RFP_2000018563_T_2632A_Counseling_9.1.26.docx

State of Minnesota Department of Public Safety

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Peer Counseling Services 2000018563 Date Posted: September 1, 2026 If you responded to a previous RFP for DPS’s Peer Counseling Services Master Contract Program and are currently under contract with DPS you do not need to respond to this RFP

· Responses must be received not later than 4:00 P.M , Central Time, September 30, 2026

· Late responses will not be considered

Minnesota’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion The State of Minnesota is committed to diversity and inclusion in its public procurement process. The goal is to ensure that those providing goods and services to the State are representative of our Minnesota communities and include businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, and those with substantial physical disabilities. Creating broader opportunities for historically under-represented groups provides for additional options and greater competition in the marketplace, creates stronger relationships and engagement within our communities, and fosters economic development and equality.

To further this commitment, the Department of Administration operates a program for Minnesota-based small businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, and those with substantial physical disabilities. For additional information on this program, or to determine eligibility, please call 651-296-2600 or go to the Office of Equity in Procurement home page, at www.mn.gov/admin/oep.

SPECIAL NOTICE: This is a request for proposal. It does not obligate the State of Minnesota to award a contract or complete the proposed program, and the State reserves the right to cancel this solicitation if it is considered in its best interest.

This Solicitation requires proposals to be submitted through the SWIFT Supplier Portal. Please note the security changes below that may impact responders from submitting a timely response.

SWIFT SUPPLIER PORTAL SECURITY CHANGES

There are new security measures that the Minnesota Management and Budget implemented on October 16, 2022. It is a new multi-factor authentication (MFA) to enhance the security of the State of Minnesota Supplier Portal. MFA is an authentication method that requires bidders and suppliers provide two verification factors to log into the SWIFT Supplier Portal. The goal of MFA is to create a layered defense that makes it more difficult for unauthorized system access to occur.

For information about these changes, please refer to the SWIFT Supplier Portal Multi-Factor Authentication FAQ document.

If you have not done so already, please make sure to log into the SWIFT Supplier Portal as soon as possible to get this authentication set up early so there are no issues when submitting a response to an RFP.

You are strongly encouraged to set your MFA during business hours of 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Central Time, Monday through Friday. You may experience delay setting your MFA after hours.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Solicitation Content

Solicitation Attachments

· Attachment A: Responder Declarations

· Attachment B: Exceptions to State's Terms and Conditions

· Attachment C: Cost Detail

· Attachment D: Responder Forms

· Veteran-Owned Preference Form [If Applicable]

· Workforce and Equal Pay Declaration Page

· Attachment E: References

Sample Master Contract

· Exhibit A: Contract Terms

· Exhibit B: Insurance Requirements

· Exhibit C: Specifications, Duties, and Scope of Work

· Exhibit D: Pricing

· Exhibit E: Work Order Contract

SECTION 1 – INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDERS

Step 1: Read the solicitation documents and ask questions, if any Step 2: Write your response Step 3: Submit your response

STEP 1 – READ THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENT & ASK QUESTIONS, IF ANY

How to Ask Questions

The contact person for questions is:

Ashley Scharffbillig, Contracts Coordinator Minnesota Department of Public Safety Email address: Ashley.Scharffbillig@state.mn.us Email Subject Line: Public Safety Counseling Services

Questions must be emailed to the contact person no later than 4:00 p.m. Central Time on September 16, 2026. The State will not respond to questions submitted by fax or telephone calls. Other personnel, regardless of position, are not authorized to answer questions regarding this solicitation. All questions will be answered in an addendum to this solicitation. The Q&A addendum will be issued no later 4:00 p.m. Central Time on September 18, 2026.

STEP 2 – WRITE YOUR RESPONSE

The Response Content section is in this link to Section 4. Prepare a written response and supply all requested content. Responses should address the requested information and documents detailed in Section 4. DO NOT INCLUDE Non-Public/Trade Secret data (as defined in this link to Minn. Stat. § 13.37).

