1661-25-R-IFBD-00004-V02

The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for Therapeutic Placement and Treatment Services, seeking to establish multiple contracts with high-resource residential treatment centers. The procurement aims to secure providers capable of offering emergency therapeutic placement services for complex children and youth in state custody who have experienced multiple failed placement attempts. Bidders must meet stringent qualifications, including being in business for at least five years, possessing a child-licensed facility, maintaining national accreditation, and achieving a minimum reference score. The contract term will span from June 6, 2025, through June 5, 2030, with bids due electronically by April 28, 2025, at 10:00 AM Central Time. MDCPS will evaluate potential contractors based on their ability to provide services at the lowest price when a placement is needed, with an anticipated Notice of Intent to Award scheduled for May 7, 2025. The primary objectives include supporting children with behavioral and emotional challenges, working towards permanency through reunification, relative care, adoption, or guardianship, and providing trauma-informed residential services for children with complex medical and behavioral needs.

The solicitation appears to be open to all qualified residential treatment providers without specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. Compensation will be structured as a firm fixed-price agreement with a daily per diem rate, which may be adjusted annually up to 5% or based on the Consumer Price Index increase. The services will be funded through state appropriations, with the contract subject to fund availability and potential approval by the Public Procurement Review Board. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly detailed, the procurement suggests multiple standby contracts will be awarded to providers capable of meeting the specified requirements. The contract mechanism allows MDCPS flexibility in placing children as needed, with vendors selected to provide specialized therapeutic services for the most challenging cases in the child welfare system. Providers will be expected to offer comprehensive residential treatment that addresses the complex needs of children who have experienced significant trauma and multiple placement disruptions.