HSS26065-RLIBBASHLT_rfp.pdf

State of Delaware

RURAL LIBRARY-BASED HEALTH ACCESS

Request for Proposal HSS-26-065 For

Division of Public Health

February 12, 2026

- Deadline to Respond – April 15, 2026 AT 1:00 PM EDT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

RURAL LIBRARY-BASED HEALTH ACCESS

ISSUED BY

DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Contents:

I. Overview

II. Scope of Services

III. Required Information

IV. Professional Services RFP Administrative Information

V. Contract Terms and Conditions

VI. RFP Miscellaneous Information

VII. Attachments

Appendix A – Minimum Mandatory Submission Requirements Appendix B – Scope of Work and Tenhnical RequirementsAppendix_B

Appendix C – Vendor Forms o Attachment 2 - Vendor Information Form o Attachment 3 - Non-Collusion Statement o Attachment 4 - Exception Form o Attachment 5 - Confidentiality Form o Attachment 6 - Business References o Attachment 7 - Subcontractor Form – if applicable

Appendix D – Templates/Sample Agreements o Professional Services Agreement o Business Associate Agreement o DTI Terms & Conditions

Appendix E – Workplan Template Appendix F – Project Cost Template

** Ctrl + Click on the headings above will take you directly to the section.

STATE OF DELAWARE

DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH

I. Overview

The State of Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, seeks professional services to support the design, launch, and operation of library-based health access services, including personnel, telehealth technology and equipment, broadband and connectivity enhancements, private consultation spaces, health navigation and enrollment assistance, community outreach and education, data collection and reporting systems, and administrative infrastructure necessary to ensure program quality, compliance, and sustainability. This request for proposals (“RFP”) is issued pursuant to 29 Del. C. §§ 6981 and 6982.

The proposed schedule of events subject to the RFP is outlined below:

Public Notice February 12, 2026

Deadline for Questions March 4, 2026 @ 4:30 PM EST

Pre-Bid Meeting - Non-Mandatory March 18, 2026 @ 1:00 PM EDT

Response to Questions Posted by: April 1, 2026

Deadline for Receipt of Proposals April 15, 2026 at 1:00 PM EDT

Estimated Notification of Award May 29, 2026

Estimated Project Start Date July 1, 2026

Each proposal must be accompanied by a transmittal letter which briefly summarizes the proposing firm’s interest in providing the required professional services. The transmittal letter must also clearly state and justify any exceptions to the requirements of the RFP which the applicant may have taken in presenting the proposal. (Applicant exceptions must also be recorded on Attachment 4).

Furthermore, the transmittal letter must attest to the fact, at a minimum, that the Vendor shall not store or transfer non-public State of Delaware data outside of the United States.

For technology related solicitations, Vendors may refer to the Delaware Department of Technology and Information identified terms and conditions included in this solicitation.

The State of Delaware reserves the right to deny any and all exceptions taken to the RFP requirements.

PRE-BID MEETING

This is a non-mandatory meeting.

http://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c069/sc06/index.shtml http://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c069/sc06/index.shtml

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Questions may be submitted no later than March 4, 2026 @ 4:30 PM EST.

All inquiries must be submitted in the Q/A section of the project listing in the Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) Portal (https://dhss.bonfirehub.com).

The Department’s response to questions will be posted, according to the procurement schedule, under the project listing in Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) and to the State of Delaware Bid Solicitation Directory Website: http://www.bids.delaware.gov/ by April 1, 2026.

II. Scope of Services

Background

The mission of the Division of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and enhance the health of the people of Delaware. The Division accomplishes its mission by:

• working together with others;

• addressing issues that affect the health of Delawareans;

• keeping track of the State’s health;

• promoting positive lifestyles;

• responding to critical health issues and disasters;

• promoting the availability of health services.

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/2482356624414?p=ZYKz7FRoBuhpM93gEs https://aka.ms/JoinTeamsMeeting?omkt=en-US https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_Y2VhMzM3NTUtZmU3Yy00NjMwLTg4YTQtMjEwN2ZlNTZhZjk4%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%228c09e569-51c5-4dee-abb2-8b99c32a4396%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22f68aa7af-1eb2-4629-be0c-2514d77f5c9a%22%7d tel:+13025048986,,7338525 https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/4c43fd5f-fe91-4bec-8ad1-eeed4888ae52?id=7338525 https://pexip.me/teams/sod.onpexip.com/1146098181 https://teams.microsoft.com/meetingOptions/?organizerId=f68aa7af-1eb2-4629-be0c-2514d77f5c9a&tenantId=8c09e569-51c5-4dee-abb2-8b99c32a4396&threadId=19_meeting_Y2VhMzM3NTUtZmU3Yy00NjMwLTg4YTQtMjEwN2ZlNTZhZjk4@thread.v2&messageId=0&language=en-US https://dialin.teams.microsoft.com/usp/pstnconferencing https://dhss.bonfirehub.com/ https://mmp.delaware.gov/Bids/

The successful implementation of this initiative will support DPH in realizing its vision of an environment where all Delaware residents can achieve their full potential for a healthy life.

