Stigma Reduction, Community Outreach, and Education

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
RFP #26-0080
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Treatment, Recovery, Prevention and Education Services
Program Priority Area:
Stigma Reduction, Community Outreach, and Education
Amount of Funding Available: $250,000.00
Release Date: July 30, 2026
Pre-Bid Information Session: August 3, 2026
Application Due Date: September 15, 2026
Sedgwick County, Kansas (hereinafter referred to as "Sedgwick County" or "County"), in coordination
with the City of Wichita, Kansas (hereinafter referred to as "City of Wichita" or "City") are seeking an
entity or entities or firm(s) to provide Evidence-Based Opioid Use Disorder ("OUD") Treatment,
Recovery, Prevention and Education Services (collectively "OUD Program") in compliance with the
opioid settlement fund guidelines and limitations as outlined in this Request for Proposal (RFP) pursuant
to the Wichita-Sedgwick County Addiction Intervention Coalition advisory board's recommendations. If
your firm is interested in submitting a proposal, please do so in accordance with the instructions contained
within this RFP using the attached RFP Response Form. Proposals are due no later than 1:45 pm CST,
September 15, 2026.
Please note that there are four (4) separate RFPs being released under the OUD Program. Applicants
should carefully review each RFP to ensure they are responding to the appropriate program priority area.
Organizations interested in applying under multiple priority areas must submit a separate application for
each RFP. Visit the Wichita-Sedgwick County Addiction Intervention Coalition website to learn more.
RFP #26-0080 Page 1 of 31

All contact concerning this solicitation shall be made through County's Purchasing Department.
The entity or firms submitting a proposal [hereinafter referred to as "Proposer" when referring to single
entity or firm and "Proposers" when referring to multiple entities or firms(s)] shall not directly or
indirectly contact County or City employees, Wichita-Sedgwick County Addiction Intervention Coalition
advisory board members, department heads, using agencies, evaluation committee members or elected
officials with questions or any other concerns about the solicitation. Questions, clarifications and
concerns shall be submitted to the County's Purchasing Department in writing. Failure to comply with
these guidelines may disqualify the Proposer's proposal. The term "Purchasing staff" as may be used later
in this document shall refer to County's Purchasing Department's staff.
Sincerely,
Joseph Thomas,
NIGP-CPP, CPSM, CPSD, C.P.M. Purchasing Director
JT/ch
RFP #26-0080 Page 2 of 31

Table of Contents
I. About this Document ............................................................................................................................ 4
II. Background ........................................................................................................................................... 5
III. Submittals ............................................................................................................................................. 6
IV. Scope of Work: Stigma Reduction, Community Outreach, and Education.......................................... 7
V. City and County Responsibilities ......................................................................................................... 8
VI. Proposal Terms ..................................................................................................................................... 8
VII. Response Form ................................................................................................................................... 12
VIII. Reporting Requirements .................................................................................................................... 13
Appendix A: Privilege Log - Required Attachment ................................................................................... 14
Appendix B: Request for Qualifications Conditions .................................................................................. 16
Appendix C: Sample Agreement for Provision of Goods/Services ............................................................ 18
RFP #26-0080 Page 3 of 31