Review, sign, and include the Responder Declarations with your response.

STEP 3 –SUBMIT YOUR RESPONSE

Where to Send Your Response

All responses to this solicitation (termed an “Event” within SWIFT) must be submitted through SWIFT using the Supplier portal (https://mn.gov/supplier). Training and documentation on how to submit your response is available through the Supplier portal link above. Fax, e-mail, and printed responses will not be accepted or considered. All costs incurred in responding to this solicitation will be borne by the responder.

Late responses will not be considered. Responses received after End Date above will not be considered, even if errors or delays were caused by issues outside of responders’ control. If you need assistance please contact the SWIFT Vendor Assistance Helpline at 651-201-8100, Option 1, and then Option 1.

By submitting a response, your company is making a binding legal offer for the period of time set forth below in Section 6, Conditions of Offer.

SECTION 2 – SUMMARY OF SCOPE

Organizational Overview The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) is dedicated to prevention, preparedness, response, recovery, enforcement and education. The agency is comprised of the following divisions: Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement; Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; Commissioner’s Office; Driver and Vehicle Services; Emergency Communication Networks; Fiscal and Administrative Services; Homeland Security and Emergency Management; Human Resources; MN.IT Services at DPS; Office of Communications; Office of Justice Programs; Office of Pipeline Safety; Office of Traffic Safety; State Fire Marshal; and the Minnesota State Patrol. In addition, the agency provides administrative support for the State’s Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T. Board), the Private Detective and Protective Agent Services Board, and the Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education which is housed within the State Fire Marshal’s division.

Procurement Overview and Goals.

DPS, consistent with best practices to assure its law enforcement and public safety personnel maintain optimal health, requires psychological support services and mental health therapy that are unrelated to fitness-for-duty or pathological purposes. The need for services results from exposure to critical incidents, mental fatigue, burnout, dealing with sex-related crimes against children, and other events that may adversely affect an employee’s mental health and their capacity to serve the public.

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit proposals from qualified, Minnesota-licensed mental health care practitioners interested in providing counseling and related services to DPS employees who work in law enforcement environments.

This solicitation may result in multiple-award contracts to a limited number of practitioners who can provide the Scope of Work identified below. This master contract program will be used exclusively by the Department of Public Safety.

It is expected responders to this RFP fit one of the following organizational models:

1. Independent psychologist, a single licensed psychologist;

2. Independent counselor, a single licensed counselor; or

3. Group practice, multiple psychologists and/or counselors all of whom are capable of providing the required services.

No work, tasks, or duties pursuant to this RFP or resulting contracts may be subcontracted.

The specific goals of this master contract program are to:

1. award master contracts to one or more qualified psychologists and/or counselors who can provide the required services to DPS;

2. reduce or stabilize the cost of delivering government services;

3. reduce or stabilize the cost of professional services procured by DPS; and,

4. improve the efficiencies and effectiveness of the administrative process to procure counseling and related supplemental services essential to the continued success of DPS.

Sample Tasks and Deliverables.

The selected psychologists and counselors shall be required to provide any or all of the following duties:

1. Conduct post-critical incident workability assessments, including counseling services, continued employment psychological assessments as required, and guiding the affected employee to a pre-incident functioning level.

a. Submit a written report to the respective DPS division representative within three (3) calendar days following initial assessment.

b. Perform assessments and services within the Twin Cities metropolitan area or within five (5) miles of the DPS employee’s primary work location.

2. Conduct individual or group training sessions including but not limited to the following topics: stress management; stress resistance; relaxation techniques; developing and strengthening coping skills; crisis intervention; addiction; and resilience.

3. Review the current peer counseling programs for DPS employees and each program’s refresher courses and make recommendations for any updates or changes.

