Tobacco prevention education

The South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control (DHEC) is seeking proposals for tobacco prevention education and outreach services through a Request for Proposal (RFP) solicitation number 5400025528. The procurement is divided into two geographic lots: Lot 1 covering the Lowcountry and Midlands Regions, and Lot 2 covering the Upstate Region. The primary objectives include developing secondhand smoke and vaping protection education, policy development, and community outreach targeting priority populations such as African Americans, Hispanic/Latino communities, LGBTQA+ individuals, low socioeconomic status populations, rural communities, disabled individuals, veterans, and youth. Key deliverables include developing a work plan within the first month, implementing education activities by month two, conducting a minimum of 15 trainings by the end of quarter one, surveying 15 different settings by quarter two, executing a tailored educational campaign, providing earned media content quarterly, and assisting at least 12 entities in adopting tobacco-free or smoke-free policies by quarter three. The procurement timeline includes a non-mandatory pre-proposal teleconference on September 5, 2023, at 2:00 PM ET, with questions due by September 6, 2023, at 5:00 PM ET. Proposals must be submitted online by October 5, 2023, at 2:30 PM ET, with award notification anticipated on December 18, 2023. Evaluation criteria include ability to perform (40%), background and qualifications/experience (35%), and price (25%).

The solicitation is restricted to non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations located in South Carolina, with specific qualification requirements including a minimum of ten years of documented tobacco prevention and control experience, five or more years of successful partner collaboration, current or in-process smoke-free/tobacco-free workplace policies, and demonstrated infrastructure for cost reimbursement operations. The previous contract was held by two organizations: Hold Out the Lifeline A Mission and Just Say Something. The contract offers maximum Year 1 funding of $200,000 for Lot 1 and $100,000 for Lot 2, with potential for renewal for up to four additional years, resulting in total maximum awards of $1,000,000 for Lot 1 and $500,000 for Lot 2. Approximately $45,000 annually is designated for educational campaigns in Lot 1, and $24,000 in Lot 2. Eligible expenses include personnel salaries and fringe benefits, travel, media and marketing outreach costs, equipment, supplies, materials, and indirect costs not exceeding 10% of the total offer. The contract term is estimated to begin January 3, 2024, and end January 2, 2029, with subsequent contractual years contingent upon fund availability and satisfactory performance.