As Needed Counseling, El Paso State Supported Living Center

The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is seeking competitive bids to establish contracts for as-needed counseling services at the El Paso State Supported Living Center Facility, under solicitation number HHS0016375V3. The solicitation, posted on February 13, 2026, has a response deadline of March 10, 2026, at 10:30 AM Central Time, with an anticipated contract start date upon award and a base term ending August 31, 2028, including a one-year optional extension. Bidders must comply with a comprehensive set of requirements detailed across multiple exhibits and affirmations, including the submission of a completed Pricing Sheet (Exhibit C), at least three verifiable references demonstrating past performance in similar services (Exhibit D), and a Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Subcontracting Plan (Exhibit F) adhering to the statewide 21.1% utilization goal. All responses must be submitted via email, the HHS Online Bid Room, or a USB drive, with strict file format and size limitations—Microsoft Office and PDF documents only, no images or external links, and email attachments capped at 25 MB. The contract requires full compliance with Texas-specific legal and ethical standards, including the Texas Public Information Act, prohibitions on gifts to public servants, restrictions on dealings with foreign adversaries under NDAA provisions, mandatory disclosure of any AI systems used, and adherence to state procurement laws under Texas Government Code. Contractors must maintain insurance with an A.M. Best “A” rating, naming HHSC as an additional insured with waiver of subrogation, and all personnel must be qualified and trained, with records available upon request. The contract prohibits assignment or delegation without prior written approval and mandates subcontractor compliance with all terms, with the prime contractor responsible for oversight. Evaluation will be based on a best value trade-off approach, considering compliance with specifications, demonstrated ability to perform based on past performance and financial capability, and price—without being bound to the lowest bid. Contractors must also certify their Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), affirm non-exclusion from state vendor lists, disclose any prior felony convictions, recent state employment, pending litigation, or cloud services usage, and comply with Senate Bill 19 and TX-RAMP for cloud computing. Failure to submit any required exhibit, provide inaccurate information, or violate ethical provisions such as confidentiality or anti-corruption clauses may result in immediate disqualification.