EXHIBIT A

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

PROCUREMENT ID NUMBER – BPM059560

Issue Date: October 29, 2026

Increasing Access to Perimenopausal, Menopausal, and Postmenopausal Health Care Services Through Community Health Workers

NOTICE

SMALL BUSINESS RESERVE PROCUREMENT

This is a Small Business Reserve Procurement for which the award will be limited to certified small businesses. Only businesses that meet the statutory requirements set forth in State Finance and Procurement Article, §§14-501—14-505, Annotated Code of Maryland, and that are certified by the Governor’s Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs (GOSBA) Small Business Reserve Program are eligible for award of a contract. Before awarding a contract under a procurement designated as a small business reserve procurement, the Procurement Officer shall verify that the apparent awardee is certified by the GOSBA as a small business through eMMA. However, if small businesses do not show interest in this solicitation, the Procurement Officer has the right to remove the SBR designation via an Amendment on eMMA.

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

STATE OF MARYLAND

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

RFP KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Proposals: Increasing access to perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal health care services through community health workers

Solicitation Number: BPM059560

RFP Issue Date: October 29, 2026

RFP Issuing Office: Maryland Department of Health Office of Population Health Improvement

Procurement Officer: Tiffanie D. Powell, CMPO Office of Population Health Improvement 201 W. Preston Street Baltimore, MD 21201 Phone: 410-591-0108 Tiffanie.powell@maryland.gov

Contract Monitor: Latiqua Holley Coordinator Community Health Worker Program Office of Population Health Improvement 201 W. Preston Street Baltimore, MD 21201

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

Closing Date and Time: November 19, 2026 by 4:00 PM EST

1. Summary Statement

1.1. The Community Health Worker Program, housed in the Office of Population Health Improvement (OPHI) at the Maryland Department of Health (MDH or Department), is seeking the services of a contractor to fulfill the requirements of SB0892 (CH0605) - Health Occupations, Public Health, and Insurance - Menopause - Provider Training Coverage Requirements, Policy Initiatives, and Access to Care, Section 41 of the 2026 Maryland Legislative Session. The vendor will submit a comprehensive final report to the Department.

1.2. This scope of work is supported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with 100 percent funding provided by CDC/HHS. The contents of this Request for Application are those of the Maryland Department of Health and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

2. Background

2.1. The State is issuing this solicitation funded by CDC-OE22-2203 grant, Public Health Infrastructure Grant, for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements of SB0892 (CH0605) - Health Occupations, Public Health, and Insurance - Menopause - Provider Training Coverage Requirements, Policy Initiatives, and Access to Care, Section 4, of the 2026 Maryland Legislative Session.

Section 4 of SB0892 (CH0605) requires that the Maryland Department of Health shall: (1) in consultation with the State Community Health Worker Advisory Committee, evaluate and develop an action plan to increase access to perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal health care services through the outreach of community health workers to consumers; and (2) on or before October 1, 2027, submit its evaluation and recommended action plan to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article.

The selected contractor will work with the Department, the Office of Population Health Improvement, the CHW Program, the State Community Health Worker Advisory Committee, Community Health Workers, and other relevant stakeholders to complete an evaluation and develop an action plan to increase access to perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal health care services through the outreach of community health workers to consumers.

The vendor will submit a comprehensive final report to the Department.

1 https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0892?ys=2026RS

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, CMPO 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:

Latiqua Holley Coordinator Community Health Worker Program Office of Population Health Improvement 201 W. Preston Street Baltimore, MD 21201

4. Responsibilities and Tasks - Scope of Work

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

4.1. The Americans with Disabilities Act: The Americans with Disabilities Act (https:www.ada.gov/) protects qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination on the basis of disability in services, programs, and activities.

Accessibility and inclusion of diverse populations are essential to reduce health disparities for vulnerable populations. Contractors must comply with all ADA requirements in their work to ensure the needs of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable populations are met. This includes, but is not limited to:

4.1.1. facilities and any venues used for meetings/conferences are accessible;

4.1.2. requested accommodations are provided in a timely manner; and

4.1.3. written and printed materials developed in accessible formats (easy to read, large print, etc.), or providing access to alternative formats.

For contracts which include direct patient care or service delivery through a program, the ADA requires entities provide full and equal access for people with disabilities. This includes, but is not limited to:

4.1.4. reasonable modifications of policies, practices, and procedures;

4.1.5. effective communication; and

4.1.6. accessible facilities.

