Rural library-based health access

The State of Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, is soliciting proposals through this Request for Proposals (RFP) to design, launch, and operate library-based health access services in rural Sussex and Kent Counties. The procurement seeks a vendor to establish integrated telehealth, care coordination, health navigation, and community support programming across nine rural library locations, with services including telehealth facilitation for primary care and behavioral health, Medicare/Medicaid/ACA enrollment assistance, digital navigation support, social services coordination, health education, workforce development, and rural library capacity building with extended operating hours and private consultation spaces. Key deliverables include implementation of a comprehensive work plan addressing the initiative's goals of reducing access barriers, expanding equitable care delivery, and strengthening local public health system capacity through community-based infrastructure and cross-sector partnerships; monthly usage reports and quarterly diversity supplier reports; and adherence to federal rural health priorities including chronic disease management and health equity in medically underserved areas. The State will evaluate proposals using 23 weighted criteria totaling 100 points, with particular emphasis on sustainability planning (10 points), administrative oversight and relevant experience (7 points each), and quality assurance systems (6 points). The procurement timeline includes a deadline for questions on March 4, 2026, a non-mandatory pre-bid meeting on March 18, 2026, and a proposal submission deadline of April 15, 2026 at 1:00 PM EDT, with estimated award notification on May 29, 2026, and a project start date of July 1, 2026. The contract will be awarded for an initial one-year term with four optional one-year renewal extensions, allowing for a potential five-year contract period.

Vendors must hold Delaware business licensure and maintain minimum insurance coverage including $1,000,000 commercial general liability and $1,000,000 medical/professional liability, as well as Workers' Compensation and Automotive Liability coverage. All proposals must include completed mandatory vendor forms (vendor information sheet, non-collusion statement, exceptions form, confidentiality form, business references, and subcontractor information if applicable), a detailed work plan, and a comprehensive budget narrative addressing project costs structured by phase and component. Vendors must comply with all federal and state laws, maintain records for five years, attest that no non-public State data will be stored or transferred outside the United States, and implement HIPAA compliance protocols for handling Protected Health Information under a required Business Associate Agreement. The RFP does not specify a total contract budget; instead, pricing will be evaluated as part of the cost-effectiveness criterion during the proposal evaluation process, with compensation structured as performance-based payments upon successful completion and approval of designated deliverables and activities for each phase. The document does not identify any incumbent vendors, current contractors, or set-aside designations specific to disadvantaged enterprises, though vendors must provide diverse vendor certifications as part of their vendor information submission and submit quarterly diversity supplier reports if awarded.