Speech, Occupational, and Physical Therapist Services

The State of Arkansas Department of Shared Administrative Services, Office of State Procurement, on behalf of the Department of Human Services-Arkansas Health Center (AHC) in Benton County, is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB S000000492) for comprehensive therapy services at a 290-bed licensed nursing home facility. The solicitation seeks contracted services for five distinct therapy positions: Speech Language Pathologist services (32 estimated weekly hours), Occupational Therapy services through two OTRs (40 and 22 hours weekly), Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant services (24 hours weekly), Physical Therapy services (40 hours weekly as needed), and Physical Therapy Assistant services (40 hours weekly). The facility operates 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, serving male and female residents with physical and mental disabilities. Prospective contractors must demonstrate a minimum of five years of experience providing similar services, maintain a pool of at least two therapists for each listed position, possess appropriate Arkansas licensure, and be registered and in good standing with the Arkansas Secretary of State. Contractors must maintain professional liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate, complete a Business Associate Agreement for HIPAA compliance, and comply with all Federal and State privacy and security requirements. Award will be made to the responsive and responsible bidder submitting the lowest total estimated seven-year cost. Bids are due by March 10, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Central Time through the ARBuy eProcurement system, with a live bid opening conducted via Microsoft Teams. The anticipated contract start date is July 1, 2026, with an initial one-year term and options to renew for up to six additional one-year terms, not to exceed seven consecutive years total.

No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or minority-owned businesses are identified in the solicitation documents. The State does not restrict the types of organizations that can respond, though all contractors must meet the specified experience, licensure, insurance, and compliance requirements. The facility has expressed a preference for retaining current staff if a new vendor is selected, indicating continuity of care is a priority. The State did not disclose the incumbent vendor identity, current pricing rates, or estimated budget information in the question and response process. Prospective contractors must submit hourly pricing for each therapy service category on the Official Solicitation Price Sheet, with pricing inclusive of all related expenses including equipment, supplies, mileage, and labor costs. The price sheet automatically calculates the Total Estimated Annual Cost and Total Estimated Seven-Year Cost based on contractor-submitted hourly rates and estimated annual hours (SLP: 1,664 hours; OT: 3,224 hours; COTA: 1,248 hours; PT: 2,080 hours; PTA: 2,080 hours), though these estimates are noted as evaluation estimates only and do not reflect actual contracted hours. The specific award value or budget range has not been disclosed by the State.