I. About this Document
This document is a Request for Proposal. This Request for Proposal is a cooperative, joint solicitation by
Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita, facilitated by Sedgwick County. It differs from a Request for Bid
or Quotation in that County and City are seeking a solution, as described on the cover page and in the
following Background Information section, not a bid or quotation meeting firm specifications for the lowest
price. As such, the lowest price proposed will not guarantee an award recommendation. As defined in the
County's Charter Resolution No. 68, Competitive Sealed Proposals will be evaluated based upon criteria
formulated around the most important features of the product(s) and/or service(s), of which quality, testing,
references, service, availability, or capability, may be overriding factors, and price may not be determinative in
the issuance of a contract or award. Such Competitive Sealed Proposals shall be evaluated in conformity with
the County's Charter Resolution 68 and the City's City Code 2.64. The proposal evaluation criteria should be
viewed as standards that measure how well a vendor's approach meets the desired requirements and needs of
the County and City. Criteria that will be used and considered in evaluation for award are set forth in this
document. County and City will thoroughly review all proposals received. County and City will also utilize its
best judgment when determining whether to schedule a pre-proposal conference, before proposals are
accepted, or meetings with vendors, after receipt of all proposals.
A single co-authored contract or agreement (hereinafter referred to as contract) or separate but congruent
contracts will be awarded by County and City to a qualified vendor(s) submitting the best proposal(s). One or
multiple awards may be issued pursuant to this RFP. No binding contracts shall be made without both County
and City executing a single co-authored contract, or such separate but congruent contracts. The term
"Contractor", as used in this RFP, means a successful Proposer to whom City and County awarded the contract
and who executed such single co-authored contract or separate but congruent contract with City and County.
Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita, in their sole discretion reserve the right to select, and
subsequently recommend for award, the proposed service(s) and/or product(s) which best meets the
joint required needs, quality levels and budget constraints of both City and County. The amount totals
and percentages allocated to each award may be subject to adjustment depending on the money
available, number of applications, and overall quality of applications. Any such adjustments shall be
subject to determination by mutual agreement of the County and City Purchasing Departments.
The nature of this work is for a public entity and will require the expenditure of public funds and/or use of
public facilities, therefore the successful proposer will understand that portions (potentially all) of their
proposal may become public record at any time after receipt of proposals. All proposals shall be subject to
discussion by the Wichita-Sedgwick County Addiction Intervention Coalition ("Coalition") in an open
meeting and therefore shall be subject to public disclosure. Executed purchase orders and final contracts are
subject to public disclosure after the issuance of the award. All confidential or proprietary information
should be clearly denoted in proposal responses and responders should understand this information will
be considered prior to release, however no guarantee is made that information will be withheld from
public view.
RFP #26-0080 Page 4 of 31

II. Background
Sedgwick County, located in south-central Kansas, is one of the most populous of Kansas' 105 counties
with a population estimated at more than 523,000 people. There are 19 cities in Sedgwick County. It is
the 16th largest in area, with 1,008 square miles, and reportedly has the second highest per capita wealth
among Kansas' counties. Organizationally, the County is a Commission/Manager entity, employs nearly
3,000 persons, and hosts or provides a full range of municipal services, e.g. - public safety, public works,
criminal justice, recreation, entertainment, cultural, public health services, human/social services, and
education.
The City of Wichita is the largest city in Kansas with a population of approximately 397,000 and is the
seat of Sedgwick County. As of May 2024, the City's total land area was approximately 167 square miles.
Major highways, including the Kansas Turnpike (I-35), Interstate 135 and U.S. 54 (Kellogg Avenue) link
the City with a large trade area that encompasses a population of more than 1.1 million people within a
100-mile radius. The City of Wichita employs approximately 3,100 employees providing a full range of
municipal services, including police and fire protection, parks and recreation programs, libraries, public
housing, municipal transportation, airports, water and sewer utilities, general administration, and other
services. Information regarding the City of Wichita can be found at wichita.gov. The legislative body of
the City consists of a six (6) member City Council, elected by district, and a full-time Mayor elected from
the City-at-large. The Council members and the Mayor serve four (4) year terms overlapping. The
Council and Mayor establish general policies, which are executed by the City Manager.
Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita have taken sustained action to address the opioid crisis in the
community. In 2017 and 2019, County and City filed legal actions against major pharmaceutical
companies for their role in the crisis, seeking funds to support addiction services and recovery, and both
later joined a statewide lawsuit led by the Kansas Attorney General. Kansas has since reached several
settlements with pharmaceutical companies that will provide the state more than $340 million through
2038 to fight addiction. To manage these funds, the Kansas Legislature passed the Kansas Fights
Addiction Act, which directs 75 percent of the money to a state fund for addiction treatment and
prevention and shares the remaining 25 percent with cities and counties, including Sedgwick County and
Wichita. In 2023, County and City engaged Steadman Group, LLC to help develop a plan for using these
funds effectively, working with local experts such as healthcare providers, first responders, and educators
to identify ways to prevent, reduce, treat, or mitigate substance use and support recovery. To keep the
process transparent and community-focused, County and City formed the Wichita-Sedgwick County
Addiction Intervention Coalition, an advisory board that recommends how to spend the settlement funds
based on the adopted plan. To learn more, read the WSAIC Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan.
There are four (4) separate RFPs being released under the OUD Program. Proposers should carefully
review each RFP to ensure they are responding to the appropriate program priority area. Organizations
interested in applying under multiple priority areas must submit a separate application for each RFP.
RFP #26-0080 Page 5 of 31

