K8217-AIHC_Public Notice_final.pdf

SOLE SOURCE PUBLIC NOTICE

**This is not a request for bids**

April 16, 2025

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) contemplates awarding a sole source contract to American Indian Health Commission (AIHC) for a Tribal Centric Behavioral Health Advisory Board (TCBHAB) to planning efforts and implementation activities for inpatient behavioral health facilities operated by Tribes statewide, including the development of a Tribal freestanding Evaluation and Treatment (E&T) facility.

Significant health disparities exist for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals, who experience higher rates of mental health and suicidal ideation, attempts and death, and suffer from disparate access to culturally attuned care for AI/AN individuals. Native individuals are three times more likely to experience an opioid or fentanyl overdose than the State average. In both 2020 and 2021, rates were highest for non- Hispanic American Indian and/or Alaska Native people (42.5 per 100,000 and 56.6, respectively).

State funding required HCA to work with the AIHC, Tribes, and state and federal partners to develop a comprehensive plan to establish a Tribal Evaluation and Treatment (E&T) facility. The comprehensive plan outlined how to address access barriers for AI/AN individuals experiencing substance use disorder (SUD) or mental health crisis and included a Tribal E&T facility as part of the plan. The Tribal E&T work group later became the Tribal Centric Behavioral Health Advisory Board (TCBHAB).

The TCBHAB continues today as a hub where 29 federally-recognized Tribes and the State connect to discuss crisis system improvement for Tribal communities, including work with Tribes on the implementation of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which includes the Native and Strong Lifeline (a crisis lifeline for all indigenous people in the State), while continuing to support Tribal work on behavioral health facilities development.

The TCBHAB allows HCA to work with Tribes in government-to-government partnership in accordance with RCW 43.376 on complex crisis system issue, and in accordance with the HCA Tribal Consultation Policy which requires that HCA “make reasonable efforts to collaborate with Indian Tribes in the development of policies, agreements, and program implementation that directly affect Indian Tribes.”

AIHC is one of only two non-profit organizations specifically recognized by the State Plan. As a non-profit entity, AIHC is comprised of and serves Tribal communities, with expertise in Tribal governmental affairs and laws unique to the State. AIHC’s Tribal delegates focus on State policy unlike any other entity within HCA’s market research and experience.

AIHC is uniquely qualified to perform this contract because it has essential relationships with all 29 federally recognized Tribes and two UIHPs in the State. These relationships mean that AIHC’s coverage in the State related to tribal advisory services is more comprehensive and as a result, offers a better value to the state than the other non-profit.

HCA will enter into Contract K8217 with AIHC. The contract will be issued on or after May 7, 2025 and will continue through June 30, 2026, for the initial Contract term. The cost of the initial term is $125,000. HCA may opt to extend the contract for an additional five (5) years in whatever increments HCA deems appropriate. HCA determines that each optional extension would result in equal (and /or slightly higher) consideration being added to the total contract value.

This is not an invitation to bid. However, vendors contemplating the above requirements can submit capability statements demonstrating their ability to meet HCA’s requirements with a quote for providing the service within ten (10) business days of this announcement. HCA is subject to chapter 42.56 RCW, the https://www.hca.wa.gov/assets/program/tribal_consultation_policy.pdf http://www.hca.wa.gov/

Public Records Act. Therefore, any capability statements submitted to HCA are also subject to the Public Records Act.

Capability statements must address the following requirements:

1. Evidence and summary of your organization’s delegated relations with Washington State tribal governments UIHPs.

2. Summary of your organization’s expertise and prior experience in the development of health policy impacting Tribal governments, Indian Health Care Providers, and AI/AN individuals including behavioral health and crisis in Washington State.

3. Evidence of your organization having Tribal request to be the coordinating organization to do the work of the TCBHAB.

Interested vendors will be considered only if they respond with clear and convincing documentation that they can meet the above requirements. In the absence of other qualified sources, it is HCA’s intent to make a sole source award of the contract.

Capability statements must be submitted via email to the Sole Source Coordinator listed below, including the subject line provided, no later than April 30, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The emailed capability statement must be less than 25 Mb. Do not send zipped files.

Sole Source Coordinator Contact Information:

Lyudmila Kozlova E-mail: HCAProcurements@hca.wa.gov Email Subject Line: K8217 Sole Source

Note: This contract requires a public inspection period and approval by the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services (DES). HCA will not award the sole source contract unless or until DES approves.

mailto:HCAProcurements@hca.wa.gov