Federal Award Compliance Assessments (FACAs)

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is requesting qualifications from certified public accounting firms to conduct Federal Award Compliance Assessments (FACAs) for the Rural Texas Strong program under RFQ HHS0017782, with proposals due September 2, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. Central Time. A subcontracting plan with a 26% VetHUB (Veteran Heroes United in Business) utilization goal is mandatory; responses without a compliant subcontracting plan are rejected without evaluation.

Respondents must be certified public accounting firms in good standing with a minimum of five years in business, at least one CPA as key personnel, three years of relevant federal compliance experience, and three years within the last five years evaluating or assessing federal grant recipients or subrecipients for 2 CFR Part 200 compliance. The contractor will conduct desk reviews and assessments of approximately 400 to 1,000 RTS Awardees to evaluate internal controls and compliance with 2 CFR Part 200. Deliverables include an assessment framework and risk-scoring methodology within 30 calendar days of contract start, web-based training modules within five business days of HHSC approval, individual desk reviews completed within 30 days of documentation submission (all reviews finished by September 30, 2028), quarterly status reports, and a final summary report 60 days after the final assessment. The contractor must employ at least one CPA with three years' experience in federal grant compliance reviews and healthcare-provider financial assessments. Desk reviews must commence within 60 days of award. Liquidated damages of $100 per instance apply for late deliverables after the second late deliverable in a calendar quarter and for response-time delays exceeding three business days without approved extension.

The contract term is two years with no extensions or renewals. The evaluation framework weights Availability and Capabilities at 30 percent, Staff Experience and Competence at 20 percent, Specialized Expertise with Healthcare Providers at 15 percent, and Project Work Plan at 35 percent. Pricing is not evaluated; negotiations occur post-selection using a one-time fixed fee for training and materials and an all-inclusive fixed fee per desk review. A pre-proposal webinar is scheduled for August 24, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time. Written questions close August 25, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.; responses post August 26. Courtesy subcontracting plan review closes August 28 at 5:00 p.m. HHSC makes no guarantee of volume or total compensation; the contract is subject to appropriations and continuing fund availability. All responses become HHSC property upon submission.