State of New Hampshire Judicial Branch

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS RFA-NHJB-2026-05

FOR

CARROLL COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH COURT COORDINATION

AND TREATMENT SERVICES

RELEASE DATE: AUGUST 28, 2026

APPLICATIONS DUE: SEPTEMBER 25, 2026

NEW HAMPSHIRE JUDICIAL BRANCH

RFA-2026-05- CARROLL COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH COURT COORDINATION AND

TREATMENT SERVICES

TABLE OF CONTENT

I. OVERVIEW AND SCHEDULE

A. INTRODUCTION

B. SCHEDULE

C. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

D. CONTRACT TERM

II. SCOPE OF SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED

A. OVERVIEW

B. SCOPE OF WORK:

C. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS

D. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS FOR APPLICANT:

E. MINIMUM DOCUMENTATION EXPECTATION:

III. RFA PROCESS

A. AGENCY POINT OF CONTACT/RESTRICTION OF CONTACT WITH AGENCY

EMPLOYEES

B. APPLICANT INQUIRIES

C. RFA ADDENDUM

D. PROPERTY OF THE NHJB

E. CONFIDENTIALITY OF AN APPLICATION

F. PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

G. ETHICAL REQUIREMENTS

H. NON-COMMITMENT

I. COMPLIANCE

J. APPLICATION COST

IV. APPLICATION SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A. APPLICATION SUBMISSION, DEADLINE, AND LOCATION INSTRUCTIONS . 16

B. VALIDITY OF APPLICATION

C. APPLICATION FORMAT

V. EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS

A. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION AND SCORING

B. COST APPLICATION SCORING

C. NEGOTIATIONS AND SELECTION

VI. CONTRACT DOCUMENT

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

APPENDIX C

APPENDIX D

APPENDIX E

I. OVERVIEW AND SCHEDULE

A. Introduction

This request for applications (RFA) is issued by the New Hampshire Judicial Branch (NHJB) through the

Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to solicit Applications from eligible entities for one subgrant funded through the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP). This subgrant will support the mental health court team, behavioral health initiatives, and public safety collaborations within Carroll County Mental

Health Court (MHC). The Carroll County MHC at Ossipee district court currently meets once per month.

NHJB will contract with the applicant in the form of a subaward for the purpose of supplementing current available funding and adequate staff to provide case management and treatment services for the program’s participants following the mental health court guidelines that can be obtained here: Mental Health Court |

New Hampshire Judicial Branch.

Total Funding Available: $50,000.

B. Schedule

The following table provides a Schedule of Events for this RFA through contract finalization and Notice to

Proceed. NHJB reserves the right to amend this Schedule at its sole discretion and at any time through a published Addendum.

EVENT DATE LOCALTIME

RFA Released to applicants (Advertisement) 8/28/26 4:00 PM

Applicant Inquiry Period Ends 9/08/26 4:00 PM

Final NHJB Responses to applicant Inquiries 9/11/26 4:00 PM

Applicants Submit Applications 09/25/26 4:00 PM

Estimated Notification of Selection and Begin Subaward

Development

11/30/26 4:00 PM

C. Purpose and Background

NHJB’s mission is to preserve the rule of law and protect the rights and liberties guaranteed by the US and NH

Constitutions by providing accessible, prompt, and efficient forums for the fair and independent administration of justice, with respect for the dignity of all served. Information on the NHJB can be found on the NHJB website at https://www.courts.nh.gov/.

Mental Health Courts are problem-solving courts that offer a voluntary, judicially supervised treatment alternative to traditional prosecution. This particular application is to solicit an applicant to provide coordination services to Carroll County Mental Health Court that is currently located in Ossipee District Court.

Additional information about NH’s Treatment Courts can be found at: Treatment Courts | New Hampshire

Judicial Branch

The NHJB has been awarded a Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (Byrne SCIP) grant to support

Treatment Courts in NH. Awarded applicants will enter into a subgrant agreement with NHJB. Awardees must comply with all applicable federal Byrne SCIP requirements, financial reporting, data collection, and performance measurement obligations.

https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/treatment-courts/mental-health-court https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/treatment-courts/mental-health-court https://www.courts.nh.gov/ https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/treatment-courts https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/treatment-courts

D. Contract Term

The initial Contract term will begin on December 1, 2026, and last through September 30, 2027. Following the initial term of the contract, the NHJB may opt to renew the contract for the additional two (2) extensions, at the sole option of the NHJB, subject to availability of funding and satisfactory performance.

The NHJB anticipates awarding one contract resulting from this RFA process.

II. SCOPE OF SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED

A. Overview

A successful applicant must demonstrate through its RFA Response that it possesses the experience, qualifications, and appropriately credentialed personnel necessary to provide the case-management, treatment, and related program-coordination services described in this RFA. Services shall be provided in accordance with applicable law, the NHJB Mental Health Court Handbook, NHJB policies and procedures, the requirements of the applicable Mental Health Court program, and the terms of the subaward.

