IFB- Part-time Speech Therapist for MDH Potomac Center and SETT [REPOST]_BPM053865.pdf

INVITATION FOR BID (IFB)

PROCUREMENT ID NUMBER: 26-MDHPC-03/ eMMA# BPM053865

ISSUE DATE: October 29, 2025

TITLE: Part-time Speech Therapist for MDH Potomac Center and SETT [REPOST]

ISSUING AGENCY: Maryland Department of Health (MDH) Potomac Center and Secure Evaluation & Therapeutic Treatment (SETT)

THIS SOLICITATION SHALL BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SMALL

PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS DESCRIBED IN COMAR 21.05.07.

I. SUMMARY STATEMENT

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is seeking a Licensed Speech Therapist to provide on-site services to Individuals with developmental disabilities who reside at the Potomac Center and Secure Evaluation & Therapeutic Treatment (SETT) facilities in Hagerstown, Maryland for. Services are required part-time, twenty (20) hours per week.

The Potomac Center and SETT are residential care facilities for developmentally disabled adults who may have co-existing mental disorders; the Potomac Center has 62 licensed beds, and the SETT, which is a secure Forensic facility, has 32 licensed beds. Neither facility is at capacity at the time of this solicitation. All required services shall be provided in compliance with licensure, certification, and accreditation standards, including but not limited to, the Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectually Disabled (ICF/ID) standards of the Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ), Maryland Department of Health, as well as all applicable Maryland and Federal Laws and regulations governing Speech Therapists. The contract term shall be thirty-five (35) weeks (approximately eight (8) months).

II. BACKGROUND

The Potomac Center is an Intermediate Care Facility (ICF). The goal of the Potomac Center is to promote personal growth and productivity by enhancing each individual’s skills and decreasing or eliminating maladaptive or socially unacceptable behaviors to facilitate movement to the most integrated, least restrictive setting. This program focuses on using therapeutic interventions to empower residents as they learn the skills they need to successfully return to community living.

The SETT Facility provides care and treatment services for intellectually disabled individuals that are court ordered to the Department of Health, and who may have co-occurring disorders.

These co-occurring disorders can include mental illness, substance abuse, language disorders and personality disorders. The SETT program provides assistance as Individuals work to resolve their court involvement and move toward transitioning to a less restricted environment. The SETT utilizes active treatment as well as providing evaluation, assessment and competency attainment education.

Both facilities serve adults who are at least 18 years old and residents of the state of Maryland.

The Potomac Center and SETT provide active therapeutic treatment in a supportive environment for individuals with Intellectual Disabilities who are deemed to need a higher level of care than the community is able to provide.

III. CONTRACT TERM

A single contract will be awarded to the Offeror that best meets the needs of the evaluation criteria. The anticipated term of the contract resulting from this solicitation will begin on or about November 12, 2025 and conclude after July 15, 2026 (35 week contract term).

IV. SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of work for this Contract shall include:

1. Overview:

The Potomac Center/SETT is seeking an individual speech therapist or an agency to provide a speech therapist who will:

a. Provide one-on-one Speech Therapy services to the Individuals residing at the Potomac Center and/or Secure Evaluation & Therapeutic Treatment (SETT) facilities, located at 1380 Marshall Street, Hagerstown, MD 2170.

i. Services will be provided primarily to Potomac Center Individuals;

however, this contract shall cover exceptions and/or intermittent assessments/treatments required for SETT Individuals as well.

b. All services must be provided on-site at the Potomac Center/SETT, no teletherapy or remote service delivery shall be permitted.

c. The Speech Therapist must be comfortable working with individuals who have intellectual disabilities (including dual diagnosis/co-existing mental disorders), who are court ordered to the facilities and may experience maladaptive behaviors, including self-injurious behavior (SIB), stereotypic behavior, and aggressive/destructive behavior.

i. For the purposes of this solicitation, “intellectual disabilities” is as defined by Health-General Article, § 7-101(n), Annotated Code of Maryland.

d. The State will accept bids from staffing agencies that employ or subcontract licensed speech therapists. Bids can be from either an individual therapist or an agency. If the Bidder is an agency, the bid must still contain the required documentation to evidence that the Speech Therapist meets the minimum qualifications outlined below in Section V of the IFB.

e. Only one (1) speech therapist shall be assigned to perform for the duration of the Contract.

f. The assigned speech therapist shall be required to provide both evaluation and treatment.