Program Priority Area Focus Estimated Anticipated Anticipated
Funding Award # of Awards
Available Amount
Stigma Reduction, Increase awareness and reduce
Community Outreach, stigma through community outreach
and Education and education. Programs should be Up to
multifaceted, culturally sensitive, $250,000 5
(Strategy 1) $50,000
inclusive, and evidence-based.
RFP 26-0080
Integrated Care Establish sustainable integrated care
(Strategy 2) that fosters collaboration across the Up to
$580,000 2-3
healthcare continuum to address $200,000
individuals' complex needs.
RFP 26-0081
Overdose Prevention Invest in culturally responsive
Initiatives prevention and harm reduction
Up to
(Strategy 3) services to reduce substance use risk $270,000 3-4
and overdose incidence and build $75,000
community and youth resilience.
RFP 26-0082
Expansion of Establish financially sustainable,
Treatment Capacity comprehensive treatment services so
Up to
(Strategy 4) all levels of care are accessible and $900,000 2
equitable in the community. $450,000
RFP 26-0083
Visit the Wichita-Sedgwick County Addiction Intervention Coalition website to learn more.
III. Submittals
Carefully review this Request for Proposal ("RFP"). It provides specific technical information necessary
to aid participating firms in formulating a thorough response. For all submittals, the RFP number must be
entered in the subject line and email the entire document with supplementary materials to:
Purchasing@sedgwick.gov
Any submittals to the Coalition regarding this document must be remitted to Sedgwick County as
instructed herein. Any publication by the City of Wichita's Procurement Portal
(wichita.gov/procurementportal) is solely for marketing purposes. Potential inquiries will not be
responded to by the City. Instances where interested Proposers have contacted the City will be forwarded
to the County for action, if any. Any instances of conflict between City/County publication will recognize
the County's site (sedgwickcounty.org) as the source of official record.
All costs incurred in the preparation and presentation of a proposal shall be wholly absorbed by the
Proposer submitting the proposal.
RFP #26-0080 Page 6 of 31