New Hampshire Mental Health Courts may operate through pre-adjudication, post-plea, or post-conviction models, as permitted by law and approved by NHJB. Following appropriate clinical screening and assessment, the applicant or an approved subcontractor shall develop an individualized treatment plan based on each participant’s assessed clinical needs, goals, and recommended services. The treatment plan shall be reviewed and updated as clinically appropriate throughout the participant’s participation in the program.

Mental Health Court participation generally lasts approximately 9 to 18 months, although the duration may vary based on the applicable program model, the participant’s legal status, individualized needs and progress, and decisions of the Court. When an approved program uses phases, participants shall work toward the individualized goals and applicable expectations established for each phase.

The Mental Health Court Team is a multidisciplinary team that may include the presiding judge, program coordinator, case manager, treatment provider, prosecutor, defense counsel, probation or parole representatives, law-enforcement representatives, court staff, and other authorized partners. Team composition and participation in a particular staffing may vary based on the program model, the matters under review, and applicable confidentiality requirements.

Before each scheduled Mental Health Court session, authorized Team members shall participate in a staffing to review the progress, needs, conduct, and circumstances of participants scheduled to appear; exchange information as permitted by applicable law, valid releases, NHJB policies, and program procedures; and develop individualized recommendations concerning treatment, case management, incentives, therapeutic adjustments, and other appropriate responses. Staffing is a collaborative Team process and does not constitute a court proceeding or the issuance of a judicial decision or order. The Court retains exclusive authority to make all judicial decisions and to determine and impose any judicial response, sanction, or order during a court proceeding, consistent with applicable law, due-process requirements, and NHJB policies and procedures.

Please see the Carroll County Mental Health Court participant handbook at: Treatment Court Locations | New

Hampshire Judicial Branch

B. Scope of Work:

The selected Applicant shall perform the following services in coordination with the Treatment Court Team:

1. The applicant shall ensure that one appropriately qualified and informed member of its staff attends each scheduled Mental Health Court staffing and court session, either in person or remotely as authorized by NHJB. If the designated staff member is unable to attend because of an emergency or other unavoidable circumstance, the applicant shall promptly notify the Statewide Mental Health Court

Coordinator and arrange for another appropriately qualified and informed staff member to attend. If qualified coverage cannot be arranged, the applicant shall promptly notify the Statewide Mental Health

Court Coordinator and obtain approval for an alternative arrangement.

2. The applicant shall support timely and effective communication among authorized Mental Health Court

Team members and partner agencies regarding matters within the applicant’s scope of responsibility.

The applicant shall promptly share relevant information, respond to reasonable requests, and communicate identified service-coordination needs or concerns, consistent with applicable confidentiality laws, valid releases, NHJB policies, and program procedures.

3. The applicant shall enter and maintain complete, accurate, and timely program and participant data in

Connexis, or another database designated by NHJB, in accordance with NHJB requirements. The applicant shall conduct appropriate quality-control reviews, correct identified errors, and provide data and reports necessary to support program monitoring and evaluation. Data shall be entered, reviewed, and corrected within the timeframes established by NHJB. The applicant shall promptly report any data-quality, access, security, or system concern to the Statewide Mental Health Court Coordinator.

NHJB retains oversight of the database, program evaluation, and applicable data-collection and reporting requirements.

4. Before each scheduled staffing, the applicant shall provide authorized Mental Health Court Team members with a timely, accurate, and relevant report concerning each participant’s assessment results;

treatment engagement and progress; identified needs; adherence with applicable treatment and program requirements; alcohol- or substance-use patterns and contributing factors, when applicable; the observed impact of treatment; and clinically identified factors that may increase or reduce the risk of recurrence or relapse. Reports shall be provided in the timeframe and format established by NHJB, shall be limited to information reasonably necessary for program operations, and shall comply with applicable confidentiality laws, valid releases, NHJB policies, and program procedures.

5. The applicant shall review the applicable NHJB Mental Health Court Handbook, policies, and procedures upon commencement of the subaward, at least annually thereafter, and whenever NHJB issues a material revision or directs an additional review; ensure that its employees, agents, and subcontractors comply with those requirements during program operations; and promptly report known or suspected material noncompliance to the Statewide Mental Health Court Coordinator. The applicant shall cooperate with NHJB in addressing identified concerns and implementing any required corrective action. NHJB retains responsibility for approving and issuing revisions to the handbook, policies, and procedures.

6. The applicant shall ensure that its employees, agents, and subcontractors comply with all applicable confidentiality laws, regulations, NHJB policies, and program procedures. The applicant shall ensure that all required participant confidentiality notices, releases, and authorizations within its scope of responsibility are properly completed, signed, maintained, and updated as necessary. The applicant shall also ensure that its personnel complete any confidentiality acknowledgments required by NHJB and shall assist NHJB in coordinating completion by other Team members. Information and forms shall be disclosed only to authorized recipients in accordance with applicable law and NHJB-approved procedures. The applicant shall promptly report any known or suspected confidentiality violation or deficiency to the Statewide Mental Health Court Coordinator and cooperate with NHJB in addressing the concern.

