Telephonic Behavioral Health Services for Upstate

The solicitation issued by the University of South Carolina Upstate seeks qualified mental health service contractors to provide telephonic behavioral health triage and support services. These services must be staffed by experienced mental health professionals who are available 24/7/365 to respond to calls, particularly serving students and campus partners. The contract, identified as GS-IFB-250034-01, opens for bidding on August 13, 2024, with proposals due by August 23, 2024. The performance period begins September 2, 2024, and runs through September 2, 2029, structured as one base year plus four one-year renewal options. This procurement is conducted through a competitive Invitation for Bids (IFB) with no negotiations permitted, and the award will be made using a Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) approach, where compliance with mandatory technical qualifications is critical, but price is the deciding factor. The scope involves providing secure, confidential telephonic behavioral health services, including triage and support, ensuring compliance with all applicable privacy and security regulations such as HIPAA and relevant state laws. Contractors must maintain necessary professional licensures, submit references, and demonstrate certifications like HITRUST and accreditation from the American Association of Suicidology. Staff must include master's-level clinicians under licensed supervision and offer multilingual capabilities in languages such as Spanish, Mandarin, French, and others. The contract demands strong security controls including physical and electronic safeguards, adherence to standards like NIST SP 800-88 for media sanitization, and maintaining substantial liability insurance covering information security risks. Organizational Conflict of Interest disclosures are required, and subcontractors must meet equivalent security standards. Contract administration will be managed through designated procurement officers with payment via electronic funds transfer, though no specific invoicing platform or contracting officer representatives are named. Deliveries and performance locations will be set by the Using Governmental Unit after award, with inspection and acceptance occurring at said locations. The contract incorporates detailed clauses on publicity, termination, confidentiality, compliance, and information security, reflecting state-level procurement protocols rather than federal FAR references. Overall, the solicitation emphasizes rigorous technical compliance, security, and responsible, affordable pricing to support telephonic behavioral health access for the university community.