2. Schedule:

a. The assigned speech therapist shall provide on-site therapy services for an average of twenty (20) hours per week; total working hours (not including mandatory training specified in Item #3 below) shall be seven hundred (700) hours for the term of the contract.

i. Term of thirty-five (35) weeks x twenty (20) hours/week = 700 service hours.

b. Services must be performed during regular business hours (8:00am to 5:00pm), Monday through Friday, excluding State Holidays.

c. The Speech Therapist shall set his or her own weekly schedule to be approved by the Contract Monitor. The Speech Therapist’s hours may vary from week to week depending on the need for the Speech Therapist’s services*.

i. The total service hours are fixed, however, the Speech Therapist’s hours may vary from week to week depending on the need for services as stated above. The Contract will terminate after the 700 total service hours are reached or once the termination date is reached, whichever is sooner.

ii. *If the Contract Monitor determines that the Speech Therapist is working more than twenty (20) hours in a specific week, the Contract Monitor shall meet with the Speech Therapist to discuss the need for services and reasons for working more than the budgeted hours per week.

d. A Speech Therapist working over six (6) consecutive hours shall take a half hour unpaid lunch break.

e. The Speech Therapist must receive advance approval from the Contract Monitor for scheduled absences that interfere with or preclude their weekly hours at the Potomac Center/SETT.

f. The Potomac Center will only pay for hours actually worked by the Speech Therapist.

3. Training Requirements:

a. The Speech Therapist shall participate in an initial onboarding/training day which shall consist of completion of a self-study packet and competency tests about the Potomac Center/SETT, a meeting with the Contract Monitor, a period of shadowing (if applicable), and any other training deemed necessary by Potomac Center/SETT.

i. This training should take approximately two (2) hours to complete.

ii. Accompanying competency tests must receive a “passing” score as determined by the Contract Monitor.

b. The Speech Therapist assigned to this contract must also complete at least three (3) days, twenty-four (24) hours of MANDT (Preventing, De-escalating, Intervening) Training, to be provided on-site by the Potomac Center/SETT.

i. At least two (2) days, sixteen (16) hours of MANDT training must be completed prior to working with the individuals.

ii. MANDT Training consists of full, eight (8) hour training sessions (with built-in periodic breaks determined by each instructor).

iii. MANDT Training may fall on days or times outside of the Speech Therapist’s proposed/approved service schedule. The Speech Therapist must be prepared to accommodate this training as scheduled before they may assume duties.

4. Job Duties of Speech Therapist:

a. Speech, language/cognition and hearing evaluations;

i. Speech, language/cognition and hearing evaluation for each new Potomac

Center (and/or SETT) Individual arriving at the facility shall be done within thirty days of the individual’s arrival. The Contract Monitor shall notify the Speech Therapist of any new arrivals. The Speech Therapist shall become familiar with existing plans for Individuals and complete new evaluations such that each Potomac Center and/or SETT (if applicable) Individual has an evaluation once every three years, or more often if deemed necessary by the facility. As appropriate, the SLP evaluation shall include standardized assessment and the results of those assessments to assist with developing goals and tracking progress during re-evaluations.

b. Determining of individual’s speech therapy goals and objectives;

i. The Speech Therapist shall monitor and document the progress of each

Potomac Center and/or SETT (if applicable) Individual requiring Speech Therapy Services or related goals, such as hearing aid usage and care, swallowing, sign language and picture card communications, cognitive functioning. The Speech Therapist shall add progress notes, appointments, meetings and treatment plans to the Individual’s on-site records as necessary.

ii. The Speech Therapist shall consult with facility staff on functional problems and concerns (i.e., Hearing aids, the care of a hearing aid, how it is to be worn, cleaning, settings and battery installation).

c. Provide training on implementing therapy programs to Potomac Center and/or SETT staff;

i. The Speech Therapist shall provide basic sign language training to facility staff on key words to enable communication with people residing at the facility, as well as in-service training on proper implementation of each Individual’s individualized therapy program.

ii. Provide training to facility staff on use and implementation of alternative augmentative communication devices as needed based on individual needs/goals

iii. Provide recommendations to nursing staff for consultations that will be of assistance to the resident’s functional performance, i.e. ENT, vision tests, gastroenterology, neurology etc.

iv. Provide recommendations and staff training in regards to resident’s cognitive functioning and how to best yield daily results in terms of communication, understanding/processing, visual/auditory/tactile cues.