7. At NHJB’s request and within the scope and available funding of this subaward, the applicant shall assist the Statewide Mental Health Court Coordinator in identifying, coordinating, or providing continuing training opportunities for the Mental Health Court Team. The applicant shall ensure that its employees, agents, and subcontractors complete all required orientation and training before participating in their first staffing or accessing participant information or NHJB systems, as applicable.

The applicant shall also assist NHJB in coordinating orientation for other new Team members. NHJB retains responsibility for establishing orientation and training requirements and confirming completion by Team members who are not under the applicant’s supervision or control.

8. The applicant shall coordinate the timely delivery of treatment services based on each participant’s assessed clinical needs and individualized treatment plan. Services provided directly by the applicant, through an approved subcontractor, or through an appropriately qualified community provider shall be delivered by licensed or credentialed professionals acting within the scope of their qualifications and shall use evidence-based or evidence-informed treatment modalities appropriate to the participant’s needs.

9. The applicant shall conduct timely clinical screenings and assessments using appropriate validated tools to identify each prospective or admitted participant’s behavioral-health and treatment needs and recommend an appropriate level of care and individualized treatment plan. Clinical findings and recommendations may inform the Mental Health Court’s eligibility and admission process but do not determine legal eligibility or admission. Final decisions concerning program eligibility and admission remain with the Court in accordance with established program procedures.

10. The applicant shall provide timely clinical and case-management information to assist the Team in developing individualized recommendations concerning incentives, responses to participant conduct, and therapeutic adjustments. The applicant’s information and recommendations shall be limited to matters within its clinical and case-management role and shall be based on relevant, current information concerning the participant. The Court retains exclusive authority to determine and impose any judicial response or sanction.

11. At NHJB’s request and within the scope and available funding of this subaward, the applicant shall contribute relevant clinical and programmatic expertise to NHJB-approved education and training for treatment court professionals, justice-system partners, and other identified stakeholders. Any education involving the judiciary shall be coordinated with and approved by NHJB. Information presented shall be accurate, evidence-informed, and consistent with the applicant’s professional role and the scope of this subaward.

12. The applicant shall assist NHJB with coordinating Mental Health Court staffing, program meetings, and other NHJB-approved program activities within the applicant’s scope of responsibility and the available funding under this subaward. The applicant shall coordinate with treatment providers and community partners to support participant referrals, access to services, and continuity of care. NHJB retains responsibility for scheduling and administering court sessions.

13. The applicant shall provide clinical case-management and relapse-prevention services, as clinically appropriate, throughout each participant’s participation in Mental Health Court. The applicant shall also provide individualized continuing-care and transition planning. In collaboration with the participant, the applicant shall develop and periodically update a plan addressing anticipated treatment, recovery, behavioral-health, medication-management, and other support needs following completion of or discharge from the program. Before the participant leaves the program, the applicant shall assist with referrals and connections to identified community-based services and supports to promote continuity of care. The applicant is not required under this subaward to provide or fund services after the participant completes or is discharged from Mental Health Court.

C. Minimum Requirements for Applicants

At a minimum, the Applicant must demonstrate the organizational capacity, relevant experience, subject-matter expertise, and operational readiness necessary to administer and support the day-to-day operations of the Carroll County Mental Health Court. Services must be provided in coordination with the New

Hampshire Judicial Branch (“NHJB”) Statewide Mental Health Court Coordinator (“SMHCC”) and other judicial, treatment, supervision, and community partners, as applicable.

The Applicant must demonstrate the ability to:

a. Provide comprehensive operational and administrative support for the Carroll County Mental Health

Court, including program coordination, meeting and staffing preparation, participant tracking, stakeholder communication, and other related program activities.

b. Demonstrate relevant experience operating, administering, or providing comprehensive support services to adult treatment courts or other problem-solving courts, including Adult Drug Court, DWI

Court, Mental Health Court, Veterans Court, or substantially similar programs.

c. Demonstrate experience working within a multidisciplinary, team-based model involving participant accountability, individualized treatment planning, evidence-based practices, incentives, sanctions, and therapeutic adjustments.

d. Work effectively within a court environment and within the established boundaries of the

Applicant’s authority. The Applicant must recognize that judicial decision-making, court orders, and court administration remain the sole responsibility of NHJB.

e. Coordinate effectively with judges, court personnel, treatment providers, supervision agencies, prosecutors, defense counsel, law enforcement, community-based organizations, and other program partners, as applicable.

f. Participate in Treatment Court staffing sessions, court proceedings, program meetings, trainings, and other activities necessary to support effective program operations.

g. Establish and maintain consistent communication protocols to ensure relevant participant and program information is shared with authorized Team members accurately, securely, and in a timely manner.

h. Employ or assign appropriately qualified personnel with the education, training, licensure or certification, and professional experience necessary to perform the services described in this RFA.

