201 W. Preston Street, 4th Floor Baltimore, MD 21201 Phone: 410-591-0108 Tiffanie.powell@maryland.gov

Contract Monitor: Elizabeth Vaidya

Office of Population Health Improvement 201 W. Preston Street, Room 407 Baltimore, MD 21201

Proposals are to be: Submitted via the State's eMaryland Marketplace Advantage e- Procurement system (eMMA)

Closing Date and Time: June 30, 2026, by 4:00 PM EST mailto:Tiffanie.powell@maryland.gov

1. Summary Statement

The Maryland Primary Care Office (PCO) is housed in the Office of Population Health Improvement (OPHI) at the Maryland Department of Health (MDH or Department). The PCO is federally funded through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) via a five-year grant to improve access to healthcare services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. The funding allows the PCO to facilitate the coordination of activities within Maryland to assess the need for primary care services and providers, promote the recruitment and retention of health care providers to help meet identified needs, and help reduce shortages of health care providers. The federal grant requires the development of a Statewide Primary Care Needs Assessment that identifies the communities with the greatest unmet health care needs, disparities in health outcomes, poverty, health workforce shortages, and barriers to health care access. The PCO will host collaborative regional meetings to seek stakeholder input regarding the needs of each community. Stakeholders will include the local health department, local hospital(s), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and other organizations as applicable.

2. Background

HRSA has approved a five-year cooperative PCO grant with the state of Maryland. The PCO is in year three of their five-year grant, which runs from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. Per grant requirements, the PCO is to conduct a statewide Community Health Needs Assessment that identifies the communities with the greatest unmet health care needs, disparities in health outcomes, poverty, health workforce, the shortages, and barriers to health care access.

Per HRSA’s grant requirements, the Needs Assessment must contain a description of the target populations in Maryland and their unmet primary, dental, and mental health needs;

it must include relevant barriers, by service area, that the project will work to overcome;

and a plan for ongoing collaboration with recipients or interested parties within the state.

The PCO produced a Needs Assessment in 2016 and in 2021, per the required grant stipulations. Both documents are listed on the PCO’s website at:

https://health.maryland.gov/pophealth/Pages/Primary-Care.aspx. Both assessments are based on the integration of two health data tracking methods: the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Prevention Quality Indicators (PQIs) and the State Health Improvement Process (SHIP).

Hospital rate regulation in Maryland, the Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC), was established by an act of the Maryland legislature in 1971. The HSCRC is an independent state agency that has broad responsibility regarding the public disclosure of hospital data and operational performance. The commission is authorized to establish hospital rates that promote cost containment, access to care, equity, financial stability, and hospital accountability. The HSCRC provides the PQI data which is used to support this report.

https://health.maryland.gov/pophealth/Pages/Primary-Care.aspx https://health.maryland.gov/pophealth/Pages/home.aspx https://health.maryland.gov/pophealth/Pages/home.aspx https://health.maryland.gov/pophealth/Pages/Primary-Care.aspx

The 2024-2029 State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) is a five-year plan that provides a framework for Maryland Department of Health (MDH) programs, sister state agencies, partner associations, community-based organizations, and health systems in Maryland to address five priority health areas. These priority health areas were identified through a systemic analysis of primary and secondary data as part of the State Health Assessment (SHA). The SHIP offers a shared language and vision to inform decision-making, prioritize activities, and allocate resources where they are most needed to ultimately improve health outcomes in Maryland.

Prior Needs Assessments in 2016 and 2021 also incorporated three Appendices; Appendix A included PQI and SHIP measures, Appendix B included Shortage Designation and Workforce evaluation, and Appendix C included jurisdictional listings of FQHCs, local health departments, and hospitals. The needs assessment also defined priority areas needing state and federal resources to improve health. This aided in targeting resources to the priority areas via enhanced technical assistance, workforce programs, and other state and federal resources as available through partnerships and collaboration.