Through the Library-Based Care Access Initiative, this vision will translate into measurable action in rural Sussex and Kent Counties, where long-standing structural barriers, including healthcare provider shortages, limited availability of specialty services, transportation challenges, and a disproportionate burden of chronic disease, have historically limited opportunities for residents to achieve optimal health. By transforming trusted local libraries into community-based health access hubs offering telehealth, care coordination, and navigation services, this initiative will bring high-quality care directly into the center of rural communities. This approach reduces the need for long-distance travel, normalizes help-seeking in familiar settings, and ensures timely access to preventive and behavioral health services. Beyond improving individual outcomes, this initiative will strengthen the public health system by extending the reach of state and local agencies, enhancing cross-sector coordination, and building lasting service infrastructure in rural areas, ultimately supporting healthier, more resilient communities and improving the quality of life for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and low-income residents.

To ensure lasting impact, proposals must demonstrate a clear and viable sustainability strategy that extends beyond the initial funding period and supports the long-term continuation, scalability, and integration of services within rural library systems and local healthcare networks.

Funding under this initiative will support the design, launch, and operation of library-based health access services, including personnel, telehealth technology and equipment, broadband and connectivity enhancements, private consultation spaces, health navigation and enrollment assistance, community outreach and education, data collection and reporting systems, and administrative infrastructure necessary to ensure program quality, compliance, and sustainability. A designated portion of project funding will be used specifically to strengthen telehealth capacity in rural library branches, including investments in secure technology, private consultation spaces, connectivity, and on-site support. This will ensure residents in rural communities have reliable, confidential, and high-quality access to virtual healthcare services.

B. Project Goals

The following goals define the core objectives of the Library-Based Health Access Initiative and guide program design, implementation, and evaluation. Together, they reflect a targeted commitment to improving health outcomes in rural Sussex and Kent Counties by reducing long-standing access barriers, expanding timely and equitable care delivery, and strengthening local public health system capacity through community-based infrastructure and cross-sector partnerships. These goals align with federal rural health priorities by advancing telehealth access, care coordination, chronic disease management, and health equity in medically underserved areas, while building sustainable, locally established systems that address both clinical needs and the broader social determinants of health.

Goal 1: Expand Rural Health Access Through Libraries

Increase access to healthcare services for rural residents by expanding health access services and extending operating hours at nine rural libraries, ensuring telehealth, health navigation, and social services support are available within close geographic proximity to underserved communities.

• Expand operating hours at nine designated rural library branches to support evening and weekend access

• Establish standardized service delivery schedules for telehealth, navigation, and social services

• Equip each location with private consultation spaces and required technology

• Deploy library-based community health specialists at each site

• Conduct targeted outreach to rural residents to promote available services

Goal 2: Scale Delaware’s Proven Library Telehealth Model

Build upon Delaware’s nationally recognized library-based telehealth infrastructure to increase utilization of virtual primary care, mental health, and substance use disorder services, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT), in secure and trusted settings.

• Upgrade telehealth software platforms and scheduling systems

• Install and maintain secure, HIPAA-compliant equipment in private library spaces

• Formalize clinical workflows with DSAMH, DPH, DHSS, and provider partners

• Train staff to support MAT appointments and other sensitive clinical services

• Track telehealth utilization, appointment completion rates, and service outcomes

Goal 3: Strengthen Care Navigation and Social Services Integration

Improve residents’ ability to access and sustain care by providing on-site assistance with healthcare navigation, insurance enrollment, benefits applications, and referrals.

• Hire and train telehealth specialists and digital navigation specialists

• Assist patrons with Medicare, Medicaid, and ACA enrollment processes

• Facilitate EBT/SNAP and other public benefits applications

• Establish referral protocols with healthcare providers and community organizations

• Implement case documentation and follow-up systems

Goal 4: Address Social Determinants of Health in Rural Communities

Reduce non-clinical barriers to health by integrating education, workforce, legal, and wellness services into library-based programming.

• Deliver health literacy, chronic disease management, and aging-in-place education programs

• Provide naloxone training and substance use prevention education

• Offer nutrition education and wellness activities

• Facilitate job readiness services, including interview coaching and resume support

• Coordinate on-site or virtual legal consultations and community resource clinics

Goal 5: Enhance System Coordination and Program Sustainability

Strengthen coordination among state agencies and partners while building long-term operational capacity for continued service delivery.