4.2. Meet virtually with the OPHI and CHW Team, including Contract Monitor:

4.2.1. For an initial kick off meeting within two (2) weeks of the award.

4.2.2. Bi-weekly or as needed and agreed upon by the Contractor and the OPHI Team.

4.2.3. As needed for technical assistance to meet the Contract requirements; and

4.2.4. For input and approval of content prior to final submission of the deliverables.

4.3. In coordination with OPHI and CHW Team, establish a timeline for final work plan for completion of the final report by mutually agreed upon deadline.

4.4. Submit a final work plan to the Contract Monitor within ten (10) business days after the initial meeting with OPHI and CHW program team.

4.5. Lead work with Contract Monitor to establish meeting agendas, meeting content, and other materials to lead to successful completion of final report by deadline.

4.6. Provide a report outline/draft that will serve as a template for the development of the final report.

4.7. Complete needed research and stakeholder engagement in preparation for report development. Stakeholder engagement includes but is not limited to:

4.7.1. Engagement of health care practitioners and Community Health Workers as core subject matter experts

4.7.2. Engagement of State Community Health Worker Advisory Committee

4.7.2.1. Virtual participation and presentation at scheduled State Community

Health Worker Advisory Committee Meetings including February 8, May 7, August 16, 2027 in addition to scheduled subcommittee meetings.

4.7.3. Participation in other state committees or workgroups of related topics (e.g.

Maryland Commission for Women).

4.7.4. Consultation with other appropriate subject matter experts

4.8. Develop report to be inclusive of requirements included in SB0892 (CH0605) - Health Occupations, Public Health, and Insurance - Menopause - Provider Training Coverage Requirements, Policy Initiatives, and Access to Care, Section 4, as well as additional content and appendices as agreed upon by Contract Monitor. The report should be inclusive of at least the following:

4.8.1. A comprehensive evaluation that includes but is not limited to a baseline landscape analysis and needs assessment; CHW workforce and training gap analysis; and navigation and system barrier evaluation.

4.8.2. A comprehensive action plan to include relevant and appropriate actions that address activities such as CHW competencies and training; outreach and engagement; clinical integration and referral pathways; and funding and sustainability considerations.

4.8.3. Any additional components as determined by the Contract Monitor and the Contractor.

4.9. Prepare final report drafts for review and approval by MDH.

4.10. As determined by Contract Monitor, provide report revisions prior to final report completion.

4.11. As determined by Contract Monitor, present or share with stakeholder groups by agreed upon deadlines in agreed upon formats.

4.12. Provide final report, as approved Contract Monitor and MDH staff, by agreed upon deadline.

5. Deliverable Requirements

5.1. The Contractor shall:

5.1.1. Respond to the legislatively mandated report included in SB0892 (CH0605), Section 4:

5.1.1.1. Evaluate and develop an action plan to increase access to perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal health care services through the outreach of community health workers to consumers

5.1.2. Prepare multiple iterations of the final report for approval by the Contract Monitor as noted above.

5.1.3. Submit a formal draft of the final report for review by the Contract Monitor by agreed-upon date.

5.1.4. Provide final report, as approved by Contract Monitor, to MDH by approved deadline.

5.1.5. Ensure the report complies with the MDH and Maryland General Assembly submission guidelines as provided by Contract Monitor.

5.1.6. A workplan and timeline to complete all Responsibilities and Tasks identified in Section 4.

5.2. Deliverable Submission:

5.2.1. Unless specified otherwise, written deliverables shall be compatible with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, or some other equally accessible and mutually agreed-upon program.

5.2.2. A standard deliverable review cycle will be elaborated and agreed upon between the State and the Contractor. This review process is entered into when the Contractor completes a deliverable.

5.3. Deliverable Acceptance

5.3.1. A final deliverable shall satisfy the scope and requirements of this contract for that deliverable.

5.3.2. The Contract Monitor shall review a final deliverable to determine compliance with the acceptance criteria as defined for that deliverable. The Contract Monitor is responsible for coordinating comments and input from various team members and stakeholders on provided deliverables. The Contract Monitor is responsible for providing clear guidance and direction to the Contractor in the event of divergent feedback from various team members.

5.3.3. In the event of rejection, the Contract Monitor will formally communicate in writing any deliverable deficiencies or non-conformities to the Contractor, describing in those deficiencies what shall be corrected prior to acceptance of the deliverable in sufficient detail for the Contractor to address the deficiencies.

The Contractor shall correct deficiencies and resubmit the corrected deliverable for acceptance within the agreed-upon time period for correction.

