Exemption - Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Patient Navigation

The AIDS Institute is awarding six contracts to provide patient navigation services for people who inject drugs and are living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) across all counties in New York State. These services aim to raise awareness of HCV risks among this population and facilitate linkage to treatment for those testing positive. The procurement process faced challenges, as a previous competitive solicitation was unsuccessful in awarding contracts in five regions, leading to the decision that a third competitive procurement was not feasible due to the specific qualifications of the selected firms and the unique circumstances of the project. Consequently, the awards are being made through a sole-source exemption to six organizations: Southern Tier AIDS Program Inc., AIDS Community Resources Inc. (serving Syracuse and Utica), Catholic Charities AIDS Services, AIDS Council of Northeastern New York Inc., and Cornerstone Family Health. The contracts are set to begin on November 1, 2025, and will extend through October 31, 2028, with a total contract value estimated between $500,000 and $1,500,000. The initiative is managed by the New York State Department of Health, with the primary contact being Ilene Kane. This exemption allows these organizations to deliver targeted services statewide without a competitive bidding process, emphasizing their specialized qualifications and the urgent need for consistent service delivery in this area.