Dietitian Consultation

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services is soliciting proposals through a Request for Proposal (RFP Number SOPSCHK27001) to procure dietitian consultation services for the Cherokee Mental Health Institute (CMHI) and Civil Commitment Unit for Sexual Offenders (CCUSO) in Cherokee, Iowa. The contractor must be a Registered Dietitian (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) licensed in Iowa and maintain current membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (as amended from the original American Dietetic Association requirement). Primary deliverables include comprehensive nutrition services encompassing patient menu review and approval, dietary counseling, nutritional assessments, monthly on-site visits of at least eight hours, development of monthly educational materials (newsletters and lesson plans for psychiatric rehabilitation), dietary performance monitoring including ServSafe proctoring, and compliance with all agency health, safety, infection control, and confidentiality policies. The contractor must meet performance standards of 98 percent for patient nutrition services completion within three business days, communication response timelines, and educational material delivery by the 10th of each month, with 100 percent compliance required for licensing and credentialing requirements. Key deadlines include: letter of intent to bid due January 26, 2026; written questions due February 2, 2026; proposal submission deadline of February 23, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time; notice of intent to award by March 16, 2026; and contract execution by June 30, 2026. Proposals must be submitted as one original hardcopy and one USB flash drive containing both technical and cost proposals to the Issuing Officer, Katelyn Meyers.

The contract carries no set-aside designations or restrictions limiting organizational types from responding, and no incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the available documentation. The Agency will provide a secured laptop computer with login credentials and necessary applications to support remote service delivery; the contractor must return all equipment upon contract conclusion and comply with all agency technology and security protocols. The contract is structured as non-exclusive, permitting the use of subcontractors with prior Agency approval. Compensation will be provided on a firm fixed hourly rate basis, with a total contract value not to exceed $180,000 over the entire six-year contract period, equating to $30,000 annually, with no minimum guaranteed compensation. The initial one-year term begins July 1, 2026, with the Agency retaining sole discretion to extend for five additional one-year terms through June 30, 2032. The contractor must maintain professional liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $2 million per occurrence and ServeWare Proctor certification, with failure to meet performance measures subject to corrective action plans and a 10 percent deduction applied to affected service periods.