Rfsq - adolescent substance use residential program

The County of San Diego, Department of Purchasing and Contracting, is requesting statements of qualifications for an Adolescent Substance Use Residential Program under the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System, with statements due October 26, 2026, and a pre-SOQ conference scheduled for September 25, 2026. The County intends to award one contract with remaining qualified offerors placed on a ranked list for one year for potential future awards.

The scope is 24-hour non-medical residential substance use treatment, withdrawal management, recovery, and ancillary services for adolescents aged 12–17 with substance use and co-occurring mental health conditions. The facility must have a minimum of six residential beds with at least 30 percent designated as ASAM 3.5 level of care, serving at least 2 female and 4 male adolescents. Location must be within 75 miles of San Diego County, and the facility must be fully operational within 90 days of contract execution.

Offerors must possess a Medical Director meeting specific state enrollment and screening criteria prior to service delivery and accept provider rates referenced in the County's Payment Schedule. Evaluation criteria emphasize program approach, organizational capability and experience, acceptance of County terms and conditions, and compliance record. Offerors must demonstrate experience providing substance use residential services, ability to deliver integrated co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder care, cultural competency, harm-reduction and trauma-informed practices, and compliance with California Code of Regulations Titles 9 and 22, federal regulations at 42 CFR, HIPAA, and the Substance Use Disorder Provider Operations Handbook.

The contract includes an initial base period of six months with four one-year renewal options. The County requires submission of a Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Plan documenting workforce diversity across specified languages and subcontractor utilization with DBE, ESB, MBE/WBE, and non-DBE engagement over the preceding three years. Pricing will not be evaluated during the qualifications-based selection process; the County will negotiate fair and reasonable fees with the highest-ranked firm(s) following evaluation and ranking. Offerors may request ancillary funding with justification. The contract is funded through Medi-Cal and the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant and is designated as Emergency Critical services requiring specific disaster preparedness and continuity planning. Written questions are due October 5, 2026.