Psychiatric Nursing Program

The Colorado Department of Corrections is requesting proposals for dedicated psychiatric nursing services to be delivered at Denver Women's Correctional Facility and Centennial Correctional Facility under RFP 20270000032, with proposals due October 30, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. MST. This is a new contract with no incumbent contractor.

The scope requires staffing agencies or independent contractors to supply nine full-time and two part-time registered nurses across two facilities. At Denver Women's Correctional Facility, six full-time RNs work 13 hours and 20 minutes per shift across a 65-bed Therapeutic Community unit and 48-bed Residential Treatment Program. At Centennial Correctional Facility in Canon City, three full-time RNs support a 16-bed Substance-Induced Psychosis unit and provide peripheral support to a 272-bed Residential Treatment Program. All nursing staff must hold active, unencumbered Colorado registered nurse licenses with dedicated inpatient psychiatric nursing experience and verifiable clinical experience treating individuals with substance use disorders. No traveling nurses or out-of-state personnel are permitted; all staffing must be Colorado-based.

Core responsibilities include medication administration, involuntary medication administration, multidisciplinary staffing participation, risk assessments, therapeutic interventions, patient education on substance use disorders and comorbidities, compliance monitoring, and documentation in CDOC protocols. Pricing is submitted as hourly rates for regular and overtime hours in quarter-hour increments; the contract includes up to 40 billable hours per full-time equivalent per week plus approved monthly mileage expenses exceeding 50 miles from staff residence and mandatory training costs. Contractors must complete 4–10 hours of online CTI training and 32 hours of in-person Defensive Tactics certification annually.

The contract term runs from December 31, 2026 through June 30, 2027 with up to four additional one-year renewal periods. The contract is fixed-price based on 40 hours per week of direct patient care services. Proposals must include completed Exhibits A through G, including Statement of Work response, Required Offeror Information, W-9, Price Proposal, Contract Performance attestation, Non-Conflict of Interest certification, and Resume Summary Template for each proposed RN. All contractor personnel must complete enhanced criminal background investigations, fingerprinting, drug testing, and sign consent-to-search authorization forms within 30 days of award. Contracts must comply with HIPAA Business Associate Agreement terms, Colorado accessibility requirements (WCAG Level AA), and PREA regulations.