Inmate Medical Services for Pamlico County Detention

PAMLICO COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
Inmate Medical Services for the Pamlico County Detention Facility

RFP No.: RFP-JailHealth-2026
Issued By: Pamlico County, North Carolina
Issue Date: March 3, 2026
Proposals Due: March 31, 2026
Submission Method: Email or NC HUB

1. Introduction and Purpose

Pamlico County, North Carolina (“County”), is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified firms to provide comprehensive inmate medical services for individuals housed at the Pamlico County Detention Facility. The County seeks a licensed and experienced correctional healthcare provider capable of delivering high-quality, constitutionally adequate medical care in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and standards.

The purpose of this Request for Proposals is to establish a contract for professional inmate medical services that ensures continuity of care, protects inmate health and safety, reduces liability exposure, and supports the operational needs of the Sheriff’s Office.

2. Background

The Pamlico County Detention Facility houses pretrial detainees and sentenced inmates. The County is responsible for ensuring access to necessary medical care, including intake assessments, routine and urgent care, chronic disease management, medication administration, and emergency response.

The County intends to contract with a single vendor to provide onsite and on-call inmate medical services, including medical staffing, clinical oversight, policies and procedures, medical records management, and coordination with outside providers when required.

3. Scope of Services

The selected proposer shall provide all professional services, staffing, and clinical oversight necessary to deliver inmate medical services at the detention facility. Services shall include, but are not limited to, the following.

The contractor shall provide intake and booking medical assessments for all inmates upon admission, including screening for medical conditions, mental health concerns, substance use disorders, and suicide risk. The contractor shall provide triage and sick call services, routine primary care, and urgent medical care as clinically indicated.

The contractor shall provide chronic care management, medication management, and continuity of care services, including discharge planning and coordination with community providers upon inmate release or transfer. The contractor shall implement suicide prevention and intervention protocols and provide patient health education as appropriate.

The contractor shall manage substance use disorder services, including detoxification support and Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), in accordance with applicable standards of care and County expectations.

The contractor shall provide jail staff training related to medical protocols, emergency response, and coordination with medical personnel. The contractor shall maintain policies and procedures consistent with correctional healthcare best practices.

4. Staffing and Coverage Requirements

The proposer shall provide a staffing model sufficient to meet the medical needs of the inmate population. At a minimum, the proposal shall include onsite medical coverage during weekdays and weekends, as well as 24-hour on-call coverage for medical emergencies.

Medical services shall be provided by appropriately licensed physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, or other qualified medical personnel as proposed. Proposers shall clearly identify staffing levels, credentials, onsite hours, and on-call arrangements.

All medication setup, administration, and distribution shall be performed by qualified medical personnel in accordance with applicable laws and standards.

5. Mental and Behavioral Health Services

Proposers shall describe how mental and behavioral health services will be provided, including suicide prevention, crisis intervention, and coordination with behavioral health professionals. The County reserves the right to require that mental and behavioral health services be included as part of the overall medical services contract.

6. Medical Records and Reporting

The contractor shall utilize an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system suitable for correctional healthcare settings. The contractor shall maintain complete and accurate medical records and provide reports as requested by the County, including utilization, compliance, incident reporting, and performance metrics.

All medical records shall remain accessible to the County and handled in compliance with applicable confidentiality and privacy laws.

7. Outside Medical Services

The contractor shall coordinate with outside medical providers, hospitals, and specialists as required. The proposal shall clearly state which costs are included in the base proposal and which costs are excluded or billed separately, including pharmaceuticals, offsite care, and specialty services.

8. Proposal Requirements

Proposals shall include a narrative description of the firm’s qualifications and experience providing inmate medical services, particularly within North Carolina or comparable correctional environments. Proposals shall identify key personnel, staffing plans, licensure, and relevant experience.

Proposers shall include a detailed description of the proposed service delivery model, staffing coverage, clinical oversight, and quality assurance processes. Proposals shall include references from at least three correctional or governmental clients.

A separate cost proposal shall be submitted detailing all fees, rates, and assumptions.

9. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on demonstrated experience with correctional healthcare, qualifications of proposed staff, understanding of the County’s needs, quality of the service delivery model, compliance with RFP requirements, and cost.

The County reserves the right to conduct interviews, request clarifications, or negotiate terms prior to award.

10. Contract Term

The County anticipates awarding a contract for an initial term of one (1) year, with options to renew for additional one-year periods at the County’s discretion.

11. Administrative Provisions

Pamlico County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive informalities, request additional information, or cancel this RFP in whole or in part. The County shall not be responsible for any costs incurred in the preparation of proposals.

All proposals submitted shall become the property of Pamlico County and are subject to North Carolina public records laws.

12. Point of Contact

All questions regarding this Request for Proposals shall be directed to:

Scott A. Showalter Jr.
Finance Officer
Pamlico County
Email: alex.showalter@pamlicocounty.org
Phone: 252-745-3133