Independent Evaluation Consultant

St. Mary's County Health Department (SMCHD) is soliciting proposals for an independent evaluation consultant to design and run a mixed-methods evaluation and continuous quality improvement program for St. Mary's 360, with a pre-proposal meeting on November 9, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. EST via Google Meet and technical and pricing proposals due November 24, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. EST. Eligible respondents include independent evaluation firms, research organizations, academic institutions, nonprofits, or other entities with demonstrated public health and program evaluation expertise. Registration for the pre-proposal meeting is due November 8, 2026. No set-aside or local-vendor preference is stated.

The evaluation will assess the implementation and outcomes of the St. Mary's 360: Connected Care Everywhere initiative, an integrated, technology-enabled care coordination system. Data sources include Health & Wellness Portal analytics, CRISP resources, participant and partner feedback, and other available data. Required qualifications are experience designing mixed-methods evaluations, evaluating complex public health or healthcare programs involving multiple partners, analyzing health-related data, and developing evaluation frameworks and performance measures. The awardee must execute a Business Associate Agreement under HIPAA, comply with all federal, state, and local regulations including the Maryland Confidentiality of Medical Records Act, and maintain $1,000,000 each in general liability and professional liability insurance and $1,000,000 in directors and officers liability insurance, plus workers' compensation coverage.

Total available funding is up to approximately $80,000, subject to final funding availability, Maryland Department of Health approval, and U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approval. Awards are cost-reimbursement with monthly invoices due by the 10th of the month following the invoicing period. The initial term runs December 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with four optional one-year renewals contingent on grant funding and mutual consent. SMCHD may make one award, multiple awards, partial awards, or no awards. Either party may terminate with 60 days' written notice, and SMCHD may terminate immediately if the contractor fails to fulfill obligations or violates agreement terms.

Proposals are scored on organizational experience and qualifications (20 points), evaluation approach and methodology (30 points), data measurement and continuous quality improvement capabilities (15 points), and feasibility and readiness (15 points), with 20 additional points for budget reasonableness and the relationship between costs and scope. Submissions go by email to smchd.contracts@maryland.gov.