GRANT WRITING & EVALUATION SERVICES

The South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH) is seeking to establish a Qualified Provider List (QPL) for Grant Writing and Evaluation Services through a Fixed Price Bid Solicitation numbered 5400020373. The procurement aims to identify contractors capable of providing grant writing services, which involve researching and preparing grant applications for mental health services and related programs, as well as grant evaluation services to assess grants awarded to SCDMH. The department applies to approximately 50 grants annually, primarily through the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and other federal and non-federal entities. Contractors must be prepared to submit grant writing and evaluation services with deliverables including comprehensive grant applications and detailed grant performance evaluations. Key deadlines include questions due by October 19, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. and sealed offers due by October 26, 2020 at 3:00 p.m., with award notification anticipated on October 30, 2020. The contract term is one year with four potential one-year renewals, establishing a maximum contract period of five years, with an estimated start date of November 7, 2020 and end date of November 6, 2025.

There are no specific set-aside designations for this procurement, and the solicitation is open to vendors who can meet the qualification requirements. Contractors must be registered as South Carolina vendors and comply with HIPAA regulations and state confidentiality laws, as outlined in the Business Associate/Qualified Service Organization Agreement. Compensation is structured with grant writing services capped at $100.00 per hour and grant evaluation services limited to the amount allocated in each grant's approved budget. Invoicing requirements mandate submission within 30 days of grant or service completion. The state reserves the right to not utilize QPL providers and potentially use internal resources instead. Placement on the QPL does not guarantee any specific level of usage or contract value. Additionally, since grants may be federally funded, contractors must be prepared to comply with all applicable federal guidelines, and SCDMH will retain ownership of evaluation information and publication rights.