RFP 202606111 Q

This is a Questions and Answers document for RFP 202606111, issued by the State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, addressing inquiries regarding the Lifespan Suicide Prevention Services contract. The RFP solicits proposals for comprehensive suicide prevention training and technical assistance services to be delivered statewide, with proposals due August 13, 2026, at 4:00 p.m., and questions due July 15, 2026. The contract encompasses basic and advanced suicide prevention awareness training, risk screening and assessment, safety planning and lethal means counseling, suicide-safer care practices for medical and behavioral health settings, organizational protocol development, early intervention strategies for youth, and postvention response services following suicide deaths. Minimum annual training requirements include ten basic awareness sessions, twenty advanced prevention trainings, ten risk screening and assessment trainings, five safety planning trainings, five suicide-safer care practice trainings, five organizational protocol trainings, and fifteen early intervention trainings for youth. The contractor must plan and implement the annual Beyond the Basics of Suicide Prevention Conference for approximately 250 participants, delivered in-person one to two times per year. The contract term runs October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2028, with two optional renewal periods through September 30, 2030, and September 30, 2031.

Key clarifications from the Q&A document address budgeting, travel, meals, and service delivery parameters. Client-related travel is not applicable to these services; however, all travel costs for staff, including lodging required to present training across the state, must be included in the cost form. Meals related to staff travel should be categorized under "Other Travel" costs, while food for training participants and conference attendees may be included under "Food" or "Training/Education" costs. Software licenses for Sources of Strength must be allocated under "Technology Services" or "Software." The Department declined to provide an anticipated budget for the two-year contract, as this is a competitive process. Postvention responses to suicide deaths are expected to be available statewide and may include in-person or virtual support, resources, and referrals depending on community and individual needs. Advanced Suicide Prevention Trainings may include "Training of Trainers" activities based on departmental needs. Monthly reports documenting activity updates, data collection, and evaluation results are required within thirty days following each month's end, with all trainings evaluated through pre- and post-assessments focused on knowledge and skills changes.