i. Maintain adequate staffing and organizational resources to ensure continuity of services, including appropriate coverage during staff absences, vacancies, or other operational disruptions.

j. Maintain accurate and complete participant, program, financial, and administrative records in accordance with applicable federal and state requirements, grant conditions, NHJB policies, and established records-retention requirements.

k. Track program activities, performance measures, participant outcomes, and other required operational metrics, including maintaining accurate information within Connexis or another data-management system approved by NHJB.

l. Prepare and submit routine and ad hoc reports in the form, format, and frequency required by NHJB, the New Hampshire Department of Justice (“NHDOJ”), the United States Department of Justice

(“USDOJ”), or other applicable funding and oversight entities.

m. Protect confidential, personally identifiable, health-related, substance-use-treatment, and court-related information in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws, regulations, court rules, and NHJB policies.

n. Ensure all personnel assigned to the program complete required confidentiality agreements, releases, background checks, orientations, and training before accessing protected information or performing services, as required by NHJB.

o. Utilize validated screening and assessment tools and support the delivery of evidence-based or evidence-informed treatment and case-management practices appropriate for adults participating in a

Mental Health Court program.

p. Support ongoing training and professional development for assigned personnel and collaborate with

NHJB to ensure staff remain informed of treatment court best practices, confidentiality requirements, grant obligations, and program policies.

q. Comply with all applicable federal and state laws, regulations, grant requirements, NHJB policies, and contractual obligations associated with the performance of the resulting agreement.

r. Cooperate with program monitoring, audits, evaluations, quality-assurance reviews, and corrective-action activities conducted or required by NHJB, NHDOJ, USDOJ, or another authorized oversight entity.

D. Minimum Qualifications for Applicant:

Applicants must satisfy each of the following minimum qualifications. The proposal must clearly describe how the Applicant meets these requirements and include supporting documentation, such as staff resumes, professional licenses or certifications, descriptions of relevant experience, and examples of comparable work, as applicable.

a. Demonstrate knowledge of and experience applying evidence-based cognitive and behavioral interventions designed to address criminal thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, emotional regulation, and skill development. This may include cognitive behavioral therapy-informed curricula and other structured interventions used in correctional, behavioral health, or community-supervision settings.

b. Demonstrate competency in assessing participant risks, needs, responsivity factors, and clinical considerations using validated tools and evidence-based practices appropriate for justice-involved populations.

c. Identify the personnel who will be responsible for conducting clinical assessments and diagnoses.

Such personnel must possess all education, training, experience, professional licenses, and certifications required under applicable law to perform the proposed services.

d. Demonstrate the ability to apply generally accepted clinical diagnostic standards and maintain complete, accurate, timely, and confidential clinical documentation in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, professional standards, NHJB policies, and recognized best practices.

e. Demonstrate relevant knowledge of co-occurring mental health and substance-use disorders and the ability to coordinate appropriate treatment, case-management, recovery-support, and community-based services for justice-involved adults.

f. Demonstrate experience working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team that may include judges, court personnel, behavioral health providers, supervision agencies, prosecutors, defense counsel, law enforcement, and community partners.

g. Demonstrate an understanding of the professional and operational boundaries applicable within a court-based program, including the respective roles of clinical providers, justice partners, and judicial officers.

h. Demonstrate knowledge of and the ability to operate in accordance with the Guidelines for New

Hampshire Mental Health Court Teams. The Applicant’s proposed approach must be grounded in these Guidelines and reflect a clear understanding of how the standards apply to daily program operations, multidisciplinary Team decision-making, participant engagement and accountability, treatment coordination, and program outcomes. The standards can be found in the NHJB website at:

https://www.courts.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt471/files/inline-documents/sonh/mental-health-courts-guidelines.pdf

i. Demonstrate the ability to recruit, assign, supervise, and retain qualified personnel capable of performing the services required under this RFA and maintaining continuity of program operations.

j. Confirm that all personnel assigned to the resulting agreement will maintain any required professional licenses, certifications, continuing education, and training throughout the contract term.

E. Minimum documentation expectation:

The Vendor’s Application should include a concise narrative describing how it will operationalize and support the Carroll County Mental Health Court, a staffing plan (roles & capacity), examples of comparable https://www.courts.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt471/files/inline-documents/sonh/mental-health-courts-guidelines.pdf https://www.courts.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt471/files/inline-documents/sonh/mental-health-courts-guidelines.pdf experience (references and/or prior engagements) and all requirements in Appendix C.

a. For an out of state vendor, they must have a valid Certificate of Authority to transact business, as required by New Hampshire law RSA 293-A. The form for applying for a Certificate of

Authority can be acquired through the New Hampshire Secretary of State's website at:

https://sos.nh.gov/corporation-ucc-securities/corporation/forms-and-fees/

b. This requirement must be satisfied by applying for a Certificate of Authority before the effective date of the contract resulting from this RFA.

https://sos.nh.gov/corporation-ucc-securities/corporation/forms-and-fees/

III. RFA PROCESS

A. Agency Point of Contact/Restriction of Contact with Agency Employees

The sole point of contact for this RFA, from the RFA issue date until the resulting contract is effective:

Kasey Ash

Purchasing Coordinator

Procurement@courts.state.nh.us

From the date of release of this RFA until the award is made and announced regarding the selection of a vendor, all communication with personnel employed by or under contract with the NHJB regarding this RFA is prohibited unless first approved by the RFA Sole Point of Contact. NHJB employees have been directed not to hold conferences and/or discussions concerning this RFA with any potential contractor during the selection process, unless otherwise authorized by the RFA Sole Point of Contact. Vendors may be disqualified for violating this restriction on communications.

