Mental Health Facility Travel Staff

The Vermont Department of Mental Health (DMH) has issued Request for Proposal (RFP) 131 seeking qualified contractors to provide Mental Health Facility Travel Staff to support operations at the Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital (VPCH) and State Run Secured Residential Facilities. The solicitation, posted on November 25, 2025, requires proposals by January 9, 2026, and covers an initial three-year contract term beginning in March 2026, with an option to renew for two additional years. The scope focuses on supplying traveling nurses, paraprofessionals, and mental health specialists to address staffing needs, ensuring all personnel meet Vermont’s licensure, certification, and experience standards. Services must be timely, reliable, and compliant with quality and safety standards pursuant to federal, state, and local regulations, including affirmative steps to engage small, minority, and women-owned businesses in subcontracting opportunities in line with applicable federal socioeconomic requirements. The contract incorporates Vermont’s Standard Contract for Services along with several key attachments that govern compliance, including state provisions for contracts and grants, a Business Associate Agreement if protected health information is involved, Agency of Human Services customary provisions, and a federal terms supplement for non-construction contracts when federal funds are implicated. Contractors must register in Vermont’s procurement system (VTBuys) and meet reporting requirements for subcontractors and worker classification compliance, especially for contracts exceeding $250,000. Pricing proposals must be firm and detail hourly rates by position, with separate entries for standard, holiday, and overtime hours over the base and renewal periods, contributing 30% to evaluation scoring. The evaluation will be based on a weighted system emphasizing organizational capacity, project approach, alignment with State objectives, timeline, and cost, with preference given to in-state bidders and those demonstrating business practices promoting clean energy and climate consciousness. The solicitation stipulates that proposals be submitted electronically through VTBuys, and that bidders disclose and address any organizational or personal conflicts of interest. Acceptance and inspection occur upon delivery to State facilities, with contractors responsible for ensuring all services and products meet contract requirements, with non-compliant items subject to return at no cost to the State. Overall, this procurement aims to secure dependable, compliant staffing services that support Vermont’s mental health infrastructure while adhering to robust regulatory and socio-environmental standards.