• Appoint a project lead to supervise staff, manage partnerships, and oversee implementation

• Formalize interagency coordination structures with DSAMH, DPH, DHSS, and the Division of Libraries

• Establish performance monitoring and data reporting systems

• Develop a multi-year sustainability and funding diversification plan

• Identify reimbursement and cost-sharing opportunities to support long-term operations

C. Scope of Work/Bidders Requirements: All components listed in Appendix B are mandatory.

Please refer to Appendix B for additional details/requirements for the Scope of Services.

III. Required Information The following information shall be provided in each proposal in the order listed below. Failure to respond to any request for information within this proposal may result in rejection of the proposal at the sole discretion of the State.

A. Minimum Requirements

1. Provide Delaware license(s) and/or certification(s) necessary to perform services as identified in the scope of work.

Prior to the execution of an award document, the successful Vendor shall either furnish the Agency with proof of State of Delaware Business Licensure or initiate the process of application where required.

2. Vendor shall provide responses to the Request for Proposal (RFP) scope of work and clearly identify capabilities as presented in the General Evaluation Requirements below.

3. Complete all appropriate attachments and forms as identified within the RFP.

4. Proof of insurance and amount of insurance shall be furnished to the Agency prior to the start of the contract period and shall be no less than as identified in the bid solicitation, Section V, Item G, subsection 8 (Insurance).

B. General Evaluation Requirements [Use one or more of the subsections below]

1. Administrative oversight

2. Relevant experience

3. Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement

4. Organizational Resources and partnerships.

5. Alignment with RFP Goals and Requirements

6. Logic & Sequencing of Activities

7. Quality of Workplan and Timeline

8. Integration with existing DPH initiatives.

9. Completeness of Response

10. Feasibility of Proposed Strategies

11. Rural Integration and Coordination

12. Demonstrated Rural Service Delivery and Partnerships

13. Sustainability Planning

14. Staffing Structure & Qualifications

15. Recruitment and Retention Plan

16. Training and Supervision Plan

17. Budget Transparency and Justification

18. Cost Effectiveness

19. Alignment with Workplan

IV. Professional Services RFP Administrative Information A. RFP Issuance

1. Public Notice Public notice has been provided in accordance with 29 Del. C. § 6981.

2. Obtaining Copies of the RFP This RFP is available in electronic form through the State of Delaware Procurement website at https://mmp.delaware.gov/Bids/ and on Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) at https://dhss.bonfirehub.com.

http://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c069/sc06/index.shtml#6981

Paper copies of this RFP will not be available.

3. Assistance to Vendors with a Disability Vendors with a disability may receive accommodation regarding the means of communicating this RFP or participating in the procurement process. For more information, contact the Designated Contact no later than ten days prior to the deadline for receipt of proposals.

4. RFP Designated Contact All requests, questions, or other communications about this RFP shall be made through Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) at https://dhss.bonfirehub.com.

Communications made to other State of Delaware personnel or attempting to ask questions by phone or in person will not be allowed or recognized as valid and may disqualify the vendor.

Vendors should rely only on written statements issued by the RFP designated Contracts, Management and Procurement contact.

The RFP designated contact is:

Rick Williamson 417 Federal Street Dover, DE 19904 Ricky.Williamson@delaware.gov

Contracts, Management and Procurement Contact:

Eddie Mui Management Analyst III DHSS_DMS_dmsprocure@delaware.gov

5. Consultants and Legal Counsel

The State of Delaware may retain consultants or legal counsel to assist in the review and evaluation of this RFP and the vendors’ responses. Bidders shall not contact the State’s consultant or legal counsel on any matter related to the RFP.

6. Contact with State Employees Direct contact with State of Delaware employees other than the State of Delaware Designated Contact regarding this RFP is expressly prohibited without prior consent.

Vendors directly contacting State of Delaware employees risk elimination of their proposal from further consideration. Exceptions exist only for organizations currently doing business in the State who require contact in the normal course of doing that business.

7. Organizations Ineligible to Bid Any individual, business, organization, corporation, consortium, partnership, joint venture, or any other entity including subcontractors currently debarred or suspended is ineligible to bid. Any entity ineligible to conduct business in the State of Delaware for any reason is ineligible to respond to the RFP.

8. Exclusions The Proposal Evaluation Team reserves the right to refuse to consider any proposal from a vendor who:

a. Has been convicted for commission of a criminal offense as an incident to obtaining or attempting to obtain a public or private contract or subcontract, or in the performance of the contract or subcontract:

b. Has been convicted under State or Federal statutes of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, receiving stolen property, or other offense indicating a lack of business integrity or business honesty that currently and seriously affects responsibility as a State contractor:

c. Has been convicted or has had a civil judgment entered for a violation under State or Federal antitrust statutes:

d. Has violated contract provisions such as:

1) Known failure without good cause to perform in accordance with the specifications or within the time limit provided in the contract; or

2) Failure to perform or unsatisfactory performance in accordance with terms of one or more contracts;

e. Has violated ethical standards set out in law or regulation; and

f. Any other cause listed in regulations of the State of Delaware determined to be serious and compelling as to affect responsibility as a State contractor, including suspension or debarment by another governmental entity for a cause listed in the regulations.