B. Applicant Inquiries

All contact concerning this RFA, including but not limited to, requests for clarifications, questions, any changes to the RFA, must be submitted via email and received by the Point of Contact by the end of vendor inquiry period (see Schedule of Events herein).

The subject line of email must be as follows:

INQUIRIES TO RFA-2026-05- CARROLL COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH COURT

COORDINATION AND TREATMENT SERVICES

The vendor must identify the RFA name, page number and relevant paragraph and include the vendor’s name, telephone number, and e-mail address.

The NHJB’s responses to properly submitted inquiries will be posted on the following website on or before the date specified in the Schedule of Events: https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/supreme-court/about/administrative-office-courts/RFPs-and-rfis

The NHJB may consolidate and/or paraphrase questions for sufficiency and clarity. Oral statements, representations, clarifications, or modifications concerning the RFA shall not be binding upon the NHJB.

Official responses by the NHJB will be made only in writing by the process described above. It is the responsibility of vendors to review the most updated information related to this RFA before submitting a

Application.

C. RFA Addendum

The NHJB reserves the right to amend this RFA at its discretion, prior to the Application submission deadline.

In the event of an addendum to this RFA, the NHJB, at its sole discretion, may extend the Application submission deadline, as it deems appropriate.

mailto:Procurement@courts.state.nh.us https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/supreme-court/about/administrative-office-courts/RFPs-and-rfis https://www.courts.nh.gov/our-courts/supreme-court/about/administrative-office-courts/RFPs-and-rfis

D. Property of the NHJB

All material received in response to this RFA shall become the property of the NHJB and will not be returned to the vendor. Upon Contract award, the NHJB reserves the right to use any information presented in any

Application.

E. Confidentiality of an Application

Unless necessary for the approval of a contract, the substance of an Application must remain confidential until the Effective Date of any contract resulting from this RFA. A vendor’s disclosure or distribution of

Applications other than to the NHJB will be grounds for disqualification.

F. Public Disclosure

The content of each vendor’s Application shall become public information upon the award of any resulting

Contract. Any information submitted as part of a response to this RFA may be subject to public disclosure under applicable law. Confidential, commercial or financial information may be exempt from public disclosure under applicable law. If you believe any information being submitted in response to this request for

Application, bid or information should be kept confidential as financial or proprietary information, you must specifically identify that information in a letter to the NHJB and must mark/stamp each page of the materials that you claim must be exempt from disclosure as “CONFIDENTIAL”. A designation by the vendor of information it believes exempt does not have the effect of making such information exempt. The NHJB will determine the information it believes is properly exempted from disclosure. Marking of the entire Application or entire sections of the Application as confidential will neither be accepted nor honored. Notwithstanding any provision of this RFA to the contrary, vendor pricing will be subject to disclosure upon approval of the contract.

If a request is made to the NHJB to view portions of a Application that the vendor has properly and clearly marked confidential, the NHJB will notify the vendor of the request and of the date the NHJB plans to release the records. To halt the release of information by the NHJB, a vendor must initiate and provide to the NHJB, prior to the date specified in the notice, a court action in the Superior Court of the State of New Hampshire, at its sole expense, seeking to enjoin the release of the requested information.

By submitting an Application, vendors acknowledge and agree that:

a. The NHJB may disclose any and all portions of the n or related materials which are not marked as confidential and/or which have not been specifically explained in the letter to the person identified as the point of contact for this RFA;

b. The NHJB is not obligated to comply with a vendor’s designations regarding confidentiality and must conduct an independent analysis to assess the confidentiality of the information submitted in your

Application; and

c. The NHJB may, unless otherwise prohibited by court order, release the information on the date specified in the notice described above without any liability to a vendor.

G. Ethical Requirements

From the time this RFA is published until a contract is awarded, no vendor shall offer or give, directly or indirectly, any gift, expense reimbursement, or honorarium, as defined by RSA 15-B, to judicial or non-judicial employee of the NHJB, any elected official, public official, public employee, constitutional official, or family member of any such official or employee who will or has selected, evaluated, or awarded an RFA. Any vendor who has been convicted of an offense based on conduct in violation of this section, which has not been annulled, or who is subject to a pending criminal charge for such an offense, shall be disqualified from bidding on the RFA. A vendor that was disqualified under this section because of a pending criminal charge which is subsequently dismissed, results in an acquittal, or is annulled, may notify the NHJB.

