Evaluation of Maine's Rural Health Transformation Program

The State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services is issuing Request for Proposals (RFP) #202601009 for comprehensive evaluation services of Maine's Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). The procurement seeks a single contractor to provide data collection, metric construction, annual reporting, and public-facing data dashboard development to assess the impact of RHTP funding across five major initiatives: improving population health, strengthening rural health workforce, modernizing rural care delivery through technology, making healthcare more affordable, and creating a sustainable rural health ecosystem. Qualified bidders must demonstrate extensive experience with multi-source data collection, metric development, annual reporting capabilities, and proficiency with data visualization platforms such as Tableau or PowerBI. All sensitive data must be managed in de-identified aggregate form, with contractors required to comply with MaineIT security policies including risk assessment and vulnerability scanning. The contract period runs from June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2028, with two optional renewal periods extending through May 31, 2031. Proposals are due March 25, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. via the Vendor Self Service System, with written questions due by March 9, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Evaluation will be conducted on a 100-point scale with Organization Qualifications and Experience weighted at 35 points, Proposed Services at 40 points, and Cost Proposal at 25 points, using a mathematical formula that awards the lowest bidder 25 points with proportionally fewer points for higher bids.

The RFP does not specify any set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational eligibility or disadvantaged enterprise requirements. No incumbent contractor has been identified for this procurement. Bidders must submit cost proposals as a total fixed amount covering the initial two-year period and both renewal periods, with separate budget schedules required for each phase; ad-hoc hourly rates may be submitted but will not be evaluated or considered in the award decision. The cost proposal form requires detailed breakdowns of salaries by position, hourly rates, subcontractor and consultant costs, travel expenses in accordance with Maine state travel policies, and supplies. The Department reserves the right to negotiate with the highest-ranked bidder and may withdraw the award to negotiate with the next-ranked bidder if an acceptable contract cannot be finalized. Specific budget or award value ranges are not disclosed in the available RFP materials.