Inmate-Resident Healthcare Services - Questions and Answers I

Shelby County
Tennessee
Lee Harris, Mayor
Questions and Answers I
Issued: May 6, 2026
RFP #26-008-50
Inmate/Resident Healthcare Services
(Shelby County Department of Corrections)
TO ALL PROSPECTIVE BIDDERS:
The following questions were submitted by potential vendors. Our answer is listed in red
below:
1. What is the County's targeted award date for the contract? As stated in the RFP document, The
Contract award date is TBD
2. What is the County's targeted start date for the contract? As stated in the RFP document,
July 1 or immediately upon execution of the contract.
3. Please provide a copy of the current County health services contract, including any exhibits,
attachments, and amendments. - This information can be obtained via public records
request.
4. Please provide the names and participation levels (dollars spent) of all small/minority/
woman/veteran-owned subcontractors used under the current contract. Please submit public
records request for this information.
5. Please provide (by year) the amounts of any staffing paybacks/credits the County has assessed
against the incumbent vendor over the term of the current contract. Answer not applicable to
respond to current RFP
6. Please provide (by year) the amounts and reasons for any non-staffing penalties/ liquidated
damages the County has assessed against the incumbent vendor over the term of the current
contract. Answer not applicable to respond to current RFP
7. Are any of the County facilities currently subject to any court orders or legal directives? If "yes,"
please provide copies of the order/directive. Information is available via public records
request.
8. With regard to lawsuits (frivolous or otherwise) pertaining to inmate health care: Answer not
applicable to respond to current RFP.
a. How many have been filed against the County and/or the incumbent health care provider in
the last three years?
b. How many have been settled in that timeframe?
9. Please provide the following data regarding the size of the inmate population.

a. Three years' worth of facility-specific historical data -
i. CJC - 2700 avg/yr
ii. JailEast - 292 avg/yr
iii. Division of Corrections - 1500 avg/yr
b. Five-year population projections - n/a
10. Please provide two years' worth of historical data on the number of County intakes. -
Completed Medical Intakes
i. CJC - 16,000 avg/yr
ii. JailEast - 5700 avg/yr
iii. Division of Corrections - 1675 avg/yr
iv. Youth Justice & Education Center - 2200 avg/yr
11. Is the County aware of any upcoming legislation or government policy that could result in a drop
in its inmate population (e.g., compassionate release, population reduction measures, etc.)? If
yes, please describe and provide a timeframe for the legislation/policy implementation. No
12. Does the County have any plans to change the mission, size, or scope of any of its facilities
within the term of the contract? If so, please provide details (including timeframe) on the
planned change. No, please refer to the RFP
13. Are any of the County facilities currently accredited, e.g., by the American Correctional
Association (ACA), National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), Joint
Commission, Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), etc.? Yes If
"yes," please provide the following information.
a. Name of the entity that awarded the accreditation - NCCHC, ACA, & TCI
b. Most recent accreditation date for the facility- 2025, 2026
c. Copy of most recent accreditation audit report for the facility - Information may be available
after successful bid
14. With regard to health care staffing at the County facilities: Please refer to the staffing matrix of
required staffing in the RFP
a. Please provide the health care staffing required by the current contract (by shift and day of the
week).
b. If it differs from what is in the contract, please also give us the actual staffing your current
health care vendor is providing, for instance, any positions and/or hours being worked over
and above what contract requirements.
15. For each County facility, please provide a listing of any current health service vacancies, by
position.
CJC - RN - 5, LPN - 15, MHP - 1.8
JailEast - RN - 1, LPN - 1
Division of Corrections - RN 1.8, LPN - 6, Med. Asst - 1,
Youth Justice & Education Center - RN - 1
16. Please confirm that if the awarded vendor retains existing health care staff who are already
credentialed, those incumbent staff will not need to go through the credentialing all over again
with the new vendor.
i. If the existing health care personnel remain at the same site, they will not
require new credentialing.
