Youth Prevention Education & Student Assistance Program and Youth Intervention Services

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania's Department of Health and Human Services is conducting a Request for Proposal (RFP 26-19) to procure Youth Prevention Education, Student Assistance Program (SAP), and Youth Intervention services for kindergarten through grade 12 students across the county's public school districts. The county is divided into two service clusters encompassing four regions: Cluster 1 (Regions I and IV with 59,866 students across 85 buildings) and Cluster 2 (Regions II and III with 54,586 students across 73 buildings), with one provider selected per cluster and the possibility of a single provider serving both clusters. The scope of work includes delivering evidence-based prevention programs such as Botvin Life Skills Training, Second Step, Too Good for Drugs, and CATCH My Breath; establishing SAP teams in schools to provide initial screenings using the Behavioral Health Works platform, support groups, and individual mental health services; and offering youth intervention services including Teen Intervene, Marijuana Brief Intervention, and tobacco cessation programs. The contract term runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with four optional one-year renewals available for a maximum five-year term contingent upon mutual written assent and available funding. Required qualifications include preference for Master's-level staff in counseling or social work, with Bachelor's degree holders acceptable with relevant experience, and at least one full-time supervisor per provider. Key performance metrics require 90 percent timeliness in scheduling SAP initial screenings within 10 business days of referral, 80 percent compliance on annual monitoring fidelity checks, a minimum of 50 percent of combined budgets directed to direct student services, and a 3.75 average satisfaction rating from school partners on a five-point Likert scale. Minimum service hour requirements include 6,100 hours for Prevention 6100, 1,674 hours for Prevention 6200, 2,064 hours for SAP 6400, and 480 hours for Intervention 7200 per cluster annually. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Bonfire Portal with separate technical and cost components, accompanied by current W-9 forms, organizational charts, job descriptions, audit reports, and certificates of insurance. The proposal due date is May 12, 2026.

The RFP does not designate specific set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or impose restrictions limiting response eligibility, though bidders must submit Public Disclosure Statements, Certification and Representations of Offerors addressing debarment status for the preceding five to ten years, and certifications regarding compliance with the Pennsylvania Public Official and Employees Ethics Act and competitive bidding practices. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation documents. The estimated total funding allocation for State Fiscal Year 2026-27 is $637,980 per cluster, distributed across multiple funding sources including SCA Prevention 6100 ($3,000), SCA Prevention 6200 ($139,500), SCA SAP DDAP 6400 ($124,000), SCA SAP HSBG 6400 ($48,000), SCA Intervention 7200 ($36,000), and Mental Health SAP ($287,480), though funding is contingent upon the availability of state and federal funds and may be reduced or terminated with notice. The budget submission requires comprehensive cost projections organized by expense categories including staff, property and equipment, transportation, and agency administration costs, with anticipated revenue from HealthChoices (Magellan) and third-party insurance deducted from total expenses to determine the final amount requested from Montgomery County. Providers selected for both clusters receive a value-added consideration, and those demonstrating cost savings through multi-cluster applications receive preference. All contracts incorporate standard Montgomery County terms and conditions, including requirements for $1,000,000 general liability insurance per occurrence with $2,000,000 aggregate coverage, workers' compensation insurance at Pennsylvania statutory rates, HIPAA Business Associate Agreement compliance, maintenance of fiscal records for eight years following final payment, and compliance with enhanced minimum wage provisions of $15.00 per hour adjusted annually for cost-of-living increases.