OPD Contract Mental Health Professional

The State of Montana's Office of Public Defender (OPD) is seeking qualified mental health professionals to provide contract services for attorneys and contract counsel representing clients in criminal and civil matters. This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) solicitation, numbered OPD-RFP/RFQ-2022-0127, requires interested professionals to submit a comprehensive application package including a fillable PDF form, current resume, professional licenses, and redacted examples of evaluation reports. Applicants must possess an active or recently expired Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with OPD and demonstrate professional credentials appropriate for supporting legal representation. The solicitation is classified under commodity code 3920 for Professional Services - Legal Services, with a posting date of November 10, 2021, and an unusually extended due date of January 1, 2099. Mental health professionals will be expected to provide critical support services that assist OPD attorneys in representing clients, potentially including psychological evaluations, expert testimony preparation, and consultation on mental health aspects of legal cases. Interested candidates should contact Jennifer Kueffler at Jennifer.Kueffler@mt.gov or +1 406-496-6089 for additional information.

While the solicitation does not explicitly outline specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations, it appears to be an open procurement seeking qualified mental health professionals across Montana. The document does not specify incumbent vendors, existing contract values, or precise budget ranges for these professional services. No explicit information is provided regarding disadvantaged enterprise participation or specific organizational limitations for respondents. The RFQ seems designed to create a pool of qualified mental health professionals who can provide contract services to the Office of Public Defender, suggesting a potentially ongoing and flexible contractual arrangement. Interested professionals will need to demonstrate their qualifications through comprehensive documentation, professional credentials, and evidence of their capacity to support legal representation effectively. The broad scope and extended solicitation period indicate the state's intent to maintain a robust roster of mental health professionals capable of supporting public defender legal services across various case types and jurisdictional needs.