B. RFP Submissions

1. Acknowledgement of Understanding of Terms By submitting a bid, each vendor shall be deemed to acknowledge that it has carefully read all sections of this RFP, including all forms, schedules and exhibits hereto, and has fully informed itself as to all existing conditions and limitations.

2. Proposals To be considered, all proposals must be submitted in through Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) at https://dhss.bonfirehub.com/ and respond to the items outlined in this RFP.

The State reserves the right to reject any non-responsive or non-conforming proposals.

Responses submitted by hard copy, mail, facsimile, or e-mail will not be accepted.

All proposals must be submitted prior to 1:00 PM EDT on April 15, 2026.

PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

a. Proposals must be received before the Proposal Due Date and Time, as identified in the Procurement Schedule for this RFP.

Responses received after the Proposal Due Date and Time will not be accepted.

b. Upload your submission at: https://dhss.bonfirehub.com/

Important Notes:

• Logging in and/or uploading the file(s) does not mean the response is submitted. Users must successfully upload all the file(s) and MUST click the submit button before the proposal due date and time.

• Users will receive an email confirmation receipt with a unique confirmation number once the submission has been finalized. This will confirm that the proposal has been submitted successfully.

• Each submitted item of Requested Information will only become visible to DHSS after the proposal due date and time.

• If the file is mandatory, you will not be able to complete your submission until the requirement is met.

• Uploading large documents may take significant time depending on the size of the file(s) and your Internet connection speed. The maximum upload file size is 1000 MB.

• Minimum system requirements: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox. Java Script must be enabled.

• Notarizations are no longer required.

Need Help? Please contact Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) directly at Bonfire Hub, email to support.bonfire@eunasolutions.com, or call 1- 844- 226- EUNA (3862) press 1 for customer support/technical questions or issues related to your submission. You can also visit their help forum at https://customer.eunasolutions.com/public/s/contactsupport.

Any proposal submitted after the Deadline for Receipt of Proposals date will not be accepted. The contents of any proposal shall not be disclosed as to be made available to competing entities during the negotiation process.

Upon receipt of vendor proposals, each vendor shall be presumed to be thoroughly familiar with all specifications and requirements of this RFP. The failure or omission to examine any form, instrument or document shall in no way relieve vendors from any obligation in respect to this RFP.

3. Proposal Modifications Any changes, amendments or modifications to a proposal must be submitted through Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) prior to the proposal due date. Changes, amendments, or modifications to proposals shall not be accepted or considered after the hour and date specified as the deadline for submission of proposals.

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4. Proposal Costs and Expenses

The State of Delaware will not pay any costs incurred by any Vendor associated with any aspect of responding to this solicitation, including proposal preparation, printing or delivery, attendance at vendor’s conference, system demonstrations or negotiation process.

5. Proposal Expiration Date Prices quoted in the proposal shall remain fixed and binding on the bidder at least through June 30, 2027. The State of Delaware reserves the right to ask for an extension of time if needed.

6. Late Proposals Proposals submitted after the specified date and time will not be accepted by the Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) Portal. Evaluation of the proposals is expected to begin shortly after the proposal due date. To document compliance with the deadline, the proposal will be date and time stamped upon receipt by Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire).

7. Proposal Opening The State of Delaware will receive proposals via Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) until the date and time shown in this RFP. Proposals will be opened in the presence of State of Delaware personnel.

There will be no public opening of proposals, but a public log will be kept of the names of all vendor organizations that submitted proposals. The contents of any proposal shall not be disclosed in accordance with 29 Del. C. § 10001, et seq. (“FOIA”).

8. Non-Conforming Proposals Non-conforming proposals will not be considered. Non-conforming proposals are defined as those that do not meet the requirements of this RFP. The determination of whether an RFP requirement is substantive, or a mere formality shall reside solely within the State of Delaware.

9. Concise Proposals The State of Delaware discourages overly lengthy and costly proposals. It is the desire that proposals be prepared in a straightforward and concise manner. Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or other promotional materials beyond those sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal are not desired. The State of Delaware’s interest is in the quality and responsiveness of the proposal.

10. Realistic Proposals It is the expectation of the State of Delaware that vendors can fully satisfy the obligations of the proposal in the manner and timeframe defined within the proposal.