d. Provide orientation/overview to new employees;

i. The Speech Therapist shall provide orientation/overview of Speech Therapy for new employees of the Potomac Center/SETT upon request of the Contract Monitor. When orientation occurs, this training will be included as part of the Speech Therapist’s weekly hours. The training will provide information to new staff on the services and programs that the Speech Therapist provides as well as challenges staff may have implementing therapy programs.

e. Participate in team meetings;

i. The Speech Therapist shall be part of the Inter-disciplinary Team and meet as requested by the Contract Monitor. The Inter-disciplinary Team includes the Potomac Center/SETT Individual, the Individual’s family, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, social worker(s), a dietitian, a vocational provider, a therapeutic recreation individual, a qualified developmental disabilities professional, nursing, a psychiatrist (if needed), direct care staff, and a Speech Therapist (if needed). Time spent by the Speech Therapist in Inter-disciplinary Team meetings shall be considered part of the Speech Therapist’s weekly hours.

ii. The Team conducts one-on-one evaluations of Individuals coming to the Potomac Center/SETT. Meetings occur upon an admission and then annually with quarterly updates to determine the goals, needs, and objectives of each Individual.

5. Identification and Access Control:

a. The Potomac Center/SETT shall provide a proxy card access badge to the Speech

Therapist. Keys may also be requested by the Speech Therapist and distributed at the discretion of the Potomac Center/SETT.

b. The Speech Therapist must immediately report any loss or theft of the proxy card and/or keys to Potomac Center Security.

c. The Speech Therapist assigned to this contract must ensure that any keys and badges issued by the Potomac Center/SETT are returned when they cease to work at the facilities, the Contract is terminated, or the Contract term expires.

d. To protect the security of the facilities, the Speech Therapist assigned to this contract, or the Bidder (if an agency or group), will be subject to any fees and/or expenses related to key replacement or facility rekeying necessary as a result from unreturned State property.

6. Additional Information:

a. The Speech Therapist shall check-in/sign in upon arrival and sign out upon departure.

i. The sign in/sign out sheets (“timesheets”) shall be used to assist in invoice verification.

b. If the Contract is awarded to an agency or group, a Speech Therapist shall be designated to the Contract and shall not change without prior consent of the Contract Monitor. Any replacement candidate shall meet all minimum qualifications and mandatory requirements for the designed Speech Therapist described in IFB Section V below.

c. Should the Speech Therapist be the subject of any disciplinary actions by the Maryland State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispenser and Speech Language Pathologists, the regulatory board for Speech Therapists in any other State, or involved in any legal/criminal proceedings, this information must immediately (within twenty-four (24) hours of notification) be disclosed to the Potomac Center/SETT.

i. If the Speech Therapist assigned to this Contract is provided by an agency or group, that agency or group will be responsible for providing a replacement candidate as deemed necessary by the Potomac Center/SETT.

Any replacement Speech Therapist must meet the minimum requirements as outlined in this IFB (Section V). The Contract Monitor has the final authority to approve or deny a proposed Speech Therapist candidate.

d. If the Speech Therapist assigned to this contract does not meet qualifications or does not consistently provide the level of quality of care determined by the Potomac Center/SETT, or at any time takes action that is, or has the potential to be, life threatening to any individual, such actions shall be considered a material breach of Contract and Potomac Center/SETT may terminate the Contract for cause, as well as pursue any other remedies which may be available by Contract, at law, or in equity.

i. Determination of quality of care is solely within the discretion of the Contract Monitor. If the Potomac Center/SETT, at its discretion, determines that the assigned Speech Therapist does not provide the level of quality of care required, or otherwise does not meet the Contract requirements, the Speech Therapist shall be dismissed from working under this Contract upon written notification by the Contract Monitor.

e. This position is in a healthcare setting; universal infection control precautions are required. The Speech Therapist must adhere to the Potomac Center/SETT’s COVID-19/pandemic protocols at all times while on site, including but not limited to wearing appropriate medical personal protective equipment (PPE) and participating in COVID-19 testing as frequently as deemed necessary by Potomac Center/SETT.

i. During COVID-19 “outbreak” or “quarantine” events, and/or mid-high levels of COVID-19 transmission (as determined by the facility), the Speech Therapist may be subject to additional testing and requirements.

ii. Protocols are subject to change as frequently as deemed necessary by the Potomac Center/SETT at the direction of the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and Public Health Services (PHS).

f. Use of personal electronic devices (laptops, tablets, cell phones) is prohibited during provision of services.

g. As a State of Maryland Property, smoking is prohibited on Potomac Center grounds.

h. The Potomac Center, or the residing Individuals, shall not be discussed with employees OR in the community, as this is HIPAA violation.

i. The Agency and/or Speech Therapist assigned to the Contract shall be required to sign a confidentiality agreement (Business Associate Agreement).

i. Taking any photographs or videos inside of the campus or of the premises, individuals, or staff is prohibited.

j. The Speech Therapist shall not provide the Individuals with any of their personal or business information such as home/business address, home/business telephone or cellular numbers, etc.

k. The Speech Therapist may not give the Individuals gifts or any items not approved in advance by the Contract Monitor.

V. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

The selected Bidder, or (if Bidder is an agency) Speech Therapist assigned to this contract, shall meet the following minimum requirements, verified with required documentation:

1. The Speech Therapist shall be licensed by the Maryland State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispenser and Speech Language Pathologists.

a. Required Documentation: As proof of meeting this requirement, the Bidder must provide with its Bid a copy of the Speech Therapist’s current license issued by the Maryland State Board of Examiners for Audiologists, Hearing Aid Dispenser and Speech Language Pathologists.

i. The Speech Therapist must maintain, at their own expense, the credentials required to perform services under this Contract for the entire term.

2. The Speech Therapist shall be licensed by the American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA).

a. Required Documentation: As proof of meeting this requirement, the Bidder must provide with its Bid a copy of the Speech Therapist’s current license issued by the American Speech Language and Hearing Association.

3. The Speech Therapist shall have at least two (2) years of experience providing Speech Therapy Services for the intellectually disabled and/or Dually-Diagnosed.

a. Required Documentation: As proof of meeting this requirement, the Bidder must provide with its Bid a current resume for the Speech Therapist with at least three

(3) references from the past five (5) years who can attest to the Speech Therapist’s experience. References must include name, relationship to Speech Therapist, and contact information (email address and phone number).

4. The Speech Therapist shall possess a current/active certification in Adult First Aid, CPR, and AED.

a. Required Documentation: As proof of meeting this requirement, the Bidder must provide with its Bid a copy of the Speech Therapist’s current certification in Adult First Aid, CPR, and AED.

i. The Speech Therapist shall be responsible for maintaining, at their own expense, the required certification/re-certification in Adult First Aid, CPR, and AED.

5. The Bidder, if an agency or group, shall be registered with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation to do business in the State of Maryland, and have a status of Good Standing.

a. Required Documentation: As proof of meeting this requirement, the Bidder must provide a copy of documentation evidencing its registration with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation.

6. The Bidder shall possess Commercial General Liability Insurance, which shall cover losses resulting from or arising out of Contractor action or inaction in the performance of the Contract by the Contractor, its agents, servants, employees, or subcontractors, with a limit of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate.

a. Required Documentation: As proof of meeting this requirement, the Bidder must provide with their bid their current Certificate of Insurance (COI).

7. The Bidder shall obtain, at their own expense, a criminal background check on the Speech Therapist who shall be assigned to the contract. At a minimum, these checks must contain convictions and probation before judgement (PBJ) pleadings within the State of Maryland.

This check may be performed by a public or private entity.

a. Required Documentation: As proof of meeting this requirement, the Bidder must provide with its bid certification that the Speech Therapist has completed the required criminal background check described above. A previously completed background check from within the last three (3) years will also satisfy this requirement.

i. The Bidder shall be responsible for ensuring that the assigned Speech Therapist maintains security clearance to provide services for the Potomac Center during the life of the contract; should the Speech Therapist be subject to any legal or criminal actions during the contract, the Bidder is responsible for notifying the Potomac Center immediately and providing a replacement candidate.

VI. eMARYLAND MARKETPLACE ADVANTAGE eMMA is an electronic commerce system administered by the Maryland Department of General Services. In order to receive a contract award, a vendor must be registered on eMMA.

Registration is free. Go to https://emaryland.buyspeed.com/bso/login.jsp, click on “Register” to begin the process, and then follow the prompts.

VII. BID SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

In accordance with COMAR 21.03.05, bids may be submitted electronically through electronic mail at Potomac.Procurement@maryland.gov or preferably through eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA). Bids must include:

● Completed Financial Form (Exhibit A),

● Signed Bid/Proposal Affidavit (Attachment C),

● Signed Conflict of Interest Affidavit and Disclosure (Attachment H), and

● All required documentation as specified in Section V, “Minimum Qualifications and

Mandatory Requirements)

● IF any addendums are later added to this solicitation, a signed Addendum

Acknowledgement Receipt shall be required as part of the bid submission package.