The 2027 Needs Assessment will continue to incorporate state priorities within its evaluation as previously with the Achieving Healthcare Efficiency through Accountable Design (AHEAD), and the Maryland Rural Health Strategic Plan, 2025-2030.

AHEAD continues to build upon the previous successes of the Maryland Total Cost of Care (TCOC) Model in reducing health care cost growth and improving the quality of health care.

AHEAD is a voluntary, state-based total cost of care model that allows Maryland to manage healthcare costs and quality, and improve the overall health of the state. Through expanding primary care, strengthening population health and more, AHEAD advances the State’s vision of empowering all Marylanders to achieve optimal health and well-being.

The Maryland Rural Health Strategic Plan, 2025-2030 puts forth three key priorities for organizations and programs to take into account as they work to provide health services across rural Maryland. These priorities aim to strengthen multi-sector collaboration, advance health equity, and foster a more resilient rural health system. By integrating various dimensions of health, the current Strategic Plan encompasses objectives for improving access to care, resources, and opportunities for rural Marylanders to improve health outcomes.

https://health.maryland.gov/pha/Pages/Building-a-Healthier-Maryland.aspx

3. Procurement Officer

The sole point of contact in the State for the purpose of this solicitation is the Procurement Officer.

Procurement Officer: Tiffanie D. Powell Maryland Department of Health Office of Population Health Improvement 201 West Preston Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21201 410-591-0108 Email: tiffanie.powell@maryland.gov

Contract Monitor: Elizabeth Vaidya Maryland Department of Health Office of Population Health Improvement 201 West Preston Street, Room 407

Baltimore, Maryland 21201

4. Responsibilities and Tasks

OPHI will monitor the work of the Contractor, including the approval of deliverables. The Contractor fulfilling this project will complete the following:

4.1. The contractor will plan, coordinate, communicate, and complete a comprehensive statewide Needs Assessment for MDH per the grant requirements of HRSA for the PCO as outlined in sections 4.5, 4.6, and 4.7 below.

4.2. The contractor will present an overview of the proposed work plan to OPHI staff within the first thirty (30) days of the contract being awarded. The plan should include timelines, logistics, finalized preliminary indicators to be used as part of the assessment, and discuss details pertaining to data acquisition and analysis.

4.3. The contractor will conduct regular recurring meetings with OPHI staff throughout the contract period to discuss findings and progress of the Needs Assessment. The meetings will be bi-weekly to monthly with the final frequency to be determined together with OPHI staff.

4.4. Attend and participate in eight (8) regional meetings to collect pertinent healthcare needs information for each region by county. The eight regions per the PCO are:

4.4.1. Central Maryland (Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, and Baltimore County);

4.4.2. Lower Eastern Shore (Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties);

4.4.3. Middle Eastern Shore (Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot counties);

4.4.4. Northeast Maryland (Cecil and Harford counties);

4.4.5. Northwest Maryland (Carroll, Frederick, and Howard counties);

4.4.6. Southern Maryland (Calvert, Charles, and Saint Mary’s counties);

mailto:tiffanie.powell@maryland.gov

4.4.7. Washington DC Metropolitan Area (Prince George’s and Montgomery counties);

4.4.8. Western Maryland (Allegany, Garrett, and Washington counties).

4.5. The Needs Assessment must contain a description of the target populations in Maryland and their unmet primary, dental, and mental health needs, including:

4.5.1. An analysis of poverty rates using generally accepted measures (e.g., the Federal poverty rate or concentrations of individuals on Medicaid);

4.5.2. An analysis of standard mortality and morbidity rates among geographic areas and/or target populations at the county and subcounty level;

4.5.3. A description of unmet health needs, including updates or emerging challenges since the issuance of the previous awards under this title;

4.5.4. A description of disparities in health outcomes (e.g., disparities based on geography, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, disability, primary language, health literacy, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, etc.); and

4.6. The Needs Assessment must include relevant barriers, by service area, that the project will work to overcome including:

4.6.1. A description of infrastructure challenges (e.g., access to transportation, technological barriers, water fluoridation, etc.);

4.6.2. A description of challenges target populations face (e.g., socioeconomic factors, waiting time to receive care, linguistic barriers, etc.);

4.6.3. A description of challenges health care providers face (e.g., cultural competence, insufficient availability of training, etc.); and

4.6.4. A description of Maryland’s political and/or fiscal climate, or other possible issues that may affect your ability to achieve the project’s goals.