Proposals must be realistic and must represent the best estimate of time, materials and other costs including the impact of inflation and any economic or other factors that are reasonably predictable.

http://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c100/index.shtml

The State of Delaware shall bear no responsibility or increase obligation for a vendor’s failure to accurately estimate the costs or resources required to meet the obligations defined in the proposal.

11. Confidentiality of Documents The State of Delaware and its constituent agencies are required to comply with the State of Delaware Freedom of Information Act, 29 Del. C. § 10001, et seq. (“FOIA”).

FOIA requires that the State of Delaware’s records are public records (unless otherwise declared by FOIA or other law to be exempt from disclosure) and are subject to inspection and copying by any person upon a written request. All proposals are subject to FOIA’s public disclosure obligations.

The State of Delaware wishes to create a business-friendly environment and procurement process. As such, the State respects the vendor community’s desire to protect its intellectual property, trade secrets, and confidential business information (collectively referred to herein as “confidential business information”). Proposals must contain sufficient information to be evaluated. If a vendor feels that they cannot submit their proposal without including confidential business information, they must adhere to the following procedure, or their proposal may be deemed unresponsive, may not be recommended for selection, and any applicable protection for the vendor’s confidential business information may be lost.

In order to allow the State to assess its ability to protect a vendor’s confidential business information, vendors will be permitted to designate appropriate portions of their proposal as confidential business information.

Vendor(s) may submit portions of a proposal considered to be confidential business information in separate file(s) identified as “Confidential Business Information” and include the specific RFP number. The file must contain a letter from the vendor’s legal counsel describing the documents in the file, representing in good faith that the information in each document is not “public record” as defined by 29 Del. C. § 10002, and briefly stating the reasons that each document meets the said definitions.

Upon receipt of a proposal accompanied by such separate file(s), the State of Delaware will open the file to determine whether the procedure described above has been followed. A vendor’s allegation as to its confidential business information shall not be binding on the State. The State shall independently determine the validity of any vendor designation as set forth in this section. Any vendor submitting a proposal or using the procedures discussed herein expressly accepts the State’s absolute right and duty to independently assess the legal and factual validity of any information designated as confidential business information. Accordingly, vendor(s) assume the risk that confidential business information included in a proposal may enter the public domain.

12. Multi-Vendor Solutions (Joint Ventures) Multi-vendor solutions (joint ventures) will be allowed only if one of the venture partners is designated as the “prime contractor”. The “prime contractor” must be the joint venture’s contact point for the State of Delaware and be responsible for the joint https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c100/index.html https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c100/index.html venture’s performance under the contract, including all project management, legal and financial responsibility for the implementation of all vendor systems. If a joint venture is proposed, a copy of the joint venture agreement clearly describing the responsibilities of the partners must be submitted with the proposal. Services specified in the proposal shall not be subcontracted without prior written approval by the State of Delaware, and approval of a request to subcontract shall not in any way relieve Vendor of responsibility for the professional and technical accuracy and adequacy of the work. Further, vendor shall be and remain liable for all damages to the State of Delaware caused by negligent performance or non-performance of work by its subcontractor or its sub-subcontractor.

Multi-vendor proposals must be a consolidated response with all cost included in the cost summary. Where necessary, RFP response pages are to be duplicated for each vendor.

a. Primary Vendor

The State of Delaware expects to negotiate and contract with only one “prime vendor”. The State of Delaware will not accept any proposals that reflect an equal teaming arrangement or from vendors who are co-bidding on this RFP. The prime vendor will be responsible for the management of all subcontractors.

Any contract that may result from this RFP shall specify that the prime vendor is solely responsible for fulfillment of any contract with the State as a result of this procurement. The State will make contract payments only to the awarded vendor.

Payments to any-subcontractors are the sole responsibility of the prime vendor (awarded vendor).

Nothing in this section shall prohibit the State of Delaware from the full exercise of its options under Section IV.B.18 regarding multiple source contracting.

b. Sub-contracting The vendor selected shall be solely responsible for contractual performance and management of all subcontract relationships. This contract allows subcontracting assignments; however, vendors assume all responsibility for work quality, delivery, installation, maintenance, and any supporting services required by a subcontractor.

Use of subcontractors must be clearly explained in the proposal, and major subcontractors must be identified by name.

The prime vendor shall be wholly responsible for the entire contract performance whether or not subcontractors are used.

Any sub-contractors must be approved by State of Delaware.

c. Multiple Proposals A primary vendor may not participate in more than one proposal in any form. Sub-contracting vendors may participate in multiple joint venture proposals.

13. Sub-Contracting

The vendor selected shall be solely responsible for contractual performance and management of all subcontract relationships. This contract allows subcontracting assignments; however, vendors assume all responsibility for work quality, delivery, installation, maintenance, and any supporting services required by a subcontractor.

The use of subcontractors WILL be permitted for this project.

