SJC Exchange Library

Originally posted by Ashley Krider on 03/13/2025

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Policy Research is excited to announce the public-facing Toolkit for Writing an RFP to Contract for Healthcare Services in a Correctional or Detention Institution: https://www.prainc.com/resource-library/correctional-healthcare-rfp-toolkit/overview/. Developed by a team of experts, the Toolkit includes a customizable RFP Template based on real-world experience and will be regularly updated to reflect best practices. Several SJC partners collaborated in the three-year development of the resource, and we're thrilled to release it to the field.

PRI (@Regi Huerter, @Lisa Maye) is also hosting a free webinar on April 3 to formally release the Toolkit. Please see below for more information and feel free to register or forward the event. The webinar will also be recorded and posted to the RFP Toolkit website.

Providing constitutionally mandated healthcare within jails, prisons, and other detention facilities is challenging. The quality of care for this medically complex group often relies on the request for proposal (RFP) and contract language between the facility and external provider(s). The quality and accuracy of the RFP are critical to the long-term success of the healthcare program. Creating comprehensive RFPs can increase safety and continuity of care, promote accountability and cost efficiencies, and decrease the impact of incarceration, the risk of potential lawsuits, and recidivism.

Policy Research has collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of correctional healthcare experts to develop a practical open-source resource to improve correctional facility healthcare, The Toolkit for Writing an RFP to Contract for Healthcare Services in a Correctional or Detention Institution. The RFP Toolkit is designed to help correctional facilities and local governments create more effective, outcome-focused RFPs for medical, mental health, substance use/MOUD, and disability services. The Toolkit includes a customizable RFP Template and guides users through preparing to draft an RFP, drafting and issuing the RFP, evaluating vendor responses, and negotiating and managing the contract.

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Ashley Krider
Assistant Director, SJC IMPACT Network
Policy Research, Inc.