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17. Are any members of the current health service workforce unionized? No If yes, please provide
the following.
a. A copy of each union contract
b. Complete contact information for a designated contact person at each union
c. The number of union grievances that resulted in arbitration cases over the last 12 months
18. Please provide the salaries/wages your incumbent health service Vendor is paying to its staff at
the County facilities. - Information may be available after successful bid
a. How recent is this data?
b. What is the source of this data (e.g., State/County records, data from the incumbent Vendor,
etc.)?
19. Please confirm that labor hours in the following categories will count toward any "hours
provided" requirements of the contract. Staffing breakdown is listed by FTE, Vendor to
provide education, care, and benefits within the contract award amount.
a. Time spent by health care staff in orientation, in-service training, and continuing education
classes - see above
b. Overtime hours - see above
c. Agency hours - see above
d. Approved paid time-off - see above
20. Please list all medical equipment (e.g., blood pressure cuffs, scales, x-ray machines, etc.)
currently in use at the health care units and identify which items on the list will remain in place
for the new Vendor to use. All medical equipment will remain in place for use
21. Please list all office equipment (e.g., PCs, printers, fax machines, copiers, etc.) currently in use at
the health care units and identify which items on the list will remain in place for the new Vendor
to use.The existing vendor will only retain - Vendor specific PC's only.
22. Does the County maintain any full-time information technology (IT) staff at any of its facilities?
Yes If not, please describe any County IT resources that would be able to assist with
hardware/software tasks that need to be performed hands-on, in person at a facility.
23. Please provide the name and version of the offender management system software
currently in use at the facility. Offender Management System (OMS). V.6.2.07. & Juvenile
C System
a. Does the County have any plans to change to a different system within the next few years?
No information about probable changes is available at this time.
24. With regard to vendor personnel in the health care unit having Internet access:
a. Do vendor staff access the Internet through (i) a County network or (ii) the vendor's network?
i. County network
b. Please describe how this currently happens, i.e., what type of hardware, wiring, and
connectivity is in place. Information may be available after successful bid
c. Who (County or vendor) is financially responsible for this hardware, wiring, and connectivity?
County
d. Who (County or vendor) will be financially responsible for any necessary upgrades or
expansions for this hardware, wiring, and connectivity? County
25. With regard to health care staff accessing the County network, please provide the following
information.
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a. Currently, are the computers used by healthcare staff on (a) the County network or (b) a
private network supplied by the health care vendor? County network
b. Will this scenario continue under the new contract? Yes
c. Will the County permit the incoming health care vendor to utilize existing network
infrastructure at the facilities, e.g., wiring, switches, etc.? Yes, after assessment and
approval of Shelby County IT
d. Who is financially responsible for network upgrades, additions, or expansions necessary to
support the County inmate health care program? County
26. With regard to timeclocks or other timekeeping devices, please provide the following
information.
a. The number of timeclocks in place at each County facility - After assessment and approval
of Shelby County IT
b. Where in the buildings they are located (for example, in the lobbies, at the security sally ports,
in the medical units, etc.) - Information may be available after successful bid
c. Will the County allow the incoming Contractor connect its timeclocks to the County network?
Information may be available after successful bid
27. Does the County currently utilize an electronic health record (EHR)? YES If "yes," please
provide the following information:
a. What is the name and version of the EHR that is in place? NEXTGEN 6.2
b. Is the existing EHR agreement/licensure/ownership in (a) the County's name or (b) the
incumbent health care vendor's name? County
c. Can the incoming vendor take over the existing EHR agreement/licensure? No
d. Where and by what company/agency is the EHR currently hosted? County
e. Who is financially responsible for the cost of hosting the EHR? County
f. Will this arrangement continue under the new contract? Yes
g. Will the County allow authorized providers and other staff not located onsite at the County
facilities to have remote access to the EMR? Yes, after review and approval
h. What interfaces are currently in place with the existing EHR, for example, the Offender
Management System, the current pharmacy subcontractor, the current lab services contractor,
etc.- JCS, OMS & Diamond Pharmacy
28. Does the County currently utilize telehealth? Yes. If so, please provide the following
information.
