Doulas RFP Informational Webinar Reposted Fall 2024.pdf

Doulas Services Request for Proposals Webinar

Jennifer Green Health Director

8.29.2024

Housekeeping

• Please mute your audio

• Put your name and organization in the chat box

• Please type your questions in chat box

• Slides will be posted on the website after all informational webinars are complete

• Responses to questions will be available as an addendum to the RFP after all informational webinars are complete

• (No sooner than November15th)

• RFP and the Budget template are available online:

https://www.cumberlandcountync.gov/departments/finance-group/finance-services/procurement/bids-notices

Dates to Remember

• Date of Issue: October 30, 2024

• Informational webinars

• November 6, 2024 at 10 AM

• Questions Due

• November 12 at 2:00 PM

• Proposals are due

• December 4 at 2:00 PM

Maternal Health Background

• There are wide racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health outcomes

• The reasons are complex and often due to structural, organizational, societal, and other access to challenges

• Birth doula services are one strategy that can have a positive impact maternal health outcomes

• Doula services are not often covered by health insurance

Maternal Health Background

Those who receive doulas services have C-section Pre-term birth Low birth rate

Shorter length of labor Respectful care Breastfeeding initiation

Funding Purpose Fund up to 2 doula agencies at up to $75,000 each over 12 months to hire at least 2 doulas

Proposal and Project Criteria

• Agencies must have at least three years of experience providing doulas services

• Serve the residents of Cumberland County. Funding cannot be used to serve residents in other counties.

• Hire or contract with two birth doulas certified by a DONA International accredited/affiliated organization or other organization with approval

• Utilize evidence-based practices

• Complete at least one training on focused on health equity, health disparities, or social determinants of health to support individual competencies and organizational capacity to promote health equity.

• Provide continuous labor support to at least 30 clients annually

• Initiate and maintain contact with doula clients as follows: at least 3 visits during pregnancy; within 2 days after birth; and within 6 weeks after birth.

• Provide back-up coverage to the second doula contracted or hired with the program to ensure that all clients have continuous labor support.

Proposal and Project Criteria

• A representative of the funded agency must attend monthly Perinatal Taskforce meetings held the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 3 PM at the Health Department

• Collect and submit data at several intervals before, during and after birth

• Participate in all coordinated meetings with other funded agencies

• Provide performance reporting regarding use of funds and project impact on a quarterly basis

• Include an approved budget utilizing the County’s Budget Template and track and report expenditures utilizing the same form

• Note the addendum to the original RFP: No community health worker activities are required

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Organizations

• Nonprofit organizations

• Governmental agencies

• Hospital systems

• Private health care providers

• Federal Qualified Health Centers

• Other community-based organizations.

• Proof of nonprofit status is required for entities applying as a non-profit

*Focus is on uninsured and underinsured women who do not have an alternate funding source

Proposal Requirements and Evaluation Criteria Statement of Need (10 points)

Program Description and Implementation Plan (25 points)

Data Collection, Evaluation, and Reporting (15 points)

Equity Impact (10 points)

Collaboration and Coordination (15 points)

Experience and Organizational Capacity (15 points)

Letters of Commitment/Support (required, not scored)

Budget Narrative (10 points)

100 points total

Project Narrative

Statement of Need (10 points)

• What is the need for doula services for the community and for your agency?

• Describe

• The factors that contribute to poor maternal morbidity and mortality rates

• The need for doula services in Cumberland County

• Data demonstrating health disparities and inequities that affect the health and well-being of women of reproductive age in Cumberland County (i.e.

obesity, hypertension, substance use, tobacco use, etc.)

• Cite your sources

Program Description and Implementation Plan (25 points)

• What will you do, how will you do it, and when will you do it? Who is doing the work?

• Describe how you will implement a doula program that meets the project requirements in section 4.2

• What activities and services will you provide?

• Timeline for implementation of activities

• Hiring, service delivery, etc.?

• What evidence-based practices are you using?

Data Collection, Evaluation, and Reporting (15 points)

• How will you measure success?

• Who is responsible for data collection?

• How are you collecting the data

(spreadsheet, survey, software?)

• What data collection tools/instruments are you using

• Quarterly reporting required

Required data collection measures

• # of women, infants, and families served

• # Race and ethnicity demographics

• # prenatal care visits

• # home and/or community visits completed

• including pregnancy, postpartum visits, complications (severe maternal morbidity),

• Breastfeeding initiation,

• # of inductions and cesarean

• Feedback received from completed client satisfaction surveys.

Equity Impact (10 points)

• How will you reach marginalized populations?

• How will address the needs of uninsured/underinsured?

• How will you address social determinants of health?

• Food insecurity

• Housing

• Transportation

• Employment

• This may happen directly or through other partners

Collaboration and Coordination (15 points)

• How will you work with others in the community?

• List community partners you will work with

• How will you work with each partner?

• How will you make referrals to other agencies to address client needs?

Experience and Organizational Capacity (15 points)

• Tell us about your agency!

• Note the addendum to the original RFP: No community health worker staff are required

• Mission, vision, and background

• What capacity and experience do you have to implement the work

• How will you hire and train staff?

• Include a job description or a resume/CV for the doulas

• Not included in the page limit

• What experience do you have addressing social determinants of health?

Budget and Narrative

• Must use Attachment C

• Submit a one-year budget

• Up to $75,000

• Administrative costs are allowable

• Include a narrative for each section on the Excel spreadsheet

• Funding is based on monthly reimbursement

• Cost items

• Personnel and fringe

• Travel

• Equipment

• Material and supplies

• Consultants (professional services)

• Training and education

• Additional cost items

Submitting Your Proposal

Single spaced 12 point font No more than 10 pages

CV/Job description is not included in the page limit Number pages Bold the section headers

Submitting Your Proposal

• Due December 4, 2024 2:00 PM

• Submit one (1) signed, original executed proposal response, three (3) photocopies, and one (1) electronic copy on flash drive

• Submit your proposal in a sealed package. Mark your package with

• Vendor name

• RFP number

• Due date

• Electronic copy should be in a PDF and Excel format

• Mailing address or delivery address, see PG 5

Proposal Questions

• Questions are due November 12 at 2:00 PM

• Vendors should not contact any other County employees, besides those listed above, during the bid process.

• Posted in the form of an addendum to the Cumberland County

Vendor Self Service Site

• Direct all inquiries to

• Sophia Murnahan

• Purchasing Manager

• Email: cumberlandpurchasing@cumberlandcountync.gov

• Phone: 910-678-7743