26-12, Youth Mentoring Program

St. Mary's County Health Department is requesting proposals from qualified youth mentoring organizations under RFP 26-12 to provide structured mentoring services to at-risk youth ages 7–17 in underserved communities throughout St. Mary's County, Maryland, with proposals due April 1, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The department reserves the right to make multiple awards.

Eligible proposers must demonstrate commitment to serving diverse populations, compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations, evidence of strong financial management with recent financial statements submitted, and capacity to undergo state and federal background checks for all staff and mentors. Organizations should have demonstrated success in evidence-based youth mentoring programs addressing adverse childhood experiences, homelessness, adolescent pregnancy prevention, substance abuse, and academic support.

The maximum award per organization is $8,750 for the initial funding period running April 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026. The contract term commences upon execution with four optional one-year renewals available with mutual consent and pending grant availability. Amendment 001, posted March 24, clarifies that proposers must provide a recruitment and training plan for volunteers, though organizations with a stable roster of existing applicable volunteers or staff may submit that roster in lieu of a recruitment plan.

Technical proposals will be evaluated by committee on expertise and organizational capacity, program development, program structure, recruitment and training of volunteers, and project timeline; pricing is evaluated separately. Awardees must submit monthly reports by the 15th of the month following the invoicing period, provide receipts and expenditure documentation, participate in quarterly progress reviews with SMCHD, and collect performance metrics including number of youth served, demographics, engagement rates, mentoring sessions held, and life skills development outcomes. Contracts are subject to annual audit by the Maryland Department of Health or St. Mary's County Health Department fiscal staff and ongoing monitoring through site visits. Either party may terminate with thirty days' written notice; SMCHD may terminate immediately for failure to fulfill obligations or contract violations.