SUPPLEMENTAL NURSING SERVICES

The South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH) is seeking supplemental nursing services through a fixed-price bid solicitation covering five nursing position categories: Registered Nurses (RN), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), Behavioral Health Assistants (BHA), Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), and Sitters. The procurement will support sixteen regional mental health centers, three inpatient facilities, and two nursing homes across South Carolina. Maximum fixed hourly rates are established for each position, with Sitters at $10.50/hour, BHA/CNA at $16.00/hour, LPN at $29.00/hour, and RN at $45.00/hour. The solicitation (5400019954) opened on June 12, 2020, with questions due by June 17, 2020, and offer submissions required by June 25, 2020, at 3:00 p.m. via online bidding. The contract will have an initial one-year term beginning July 10, 2020, with four potential one-year renewals, creating a maximum contract period of five years. Contractors will provide staffing services with additional compensation at 1.5 times the hourly rate for services on specific holidays. Buy-out payments are offered to incentivize permanent hiring, ranging from $300 to $800 depending on the position and timing of employee transition.

Participation is restricted to vendors registered as South Carolina vendors who can provide comprehensive documentation of qualifications, experience references, and a signed Business Associate/Qualified Service Organization Agreement demonstrating HIPAA and state confidentiality law compliance. Contractors must maintain specific insurance coverage, including $1,000,000 in comprehensive general liability insurance, $1,000,000 in auto liability, and worker's compensation insurance with employer's liability limits of $1,000,000. Multiple vendors will be added to the SCDMH Qualified Provider List (QPL) based on responsive and responsible bids, with no predetermined limit on the number of vendors selected. The previous contract (5400009387) had estimated expenditures of approximately $5 million over its five-year period, though annual expenditures were not specifically tracked. Successful contractors will be responsible for all payroll taxes, worker's compensation insurance, and employee benefits, with contractor personnel remaining employees of the staffing provider, not SCDMH. Qualified providers on the QPL will receive first consideration for staffing requests across the department's facilities.