Q&As for BPM054750_BSCA_1.26.26.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- BPM054750
- Issued by
- Maryland
About this file
This is a Questions and Answers document for a Request for Applications (RFA) issued by the Maryland Department of Health's Behavioral Health Administration for the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) Community Outreach Project. The RFA seeks organizations to provide outreach to clinical programs serving youth and young adults experiencing first episode psychosis, with a specific focus on training recipients in Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) models and resources. Applicants must submit a two-volume application through eMMA, with Volume I containing technical narratives and Volume II containing budget documents, each clearly labeled for distinction. The question deadline was January 23, 2026. The project targets serious mental illness populations and youth potentially at-risk or experiencing first episode psychosis, either within the applicant's operating area or statewide. Community Health Workers are defined as frontline public health professionals serving as liaisons between communities and health services, and pre-service training individuals and unlicensed providers may be included in the training population.
Nonprofit organizations eligible for funding include those tax-exempt under IRS sections 501(c)(3), (4), or (6), which may utilize federally approved indirect cost rates or the higher of the de minimis federal rate or 15% of eligible direct costs; all other entities face a 10% indirect cost cap. The RFA contains no salary cap, though all salaries must be reasonable and justifiable using resources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Indeed.com. Applicants must provide detailed budget line items, including specific supply descriptions and quantities grouped by position and time equivalent. The base and option years must together equal the total award amount, with budget flexibility allowed across these periods. No page limit exists for the technical proposal, and applicants experiencing eMMA platform issues may contact the eMMA Helpdesk at emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov.
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Text version
Q&As for BPM054750
Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA)- Community Outreach Project
1/26/2026
1. How does the two-part submission work? Are we essentially submitting two responses in eMMA? The first with the narrative documents and then the second with the budget documents?
Answer: Applicants should make one full submission per organization, as eMMA allows applicants to upload multiple documents as a part of their single submission. All documents uploaded as part of Volume I: Technical Application should be separate from documents uploaded as part of Volume II: Budget Narrative. When uploading each individual document, eMMA allows the applicant to apply a label to the document that is distinct from the document’s file name.
Applicants should label each document accordingly to clearly identify whether it is part of Volume I or Volume II.
2. Can you please confirm what the IDC rate is?
Answer: If a nonprofit organization gets a state-funded grant or contract (whether fully state-funded or a mix of state and other non-federal funds), the nonprofit must be allowed to get reimbursed for its indirect costs. The allowed reimbursement rate depends on the nonprofit’s situation: If the nonprofit already has a federally approved indirect cost rate or has negotiated one with another non-federal funder using federal cost rules, they can use that same rate. If the nonprofit does not have a negotiated rate, they must be allowed to use whichever is higher: The standard federal default (known as the “de minimis” rate), or 15% of eligible direct costs (based on federal rules for how to calculate them). Important Note: This only applies to nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), (4), or (6) of the IRS code. 10% is the IDC CAP for all other entities.
3. Who do we contact if we have issues within eMMA?
Answer: If you experience any navigational or technical issues with the eMMA platform you may contact the eMMA Helpdesk at emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov.
They do not have a direct phone number but they are very responsive.
mailto:emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov
4. Clarify, how are you defining community health worker (CHW)?
Answer:
a. A Community Health Worker (CHW) is a frontline public health professional who serves as a liaison between the community and health and social services to improve access to care. They facilitate access to services, educate the community on health behaviors, provide social support, and advocate for individual and community needs. CHWs use their close understanding of the community to provide appropriate care.
b. Please refer to 3.2.1.2 D Staffing of the RFA for additional information.
5. Are there specific clinicians that your program expects us to work with?
Answer: Clinicians working with youth and young adults who are potentially at-risk or who are experiencing First Episode Psychosis. This relationship in regard to outreach and training should provide Clinicians with information on symptoms of early onset of psychosis and how to refer to programs in our state that serve youth and young adults at-risk or who are experiencing First Episode Psychosis.
6. Are there target areas, specific counties or locations in the state that we are expected to cover or is it just where our organization is operating out of?
Answer: The target can be where your organization is or statewide.
7. Are there specific groups that we are expected to target or is it just general?
Answer: Serious Mental Illness, youth and young adults who are potentially at-risk or who are experiencing first episode psychosis.
8. Do you expect a down to the dollar description of supplies (like naming the specific amount of certain supplies) when it comes to the budget?
Answer: Yes and it can be grouped together for example: Stationary- paperclips, pens, notebooks, notepads, post-its $200/year for 1.5 Full Time Equivalent, Community Health Worker and Program Manager.
9. Is there flexibility with the budget as it pertains to the option years?
Answer: The Base and Option years have to equal the Award Amount for this project.
10. For clarification, are pre-service training individuals who are not yet licensed providers allowed to be included in the population we can deliver training to?
Answer: Yes.
11. Are the deliverables of this RFA under the same restrictions of other SAMHSA federal grants?
Answer: Yes.
12. Is there a deadline for submitting questions?
Answer: All questions for this RFA must be submitted by close of business on January 23, 2026 to receive an answer.
13. Is there a salary cap?
Answer: There is no salary cap for this project but all salaries must be reasonable and this can be justified by comparing national salary rates by position using the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Indeed.com (these resources are just examples).
It can be noted that certain positions are paid slightly higher or lower than national averages based on experience, tenure, and education.
14. Is there a page limit for the Volume 1: Technical Proposal?
Answer: No, there is not a page limit.
15. While reading I see that it says there is an Excel attachment. I do not see that. Will it be sent or should I use the PDF attached version?
Answer: It has been brought to our attention that the Excel attachment was not posted to the previous rounds in eMMA. Please be advised, the proper attachment has now been added to this new round. Thank you.
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