RFP 134: Project AWARE: Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness Training, Consultation,...

Agency:	State of Vermont
State:	Vermont
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541611 - Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services 541990 - All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 611430 - Professional and Management Development Training
Posted Date:	Dec 2, 2025
Due Date:	Jan 16, 2026
Original Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

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Department of Mental Health

166 Horseshoe Drive | Waterbury VT 05671-20110

802-241-0090 phone |802-241-0100 fax

SEALED BID

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP 134: Project AWARE: Youth Suicide Prevention

Awareness Training, Consultation, and Implementation

Support Services

ISSUE DATE

QUESTIONS DUE

RFP RESPONSES DUE BY

December 2, 2025

December 29, 2025– 4:00PM (ET)

January 16, 2026– 4:00 PM (ET)

All proposals are to be submitted via VT Buys

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT ALL NOTIFICATIONS, RELEASES, AND ADDENDUMS ASSOCIATED

WITH THIS RFP WILL BE POSTED AT:

Public Solicitations: Vermont Buys

And

Vermont Business Registry and Bid System - Home

STATE CONTACT:

E-MAIL :

Jennifer Rowell

AHS.DMHSubmissions@vermont.gov

THE STATE WILL MAKE NO ATTEMPT TO CONTACT INTERESTED PARTIES WITH UPDATED

INFORMATION. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH BIDDER TO PERIODICALLY CHECK VT

BUYS FOR ANY AND ALL NOTIFICATIONS, RELEASES AND ADDENDUMS ASSOCIATED WITH

THIS RFP.

If you speak a language not listed on the website below or require additional help, we offer free language

assistance services. The State of Vermont contracts with several Translation Services organizations, and

you can visit this page for more information Language Access | Department of Mental Health.

If you require assistance with technology, access, or have other issues with being able to complete your

proposal, reach out to the single point of contact.

1. OVERVIEW:

1.1. SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Through this Request for Proposal (RFP) the

Department of Mental Health (DMH, hereinafter the “State”) is seeking to establish

contracts with one or more entities that can provide suicide prevention awareness

training, consultation, and implementation support services to increase suicide

awareness and improve suicide prevention protocols and policies development and

implementation in the three Local Education Agencies (and their respective

schools/districts) involved in Vermont Project AWARE. Entities may respond to a single

or combination of the scopes of work identified in section 2.3.

1.1.1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION: The Vermont Agency of Human Services

(AHS) strives to improve the conditions and well-being of Vermonters by ensuring all

Vermonters have the opportunity to thrive in inclusive, equitable, and resilient

communities. The scope of AHS is profound. Through its six departments, twelve

district offices, and a network of community partners and providers, it is responsible

for the implementation and delivery of all human service programs within the state.

Each department has a distinct area of focus and responsibility and contributes to

the creation and sustenance of an entire system of human service supports.

The Department of Mental Health (DMH) resides under AHS and has the same

critical mission in mind. DMH promotes mental health as a vital part of overall well-

being by advancing prevention, early intervention, and recovery-focused care. Our

vision is that mental health serves as a cornerstone of health in Vermont, where

inclusive communities respond with compassion and respect, enabling all

Vermonters to thrive and participate fully in their lives. This work is guided by our

core values of compassion, equity, integrity, collaboration, and accountability.

DMH, in collaboration with VT Agency of Education, is the recipient of a federal

award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

(SAMHSA) for Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education)

through the end of federal fiscal year 2028. The goals of Project AWARE are to

increase awareness, capacity, and effectiveness of mental health systems in

Vermont schools. This project is grounded within a multi-tiered system of supports

(MTSS) framework, in collaboration with three selected Local Education Agencies

(LEAs) and their Designated Mental Health Agencies (DAs).

1.2. CONTRACT PERIOD: Contracts arising from this RFP will be for a period of up to 2

years and 9 months. The State anticipates the start date for such contract(s) will be in

January 2026 with an end date of 9/29/2028.

1.3. SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT: All communications concerning this RFP are to be

submitted through VT Buys. In the event that a bidder is experiencing system issues

with submitting a question through VT Buys, communications should be addressed in

writing to the State Contact listed on the front page of this RFP. Actual or attempted

contact with any other individual from the State concerning this RFP is strictly prohibited

and may result in disqualification.

1.4. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD: Any bidder requiring clarification of any section of

this RFP or wishing to comment on any requirement of the RFP must submit specific

questions in VT Buys no later than the deadline for question indicated on the first page

of this RFP. As noted in 1.3, questions should be e-mailed to the single point of contact

Revised: March 18, 2025

Page 2 of 14

on the front page of this RFP if a bidder is experiencing system issues with VT Buys.

Questions or comments not submitted on or before the last day of the question period

are thereafter waived. At the close of the question period a copy of all questions or

comments and the State's responses will be posted to this solicitation on the DMH

website under the Careers and Opportunities tab

(https://mentalhealth.vermont.gov/RFP) and may also be posted on VT Buys

(https://vtbuys.vermont.gov/page.aspx/en/rfp/request_browse_public.

Every effort will be made to post this information as soon as possible after the question

period ends, contingent on the number and complexity of the questions. All information

provided by vendors during this process will be public and bidders shall not provide

confidential information, except as described in 4.1 below.

1.5. CHANGES TO THIS RFP: Any modifications to this RFP will be made in VT Buys by

the State through the issuance of an Addendum to this RFP and posted online at Public

Solicitations: Vermont Buys, Vermont Business Registry and Bid System - Home and

the DMH website (https://mentalhealth.vermont.gov/RFP). Modifications from any other

source are not to be considered.

