26-031 Virtual Mental Health Services (RFP)

The Bibb County School District in Georgia is issuing RFP 26-031 for Virtual Mental Health Services, a synchronous, real-time video therapy program designed to provide individual mental health treatment to middle and high school students in grades 6-12. The solicitation seeks a qualified vendor to deliver Georgia-licensed clinical services (provided by Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, or Licensed Clinical Social Workers) addressing student mental health concerns including anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms, and emotional regulation difficulties. Services must be available during school hours (when approved), afternoon, early evening, and weekend sessions, with home-based access as the standard delivery method and school-based sessions provided only when necessary and feasible. The contract term runs from March 15 through December 31, 2026, with potential renewal contingent on performance and procurement director approval; the pre-bid conference was held March 3, 2026, with written questions due by March 6, 2026, at 8:00 AM EST and proposals due March 17, 2026, at 8:00 AM EST via the Bonfire platform. Evaluation will be scored on a 100-point scale across six categories: program approach and service delivery (25 points), student experience and engagement (15 points), data reporting and compliance (20 points), vendor qualifications and capacity (20 points), billing structure and cost proposal (15 points), and references and past performance (5 points). Vendors must submit comprehensive proposals including three written reference letters from school districts with prior virtual mental health service experience with grades 6-12 students, HIPAA/FERPA compliance documentation, liability and malpractice insurance certificates, and background check authorization forms; pricing must be structured as flat rates per session with no guaranteed minimum volumes.

Only vendors identified by the Georgia Department of Education as "Suggested Telehealth Vendors" through the 2025 RFI process are eligible to submit proposals, with vendors not on this list automatically disqualified. All clinicians must hold active Georgia licensure, and provisionally licensed or supervised clinicians are ineligible; all staff must pass comprehensive background checks including fingerprinting and child abuse clearances. Vendors may propose hybrid billing structures incorporating Medicaid or private insurance billing provided parental consent is obtained and no double billing occurs; the district has not established a predetermined budget and will evaluate all proposed costs for reasonableness. The Bibb County School District serves approximately 20,000 students and is seeking to expand mental health service delivery to reduce barriers related to provider shortages, transportation, and scheduling conflicts; historical 2024 referral data shows 282 students referred with 102 receiving services, provided for reference only. This solicitation is funded solely through the U.S. Department of Education School-Based Mental Health Services Program Grant and must supplement, not supplant, existing resources while complying with all federal and state grant requirements. One vendor will be selected through this procurement, and no budget ceiling or award value range is specified in the RFP documents.