a. Description of any equipment that will remain in place for the new vendor to use -
Computers w/ cameras
b. Description of the telehealth connectivity (network) that will remain in place for the new
vendor to use - County Network - Internet Connection
c. The type of telehealth clinic (e.g., telepsychiatry, telecardiology, etc.) - Psych, Provider, and
some established outpatient appts.
d. How often each telehealth clinic is currently conducted (e.g., weekly, monthly, as-needed,
etc.) - Information may be available after successful bid
e. The length of each telehealth clinic currently conducted (e.g., day, half-day, etc.) -
Information may be available after successful bid
f. The average number of patients in each telehealth clinic - Information may be available
after successful bid
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g. The name and contact information for the tele-provider who conducts each telehealth clinic -
Information may be available after successful bid
29. What pharmacy subcontractor does your current health care vendor use for pharmacy services,
e.g., Diamond, Correct Rx, Boswell, etc.? Diamond Pharmacy
30. What laboratory subcontractor does your current health care vendor use for lab services, e.g.,
LabCorp, Garcia, Bio-Reference, etc.? Regional One Health
31. Are any x-ray services currently provided onsite? Yes & Both If "yes," is this done (a) with
permanent County-owned x-ray equipment or (b) through a mobile radiology vendor (PLEASE
IDENTIFY VENDOR)? Dental Xrays are completed onsite with County Equipment
Mobile Xray are completed with - Radiographics
32. Are any dental services currently provided onsite? Yes, if "yes," is this done (a) with permanent
County-owned dental equipment or (b) through a mobile dentistry practice (PLEASE IDENTIFY
DENTAL PRACTICE)? County owned equipment
33. Are any optometry services currently provided onsite? Yes If "yes," is this done (a) with
permanent County-owned optometry equipment or (b) through a mobile optometry vendor
(PLEASE IDENTIFY VENDOR)? Optometry is vendor provided at one facility - Division
of Corrections, please refer to staffing matrix in RFP
34. Are any dialysis services currently provided onsite? Yes, If "yes," is this done (a) with permanent
County-owned dialysis equipment or (b) through a mobile dialysis vendor (PLEASE IDENTIFY
VENDOR)? Through a mobile dialysis vendor - through Regional One Health
35. For each County facility, which hospital(s) is used most frequently?
* Regional One Health (ROH) is the approved hospital for all adult County detention
facilities.
* Methodist University is the diversion facility when patients cannot be seen by ROH.
* Emergencies Only - Division of Corrections and Women's Jaileast are seen at
Baptist East (once stable transferred to ROH)
* Youth in detention are seen at Methodist / Lebonheur Children's Hospital
36. Does the County participate in any programs or legislation (e.g., the Affordable Care Act,
Medicaid expansion, State law, etc.) that mandate special discounts for inpatient care for County
patients? If "yes," please provide the following information. No
a. Name and brief description of the program
b. What services are discounted under the program?
c. Who is responsible for enrolling County patients in the program?
d. Please provide the current processes and timeframes for (a) enrollment in the program and (b)
payment at the program's discounted rates.
37. With regard to any specialty care clinics currently conducted onsite at the County facilities,
please provide the following information. - None
a. The type of specialty clinic (e.g., orthopedics, neurology, etc.)
b. How often each specialty clinic is currently conducted (e.g., weekly, monthly, as-needed, etc.)
c. The length of each specialty clinic currently conducted (e.g., day, half-day, etc.)
d. The average number of patients in each specialty clinic
e. The name and contact information for the provider who operates each specialty clinic
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38. Please identify the number, type, and timeframes of any backlogs (chronic care clinics, offsite
referrals, dental encounters, etc.) that currently exist at the County facilities. - No current onsite
backlogs at this time.
39. Please provide the following information about any medical, behavioral health, or other special
needs units (infirmary, addiction recovery, sex offender, geriatric, skilled nursing, hospice, etc.)
at the County facilities.
a. Type of each unit - Infirmary / Sheltered Medical
b. Location of each unit - Shelby County Division of Corrections
c. Capacity of each unit - 20 beds per male dorm (total of 4), 7 beds for female dorm (total
of 1)
d. Average occupancy of each unit - TBD - Unit not in-service
e. Staffing for each unit - TBD - Unit not in service
f. Type of services/Acuity able to be handled in each unit - Patients are considered stable
outpatients with chronic but manageable medical needs. assistance with adls, turning,
etc.