SUBMITTALS are due NO LATER THAN 1:45 pm CST, TUESDAY, September 15, 2026. If there is
any difficulty submitting a response electronically, please contact the Purchasing Technicians at
purchasing@sedgwick.gov for assistance. Late or incomplete responses will not be accepted and will not
receive consideration for final award.
Proposal responses will be acknowledged and read into record at Bid Opening, which will occur at 3:00
pm CST on the due date. No information other than the respondent's name will be disclosed at Bid
Opening. We will continue to have Bid Openings for the items listed currently. If you would like to listen
in as these proposals are read into the record, please dial our Meet Me line @ (316) 660-7271 at 3:00
pm.
IV. Scope of Work: Stigma Reduction, Community Outreach, and Education
Items listed in this section are requirements for the completion of services under this contract. Proposer(s)
shall furnish labor, parts, material, and equipment necessary to perform the following:
Program Priority Area: Stigma Reduction, Community Outreach, and Education
This priority area supports one (1) strategy with three (3) distinct goals. Applicants may propose a
program that addresses one or more of the goals below; a proposal is not required to address all three (3).
Applicants should clearly identify which goal(s) their proposed program addresses and design their
narrative, activities, and outcomes accordingly.
Note: The example activities listed under each goal are illustrative and not exhaustive. Applicants may
propose other evidence-based approaches that align with the goal's intent.
Invest in programs that increase awareness and reduce stigma through community outreach and
education. Programs funded under this strategy should be multifaceted, culturally sensitive, inclusive, and
evidence-based.
Goal 1: Community Stigma Reduction
Allocate funding for stigma reduction efforts and awareness campaigns aimed at reducing misconceptions
about substance use disorders and promoting empathy and understanding for the community at large.
Examples of eligible activities:
* Launch public awareness campaigns (media, social media, billboards, public transit advertising)
* Host community storytelling or speaker series featuring individuals with lived experience
* Develop anti-stigma messaging toolkits for local organizations
* Convene public events or forums addressing misconceptions about substance use disorder
* Conduct pre- and post-intervention focus groups and participant surveys to measure changes in
community stigma
Goal 2: High-Impact Stigma Reduction
Prioritize culturally sensitive, inclusive, and evidence-based initiatives that target high-impact
demographic groups (e.g., educators, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and policymakers) to
increase awareness, destigmatize substance use, and advocate for evidence-based approaches to treatment
and support.
RFP #26-0080 Page 7 of 31

Examples of eligible activities:
* Deliver professional training or continuing education for healthcare providers, educators, or first
responders on substance use disorder and stigma
* Offer train-the-trainer programs for workplace or institutional settings
* Conduct policymaker or community leader briefings and advocacy initiatives
* Develop curriculum for professional licensing or onboarding programs
* Educate providers (including justice system and law enforcement providers) on Medications for
Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) to reduce stigma, particularly around methadone
Goal 3: Community Outreach and Education
Develop comprehensive community outreach and education programs aimed at raising awareness about
the risks of substance misuse and providing information on available resources for prevention, treatment,
and recovery.
Examples of eligible activities:
* Launch resource navigation campaigns connecting residents to prevention, treatment, and
recovery services
* Deliver school- or community-based education programs
* Distribute informational materials through trusted community touchpoints (libraries, faith
communities, community centers)
* Host outreach events at high-traffic community locations
* Provide community education on Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) to reduce
stigma, particularly around methadone
V. City and County Responsibilities
1. Provide information, as legally allowed, in possession of the County and City, which relates to
the County's and City's requirements, or which is relevant to this project.
2. Designate people to act as County and City Contract Managers with respect to the work to be
performed under this contract.
3. County and City reserves the right to make inspections at various points of the project. Contractor
agrees to openly participate in said inspections and provide information to the County on the
progress, expected completion date and any unforeseen or unexpected complications in the
project.
VI. Proposal Terms
A. Questions and Contact Information
Any questions regarding this document must be submitted via email to Joseph Thomas at
joseph.thomas@sedgwick.gov by 5:00 pm CST, August 13, 2026. Any questions of a substantive nature
will be answered in written form as an addendum and posted on the purchasing website at
https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/finance/purchasing/current-bids-and-proposals/ under the Documents
column associated with this RFP number by 5:00 pm CST, August 21, 2026. Proposers are responsible
for checking the website and acknowledging any addenda on their proposal response form.
RFP #26-0080 Page 8 of 31

