Community health worker (CHW) navigation to assist older adults with accessing benefit programs; partner hero support to collaborate with CHW to serve older adults by addressing systems issues related to services for older adults and by linking to resourc

The University of New Mexico's Office for Community Health is seeking a sole source purchase from the Guidance Center of Lea County to provide Community Health Worker (CHW) navigation services to assist older adults in accessing benefit programs, Partner HERO support to collaborate with CHWs in addressing systems issues related to services for older adults, and supervision of CHW and Partner HERO staff. This procurement supports the Health Equity and Social Connectedness for Older Adults Project (HE+), which is funded by the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department. Services will be delivered in Lea County from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. Required qualifications for the contractor include prior training through the initial HE+ project pilot, certifications in HIPAA and Social Determinants Adversity, and demonstrated experience with required reporting tools including Redcap and Smartsheet. The procurement was posted on March 3, 2026, with a deadline for submissions of March 21, 2026. Key evaluation criteria include the vendor's proprietary capabilities, compatibility requirements with existing project infrastructure, and the presence of a Partner HERO on site to support collaborative work.

The justification for sole source procurement is based on the Guidance Center of Lea County's unique qualifications, prior training, and existing certifications that make it the sole viable vendor capable of seamlessly continuing the established HE+ project work. The contractor must be a non-profit organization based in Lea County with the capacity to supervise and implement the project effectively. The proposed contract value is $83,000.00, which exceeds the $60,000.00 threshold requiring public posting on the UNM Sunshine Portal and the State of New Mexico Procurement website for 30 days prior to purchase. While the procurement documents indicate that due diligence included consultation with community health specialists to identify qualified organizations, no alternative vendors or specific disqualification reasons are detailed in the available documentation. The contract will utilize existing technology infrastructure and reporting systems already established during the initial HE+ project pilot phase.