40. For each of the past 36 months, please provide the following mental health data. The below data
will depict an average over a 12-month period, combined to reflect all facilities
a. Number of inmates on suicide watch each month - 762
b. Number of suicide attempts - 16
c. Number of successful suicides - 2
d. Number of self-injurious behavior incidents - 322
41. With regard to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)/ Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
(MOUD) programs, please provide the following information.
a. Please describe any MAT/MOUD program that the County currently has in place. - MAT
program is vendor provided, protocol-based program, compliant with Tennessee MAT
guidelines. Currently there are 2 parts, with initial phase being continuation. Phase 2 is
induction. Medications are vendors provided. Program is available at all facilities
a. Who will be financially responsible for the cost of MAT/MOUD medications? Vendor
b. Please provide the current protocols for determining who receives MAT/MOUD treatment. -
Protocols are vendor provided
c. For each of the past two years, please provide the average number of County patients
receiving MAT/MOUD treatment. - Information may be available after successful bid
d. Please indicate which of the three FDA-approved MAT/MOUD drugs the County currently
uses/prescribes in its program(s) and provide a breakdown of how many patients are being
prescribed each medication. Information may be available after successful bid
e. Is the County currently using any long-acting injectable MAT medications for its incarcerated
patients? - No - vendor protocol based
f. Are any of the County facilities certified as an Opioid Treatment Program? No
42. With regard to medication administration.
a. Who administers the medications (RNs, LPNs, or other position)? RN's & LPN's
b. Is the current process: (a) med carts go to the housing units or (b) patients come to the medical
unit? Combination of both
c. How often does med pass occur each day? Twice & Prn
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d. On average, (a) how many FTEs and (b) how long does it take to perform a med pass? Varies,
per location and impacted by facility operations
43. Please provide copies of the following documents.
a. The drug formulary currently in use - This is vendor specific information. Diamond
Pharmacy is the med provider of record
b. The most recent pharmacy report - Please expound on the type of report.
c. The lab test formulary currently in use - Patient specific based on providers orders, lab
provider is hospital based.
44. On average, how many County inmates per month receive these types of prescription drugs? The
data below will depict an average over a 12-month period, combined for all facilities
a. Psychotropic medications - 1375
b. Hepatitis C medications - 0
c. HIV/AIDS medications - 90 - 115
d. Medications to treat bleeding disorders (e.g., hemophilia, Von Willebrand disease, etc.) - 0
45. For each of the past 36 months, please provide statistical data for each of the following
categories. - The data below will depict an average over a 12-month period, combined for all
facilities
a. Number of (offsite) inpatient hospital admissions - 244
b. Number of (offsite) inpatient hospital days - 1634
c. Number of outpatient surgeries - 24
d. Number of outpatient referrals - 1237
e. Number of trips to the emergency department (ED) - 1800
f. Number of ED referrals resulting in hospitalization - 244
g. Number of ground ambulance transport - 480
h. Number of air ambulance transports - 0
i. Number of dialysis treatments - 173
46. For each of the past 3 years, please provide total spend amounts for the following categories.
a. Offsite services - County responsible
b. Pharmaceutical expenditures - Vendor specific contractor (Diamond Rx)
c. Laboratory services - County responsible
d. Offsite diagnostic (x-ray) services - County responsible
47. Under the new contract, who will be financially responsible for these items: the County or the
vendor?
a. Inpatient hospitalization - County or Remanding entity
b. Outpatient surgeries - County or Remanding entity
c. Other outpatient referrals - County or Remanding entity County
d. ER visits - County or Remanding entity
e. Ambulance transports - Vendor responsible for emergency ambulance transports,
County responsible for non-emergency ambulance transports.