Any publication by the City of Wichita's Procurement Portal (wichita.gov/procurementportal) is solely
for marketing purposes. Potential inquiries will not be responded to by City. Instances where interested
Proposers have contacted the City will be forwarded to the County for action, if any. Any instances of
conflict between City/County publication will recognize the County's site (sedgwickcounty.org) as the
source of official record.
A pre-bid information webinar will be held on August 3, 2026 from 1:30- 3:00 pm CST. To participate,
join the Microsoft Teams Meeting:
Microsoft Teams meeting Join:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/215575213596965?p=fbnWuyGmRRFqMS1As8
Meeting ID: 215 575 213 596 965; Passcode: Xv9MH7VA
OR Dial in by phone: 469-206-8517; Conference ID: 245 627 846#
B. Minimum Firm Qualifications
Any final negotiations for services, terms and conditions will be based, in part, on the firm's method of
providing the service and the fee schedule achieved through discussions and agreement with the City's
and County's respective purchasing departments. City and County reserve the right to further negotiate
services and costs that are proposed, and the right to recommend for award the proposal and plan that they
deem to be in the best interest of County and the City
By submitting a proposal pursuant to this RFP, Proposer understands that no agreement shall be
considered final nor binding on either City or County unless both Sedgwick County's Board of
County Commissioners and City of Wichita's City Council ("City Council") awarded the Proposer
of the winning proposal with a single co-authored agreement or separate but congruent agreements
and both City and County properly executed such agreement(s) with the Proposer.
County and City, through their Purchasing Director/Manager respectively, reserve the right to accept or
reject any or all proposals and any part or parts of any proposal, and to waive formalities therein to
determine which is the most beneficial proposal. All proposals, including supporting documentation, shall
become the property of Sedgwick County and City of Wichita. All costs incurred in the preparation of this
proposal shall be the responsibility of the Proposer making the proposals. Sedgwick County and City of
Wichita reserve the right to select, and subsequently recommend for award, the proposed service which
best meets their required needs, quality levels, budget constraints, and on the basis of greatest benefit to
County and City are not obligated to select the lowest cost option.
RFP #26-0080 Page 9 of 31

C. Request for Proposal Timeline
The following dates are provided for information purposes and are subject to change without notice.
Distribution of Request for Proposal to interested parties July 30, 2026
Pre-Bid Webinar at 1:30 pm CST August 3, 2026
Questions and clarifications submitted via email by 5:00 pm CST August 13, 2026
RFP Addendum Posted by 5:00 pm CST August 21, 2026
Proposal due before 1:45 pm CST September 15, 2026
Evaluation Period September 16 - October 9
Board of Bids and Contracts Recommendation
October 2026
(Both City & County)
City Council Award Presentation
November 2026
Board of County Commission Award
D. Contract Period and Payment Terms
A contractual period will begin following City Council and Board of County Commissioners approval
and execution of separate but congruent agreements between County and Contractor and City and
Contractor of the successful firm(s) and continue until December 31, 2027 with one (1) year option to
renew under the same terms and conditions executed in writing. The option to exercise all such potential
renewals shall be at the sole discretion of County and City.
Payment and Invoice Provisions
https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/media/55477/payment-and-invoice-provisions.pdf
E. Insurance Requirements
Liability insurance coverage indicated below must be considered as primary and not as excess insurance.
If required, firm's professional liability/errors and omissions insurance shall (i) have a policy retroactive
date prior to the date any professional services are provided for this project, and (ii) be maintained for a
minimum of three (3) years past completion of the project. Firm shall furnish a certificate evidencing such
coverage, with County and City listed as an additional insured including both ongoing and completed
operations, except for professional liability, workers' compensation and employer's liability. Certificate
shall be provided prior to award of contract. Certificate shall remain in force during the duration of the
project/services and will not be canceled, reduced, modified, limited, or restricted until thirty (30) days
after County and City both receive written notice of such change. Thirty (30) days shall be counted from
the date when both City and County have been properly notified. All insurance must be with an insurance
company with a minimum BEST rating of A-VIII and licensed to do business in the State of Kansas
(must be acknowledged on the bid/proposal response form).
NOTE: If any insurance is subject to a deductible or self-insured retention, written disclosure must be
included in your proposal response and also be noted on the certificate of insurance.
It is the responsibility of the firm to require that any and all approved subcontractors meet the minimum
insurance requirements.
RFP #26-0080 Page 10 of 31