Fiscal Agent for Individual Planning Funds

The State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health is requesting proposals for a fiscal agent to manage Individual Planning Funds for children with behavioral health needs, with proposals due August 27, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. via the Vendor Self Service System.

Bidders must have at least two years of fiscal agent experience with the State within the past five years and cannot be current MaineCare providers or providers of underlying services being coordinated through the contract. These eligibility restrictions materially narrow the competitive field.

The fiscal agent will develop and operate a HIPAA-compliant online portal to receive, review, validate, approve, and process IPF requests from families and service providers. The agent must complete completeness and eligibility reviews within two business days, issue approvals or denials within five business days, and issue payments via check or ACH transfer within five business days of approval. Mandatory performance measures require 100 percent compliance with the five-business-day approval and payment windows. The agent must also maintain comprehensive information management and tracking systems.

The initial contract term runs October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2028, with two optional renewal periods extending through September 30, 2031. The total anticipated funding available for IPF requests is up to $170,000 per state fiscal year, with individual child requests capped at $5,000 per year unless pre-approved. Historical volume shows 73 transactions in state fiscal year 2023 and 84 in state fiscal year 2024.

Cost proposals must be fixed and cover the entire initial period of performance. The lowest bidder receives 25 points; other bids are scored proportionally. The State anticipates making one award. Bidders must submit four separate proposal files containing preliminary information, qualifications and experience, proposed services with staffing plans and work timelines, and the cost proposal. Responses must include three project examples from the past five years, organizational charts, litigation history, and three years of financial statements. Questions are due July 24, 2026.