RFP #27-3-PH DOULAS SERVICES

Agency:	State Government of North Carolina
State:	North Carolina
Type of Government:	State & Local
Posted Date:	Aug 3, 2026
Due Date:	Sep 8, 2026
Solicitation No:	600RFP #27-3-PH
Original Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

Description

Solicitation Number:	600RFP #27-3-PH
Project Title:	RFP #27-3-PH DOULAS SERVICES
Description:	RFP #27-3-PH DOULAS SERVICES
Opening Date:	9/8/2026 2:00 PM
Posted Date:	8/4/2026
Status:	Open
Department:	COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND


Solicitation Number * 600RFP #27-3-PH	Department COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND	Status Reason Open
Opening Date 2026-09-08T14:00:00.0000000	Posted Date * 2026-08-03T18:41:07.0000000Z	Primary Commodity Code Obstetric interventions or procedures, pregnancy
Mandatory Conference/Site Visit — —	Special Instructions —	Solicitation Type * RFP
Owner Sophia Pate
Description RFP #27-3-PH DOULAS SERVICES
Description RFP #27-3-PH DOULAS SERVICES

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Public Health Department

RFP #27-3-PH Doulas Services

Date of Issue: August 3, 2026

Informational Webinar Dates: August 6, 2026 (Thursday) at 10:00 AM

(EST) and August 10, 2026 (Monday) at 11:00 AM (EST)

Questions Due Date: August 14, 2026 (Friday) at 2:00 PM (EST)

Proposal Due Date: September 8, 2026 (Tuesday) at 2:00 PM (EST)

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Sophia Pate

Purchasing Manager

Email: CumberlandPurchasing@cumberlandcountync.gov

Phone: 910-678-7743

Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued

hereto.

Table of Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND .............................................................................................4

2.0 PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS & REQUIREMENTS..................................................................4

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT .............................................................................4

2.2 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL .......................................................................................................5

2.3 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS .......................................................................................................6

2.4 INFORMATIONAL WEBINARS...............................................................................................6

2.5 RFP TERMS & CONDITIONS .................................................................................................6

3.0 NOTICES TO VENDOR ............................................................................................................7

3.1 PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS AND CONFIDENTIALITY ...............................................7

3.2 PROPOSAL COMPLIANCE ....................................................................................................7

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS...................................................................................8

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA ........................................................................................................8

3.5 METHOD OF AWARD.............................................................................................................8

4.0 ELIGIBILITY & VENDOR’S PROPOSAL CONTENT REQUIREMENTS ..................................9

4.1 ELIGIBILITY ..........................................................................................................................9

4.2 VENDOR’S PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................9

5.0 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS ..............................................................................12

5.1 IRAN DIVESTMENT ACT.....................................................................................................12

5.2 E-VERIFY .............................................................................................................................12

5.3 DIVESTMENT FROM COMPANIES THAT BOYCOTT ISRAEL .........................................12

5.4 CONTRACT CHANGES ........................................................................................................12

5.5 CONTRACT TERM................................................................................................................13

5.6 PRICING................................................................................................................................13

5.7 INVOICES .............................................................................................................................13

5.8 PAYMENT TERMS ...............................................................................................................13

5.9 APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS ..............................................................................................13

5.10 FINANCIAL STABILITY ......................................................................................................13

5.11 INSURANCE: ........................................................................................................................13

5.12 GENERAL INDEMNITY .......................................................................................................14

5.13 ENTIRE CONTRACT ............................................................................................................14

5.14 CONTRACT CANCELLATION.............................................................................................14

5.15 LAWS AND ORDINANCES ...................................................................................................14

Proposal Number: RFP #27-3-PH Doulas Services

5.16 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS ................................................................................................14

5.17 CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIONS .................................................................................14

ATTACHMENT A: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS..........................................................................16

ATTACHMENT B: EXECUTION OF PROPOSAL ............................................................................18

ATTACHMENT C: BUDGET TEMPLATE ........................................................................................19

ATTACHMENT D: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION ..................................................20

Proposal Number: RFP #27-3-PH Doulas Services

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

Maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity are pressing public health issues. Cumberland County is

committed to addressing the maternal mortality crisis and ongoing disparities among infant and maternal mortality

rates, particularly in underserved areas. Black babies in North Carolina are 2.5 times more likely to die than white

babies, and black women experience almost twice the rate of maternal mortality than white women. In Cumberland

County, the current infant mortality rate stands at 10.2 per 1,000 live births, with a total of 262 infant deaths recorded

between 2020 and 2024. In addition, the county’s severe maternal morbidity rate was 107.5 per 10,000 deliveries

in 2025. With increased attention on maternal health outcomes, there have been national and state efforts to

implement public health interventions focused on improving outcomes and reducing racial and ethnic disparities in

outcomes.