4.7. The Needs Assessment must include a plan for ongoing collaboration with recipients or interested parties within the state.

4.8. The selected vendor will sign confidentiality documents relating to the confidentiality of data, not sharing, duplicating, or utilizing data other than what is required for this proposal.

4.9. Within forty-five (45) days, the selected vendor will develop a written Plan to describe how data will be collected and presented per HRSA’s requirements which include the following evaluation plan components (https://www.ahrq.gov/talkingquality/assess/evaluation-plan.html):

4.9.1. Timetable and Work Plan: To include the amount of time needed to collect, update, and evaluate data needed for this procurement by the Contractor and in coordination with the PCO through February 28, 2027. A step-by-step process with monthly/weekly expectations should be cited in the timetable and workplan.

4.9.2. The PCO will either supply or work with the contractor to receive SHIP, PQI and Medicaid data.

https://www.ahrq.gov/talkingquality/assess/evaluation-plan.html

4.9.3. Collecting Data for an Evaluation: To be done per the policies and procedures, and user guides listed under 4.6

4.9.4. Data Collection Methods to Answer Evaluation Questions: Describe in Plan the methods used to collect data

5. Deliverable Requirements

5.1. Deliverable Submission

5.1.1. A review of data will be discussed during the initial kick-off meeting stated in 4.2 to determine data needs and time period for collection.

5.1.2. Identify priority community needs as determined by the Regional meetings that are scheduled to take place in August-September 2026.

5.1.3. The final draft is due January 15, 2027 for review. January 15 - February 28, 2027 will be used for updates pertaining to the final review of the deliverable.

5.1.4. Deliverables will be reviewed by the PCO. Final approval will be made in February 2027 per MDH leadership.

5.1.5. The completed document will be accessible in both electronic and print to OPHI.

5.2. Deliverable Acceptance

5.2.1. Completion of deliverables listed in section 4.1 shall satisfy the scope and requirements of this contract as the final deliverable.

5.2.2. The Contract Monitor shall review all data updates and format to determine compliance with the acceptance criteria as defined for that deliverable. The Contract Monitor is responsible for coordinating feedback and input from various team members. The Contract Monitor is responsible for providing clear guidance and direction to the Contractor.

5.2.3. Once final delivery of the document is received, the Contract Monitor will address any known deficiencies prior to the end of the contract period. The Contractor shall correct deficiencies and resubmit the corrected deliverable for acceptance within the agreed-upon time period for correction.

5.3. Minimum Deliverable Quality

The Contractor shall subject each deliverable to its internal quality‐control process prior to submitting the deliverable to the State. Each deliverable shall meet the following minimum acceptance criteria:

5.3.1. Be presented in Word format or appropriate for the subject matter and depth of discussion;

5.3.2. Be organized in a manner that presents a logical flow of the deliverable’s content per requirements in section 4.;

5.3.3. Represent factual information reasonably expected to have been known at the time of submittal;

5.3.4. Include only information relevant to each data point of the delivery;

5.3.5. Contain content and presentation consistent with terms of deliverable completeness, clarity, and quality per tasks listed under Section 4;

6. Contract Term

The term of this contract is projected to be July 15, 2026 – February 28, 2027.

7. Procurement Method

7.1. This procurement is being conducted as a Small Procurement as described in COMAR 21.05.07. The resulting contract shall be firm fixed price.