5.4. Minimum Deliverable Quality

5.4.1. 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:

5.4.1.1. Be presented in a format appropriate for the subject matter and depth of discussion;

5.4.1.2. Be organized in a manner that presents a logical flow of the deliverable’s content;

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

5.4.1.4. Include only information relevant to each section of the deliverable;

5.4.1.5. Contain content and presentation consistent with industry best practices in terms of deliverable completeness, clarity, and quality;

5.4.1.6. Meet the acceptance criteria applicable to that deliverable, including any

State policies, functional or non-functional requirements, or industry standards. These include being presented in a format editable by the Department and containing the Department logo/branding;

5.4.1.7. Does not contain structural errors such as poor grammar, misspellings or incorrect punctuation;

5.4.1.8. Contain the date and page numbers. When applicable for a deliverable, a revision table must be included; and

5.4.1.9. A draft written deliverable may contain limited structural errors such as incorrect punctuation and shall represent a significant level of completeness toward the associated final written deliverable. The draft written deliverable shall otherwise comply with minimum deliverable quality criteria above.

6. Contract Term

The term of this contract is projected to be January 11, 2027 – August 31, 2027.

7. Procurement Method

This procurement is being conducted as a Small Procurement as described in COMAR 21.05.07.

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 November 19, 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.

9.1. 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.

9.2. Technical Proposal

Contractor MUST submit a technical proposal containing the following sections:

9.2.1. 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:

9.2.1.1. Solicitation Title and Number;

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

9.2.1.3. Address, phone number, and email address of the individual above;

9.2.1.4. Name, address, phone number, and email address of the contact person for inquiries about your proposal if different from the signatory in Section 9.2.1.2;

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

9.2.1.6. Applicant’s eMMA number;

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

9.2.1.8. Applicant’s SBR number (if applicable)

9.2.2. Statement of Work - This section should clearly demonstrate the offeror’s understanding of the CHW workforce; perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal health care services; Maryland’s health care system; the scope of work and deliverables of the solicitation, and alignment of deliverables with program goals.

9.2.3. 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.

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

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

9.2.6. Current W-9

9.2.7. Current Maryland Certificate of Status

9.2.8. Applicant shall acknowledge they have read the American with Disabilities Act

Statement in Section 4.1 and will meet all requirements.

9.3. 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 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.

10.1. Evaluation Criteria:

10.1.1. Statement of Work:

10.1.1.1. Demonstration of understanding of the work of all elements necessary to implement the associated responsibilities and tasks.

10.1.1.2. Demonstration of understanding of the deliverables in this RFP and their alignment with Maryland Department of Health and state program goals.

10.1.2. Work Plan:

10.1.2.1. Approach to the scope of work and deliverables, inclusive of evaluation and action plan.

10.1.2.2. Approach to engagement of stakeholders in the development of the deliverable including Community Health Workers.

10.1.2.3. Approach to providing administrative and technical support.

10.1.2.4. Approach to overall and task-specific management within stated timeframes.

10.1.3. Corporate and Staff Qualifications and Experience:

The Offeror must demonstrate the following minimum qualifications and capabilities:

10.1.3.1. The Offeror must have at least two (2) years of prior experience working Community Health Workers or other lay health workers.

10.1.3.2. The Offeror must provide evidence that the Offeror has expertise with topics relevant to this project, including perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal health care services in Maryland.

10.1.3.3. The Offeror must provide the resumes or qualifications of the individual(s) responsible for meeting the requirements of this RFP including subject matter experts.

10.1.3.4. The Offeror must have the technological ability to participate in virtual meetings with large stakeholder groups.

10.1.3.5. 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 due date and must include the author’s contact information.

10.2. Contractor Eligibility

10.2.1. 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.”

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

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

10.2.4. 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

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

11.2. Invoices shall be submitted no later than the 15th of the month for the preceding calendar month.

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

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

11.5. Invoices shall include the:

11.5.1. Contractor name

11.5.2. Remittance address

11.5.3. Federal tax ID number

11.5.4. Invoice period

11.5.5. Invoice date

11.5.6. Invoice number

11.5.7. State-assigned contract number

11.5.8. State-assigned Purchase Order number

11.5.9. Goods or services provided

11.5.10. Amount due

11.6. 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:

12.1. Provide general content guidance;

12.2. Provide guidance concerning contract activities, as needed;

12.3. Evaluate and accept deliverables, when appropriate; and

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