f. Offsite dialysis - County or Remanding entity
g. Offsite diagnostics (lab/x-ray) - County or Remanding entity
h. Pharmaceuticals - Vendor (onsite), With County provision of TB, HIV/AIDs, Hemophilia
drugs
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48. Will the vendor be financially responsible for any of the following services under the new
contract? For any category that will be at the vendor's cost, please provide three years' of cost
data on the expenses incurred in that category.
a. Care for newborn babies after the actual delivery- No
b. Abortions that are not clinically necessary - No
c. Cosmetic surgery that is not clinically necessary - No
d. Gender reassignment (sex change) surgery and any follow-up treatment or related cosmetic
procedures - No
e. Contraception, including vasectomy, tubal ligation, or reversal of such -No
f. Experimental care- No
g. Elective care, i.e., care which if not provided would not (in the opinion of the Medical
Director) cause the patient's health to deteriorate or cause the patient definite and/or
irreparable physical harm - No
h. Autopsies - No
i. Organ, tissue, or other transplant surgery and related costs, including, but not limited to labs,
testing, pharmaceuticals, pre- or post-op follow-up care, or ongoing care relating to the
transplant - No
j. Factor and other medications for the treatment of bleeding disorders - County is responsible
for treatment of hemophilia. Other drugs related to bleeding disorders for example
Vitamin K, will be the responsibility of the vendor.
49. Please confirm that costs in the following categories will be included under any cap on offsite
care.
a. Inpatient hospitalization -
b. Outpatient surgeries
c. Other outpatient referrals
d. ER visits
e. Ambulance transportation - The County has no cap requirement for offsite care (see
question 47 (e).
f. Offsite dialysis
g. Offsite diagnostics (lab/x-ray)
50. With regard to the cap on offsite care AND/OR pharmaceuticals: The County has no cap
requirement for offsite care and/or pharmaceuticals
a. Please identify the dollar amount of the cap for which the County wants vendors to submit
pricing.
b. Please identify the amount of any offsite care OR pharmacy cap in the current contract.
c. For each of the past three years, by how much (if at all) have total County [offsite care OR
pharmaceuticals] expenses exceeded the contracted cap amount?
51. Please identify the relative weight the County will assign to each scoring component listed in the
RFP.
a. The assigned points are noted on the issued scorecard.
52. Please provide the formula (or other methodology) the County will use to evaluate and score
vendors submitted prices.
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a. 60% Departments Requirements/40% Costs
53. Conflicting language, data, and specs are often found among the various documents that make up
a solicitation. For this RFP, please confirm the latest dated document always holds precedence,
so bidders know which information to use in case we identify contradictory or inconsistent data
among the original RFP files, addenda, and/or responses to questions.
a. What was issued is the latest document created for this particular solicitation. If changes
are required, addenda may be issued.
54. Does the County require bidders to submit their Technical and Pricing proposals in separately
sealed envelopes?
a. No. Please refer to Proposal Format noted on page 41 of the RFP.
55. There are 2.0 FTE "Nurse Supervisor" for Shelby County Division of Corrections and a 1.0 "RN
Nursing Supervisor". Can you confirm the licensure of the "Nurse Supervisor" FTEs? Are they
(presently and/or required to be) an LPN or an RN? RN
56. The totals in the chart on pages 27-30 don't match the manual totals of the individual line items.
Can you please confirm the minimum required staffing plan? - See attached revised/corrected
minimum staffing plan for RFP.
57. Additionally, is the mental health facility staffing going to be a reassignment of budgeted staff
from other facilities or additional newly budgeted FTE? Newly Budgeted FTEs. Will the in-
progress staffing analysis be a part of this RFP or a later contract amendment following award? A
later contract amendment following award
58. When will the Mental Health facility open? TBD
59. We would like to request 90 days of pharmacy utilization to be provided. - This is vendor
specific information. Diamond Pharmacy is the pharmacy provider of records.
If you have any questions, please contact me via email at carla.hayes@shelbycountytn.gov.
Sincerely,
Signed Original on File
Carla Hayes, Buyer
Purchasing Department
Shelby County Government
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