8. Proposal Submission Information

Proposals must be submitted via eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA -https://emma.maryland.gov/) by the listed due date and time.

8.1. Proposals Submitted via eMMA

Technical and Financial proposals submitted in eMMA are due by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on June 30, 2026, in order to be considered. Proposals and/or unsolicited amendments to proposals arriving after this time and date will not be considered.

Proposals received outside eMMA will not be considered. No pricing information is to be included in the Technical Proposal. Technical proposals must not include the financial proposal.

8.2. Inquiries

Questions from prospective applicants will be accepted by the Procurement Officer via e-mail only. Please identify in the subject line the Solicitation Number and Title.

Questions must be submitted at least seven (7) days prior to the application due date.

The Procurement Officer, based on the availability of time to research and communicate an answer, shall decide whether an answer can be given before the Application due date. Responses will be attached to the solicitation as a Q&A document five (5) days before the due date.

8.3. Receipt of Proposal

Offerors shall submit Proposals to eMMA in two separate volumes:

8.3.1. Volume I – Technical Proposal

8.3.2. Volume II – Financial Proposal

9. Submission Contents

Submitted proposals must contain the Offeror’s name, submission date, and contact information (address, phone number, email address). All technical proposals will be reviewed and evaluated.

9.3. Two‐Volume Submission: The selection procedure requires that the evaluation of the technical proposals be conducted before the cost data are reviewed.

Consequently, each proposal MUST be submitted as two separate files as indicated below.

https://emma.maryland.gov/

9.4. Technical Proposal

The Technical Proposal should not be more than ten (10) pages (standard letter size, 12 pt. font). The vendor must submit a technical proposal containing the following sections:

9.4.1. Transmittal Letter ‐ The purpose of this letter is to transmit the proposal;

therefore, it should be brief. The letter shall be signed by an individual or corporate officer who is authorized to bind their firm to all statements, including services, material availability, timeliness and prices contained in the proposal.

The letter must contain the following:

9.4.1.1. Solicitation Title and Number;

9.4.1.2. Signature, typed name, and title of an individual authorized to commit the Applicant to its Proposal;

9.4.1.3. Address, phone number, and email address;

9.4.1.4. Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) of the Applicant, or if a single individual, that individual’s Social Security Number (SSN);

9.4.1.5. Applicant’s eMMA number;

9.4.1.6. Applicant’s MBE certification number (if applicable); and

9.4.1.7. Applicant’s SBR number (if applicable)

9.4.2. Statement of Work ‐ This section should clearly demonstrate the offeror’s understanding of the scope of work and deliverables of the solicitation, and alignment of deliverables with program goals.

9.4.3. Work Plan ‐ This section should contain a definitive description of the offeror’s plan to meet the requirements of the solicitation. It should include a detailed description of the offeror’s methods and procedures for addressing all requirements and deliverables outlined in this solicitation document. The purpose of the work plan is to demonstrate the capability of the offeror to successfully manage the overall project and the individual tasks while meeting the scheduled deliverables and due dates.

9.4.4. Corporate Qualifications and Experience ‐ This section should describe the overall capabilities of the organization to complete the work as well as any proposed subcontractors

9.4.5. Staff Qualifications and Experience ‐ This section should describe how each proposed staff experience relates to that person’s specific responsibilities as detailed in the work plan for this solicitation.

9.4.6. Current W-9

9.4.7. Current Maryland Certificate of Status. This may be obtained from the Maryland

Department of Assessments and Taxation (https://dat.maryland.gov/).

9.5. Financial Proposal

Offerors must submit a separate financial proposal. The offeror shall provide a budget narrative describing each line item in the financial proposal. This document will be evaluated on the description and how reasonable the budget is for each line item. The financial proposal must include a total amount of the contract and specify https://dat.maryland.gov/ by line item how the funds would be utilized, including details for any proposed activities to be subcontracted.