If a subcontractor is going to be used, this needs to be specified in the proposal, with an identification of the proposed subcontractor by name, the service(s) to be provided, and its qualifications to provide such service(s).

Subcontractors will be held to the same requirements as the primary contractor.

The contract with the primary contractor will bind sub or co-contractors to the primary contractor by the terms, specifications, and standards of the RFP. All such terms, specifications, and standards shall preserve and protect the rights of the agency under the RFP and any subsequent proposals and contracts with respect to the services performed by the sub or co-contractor, so that the sub or co-contractor will not prejudice such rights. Nothing in the RFP shall create any contractual relation between any sub or co-contractor and the agency.

14. Discrepancies and Omissions Vendor is fully responsible for the completeness and accuracy of their proposal, and for examining this RFP and all addenda. Failure to do so will be at the sole risk of vendor. Should vendor find discrepancies, omissions, unclear or ambiguous intent or meaning, or should any questions arise concerning this RFP, vendor shall notify the State of Delaware’s Designated Contact, in writing, of such findings at least ten (10) days before the proposal opening. This will allow issuance of any necessary addenda.

It will also help prevent the opening of a defective proposal and exposure of vendor’s proposal upon which award could not be made. All unresolved issues should be addressed in the proposal.

Protests based on any omission or error, or on the content of the solicitation, will be disallowed if these faults have not been brought to the attention of the Designated Contact, in writing, at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the time set for opening of the proposals.

15. State’s Right to Reject Proposals The State of Delaware reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals or any part of any proposal, to waive defects, technicalities or any specifications (whether they be in the State of Delaware’s specifications or vendor’s response), to sit and act as sole judge of the merit and qualifications of each product offered, or to solicit new proposals on the same project or on a modified project which may include portions of the originally proposed project as the State of Delaware may deem necessary in the best interest of the State of Delaware.

16. State’s Right to Cancel Solicitation The State of Delaware reserves the right to cancel this solicitation at any time during the procurement process, for any reason or for no reason. The State of Delaware makes no commitments expressed or implied, that this process will result in a business transaction with any vendor.

This RFP does not constitute an offer by the State of Delaware. Vendor’s participation in this process may result in the State of Delaware selecting your organization to engage in further discussions and negotiations toward execution of a contract. The commencement of such negotiations does not, however, signify a commitment by the State of Delaware to execute a contract nor to continue negotiations. The State of Delaware may terminate negotiations at any time and for any reason, or for no reason.

17. State’s Right to Award Multiple Source Contracting Pursuant to 29 Del. C. § 6986, the State of Delaware may award a contract for a particular professional service to two or more vendors if the agency head makes a determination that such an award is in the best interest of the State of Delaware.

18. Potential Contract Overlap Vendors shall be advised that the State, at its sole discretion, shall retain the right to solicit for goods and/or services as required by its agencies and as it serves the best interest of the State. As needs are identified, there may exist instances where contract deliverables, and/or goods or services to be solicited and subsequently awarded, overlap previous awards. The State reserves the right to reject any or all bids in whole or in part, to make partial awards, to award to multiple vendors during the same period, to award by types, on a zone-by-zone basis or on an item-by-item or lump sum basis item by item, or lump sum total, whichever may be most advantageous to the State of Delaware.

19. Supplemental Solicitation The State reserves the right to advertise a supplemental solicitation during the term of the Agreement if deemed in the best interest of the State.

20. Notification of Withdrawal of Proposal Vendor may modify or withdraw its proposal by written request, provided that both proposal and request is received by the State of Delaware prior to the proposal due date. Proposals may be re-submitted in accordance with the proposal due date in order to be considered further.

Proposals become the property of the State of Delaware at the proposal submission deadline. All proposals received are considered firm offers at that time.

21. Revisions to the RFP If it becomes necessary to revise any part of the RFP, an addendum will be posted on the State of Delaware’s website at www.bids.delaware.gov and https://dhss.bonfirehub.com. The State of Delaware is not bound by any statement related to this RFP made by any State of Delaware employee, contractor or its agents.

22. Exceptions to the RFP Any exceptions to the RFP, or the State of Delaware’s terms and conditions, must be recorded on Attachment 4. Acceptance of exceptions is within the sole discretion of the evaluation committee.

https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c069/sc06/index.html https://dhss.bonfirehub.com/projects

23. Business References Provide at least three (3) business references consisting of current or previous customers of similar scope and value using Attachment 6. Include business name, mailing address, contact name and phone number, number of years doing business with, and type of work performed. Personal references cannot be considered.

24. Award of Contract The final award of a contract is subject to approval by the State of Delaware. The State of Delaware has the sole right to select the successful vendor(s) for award, to reject any proposal as unsatisfactory or non-responsive, to award a contract to other than the lowest priced proposal, to award multiple contracts, or not to award a contract, as a result of this RFP.