1.6. SOURCE OF FUNDS: The Department anticipates using Federal funds for the resulting

contract(s). The Department may choose to modify the source of funding contingent

upon the availability of funds at the time of award. Any selected Vendor will be subject

to the requirements in the Assistance Listing Number (ALN) #93.243, U.S. Department

of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration (SAMHSA).

Please note that when procurements are supported by federal funds, SOV business

users must take affirmative steps that include at least the following Socioeconomic

affirmative steps per 2 C.F.R. § 200.321:

1. Placing qualified small and minority businesses and women’s business

enterprises on solicitation lists;

2. Assuring that small and minority businesses and women’s business

enterprises are solicited whenever they are potential sources;

3. Dividing total requirements, when economically feasible, into smaller tasks

or quantities to permit maximum participation by small and minority businesses,

and women’s business enterprises;

4. Establishing delivery schedules, where the requirement permits, which

encourage participation by small and minority businesses, and women’s

business enterprises;

5. Using the services and assistance, as appropriate, of such organizations as

the Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development

Agency of the Department of Commerce; and

6. Requiring the prime/general contractor, if subcontracts are to be let, to take

the same affirmative steps as listed in numbers 1 through 5.

Revised: March 18, 2025

Page 3 of 14

This project is being funded in whole using federal monies. If a bidder requires assistance

in preparing their proposal or needs guidance on socioeconomic certifications, the bidder

may contact the VT APEX Accelerator. The APEX Accelerator specializes in helping

small businesses navigate the documentation associated with State and Federal

procurement. Their website is: http://apex.vermont.gov

2. DETAILED REQUIREMENTS/DESIRED OUTCOMES:

2.1. The State of Vermont is interested in obtaining bids to meet the following business

need(s):

2.1.1. The following three scopes of work will be provided in the three Local

Education Agencies (LEAs) and their respective schools/districts involved in

Vermont Project AWARE.

a) Delivery of suicide prevention awareness and skills training for

school/district personnel and community members of the LEAs

(virtual and/or in-person) to increase suicide awareness and skills to

respond;

b) Consultation and implementation support services to improve suicide

prevention protocol and policy development and implementation in

the LEAs; and

c) a student-facing initiative engaging a diverse and representative

group of students.

The LEAs involved in this project are:

Barre Unified Union School District (BUUSD)

Caledonia Central Supervisory Union (CCSU)

Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union (SVSU)

2.2. The State of Vermont seeks to achieve the following Business Values:

2.2.1. Customer Service Improvement: The new solution will provide new or improved

customer service or services.

2.2.2. Compliance: The new solution meets a previously unmet State or Federal

compliance requirement.

2.3 Scope of Work & Expected Activities

Respondents will address each of the following:

2.3.1 SCOPE 1: Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness & Skills Training

2.3.1.1

ACTIVITY 1 Provide an evidence-based foundational youth suicide

prevention and skills training (virtual and/or in-person) for Project

AWARE involved Local Education Agencies (LEAs) personnel and

their community members, including parents. This training is

specifically focused on youth suicide prevention rather than a broader

mental health awareness curriculum.

Revised: March 18, 2025

Page 4 of 14

2.3.1.1.1 The identified curriculum includes the following core components,

aligned with national best practices:

2.3.1.1.1.1 Understand risks and protective factors

2.3.1.1.1.2 Recognize warning signs of suicide in youth

2.3.1.1.1.3 Learn how to respond to a youth who is having thoughts

of suicide or self-harm

2.3.1.1.1.4 Learn how to connect a youth to help

2.3.1.1.1.5 May include broader suicide prevention concepts

applicable to whole population (e.g. how to support a

colleague), but priority is youth-focus

2.3.1.1.2 Responsible for all aspects of delivering the training, including but

not limited to: Qualified/certified trainers; maintain a current

schedule of training events; promote training opportunities;

secure on-site space for any in-person events; provide virtual

training platform; registration and tracking attendees.

2.3.1.2

ACTIVITY 2 Provide accurate and timely reporting in accordance with

the Project AWARE evaluation plan and SAMHSA’s Performance

Accountability and Reporting System (SPARS) requirements. This

includes:

2.3.1.2.1 Performance Measure Data (submitted to the State contracted

Evaluator): Date of training; Title & brief description of training;

LEA/region; # trained (SPARS measure)

2.3.1.2.2 Pre- and post-training evaluation results (submitted to the State

contracted Evaluator)

2.3.1.2.2.1 Evaluation surveys must include a question related to

Knowledge, Attitudes & Beliefs about the topic (SPARS

measure)

2.3.1.2.2.2 The State contracted Evaluator may provide input on the

development and process of collecting pre-/post- training

evaluation.

2.3.1.2.3 Annual Summary Report narrative of yearly activities, impact, and

lessons learned. Content may be used for annual progress report

to SAMHSA.

2.3.1.3

ACTIVITY 4 Coordinate outreach and collaborate with other AWARE

training partners. This will include monthly meetings with Project

AWARE State team and other training partners for project

collaboration and alignment of work.

Revised: March 18, 2025

Page 5 of 14

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

TITLE	QUESTIONS DUE	ANSWERS POSTED	DUE DATE	NO POSTING AFTER
RFP 134: Project AWARE: Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness Training, Consultation, and Implementation Support Services	12/29/2025 04:00PM		01/16/2026 04:00PM

RFP 134: Project AWARE: Youth Suicide Prevention Awareness Training, Consultation, and Implementation Support Services

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