RFA-13A-202603057 | Clinical and Community HIV Outreach and Testing Services

The contract solicitation RFA-13A-202603057 seeks providers to deliver Clinical and Community HIV Outreach and Testing Services across three designated regions in the State of Maine, with performance beginning October 1, 2026, and extending through September 30, 2031, inclusive of two potential renewal periods. The scope requires comprehensive HIV, syphilis, and HCV testing services in both clinical and community settings, including post-test counseling, timely linkage to care within 30 days of a positive result, and mandatory reporting of all confirmed cases per 10-144 C.M.R. Chapter 258. Contractors must establish formal referral partnerships with at least 14 designated care entry points such as emergency departments, STI clinics, and Ryan White grantees, and ensure all staff conducting testing are certified through Maine CDC’s Counseling, Testing, and Referral (CTR) program, with non-clinical personnel completing a two-day initial training and annual refreshers, and clinical staff completing an annual one-day training. All public-facing materials, educational content, and digital tools must be pre-approved by the Department of Health and Human Services, and services must be delivered in a culturally competent, linguistically accessible, and developmentally appropriate manner to reduce barriers for priority populations. Performance is governed by strict data security and confidentiality protocols aligned with MaineIT Policies & Standards, requiring risk assessments, vulnerability scanning, up-to-date antivirus software on all devices accessing REDCap and NEDSS, and separation of state and contractor systems to prevent unauthorized access or data sharing. Contractors are responsible for submitting quarterly reporting data through REDCap within 15 days of testing, responding to data cleaning queries within 10 business days, and participating in bi-annual or quarterly monitoring calls with the Maine CDC. Key performance metrics include achieving at least 30% HCV testing among individuals tested for HIV, ensuring 75% of tested individuals come from priority populations, and linking 90% of reactive HIV results to care. Proposals are evaluated on a 100-point scale, with technical merit weighted most heavily at 40 points for proposed services and 25 points for organizational qualifications, totaling 65 points, while cost and budget narrative account for the remaining 35 points through a trade-off award process that prioritizes best value over lowest price. Proposals must be submitted in four distinct files via the Vendor Self Service System, with a