Notice in writing to a vendor of the acceptance of its proposal by the State of Delaware and the subsequent full execution of a written contract will constitute a contract, and no vendor will acquire any legal or equitable rights or privileges until the occurrence of both such events.

a. RFP Award Notifications

After reviews of the evaluation committee report and its recommendation, and once the contract terms and conditions have been finalized, the State of Delaware will award the contract.

The contract shall be awarded to the vendor whose proposal is most advantageous, taking into consideration the evaluation factors set forth in the RFP.

It should be explicitly noted that the State of Delaware is not obligated to award the contract to the vendor who submits the lowest bid or the vendor who receives the highest total point score, rather the contract will be awarded to the vendor whose proposal is the most advantageous to the State of Delaware. The award is subject to the appropriate State of Delaware approvals.

After a final selection is made, the winning vendor will be invited to negotiate a contract with the State of Delaware; remaining vendors will be notified in writing of their selection status.

25. Cooperatives

Vendors, who have been awarded similar contracts through a competitive bidding process with a cooperative, are welcome to submit the cooperative pricing for this solicitation. State of Delaware terms will take precedence.

C. RFP Evaluation Process

An evaluation team composed of representatives of the State of Delaware will evaluate proposals on a variety of quantitative criteria. Neither the lowest price nor highest scoring proposal will necessarily be selected.

The State of Delaware reserves full discretion to determine the competence and responsibility, professionally and/or financially, of vendors. Vendors are to provide in a timely manner any and all information that the State of Delaware may deem necessary to decide.

1. Proposal Evaluation Team The Proposal Evaluation Team shall be comprised of representatives of the State of Delaware. The Team shall determine which vendors meet the minimum requirements pursuant to selection criteria of the RFP and procedures established in 29 Del. C. §§ 6981 and 6982. Professional services for this solicitation are considered under 29 Del.

C. § 6982(b). The Team may negotiate with one or more vendors during the same period and may, at its discretion, terminate negotiations with any or all vendors. The Team shall make a recommendation regarding the award to the director of the Division of Public Health, who shall have final authority, subject to the provisions of this RFP and 29 Del. C. § 6982(b), to award a contract to the successful vendor in the best interests of the State of Delaware.

2. Proposal Selection Criteria The Proposal Evaluation Team shall assign up to the maximum number of points for each Evaluation Item to each of the proposing vendor’s proposals. All assignments of points shall be at the sole discretion of the Proposal Evaluation Team.

The proposals shall contain the essential information on which the award decision shall be made. The information required to be submitted in response to this RFP has been determined by the State of Delaware to be essential for use by the Team in the bid evaluation and award process. Therefore, all instructions contained in this RFP shall be met in order to qualify as a responsive and responsible contractor and participate in the Proposal Evaluation Team’s consideration for award. Proposals which do not meet or comply with the instructions of this RFP may be considered non-conforming and deemed non-responsive and subject to disqualification at the sole discretion of the Team.

The Team reserves the right to:

• Select for contract or for negotiations a proposal other than that with lowest costs.

• Reject any and all proposals or portions of proposals received in response to this

RFP or to make no award or issue a new RFP.

• Waive or modify any information, irregularity, or inconsistency in proposals received.

• Request modification to proposals from any or all vendors during the contract review and negotiation.

• Negotiate any aspect of the proposal with any vendor and negotiate with more than one vendor at the same time.

• Select more than one vendor pursuant to 29 Del. C. § 6986.

Criteria Weight All proposals shall be evaluated using the same criteria and scoring process. The following criteria shall be used by the Evaluation Team to evaluate proposals:

Criteria Weight Administrative oversight - Clarity of leadership structure, governance, and project oversight plan. 7 Relevant experience - Past performance delivering programs of similar scope, to similar populations, and of similar complexity. 7 Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement - QA/QI systems, data validation, processes, and compliance capacity. 6 http://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c069/sc06/index.shtml

Criteria Weight Organizational Resources and partnerships - Adequacy of staffing, partnerships, technology, and resources to support implementation, including demonstrated capacity for sustainable operations

Alignment with RFP Goals and Requirements - Proposed services align with project goals, rural health priorities, vital conditions framework, and Make Rural America Healthy Again targets

Logic & Sequencing of Activities - Activities form a coherent, feasible, implementation model. 5 Quality of Workplan and Timeline - Work plan includes clear activities, deliverables, responsible staff, and realistic timelines. 5 Integration with existing DPH initiatives - Proposal builds on current state efforts, avoids duplication, and complements ongoing programs. 4 Completeness of Response - Addresses all required elements of the Scope of Service. 6 Feasibility of Proposed Strategies - Proposed approach is realistic, implementable, and appropriate for rural Delaware. 4 Rural Integration and Coordination - Strength and feasibility of the vendor’s plan to coordinate key partners and ability to demonstrate an understanding of rural workflows, referral systems, and partnerships, including coordination with existing services to avoid duplication.

