FY26; RFA Colorado Prevail Program

The Colorado Department of Human Services, Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), is issuing a Request for Applications (RFA IBEH 2026000182) for the FY26 Colorado PREVAIL Program (Pre-Arrest Evaluation, Intervention, and Linkage), a voluntary, community-based diversion initiative serving adults and youth ages 13 and older with low-level offenses linked to behavioral health or substance use needs. The procurement is open to eligible Colorado governmental agencies (counties, municipalities, or law enforcement departments) and nonprofit organizations with executed partnerships or memoranda of understanding with local law enforcement or judicial entities, with service delivery available statewide. Deliverables and key objectives include establishing both an Adult Track (age 18+) and Youth/Young Adult Track (ages 13-20), implementing intensive harm reduction case management, providing temporary and permanent housing assistance, facilitating access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment, and supporting benefit acquisition, employment assistance, and civil legal services. Contractors must achieve minimum performance standards of receiving no fewer than 100 annual referrals with at least 15 percent originating from law enforcement, enrolling at least 60 percent of referrals, and demonstrating that 70 percent of participants achieve individualized goals, with required initial and quarterly GAIN assessments and monthly coordination participation with BHA. Evaluation criteria include mandatory requirements (applicant eligibility and legal authority certification) and preferred criteria worth up to 100 points covering program model fidelity (30%), youth and young adult experience (20%), operational capacity (10%), community collaboration (10%), staffing and training capacity (5%), program sustainability (10%), data and evaluation capability (15%), and integration of FAIR principles—Fairness, Access, Impact, and Relationships—(10%), with cost representing 10 percent of the evaluation score. Applications must be submitted electronically by April 6, 2026, at 3:00 PM MST, with questions due by March 13, 2026, at 4:00 PM MST and responses posted by March 20, 2026; no pre-application conference or site visit is required.

The procurement contains no designated set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises, though all applicants must complete Exhibit G Mandatory Requirements and Eligibility Certification and provide documentation of legal authorization to operate in Colorado. Applicants must also have CORE registration and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) registration prior to contract execution. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation materials. Contractors must utilize BHA-approved data systems, specifically CiviCore and GAIN assessment tools, and integrate with existing law enforcement and judicial partnerships in their service areas. The maximum award amount is $475,000 per year for single applicants or up to $650,000 per fiscal year for joint partnership applications, with the initial contract term spanning FY26 (July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027) and the potential for four additional one-year renewal periods at the State's sole discretion, contingent upon appropriated funds and contractual performance. Allowable funding uses include personnel costs with specified salary ranges (Program Administrator $76,000–$92,000; Supervisor $60,000–$80,000; Case Manager $54,000–$64,000), temporary housing services up to 60 days, BHA-approved training, outreach and direct services, and data collection systems, while unallowable uses include alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, bad debts, vehicle purchases, and legal fees. Applicants may utilize their federally negotiated indirect cost rate or the 15 percent de minimis rate, with cost reimbursement billing for actual expenses incurred on a monthly basis.