Birth doulas are defined as “a trained professional who supports a birthing woman during labor and birth”

(www.dona.org). Birth doulas are trained to provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to

birthing women and their partners to help them achieve the healthiest, most satisfying birth experience as possible.

A birth doula serves as the liaison and advocate to the birthing woman and her family, but specifically in the context

of education and support prenatally and during labor, birth and postpartum. Doulas do not replace the partners

during labor and birth. Doulas assist partners to feel comfortable in knowing how to support their loved one. There

is increasing evidence to support the use of birth doulas. Research finds that those who receive doula services have

lower odds of cesarean delivery, use of epidural, preterm birth, low birth weight, shorter length of labor, higher

odds of receiving respectful care, and higher rates of breastfeeding initiation. Provided these benefits, some states

have introduced and passed legislation approving Medicaid coverage of doula services. In NC, several iterations of

doula legislation have been introduced, but none have passed in law as of June 2026. Despite providing significant

benefits, doula services are often underutilized. In many cases, this is due to women not being familiar with the

concept of a doula, the cost prohibitive nature of a doula and lack of access to doulas. In North Carolina, doulas are

practicing in approximately 30% of counties around the state, including Cumberland County.

The purpose of this RFP is to fund two eligible organizations the ability to provide the birth doulas services that

individuals without insurance coverage for doula services. Doulas associated with the selected organizations will

be required to have completed training from a certifying body. Applicant agencies will be required to identify, hire,

or contract with two doulas who will provide support to at least 30 pregnant women and serve as their primary doula

during the project period. Also, provide additional support (postpartum support, additional continuous labor support,

or other types of approved birth doula support) for up to 8 additional clients.

The two doulas will work collaboratively to ensure that all pregnant women have continuous labor support, thereby

providing back-up coverage for each other. The doulas will be expected to maintain contact with the woman at the

following intervals: up to three times during pregnancy, within one week after birth, up to six weeks after birth, at

six months and twelve months postpartum.

2.0 PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS & REQUIREMENTS

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

The RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before contract award. All

attachments and addenda released for this RFP in advance of any contract award are incorporated herein by reference.

By submitting a proposal, the vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this section as well as any other

specifications, requirements and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a vendor is unclear about a requirement or

specification or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the County to receive a better proposal, the vendor

Page 4 of 20

Proposal Number: RFP #27-3-PH Doulas Services

is urged and cautioned to submit these items in the form of a question during the question and answer period in

accordance with Section 2.3.

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the vendor to provide information and include an

authorized signature where requested. Failure to include required documents and/or signatures, where requested, will

result in rejection of submitted proposals.

2.2 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

Proposals, subject to the conditions made a part hereof and the receipt requirements described below, shall be received

at the address indicated in the table below.

Mailing address for delivery of proposal

via US Postal Service

PROPOSAL TITLE:

Office address of delivery by any other method (special

delivery, overnight, or any other carrier)

PROPOSAL TITLE:

RFP #27-3-PH Doula Services

Cumberland County Purchasing Office

ATTN: Sophia Pate

PO Box 1829

Fayetteville, NC 28302-1829

Cumberland County Purchasing Office

ATTN: Sophia Pate

117 Dick Street

4th Floor, Room 451

Fayetteville, NC 28301

IMPORTANT NOTE: All proposals shall be physically delivered to the office address listed above on or before 2:00

PM, as per the clock in the Purchasing Office of the Finance Department on Tuesday, September 8,

2026, regardless of the method of delivery. All risk of late arrival due to unanticipated delay—whether delivered by

hand, U.S. Postal Service, courier or other delivery service is entirely on the vendor. It is the sole responsibility of the

vendor to have the proposal to the County department specified by the specified time and date of opening. Any proposal

received after the proposal submission deadline will be rejected.

Public bid opening will be held at 2:00 PM, as per the clock in the Purchasing Office of the Finance Department on

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 117 Dick Street, 4th Floor, Room 451, Fayetteville, NC 28301.

a) Submit one (1) signed, original executed proposal response and one (1) electronic copy on a flash drive.

b) Submit your proposal in a sealed package. Clearly mark each package with: (1) Vendor name; (2) the RFP number;

and (3) the due date. Address the package(s) for delivery as shown in the table above. Proposals will be subject to

rejection unless submitted with the information above included on the outside of the sealed proposal package.

c) The electronic copy of your proposal must be provided on a flash drive. The files shall NOT be password protected,

shall be in .PDF or .XLS format, and shall be capable of being copied to other media including readable in Microsoft

Word and/or Microsoft Excel.

All proposal addendums and/or corrections will be posted on the Cumberland County Vendor Self Service site

https://ccmunis.co.cumberland.nc.us/vss/Vendors/VBids/Default.aspx . Vendors who submit a notice of intent to bid to

CumberlandPurchasing@cumberlandcountync.gov will receive addendums by email.

Page 5 of 20

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

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RFP #27-3-PH DOULAS SERVICES

Description

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