10. Award Determination

The contract to result from this solicitation will be awarded to the offeror submitting the Most Advantageous Offer.

An evaluation of the technical merit of each proposal shall be conducted. Only those technical proposals deemed “reasonably susceptible” for award will be considered. All other proposals will not be considered, the offerors shall be so notified, and their financial proposals shall not be reviewed. Minor irregularities in proposals which are immaterial or inconsequential in nature may be waived or permitted to be cured whenever it is determined to be in the State’s best interest. After completing the evaluation of the technical proposals, the financial proposals will be reviewed. Proposals will be ranked individually for each of the technical criteria, based on identified significant strengths and weaknesses in each offeror’s technical proposal, up to the total number of proposals received. The final award recommendation will be based on a weighting analysis of the technical and financial proposals where technical factors will be given greater weight.

10.3. Evaluation Criteria:

10.3.1. Statement of Work:

10.3.1.1. A statement of methods, steps, and sources to be utilized for the Needs

Assessment is necessary in determining if the body of work can be completed by January 15, 2027. January 16, 2026 - February 28, 2027 will be utilized as a final review period.

10.3.1.2. Demonstration of understanding the required deliverable as outlined in section 5.1.

10.3.2. Work Plan:

10.3.2.1. Approach to the scope of work necessary for data collection, evaluation, and presentation of community needs.

10.3.2.2. Approach to overall process.

10.3.3. Experience:

The Offeror must demonstrate the following minimum qualifications and capabilities:

10.3.3.1. The Offeror must have at least three (3) years of prior experience in community assessment evaluation.

10.3.3.2. The Offeror must demonstrate their experience conducting statewide needs assessments by providing at least two prior statewide needs assessments completed for state agencies.

10.3.3.3. The Offeror must provide evidence that they have at least three years of experience working with a Primary Care Office, State Office of Rural Health, Federally Qualified Health Center, hospital, or other public health entities.

10.3.3.4. The Offeror must submit at least two (2) letters of reference attesting to the Offeror’s ability to complete the scope of work and deliverables stated in this small procurement. Letters must be dated within twelve

(12) calendar months of the proposal’s due date and must include the author’s contact information.

10.4. Vendor Eligibility

10.4.1. To be eligible to enter into a contract with the State, an offeror must be “responsible,” which is defined as having “the capability in all respects to perform fully the contract requirements, and the integrity and reliability that shall assure good faith performance.”

10.4.2. An Offeror (person or business) or its principals who have been debarred or suspended are prohibited from contracting with the State.

10.4.3. A recommended awardee must be registered and in good standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT).

10.4.4. The Maryland Comptroller’s Office must certify that the recommended awardee is in good standing and current in payment of all taxes owed.

11. Payment

11.3. Invoices should be submitted to the Procurement Officer as listed in Section 2.

11.4. Invoices can be submitted monthly, or up to twice during the contract period, midway through the contract (November 15, 2026) and at the end of the contract period (by February 28, 2027).

11.5. Invoices should include evidence that deliverables were completed by agreed upon deadline.

11.6. Amounts invoiced must be itemized and must not exceed the total amount of the contract.

11.7. Invoices shall include the:

11.7.1. Contractor name

11.7.2. Remittance address

11.7.3. Federal tax ID number

11.7.4. Invoice period

11.7.5. Invoice date

11.7.6. Invoice number

11.7.7. State-assigned contract number

11.7.8. State-assigned Purchase Order number

11.7.9. Goods or services provided

11.7.10. Amount due

11.8. Invoices submitted without the required information cannot be processed for payment until the Contractor provides the required information.

12. Department Obligations

The Department agrees to:

12.3. Provide general content guidance;

12.4. Provide guidance concerning contract activities, as needed;

12.5. Evaluate and accept deliverables, when appropriate; and

12.6. Approve and submit invoices for payment in a timely manner.