4. Conduct peer counselling session for DPS’ peer counseling program to include;

a. Initial 40-hour course

b. Four-hour refresher courses

c. Eight-hour refresher courses

5. Provide, as needed and requested, advisory support to the peer counselors following critical incidents and coordinate, as needed and requested, the response of peer counselors following critical incidents.

6. Coordinate a post-event health session with all employees involved with the critical incident.

If Responders can provide the majority, but not all of the sample tasks listed, please be clear on what services can be offered and which ones cannot. This should also be reflected on “Attachment C: Cost Detail” of the Solicitation Attachments.

SECTION 3 – PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. Anticipated Contract Term.

The term of this contract is anticipated to be from November 1, 2026, to June 30, 2028, with the option to extend up to an additional two (1) years in increments determined by the State.

Question and Answer Instructions.

All questions should be submitted no later than the date and time listed in Section 1, Instructions to Responders. The State is not obligated to answer questions submitted after the question due date and time.

Only personnel listed above are authorized to discuss this solicitation with responders. Contact regarding this solicitation with any personnel not listed above could result in disqualification. This provision is not intended to prevent responders from seeking guidance from state procurement assistance programs regarding general procurement questions.

If a Responder discovers any significant ambiguity, error, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other deficiency in the solicitation, please immediately notify the contact person detailed above in writing of such error and request modification or clarification of the document.

Additional Tasks or Activities Responders are encouraged to propose additional tasks, activities, or goods above and beyond the scope of what is requested in this solicitation if they will substantially improve the results of this procurement. Any costs associated with these additional tasks, activities, or goods should be clearly marked and separated from costs associated with the tasks, activities, or goods specifically requested under this solicitation. Because cost is a factor in the evaluation of responses to this solicitation, failure to separate costs for additional tasks, activities, or goods may result in those costs being included in a responder's cost proposal and result in a lower cost score for that proposal.

SECTION 4 – PROPOSAL CONTENT

Please provide two separate proposals, a technical proposal and a cost proposal. Technical proposals will be evaluated according to responses in the following areas. Do not include any cost information in the Technical Proposal.

Please submit the following information:

1. Statement of Understanding.

Responder should provide a statement of the goals, duties, and tasks to demonstrate the responder’s view and understanding of the nature of the contract.

2. Qualifications and Experience. Responder should provide:

· Individual or organization information. Provide the following information:

· History identifying the activities that have been and are relevant to this RFP including related work.

· Resume or CV of each psychologist or counselor who may potentially provide contracted services.

· Company organization chart (if applicable).

· Awards and public recognitions received (if applicable).

Responder must also meet the following minimum Qualifications:

· Be a Licensed Psychologist (LP) currently licensed by the Minnesota Board of Psychology; OR be a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC or LPCC) currently licensed by the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy; OR be a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) currently licensed by the Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

· Have two (2) or more years’ experience providing critical incident stress management (CISM) or critical incident trauma counseling to state, county or municipal law enforcement agencies or other law enforcement personnel.

3. References. Responder should complete and submit “Attachment E: Reference Form” with their response. Responder must submit three references from law enforcement agencies other than from the State of Minnesota and its agencies for counseling services provided within the past thirty-six (36) months. Each Reference must include:

· Name of client.

· Date(s) services provided.

· Description of services or scope of work.

· Name of contact person at client, including the individual’s direct telephone number and direct electronic mail address.

Once Responder’s response is received, the Solicitation Administrator will send the same form to Responder’s reference(s) for each reference to fill out and return to the Solicitation Administrator.

4. Cost Detail. Complete and submit Attachment C, “Cost Detail,” attached to this solicitation.

Submit all requested documentation, including, but not limited to, the following documents:

1. Attachment A: Responder Declarations

2. Attachment B: Exceptions to State's Standard Terms and Conditions

3. Attachment C: Cost Proposal

4. Attachment D: Responder Forms

a. Veteran-Owned Preference Form (If Applicable)

b. Workforce and Equal Pay Declaration Page

5. Attachment E: Reference Form

DO NOT INCLUDE Non-Public/Trade Secret data (as defined by Minn. Stat. § 13.37).