H. Non-Commitment

Notwithstanding any other provision of this RFA, this RFA does not commit the NHJB to award a Contract.

The NHJB reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to reject any and all Applications, or any portions thereof, at any time; to cancel this RFA; and to solicit new Applications under a new acquisition process.

I. Compliance

Applicants must be in compliance with applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations, and applicable policies and procedures adopted by the NHJB currently in effect, and as they may be adopted or amended during the contract period. It is vendor’s responsibility to determine the applicability and requirements of any such laws, rules and regulations.

J. Application Cost

By submitting an application, a vendor agrees that in no event shall the NHJB be either responsible for or held liable for any costs incurred by a vendor in the preparation of, or in connection with the Application, or for oral presentation or product demonstration if any.

IV. APPLICATION SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A. Application Submission, Deadline, and Location Instructions

Applications must be submitted via E-mail to procurement@courts.state.nh.us.

Applications must be clearly marked as follows:

NEW HAMPSHIRE JUDICIAL BRANCH

RESPONSE TO RFA-2026-05- CARROLL COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH COURT

COORDINATION AND TREATMENT SERVICES

Applications must be received no later than the time and date specified in the Schedule of Events section.

Late submissions may not be considered for contract award. Delivery of the Applications shall be at the

Bidder’s expense. NHJB accepts no responsibility for mislabeled email or email that is not delivered or undeliverable for whatever reason.

B. Validity of Application

The Application shall be signed by a person authorized to legally bind the Bidder and shall contain a statement that the Application and the pricing contained therein will remain valid for hundred and eighty (180) days following the deadline for submission of Applications in Schedule of Events, or until the effective date of any resulting Contract, whichever is later.

C. Application Format

a. For clarity, the Application should be typed. Applications should be single-spaced with 1” margins on white 8 1/2” x 11” paper using a font no smaller than 12-point Times New Roman or similar.

b. Bidders must respond to each question and instructions listed in Appendix C of this RFA.

Number each response in the Application to correspond to the relevant question or instructions of the RFA.

c. All pages of the Application should be numbered consecutively beginning with number 1 on the first page (not including the cover page or table of contents pages) through to the end, including all forms and attachments. Bidder’s name should appear on every page, including attachments.

d. All electronic documents should be formatted for printing as formatting will not be adjusted prior to printing and review of these documents.

e. It is the responsibility of the Bidder to provide all information requested in the RFA package at the time of submission. Failure to provide information requested in this RFA may, at the discretion of the NHJB, result in a lower rating for the incomplete sections and may result in the Application being disqualified for consideration.

f. The Bidder shall complete and submit the “Application Cover Page” provided in Appendix A of this RFA and provide it with the Bidder’s Application. The cover page must show the specific information requested, including Bidder address(es) and other details listed. The mailto:procurement@courts.state.nh.us

Application cover page shall be dated and signed by a person authorized to enter into contracts on behalf of the Bidder.

g. The Bidder should complete and submit the “Debarment and Non-collusion Certification

Form” provided in Appendix B of this RFA. Failure to provide this certification may result in the disqualification of the Bidder’s Application, at the discretion of the NHJB.

V. EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS

A. Criteria for Evaluation and Scoring

The NHJB will evaluate each responsive Application using a scoring scale of 100 points which will be distributed as set forth in the table below:

CATEGORIES POINTS

Technical Application

Narrative – Demonstration of understanding of Treatment Courts and effectively demonstrating with the narrative that the minimum requirements and minimum qualifications have been met.

Qualifications and Experience – Demonstration of the required qualifications as well as any additional qualifications that may be desired in a Mental Health Court.

Cost Application 30

TOTAL MAXIMUM POINTS 100

The review team will use a consensus approach to evaluate the Applications. The Vendor receiving the highest number of evaluation points will be recommended for subaward contract negotiations.

B. Cost Application Scoring

Cost Applications will be reviewed upon completion of the final technical scoring of Applications. Vendors are advised that this is not a low bid award and that the scoring of the cost Application will be combined with the scoring of the technical Application to determine the overall highest scoring vendor.

The cost application score will be based on the completeness of the budget weighed with the value the applicant proposes with the award amount available.

The applicant can propose cost needed in order to assist the Mental Health Court program such as personnel, benefits and treatment costs for uninsured or underinsured participants. The attached budget template form is required to be completed.

No Best and Final Offers: The NHJB will not seek a best and final offer (BAFO) from any Bidder in this procurement process. All Bidders are expected to provide their best value pricing with the submission of their Application.

C. Negotiations and Selection

1. The NHJB reserves the right to waive minor or immaterial deviations from the RFA requirement if determined in the best interest of the NHJB.

2. The final decision regarding the award of the contract is subject to approval by the State

Court Administrator of AOC and the Council of Chief Judges (if applicable).

