1301-26-R-IFBD-00062

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has issued an Invitation for Bids (IFB) under contract number 1301-26-R-IFBD-00062 for Cessation Training and Nicotine Dependence Treatment Services. The procurement seeks a contractor to support the Office of Tobacco Control by implementing evidence-based tobacco cessation training aligned with CDC Best Practices and PHS Clinical Guidelines. Key deliverables include facilitating two annual Tobacco Treatment Specialists workshops (one in fall and one in spring) in virtual format statewide, providing educational sessions to Community Mental Health Centers as requested, delivering residency trainings on pharmacotherapy and tobacco dependency, presenting at Mississippi Tobacco-Free Coalition trainings and annual statewide grantee meetings, and promoting Mississippi Quitline services. The contractor must maintain compliance with CDC standards and dedicate staffing resources including one faculty position at 0.2 FTE for clinical training and a clinical/business operations director at 0.15 FTE. Additional requirements include managing continuing education credits, submitting monthly event calendars and quarterly reports, and maintaining professional liability and general liability insurance commensurate with responsibilities. Minimum qualifications require at least five years of prior experience providing similar goods or services and demonstrated financial stability. The bid submission deadline is 10:00 am Central Standard Time on June 3, 2026, with questions due by 2:00 pm on May 11, 2026. Evaluation will award the contract to the responsive and responsible bidder submitting the lowest overall price, with the Notice of Intent to Award posted on the MSDH OpenGov Procurement Portal.

The solicitation documents do not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting response to disadvantaged enterprises or specific organization types; however, contractors must be registered to do business in Mississippi or register within five business days of award, with sole proprietors exempt from this requirement. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement materials. The contractor must execute a comprehensive Business Associate Agreement (BAA) Form 1063 to handle Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA regulations, requiring implementation of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards aligned with NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 Moderate baseline controls, encryption standards (FIPS 140-2/140-3 with AES-256 at rest; TLS 1.2 or higher in transit), and Zero Trust Architecture principles. All subcontractors must also execute Business Associate Agreements, and cloud providers must maintain SOC 2 Type II or FedRAMP Moderate accreditation with PHI remaining in the continental United States. Payment will be made electronically within forty-five calendar days of invoice receipt, with monthly invoicing required by the 15th of each month. The contract is subject to the availability of appropriated funds from the Mississippi State Legislature, with the initial term commencing upon execution and approval, and the potential for renewal at MSDH's discretion for one-year periods at the same prices and terms, provided the cumulative term does not exceed five years. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the procurement materials.