Communities That Care Expansion

The State of Montana's Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) has issued Request for Proposal DPHHS-RFP-2023-0453R seeking up to eight Montana communities to implement the Communities That Care (CTC) prevention system. This procurement aligns with the State Health Improvement Plan and the Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Division's priorities to reduce youth substance use and delinquent behavior. The contractor(s) will be responsible for implementing a comprehensive prevention system across selected communities, focusing on addiction services, crisis centers, suicide prevention, and mental health counseling. Key deliverables include submitting client reference forms, completing a budget template, and demonstrating offeror qualifications. The solicitation was posted on November 1, 2022, with a proposal due date of December 30, 2022. Evaluation criteria appear to include a notable bonus point system, with 50 additional points awarded to offerors who agree to the Equal Pay for Montana Women Executive Order.

The RFP does not explicitly specify set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational types, though the comprehensive nature of the prevention system implementation suggests a preference for organizations with extensive experience in behavioral health and community prevention strategies. While specific funding amounts are not detailed in the available documentation, the solicitation indicates that offerors must enter their total funding request amount. The procurement covers multiple commodity codes related to health and mental health services, suggesting a broad potential applicant pool including community health organizations, prevention service providers, and behavioral health nonprofits. The Communities That Care prevention system appears to be a new or expanding initiative, with no mention of incumbent vendors or existing contractors. The procurement seems designed to create a flexible framework for implementing targeted prevention strategies across multiple Montana communities, with the potential for multiple awards to different community-based organizations.