3. If the NHJB determines to make an award, it will issue an “intent to negotiate” notice to a vendor based on these evaluations. The NHJB reserves the right to negotiate with the successful Bidder to finalize a contract at the same rate or cost of service as presented in the selected Application. Such negotiations may not significantly vary the content, nature or requirements of the Application or the NHJB’s Request for Applications to an extent that may affect the price of goods or services requested. The NHJB reserves the right to terminate contract negotiations with a selected Bidder who submits a proposed contract significantly different from the Application they submitted in response to the advertised RFA. In the event that an acceptable contract cannot be negotiated with the highest ranked Bidder, the NHJB may withdraw its award and negotiate with the next-highest ranked Bidder, and so on, until an acceptable contract has been finalized. Alternatively, the NHJB may cancel this RFA, and solicit new Applications under a new acquisition process.

4. The NHJB reserves the right to reject any and all Applications or to make multiple awards.

VI. CONTRACT DOCUMENT

A. The Selected Bidder will be required to execute a contract in the form of the NHJB Standard Terms and Conditions which is attached as Appendix D.

B. The NHJB may consider modifications of this form during negotiations. To the extent that a vendor believes that exceptions to the standard form contract will be necessary for the vendor to enter into the Agreement, the vendor should note those issues during the vendor inquiry period. The NHJB will review requested exceptions and accept, reject or note that it is open to negotiation of the proposed exception at its sole discretion. If the NHJB accepts a vendor’s exception the NHJB will, at the conclusion of the inquiry period, provide notice to all potential bidders of the exceptions which have been accepted and indicate that exception is available to all potential bidders. Any exceptions to the standard form contract that are not raised during the Vendor inquiry period are waived. In no event is a vendor to submit its own standard contract terms and conditions as a replacement for the NHJB’s terms in response to this solicitation.

C. Allocation of funds is final upon successful negotiations and execution of the contract, subject to the review and approval of the State Court Administrator, and NHJB Council of Chief Judges (if applicable). Contracts are not considered fully executed and valid until approved by the State Court

Administrator and the Council and funds are encumbered. No contract is effective unless signed by the Director.

APPENDIX A

APPLICATION COVER PAGE

NHJB-RFA-2026-05

CARROLL COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH COURT COORDINATION

AND TREATMENT SERVICES

Bidder’s Organization Name:

Chief Executive - Name/Title:

Tel: E-mail:

Headquarters Street Address:

Headquarters City/State/Zip:

(Provide information requested below if different from above)

Lead Point of Contact for Application -

Name/Title:

Tel: E-mail:

Local Office Street Address:

Local Office City/State/Zip:

UEI #:

• This Application and the pricing contained therein will remain valid for hundred and eighty (180) days following the deadline for submission of Applications in Schedule of Events contained in the

RFA, or until the effective date of any resulting Contract, whichever is later.

• No personnel currently employed by the NHJB or any NH State agency participated, either directly or indirectly, in any activities relating to the preparation of the Bidder’s Application.

• No attempt has been made, or will be made, by the Bidder to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a Application.

• The above-named organization is the legal entity entering into the resulting agreement with the

NHJB should they be awarded the contract.

• The undersigned is authorized to enter contractual obligations on behalf of the above-named organization.

To the best of my knowledge, all information provided in the enclosed Application, both programmatic and financial, is complete and accurate at the time of submission.

Name (Print):

Title:

Authorized Signature:

Date:

APPENDIX B

DEBARMENT AND NON-COLLUSION CERTIFICATION

NHJB-RFA-2026-05

CARROLL COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH COURT COORDINATION

AND TREATMENT SERVICES

By signing this document, I certify to the best of my knowledge and belief that the aforementioned organization, its principals and any subcontractors named in this Application:

a. Have not, within the past 2 years, been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, a violation of RSA

356:2, RSA 356:4, or any state or federal law or county or municipal ordinance prohibiting specified bidding practices, or involving antitrust violations, which has not been annulled;

b. Have not been prohibited, either permanently or temporarily, from participating in any public works project pursuant to RSA 638:20;

c. Have not previously provided false, deceptive, or fraudulent information on a vendor code number application form, or any other document submitted to the state of New Hampshire, which information was not corrected as of the time of the filing of a bid, Application, or quotation;

d. Are not currently debarred from performing work on any project of the federal government or the government of any state;

e. Have not, within the past 2 years, failed to cure a default on any contract with the federal government or the government of any state;

f. Are not presently subject to any order of the department of labor, the department of employment security, or any other state department, agency, board, or commission, finding that the bidder is not in compliance with the requirements of the laws or rules that the department, agency, board, or commission is charged with implementing;

g. Are not presently subject to any sanction or penalty finally issued by the department of labor, the department of employment security, or any other state department, agency, board, or commission, which sanction or penalty has not been fully discharged or fulfilled;

h. Are not currently serving a sentence or is subject to a continuing or unfulfilled penalty for any crime or violation noted in this section;

i. Have not failed or neglected to advise the division of any conviction, plea of guilty, or finding relative to any crime or violation noted in this section, or of any debarment, within 30 days of such conviction, plea, finding, or debarment;

j. Have not been placed on the debarred parties list by the NH Department of Administrative

Services pursuant to RSA 21-I:11-c within the past year;

k. Have not been convicted of wage theft of its employees within the past 2 years;

l. Have not been convicted of a felony level offense involving worker safety practices within the past

2 years; or

m. Have not been found guilty, within the last 2 years, of misclassification of workers as independent contractors, in violation of department of labor standards and the definition of employee in RSA

281-A:2.

