Psychiatric Nursing Program

The Colorado Department of Corrections is requesting proposals for a Psychiatric Nursing Program to provide dedicated psychiatric nursing services at two correctional facilities, with proposals due October 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM Mountain Standard Time via bidnetdirect.com/cdoc. Written inquiries are due by September 21, 2026 at 2:00 PM, with responses posted by September 28.

The scope spans two facilities: Denver Women's Correctional Facility requires five registered nurses (four full-time, one part-time) serving a 65-bed Therapeutic Community unit and 48-bed Residential Treatment Program; Centennial Correctional Facility in Canon City requires three nurses (two full-time, one part-time) for a 16-bed Substance-Induced Psychosis unit. All staff work 13-hour 20-minute shifts, seven days per week. Core responsibilities include medication administration, compliance monitoring, patient education, clinical therapy facilitation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and urinalysis testing. Goals include enhancing integrated medical and psychiatric services and increasing medication adherence to 80%.

All nursing personnel must hold active, unencumbered Colorado RN licenses, dedicated verifiable inpatient psychiatric nursing experience, and documented clinical experience with substance use disorders. Contractors must obtain professional liability insurance with $1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate; general liability with $1 million per occurrence; workers' compensation; and crime insurance with $1 million limits. The State is named additional insured on all commercial general liability policies.

The contract runs November 30, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with options to renew for up to four additional one-year periods not exceeding five years total, contingent on appropriated funds. Compensation is bi-monthly billing at contractor-quoted hourly rates, with all indirect costs—supervision, marketing, equipment, and annual training—included in the hourly rate. Mileage over 50 miles from the contractor's office or staff residence is reimbursable.

Offerors must complete criminal background investigations upon award, ensure all personnel undergo PREA, HIPAA, Use of Force, and Defensive Tactics training (32 hours valid for one year with annual renewal), and be registered to do business in Colorado. Pricing details and contract value are not specified in the RFP. A virtual public opening of proposals is scheduled October 12, 2026, with notice of intent to award anticipated by October 31 and contract execution estimated by December 31. The single point of contact is Becky Holtz, Contracts Manager (doc_contracts@state.co.us).