Bidders cannot submit multiple responses.

NO HARD-COPY SEALED BIDS DELIVERED VIA IN-PERSON, MAIL, DELIVERY

SERVICE OR COURRIER SERVICE WILL BE ACCEPTED.

NO FAX BIDS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

**BID DUE DATE AND TIME IS: Wednesday, November 5, 2025 BY 2:00PM EST.**

Late bids shall not be considered for award.

https://emaryland.buyspeed.com/bso/login.jsp https://emaryland.buyspeed.com/bso/login.jsp mailto:Potomac.Procurement@maryland.gov

VIII. EVALUATION CRITERIA OF BID

The State will evaluate bids based on meeting the submission requirements, and the financial bid form itself. Failure to include ALL the mandatory submissions described in Section VIII shall deem your Bid non-responsive.

IX. BILLING

The contractor shall bill the Department on a monthly basis for the work performed the previous month. The total cost of work may not exceed $50,000 for the term of the contract.

All invoiced must be on the contractor’s letterhead, must be signed and dated, and must include the following:

● The contractor’s name and mailing address;

● The contractor’s Federal Tax Identification or Social Security Number;

● The State assigned Contract Control Number;

● The State assigned blanket purchase order number;

● The goods and services provided;

● The time period covered by the invoice;

● The amount of requested payment; and

● Documentation to support invoice requested amount.

X. AWARD

An award will be made to the responsible Bidder submitting a responsive Bid on the basis of the most advantageous offer to the State of Maryland, considering price and the evaluation criteria found in this solicitation. Vendors must first meet all of the mandatory requirements. Bids from vendors who do not meet all of the mandatory requirements will not be considered. The total cost of the resulting contract will not exceed $50,000.

XI. TIE-BIDS

Tie Bids will be decided pursuant to COMAR 21.05.02.14.

XII. CONTACT INFORMATION

A. Procurement Officer

Jessica Bradley, Procurement Officer Maryland Department of Health - Potomac Center/SETT 1380 Marshall Street Hagerstown, MD 21740 Office: 240-313-3510 Email: JessicaM.Bradley@maryland.gov

B. Contract Monitor

Amber Rupert, MS,OTR/L- Therapy Services Manager Maryland Department of Health - Potomac Center/SETT 1380 Marshall Street Hagerstown, MD 21740 mailto:JessicaM.Bradley@maryland.gov

All bids must be submitted either through e-mail at Potomac.Procurement@maryland.gov or via the eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA). Please do not submit bids directly to the Procurement Officer.

XIII. QUESTIONS

Any questions regarding this Invitation for Bid (IFB) should be submitted in writing via email to the Procurement Officer at JessicaM.Bradley@maryland.gov. Questions should be submitted prior to the bid due date and time, but no later than: Saturday, November 2, 2025 by 8:00pm

EST.

Approved by:

Date:

Jessica Bradley, Procurement Officer

MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO

RESPOND TO THIS SOLICITATION

10/29/2025 mailto:Potomac.Procurement@maryland.gov mailto:JessicaM.Bradley@maryland.gov

EXHIBIT A

FINANCIAL FORM

PROCUREMENT I.D. NUMBER: 26-MDHPC-03/eMMA# BPM053865 ISSUE DATE: October 29, 2025 TITLE: Part-time Speech Therapist for MDH Potomac Center and SETT [REPOST]

Offeror Information:

Vendor Name:

Federal Tax ID (FEIN):

Contact Person:

Address:

E-Mail:

Telephone:

Fax:

SBR Number: eMMA Number:

Signature Date

Vendor signature and date certifies that technical and price submissions are correct and that vendor agrees to perform all services stated in the Bid Board Solicitation.

Maryland Department of Health Line Item Budget*

Budget Period from 11/12/2025_____to 7/15/2026____

BUDGET ITEM

TOTAL #

OF HOURS

RATE PER

HOUR

On-site Speech Therapy services for Potomac Center/SETT

Twenty (20) hours per week for thirty-five (35) weeks Approximately 11/12/25 – 7/15/26

20 hrs/week x 35 weeks = 700 total Service Hours

Mandatory Onboarding/Training (provided by PC/SETT) Up to four (4) days, thirty-two (32) hours of training

4 days x 8 hrs/day = 32 total Training Hours

TOTAL COST

* Include Budget Narrative on a separate page and attach it to the Financial Proposal Form. Budget Narrative must include full breakdown of costs for each line item.