SECTION 5 – EVALUATION PROCEDURE AND CRITERIA

The State will conduct an evaluation of responses to this Solicitation. The evaluations will be conducted in three phases:

Phase 1 - Review responses for responsiveness and pass/fail requirements Phase 2 - Evaluate responses Phase 3 - Select finalist(s)

1. Phase 1 – Responsiveness and Pass/Fail Requirements The purpose of this phase is to determine if each response complies with mandatory requirements. The State will first review each proposal for responsiveness to determine if the Responder satisfies all mandatory requirements. The State will evaluate these requirements on a pass/fail basis.

Mandatory Requirements. The following will be considered on a pass/fail basis:

· Responses must be received by the due date and time specified in this along RFP.

· Meet “Minimum Responder Qualifications” identified in Section 4.

· Be a Licensed Psychologist (LP) currently licensed by the Minnesota Board of Psychology; OR be a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC or LPCC) currently licensed by the Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy; OR be a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) currently licensed by the Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

· Have two (2) or more years’ experience providing critical incident stress management (CISM) or critical incident trauma counseling to state, county or municipal law enforcement agencies or other law enforcement personnel.

Phase 2 - Evaluate Responses Only those responses found to have met Phase 1 criteria will be considered in Phase 2.

The factors and weighting on which responses will be evaluated are:

Preference points are described under Solicitation Terms and will be applied to the total score after points have been awarded.

Phase 3 - Select Finalist(s) Only those responses that have been evaluated under Phase 2 shall be eligible for Phase 3.

The State will make its selection based on best value, as determined by this evaluation process. The State reserves the right to pursue negotiations on any exception taken to the State’s standard terms and conditions. In the event that negotiated terms cannot be reached, the State reserves the right to terminate negotiations and begin negotiating with the next highest scoring responder or take other actions as the State deems appropriate. If the State anticipates multiple awards, the State reserves the right to negotiate with more than one Responder.

It is anticipated that the evaluation and selection will be completed by October 16 , 2026.

SECTION 6 – UNENFORCEABLE TERMS AND SOLICITATION TERMS

Unenforceable Terms As of July 1, 2025, certain terms are unenforceable in state contracts. See Session Laws, 2025 Regular Session, Chapter 39, Article 2, Section 45.

Unenforceable terms

(a) A contract entered into by the state shall not contain a term that:

(b) If a contract is entered into that contains a term prohibited in paragraph (a), that term shall be void and the contract is enforceable as if it did not contain that term.

Solicitation Terms

1. Competition in Responding The State desires open and fair competition. Questions from responders regarding any of the requirements of the Solicitation must be submitted in writing to the Solicitation Administrator listed in the Solicitation before the due date and time. If changes are made the State will issue an addendum.

Any evidence of collusion among responders in any form designed to defeat competitive responses will be reported to the Minnesota Attorney General for investigation and appropriate action.

Addenda to the Solicitation Changes to the Solicitation will be made by addendum with notification and posted in the same manner as the original Solicitation. Any addenda issued will become part of the Solicitation.

Data Security - Foreign Outsourcing of Work is Prohibited All storage and processing of information shall be performed within the borders of the United States. This provision also applies to work performed by subcontractors at all levels.

Joint Ventures The State allows joint ventures among groups of responders when responding to the solicitation. However, one responder must submit a response on behalf of all the others in the group. The responder that submits the response will be considered legally responsible for the response (and the contract, if awarded).

Withdrawing Response A responder may withdraw its response prior to the due date and time of the Solicitation. For solicitations in the SWIFT Supplier Portal, a responder may withdraw its response from the SWIFT Supplier Portal. For solicitations done any other way, a responder may withdraw its response by notifying the Solicitation Administrator in writing of the desire to withdraw.

