Senior volunteer services

The New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department is exercising emergency procurement authority to fund senior volunteer services across multiple counties for a 60-day period ending August 31, 2026, with proposals due August 1, 2026. This is a sole-source procurement under NMSA 1978, Section 13-1-127 necessitated by federal AmeriCorps Seniors match requirements; without immediate state funding, the programs would lose federal support and disrupt services to vulnerable populations.

Seven contractors have been selected to administer Foster Grandparent Program (FGP), Senior Companion Program (SCP), Care Companion Program (CCP), and RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) services in designated service areas: Chaves County Joy Center (Chaves County), Community Services Center (Roosevelt and Curry counties), Citizens for Developmentally Disabled (Colfax County), Deming/Luna County Commission on Aging (Luna County), Sierra Joint Office on Aging (Sierra County), Southeast NM Community Action Corp (Eddy County), and HELP New Mexico, Inc. (Mora, San Miguel, Rio Arriba, Guadalupe, Catron, McKinley, Dona Ana, and Grant counties).

The scope includes volunteer recruitment, placement, training, supervision, and compliance with AmeriCorps Seniors program requirements, federal and state regulations, and departmental policies. Programs target older adults aged 55 and older with low incomes serving as volunteers, as well as vulnerable populations including children with special needs, frail elderly individuals, and isolated seniors in long-term care facilities.

The total emergency allocation is $178,862.53 across all seven contractors, with individual contract amounts ranging from $13,242.53 to $137,786.49. Volunteer stipends are $4.00 per hour for FGP, SCP, and CCP participants, with one Volunteer Service Year equaling 1,044 hours of service. This emergency procurement bridges the gap until sole-source awards for the full fiscal year (July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027) are executed beginning September 1, 2026.