Notice of Intent to Reprocure Recovery Learning Community (RLC)

The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) is issuing a Notice of Intent to Reprocure Recovery Learning Community (RLC) services, with a formal Request for Response (RFR) scheduled for December 2026. The procurement seeks qualified organizations to provide peer support services to individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness, emotional distress, or significant mental health challenges, including those with co-occurring substance use issues. RLC services must include recovery support offerings, workforce training and consultation, and connections to recovery-oriented services while addressing the needs of diverse and underserved populations, including older adults, transition-age youth, individuals experiencing homelessness, Deaf and hard of hearing individuals, LGBTQIA communities, and families of community members. Prior to formal solicitation, DMH is conducting community listening sessions on April 28, 29, and 30, 2026, via Zoom to solicit stakeholder input on target service populations and accessibility barriers, types of services and non-clinical offerings, program marketing and outreach strategies, and capacity and location considerations for RLC sites. Interested parties must register for these sessions by emailing Ashley.A.Sproul@mass.gov with attendee names and affiliated organizations. The notice is identified with COMMBUYS Bid Number BD-26-1022-DMH08-8220A-127701 and DMH Number 2028-DMH-3014-01, with a notice due date of February 28, 2027. No specific evaluation criteria, site visit schedules, or bidders' conferences are detailed in the current notice of intent.

The notice does not specify set-asides, restrictions on respondent types, or disadvantaged enterprise designations at this preliminary stage. No incumbent contractor information, existing infrastructure requirements, or specific award values and budget ranges are provided in the Notice of Intent. DMH particularly welcomes input from non-traditional providers and community members to identify service gaps, improve accessibility, enhance marketing effectiveness, and address resource acquisition and staffing challenges. The procurement is designed to gather comprehensive stakeholder feedback before the formal RFR issuance in December 2026, suggesting that detailed specifications, evaluation criteria, and funding amounts will be included in the subsequent solicitation document. Prospective vendors should plan to participate in the community listening sessions to understand DMH's priorities and positioning for this upcoming procurement opportunity.