SC tobacco quitline

The South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (SC DHEC) is seeking a contractor to operate the SC Tobacco Quitline, a comprehensive statewide tobacco cessation service. The procurement is a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a five-year contract covering phone-based counseling, web and text enrollment, and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for South Carolina residents ages 13 and older. Key deliverables include maintaining 24-hour service with live response for at least 133 hours per week, offering multiple enrollment channels including a 1-800-QUIT-NOW toll-free line, specialized lines for Spanish speakers and Native Americans, and providing evidence-based counseling with a minimum of three sessions per participant. The contractor must deliver customized support for special populations, including pregnant women, youth vapers, and individuals with behavioral health conditions, and provide NRT products at no cost to eligible participants. Critical deadlines include a pre-bid conference on July 25, 2023, at 10:00 AM ET, questions due by July 26, 2023, at 5:00 PM ET, and proposal submissions required by September 5, 2023, at 11:00 AM ET. The evaluation may involve presentations by up to two top-ranked offerors on October 3-4, 2023, with award notification anticipated on November 21, 2023.

The contract will be awarded to a single legal entity and is not subject to state preference provisions or set-aside designations. The maximum budget for the five-year contract period is $15,500,000, with costs reimbursed monthly on a cost-reimbursement basis through invoice submission. Funding sources include state appropriations and federal CDC Cooperative Agreement support. The contractor must integrate services with the State's Tobacco eReferral Hub and prioritize human interaction over artificial intelligence. Current performance metrics show a 72.5% enrollment rate among service contacts and a 42% quit rate among participants. Offerors must register as a South Carolina vendor and be prepared to maintain a skilled staff of tobacco cessation treatment specialists, implement evidence-based counseling protocols, and provide robust data collection and reporting. The contract will commence on November 1, 2023, with an initial one-year term and options for four additional one-year renewals, potentially extending through October 31, 2028.