Demonstrated Rural Service Delivery and Partnerships - Demonstrated experience delivering services in underserved or hard-to-reach settings and evidence of established partnerships.

Sustainability Planning - Demonstrates clear, actionable strategies to sustain service delivery, including operational, financial, and partnership-based sustainability.

Staffing Structure & Qualifications - Completeness and expertise of the proposed staffing model. 6 Recruitment and Retention Plan - Demonstrated capacity to successfully hire and retrain rural workforce. 5 Training and Supervision Plan - Robust, clearly defined training, supervision, and workforce development plans. 4 Budget Transparency and Justification - Clear itemization and justification of all costs 5 Cost Effectiveness - Reasonable costs relative to expected deliverables and rural needs 4 Alignment with Workplan - Costs logically support activities and staffing descriptions in the proposals 3

Total 100%

Vendors are encouraged to review the evaluation criteria and to provide a response that addresses each of the scored items. Evaluators will not be able to make assumptions about a vendor’s capabilities so the responding vendor should be detailed in their proposal responses.

3. Proposal Clarification The Evaluation Team may contact any vendor in order to clarify uncertainties or eliminate confusion concerning the contents of a proposal. Proposals may not be modified as a result of any such clarification request.

4. References

The Evaluation Team may contact any customer of the vendor, whether or not included in the vendor’s reference list, and use such information in the evaluation process.

Additionally, the State of Delaware may choose to visit existing installations of comparable systems, which may or may not include vendor personnel. If the vendor is involved in such site visits, the State of Delaware will pay travel costs only for State of Delaware personnel for these visits.

5. Oral Presentations After initial scoring and a determination that vendor(s) are qualified to perform the required services, selected vendors may be invited to make oral presentations to the Evaluation Team. All vendor(s) selected will be given an opportunity to present to the Evaluation Team.

The selected vendors will have their presentations scored or ranked based on their ability to successfully meet the needs of the contract requirements, successfully demonstrate their product and/or service, and respond to questions about the solution capabilities.

The vendor representative(s) attending the oral presentation shall be technically qualified to respond to questions related to the proposed system and its components.

All of the vendor's costs associated with participation in oral discussions and system demonstrations conducted for the State of Delaware are the vendor’s responsibility.

V. Contract Terms and Conditions A. Contract Use by Other Agencies

REF: Title 29, Chapter 6904(e) Delaware Code. If no state contract exists for a certain good or service, covered agencies may procure that certain good or service under another agency's contract so long as the arrangement is agreeable to all parties. Agencies, other than covered agencies, may also procure such goods or services under another agency's contract when the arrangement is agreeable to all parties.

B. Cooperative Use of Award As a publicly competed contract awarded in compliance with 29 DE Code Chapter 69, this contract is available for use by other states and/or governmental entities through a participating addendum. Interested parties should contact the State Contract Procurement Officer identified in the contract for instruction. Final approval for permitting participation in this contract resides with the Director of Government Support Services and in no way places any obligation upon the awarded vendor(s).

C. General Information

1. The term of the contract between the successful bidder and the State shall be for one (1) year with four (4) optional extensions for a period of one (1) year for each extension.

2. As a Service subscription license costs shall be incurred at the individual license level only as the individual license is utilized within a fully functioning solution. Subscription costs will not be applicable during periods of implementation and solution development https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c069/sc01/index.html prior to the State’s full acceptance of a working solution. Additional subscription license requests above actual utilization may not exceed 5% of the total and are subject to Delaware budget and technical review.

3. The selected vendor will be required to enter into a written agreement with the State of Delaware. The State of Delaware reserves the right to incorporate standard State contractual provisions into any contract negotiated as a result of a proposal submitted in response to this RFP. Any proposed modifications to the terms and conditions of the standard contract are subject to review and approval by the State of Delaware. Vendors will be required to sign the contract for all services and may be required to sign additional agreements.

4. The selected vendor or vendors will be expected to enter negotiations with the State of Delaware, which will result in a formal contract between parties. Procurement will be in accordance with subsequent contracted agreement. This RFP and the selected vendor’s response to this RFP will be incorporated as part of any formal contract.

5. The State of Delaware’s standard contract will most likely be supplemented with the vendor’s software license, support/maintenance, source code escrow agreements, and any other applicable agreements. The terms and conditions of these agreements will be negotiated with the finalist during actual contract negotiations.

6. The successful vendor shall promptly execute a contract incorporating the terms of this RFP within twenty (20) days after award of the contract.