Dementia Legal Planning

The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), specifically the Aging and Long-Term Support Administration (ALTSA), is seeking qualified contractors to implement the Dementia Legal Planning Program across multiple Washington counties. The program aims to promote early legal and advance care planning for elderly persons and individuals with dementia, with key deliverables including developing a dedicated website and phone line, conducting community outreach and education, offering Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars, recruiting volunteer attorneys, and providing pro bono legal services for document preparation such as powers of attorney and advance health care directives. Required qualifications include being a Washington-licensed lawyer, ability to provide services in at least 25 counties, and compliance with digital accessibility standards. The solicitation (RFQQ#2513-872) includes a comprehensive evaluation process with up to 580 possible points across management qualifications and technical capabilities. Key dates include a pre-bid conference on April 4, 2025, bidder questions due by April 8, 2025, and proposal submissions due by May 1, 2025, with the contract period running from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029.

The procurement includes opportunities for diverse business inclusion, with bidders encouraged to develop a Contractor Inclusion Plan that promotes subcontracting opportunities for minority, women-owned, veteran-owned, and small businesses in Washington State. Businesses certified through the Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises (OMWBE) or the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) are preferred, though businesses registered in the Washington Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) can also be considered. Additional evaluation points can be earned by bidders who are certified Washington Veteran-owned or Small Businesses, and those who do not require employees to sign mandatory arbitration agreements. The contract has a maximum value of $532,000, with annual funding of $133,000 per State Fiscal Year and indirect costs limited to 10% of the overall budget. The program will collaborate with existing resources in the dementia and legal aid communities, including the Alzheimer's Association, Area Agencies on Aging, and the Washington State Bar Association's Elder Law Section, with the potential for two two-year contract extensions.