I further certify that: the Application submitted in response to this RFA, the prices, terms and conditions, and Work quoted have been established without collusion with other vendors and without effort to preclude the NHJB from obtaining the best possible competitive Application. The above-mentioned entities understand and agree that collusive bidding is a violation of state and federal law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards.

Failure to provide this certification may result in the disqualification of the Bidder’s Application, at the discretion of the NHJB.

Name (Print):

Title:

Authorized Signature:

Date:

APPENDIX C

BIDDER RESPONSE TEMPLATE

NHJB-RFA-2026-05

CARROLL COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH COURT COORDINATION

AND TREATMENT SERVICES

Bidders must submit Applications in accordance with “Appendix C– Bidder Response Template”.

The Bidder’s Application should sequentially follow each section found in Appendix C and Bidder must answer each question that is asked in each section, as well as respond to all information sought. The NHJB reserves the right to reject any and all Applications that do not follow this required formatting. All Applications must address the following:

Narrative:

The Vendor’s Application should include a concise narrative describing how it will operationalize and support the Carroll County Mental Health Court, a staffing plan (roles & capacity), and examples of comparable experience (references and/or prior engagements). The narrative should not exceed 10 pages.

In addition, a detailed response should be included that describes how the applicant will:

1. meet the scope of work at II. A.

2. meets the Minimum Requirements for Applicants at II. B.

Qualifications and Experience:

1. At a minimum the applicant must meet minimum Qualifications for Applicant at II. C.

2. Highlight supplemental qualifications and experience that demonstrate how the applicant can add value to mental health court operations.

Budget:

The applicant can propose cost needed in order to assist the Mental Health Court program such as personnel, benefits, treatment costs for uninsured or underinsured participants, travel for training, court travel and other costs, such as registration fees for treatment court conferences. Examples of conferences are All-Rise, the New England Association of Drug Court Professionals or the NH Treatment Court

Conference. The attached budget template form is required to be completed.

CONTRACT BETWEEN THE NEW

HAMPSHIRE JUDICIAL BRANCH AND

[INSERT VENDOR NAME]

APPENDIX D

This Contract (hereinafter "Contract") is between the State of New Hampshire Judicial Branch, by and through the Administrative Office of the Courts, (hereinafter “NHJB”) and [company], located at [Address] (hereinafter the "Subrecipient”).

1. CONTRACT TERM.

1.1. This Contract shall be effective on the date signed by both Parties, whichever is the latest, and shall remain in full force until Date.

1.2. The Contract Term may be extended up to two years (“Extended Term”) at the sole option of the

NHJB via an amendment executed by the parties, subject to availability of funding and satisfactory performance.

2. SCOPE OF SERVICES. The Subrecipient must furnish all qualified personnel, facilities, materials and services in consultation with the NHJB, to provide the NHJB with [Description]. All of which is further explained in Appendix A through [x] and RFA 2026-05, all of which are incorporated into this Contract and made part of it by reference.

3. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT. At all times while working pursuant to the Contract, the

Subrecipient shall act in a manner that upholds the dignity and integrity of the NHJB. The

Subrecipient shall observe standards of diligence appropriate to work for the NHJB. During the term of the Contract, the Subrecipient may be engaged by one or more organization(s). The Subrecipient represents that the Subrecipient is not and shall not become a party to any agreement that conflicts with the duties hereunder.

4. CONTRACT COSTS.

4.1. Total Cost. Total contract price, method of payment and terms of payment are set forth in

Appendix B, which is attached herein and made part of this Contract by reference.

Notwithstanding any provision in this Contract to the contrary, and notwithstanding unexpected circumstances, in no event shall the total of all payments authorized, or actually made hereunder, including personnel, facilities, materials, travel and expenses, exceed $0.00.

4.2. Payment Contingency. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, all obligations of the NHJB hereunder, including, without limitation the continuance of payments are contingent upon the availability and continued appropriation of funds. In no event shall the NHJB be liable for any payments in excess of such available appropriated funds. In the event of the reduction or termination of appropriated funds by any state or federal legislative or executive action, the

NHJB shall have the right to withhold payment until such funds become available, if ever, and shall have the right to reduce or terminate the services under this Contract immediately upon giving the Subrecipient notice of such reduction or termination. The NHJB shall not be required to transfer funds from any other account or source to fund the Contract in the event funds are reduced or unavailable.

4.3. Documentation of Costs. During the term of the Contract, the Subrecipient agrees to maintain books, records, documents and other data evidencing and reflecting all costs and other expenses…