Employment and Day Program Services RFQ

Pierce County Human Services (PCHS) in Washington is issuing an open and continuous Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for new eligible providers to deliver Employment and Day Program Services (EDPS) to adults with developmental disabilities served by the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA). The RFQ solicits qualifications for three service categories: Individual Employment (IE) services at $108.80 per hour, Group Supported Employment (GSE) services at $93.80 per hour, and Community Inclusion (CI) services at $66.08 per hour, with rates effective for State Fiscal Year 2026. Applicants must submit their qualifications electronically through the Pierce County eProcurement Portal by July 1, 2026, at 2:00 pm, with acknowledgment of receipt provided within 10 days and notification of completeness within 30 days of submission. To qualify, organizations must submit a projected one-year budget, evidence of credit lines or cash reserves sufficient for at least two months of operations, and complete a comprehensive Pre-Award Risk Assessment including audited financial statements, tax filings, and fiscal policies. Qualified organizations must achieve a minimum score of 75% and comply with all applicable state and federal regulations, DDA policies, insurance requirements (including Commercial General Liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, statutorily required Workers Compensation, and Automobile Liability of $1,000,000), and background clearance standards. Newly qualified applicants will receive a 12-month provisional contract with an initial contract period of 12 months and the County holding the option to renew contracts annually based on funding availability, continued service need, and satisfactory performance; qualifying applicants must receive at least one referral from DDA within the provisional period or face potential revocation of qualified provider status.

This RFQ is exclusively open to new applicants, as current providers are not required to reapply, and does not contain set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or specific restrictions limiting organizational type. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement materials, though the agreement incorporates existing DDA policies and Home and Community-Based Setting requirements under 42 CFR 441.530 that providers must follow. Compensation is structured as fee-for-service reimbursement based on hourly rates with potential for additional outcome payments available for high acuity clients obtaining competitive integrated employment and other specified performance metrics. Funding for resulting contracts is contingent upon appropriation and availability, with the Pierce County Executive holding final authority for contract execution. The contract term runs from the award date through an initial 12-month period, with biennial performance reviews and data security protections consistent with Washington State OCIO standards. Organizations must also comply with mandatory abuse and neglect reporting requirements, comprehensive staff training standards, and background checks per RCW 43.43.830 through 43.43.845.