After the due date and time of this Solicitation, a responder may withdraw a response only upon showing that an obvious error exists in the response. The showing and request for withdrawal must be made in writing to Solicitation Administrator within a reasonable time and prior to the State’s detrimental reliance on the response.

Rights Reserved The State reserves the right to:

· Reject any and all responses received;

· Waive or modify any informalities, irregularities, or inconsistencies in the responses received;

· Negotiate with the highest scoring Responder[s];

· Terminate negotiations and select the next response providing the best value for the State;

· Consider documented past performance resulting from a State contract may be considered in the evaluation process;

· Short list the highest scoring Responders;

· Require Responders to conduct presentations, demonstrations, or submit samples;

· Interview key personnel or references;

· Request a best and final offer from one or more Responders;

· The State reserves the right to request additional information ; and

· The State reserves the right to use estimated usage or scenarios for the purpose of conducting pricing evaluations. The State reserves the right to modify scenarios, and to request or add additional scenarios for the evaluation.

Samples and Demonstrations Upon request, Responders are to provide samples to the State at no charge. Except for those destroyed or mutilated in testing, the State will return samples if requested and at the Responder’s expense. All costs to conduct and associated with a demonstration will be the sole responsibility of the Responder.

Responses are Nonpublic during Evaluation Process All materials submitted in response to this Solicitation will become property of the State. During the evaluation process, all information concerning the responses submitted will remain private or nonpublic and will not be disclosed to anyone whose official duties do not require such knowledge. Responses are private or nonpublic data until the completion of the evaluation process as defined by Minn. Stat. § 13.591. The completion of the evaluation process is defined as the State having completed negotiating a contract with the selected responder. The State will notify all responders in writing of the evaluation results.

Trade Secret Information Responders must not submit as part of their response trade secret material, as defined by Minn. Stat. § 13.37.

In the event trade secret data are submitted, Responder must defend any action seeking release of data it believes to be trade secret, and indemnify and hold harmless the State, its agents and employees, from any judgments awarded against the State in favor of the party requesting the data, and any and all costs connected with that defense.

The State does not consider cost or prices to be trade secret material, as defined by Minn. Stat. § 13.37.

A responder may present and discuss trade secret information during an interview or demonstration with the State, if applicable.

Conditions of Offer Unless otherwise approved in writing by the State, Responder’s cost proposal and all terms offered in its response that pertain to the completion of professional and technical services and general services will remain firm for 180 days, until they are accepted or rejected by the State, or they are changed by further negotiations with the State prior to contract execution.

Award Any award that may result from this solicitation will be based upon the total accumulated points as established in the solicitation. The State reserves the right to award this solicitation to a single Responder, or to multiple Responders, whichever is in the best interest of the State, providing each Responder is in compliance with all terms and conditions of the solicitation. The State reserves the right to accept all or part of an offer, to reject all offers, to cancel the solicitation, or to re-issue the solicitation, whichever is in the best interest of the State.

Requirements Prior to Contract Execution Prior to contract execution, a responder receiving a contract award must comply with any submittal requests. A submittal request may include, but is not limited to, a Certificate of Insurance.

Targeted Group, Economically Disadvantaged Business, Veteran-Owned and Individual Preference Unless a greater preference is applicable and allowed by law, in accordance with Minn. Stat. § 16C.16, businesses that are eligible and certified by the State as targeted group (TG) businesses, economically disadvantaged (ED) businesses, and veteran-owned businesses will receive points equal to 12% percent of the total points available as preference.

For TG/ED/VO certification and eligibility information visit the Office of Equity in Procurement website at https://mn.gov/admin/business/vendor-info/oep/ or call the Division’s Helpline at 651.201.2402.

Reciprocity State shall comply with Minn. Stat. § 16C.06, subd. 7, as that applies to a non-resident vendor. This paragraph does not apply for any project in which federal funds are expended.

Helpline at 651.296.2600.

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