NH Adult Drug Courts

State of New Hampshire
Judicial Branch
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP NHJB-2026-01
FOR
NH ADULT DRUG COURTS
March 06, 2026

NEW HAMPSHIRE JUDICIAL BRANCH
RFP 2026-01-ADULT DRUG COURTS
TABLE OF CONTENT
Contents
SECTION I. OVERVIEW AND SCHEDULE......................................................................................................... 4
A. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4
B. Schedule ........................................................................................................................................................ 5
C. Purpose and Background ............................................................................................................................ 5
D. Contract Term .............................................................................................................................................. 6
SECTION II. SCOPE OF SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED .................................................................................. 7
A. Overview ....................................................................................................................................................... 7
B. Minimum Requirements for Vendor: ........................................................................................................ 7
C. Minimum documentation expectation:. ..................................................................................................... 8
D. Minimum Qualifications for Vendors ........................................................................................................ 8
SECTION III. RFP PROCESS ............................................................................................................................... 13
A. Agency Point of Contact/Restriction of Contact with Agency Employees ........................................... 13
B. Vendor Inquiries......................................................................................................................................... 13
C. RFP Addendum .......................................................................................................................................... 13
D. Property of the NHJB ................................................................................................................................ 13
E. Confidentiality of a Proposal .................................................................................................................... 14
F. Public Disclosure ........................................................................................................................................ 14
G. Ethical Requirements ................................................................................................................................ 14
H. Non-Commitment....................................................................................................................................... 15
I. Compliance ................................................................................................................................................. 15
J. Proposal Cost .............................................................................................................................................. 15
SECTION IV. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................... 16
B. Validity of Proposal .................................................................................................................................... 16
C. Proposal Format ......................................................................................................................................... 16
SECTION V. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS ................................................................................................... 18
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A. Criteria for Evaluation and Scoring ........................................................................................................ 18
B. Oral Interviews and Product Demonstrations ........................................................................................ 18
C. Cost Proposal Scoring ................................................................................................................................ 18
D. Negotiations and Selection ........................................................................................................................ 19
SECTION VI. CONTRACT DOCUMENT ........................................................................................................... 20
APPENDIX A PROPOSAL COVER PAGE .......................................................................................................... 21
APPENDIX B DEBARMENT AND NON-COLLUSION CERTIFICATION .................................................. 17
Appendix C SAMPLE CONTRACT ...................................................................................................................... 19
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SECTION I. OVERVIEW AND SCHEDULE
A. Introduction
This request for proposals (RFP) is issued by the New Hampshire Judicial Branch (NHJB) through the
Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) to solicit proposals for the NHJB with the services necessary
to successfully administer the Adult Drug Court program based out of each County Courthouse as
described in Section IV. The NHJB will contract with the agency for the purpose of hiring and
supervising clinical staff, including a Drug Court Coordinator and adequate staff to provide case
management and treatment services for the program's participants following the strict program
guidelines as described in Sections IV. The staffing level should be commensurate with the number of
participants in the program. The provider selected must supply all equipment, clinical personnel,
training and travel reimbursement to successfully adhere to All Rise guidelines, formerly known as the
National Association of Drug Court Professionals (www.allrise.org). The NHJB's intention is to
provide the described services for up to 80 participants for large jurisdictions, 50 participants in medium
size jurisdictions, and 30 participants in the small jurisdictions at any given time. The service provider
selected must have the ability to provide county-wide services to Drug Court participants. It is critical
that vendor staff for this program ("Staff") is familiar with the Drug Court model, evidence-based
practices as they relate to Drug Court, the 10 Key Components of drug courts (see Section IV),
recognized standards, practices and other research-based policies and procedures that address the unique
needs of drug treatment courts. It is also critical that staff is familiar with Best Practice Standards set
forth by All Rise. These standards can be found on the NH Drug Offender Program's website: NH
Office of Drug Offender Program | New Hampshire Judicial Branch. All Staff provided must be
licensed, as required by New Hampshire law, for their respective profession. Staff will be required to
attend extensive on-going training on the drug court model. Staff will be interacting closely with all
members of the criminal justice system and will need to work as a team as well as have current
knowledge of the treatment of substance use disorder and recovery. Vendors should provide the NHJB
with a project plan that is anticipated to commence July 1, 2026. Please note this timeframe may be
adjusted, as determined by NHJB, in order to comply with all procedural requirements associated with
the RFP and the contracting process. The actual contract start date will be established by a completed
and approved contract. The contract period will be for an initial period of two years, with an option for
the NHJB to renew for another two years contingent upon satisfactory vendor performance and
continued funding by the New Hampshire Legislature.
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B. Schedule
The following table provides a Schedule of Events for this RFP through contract finalization and Notice to
Proceed. NHJB reserves the right to amend this Schedule at its sole discretion and at any time through a
published Addendum.
EVENT DATE LOCALTIME
RFP Released to Vendors (Advertisement) 3/06/26 4:00 PM
Vendor Inquiry Period Ends 4/03/26 4:00 PM
Final NHJB Responses to Vendor Inquiries 4/15/26 4:00 PM
Vendors Submit Proposals 4/22/26 4:00 PM
Estimated Timeframe for Vendor Oral Presentations 5/29/26 10:00 AM
and Interviews (if needed)
Estimated Notification of Selection and Begin 6/30/26 4:00 PM
Contract Development
C. Purpose and Background
NHJB's mission is to preserve the rule of law and protect the rights and liberties guaranteed by the US and NH
Constitutions by providing accessible, prompt, and efficient forums for the fair and independent administration
of justice, with respect for the dignity of all served. Information on the NHJB can be found on the NHJB
website at https://www.courts.nh.gov/.
The NHJB is a constitutionally separate but co-equal branch of government within the State of
New Hampshire. The NHJB's mission is: to preserve the rule of law and protect the rights and
liberties guaranteed by the United States and New Hampshire Constitutions, the courts will
provide accessible, prompt, and efficient forums for the fair and independent administration of
justice, with respect for the dignity of all we serve.
The NHJB consists of the Supreme Court, Superior Court and Circuit Court and the
Administrative Office of the Courts. The NHJB Adult Drug Court Program is located within
the Superior Court system. The 10 Key Components of Drug Courts (See Section IV) are an
integral part of program operations and embody acknowledged evidence-based practices that
scientifically improve outcomes for drug court participants. Current research clearly supports
a different approach in changing the behavior of individuals with substance use disorder who
are involved in the criminal justice system. Rather than the use of long periods of
incarceration, successful programs focus on proven methods of treatment and supervision to
reduce criminal conduct and improve the lives of participants. National research has also
shown a decrease in costs to the criminal justice system and health care systems when an
offender receives treatment in the community. The NHJB has worked to create the basic
policies and procedures for an adult drug treatment court to become operational.
Each vendor that contracts with the NHJB would be required to follow Drug Court Best
Practices, the 10 Key Components, attend staffing and court sessions, and be responsible for
ensuring all members of the drug court treatment team receive training regarding best practice
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standards. The Statewide office may assist in some of these trainings as determined by NHJB.
Pursuant to RSA 490-G, the NHJB cannot award a jurisdiction more than the specified statutory
amount.
D. Contract Term
The initial Contract term will begin on the effective date and will be for two years, subject to continued
available funding. The actual contract start date will be established by a completed and approved contract.
Following the initial term of the contract, the NHJB may opt to renew the contract for an additional two-year
extension, at the sole option of the NHJB, subject to continued availability of funding and satisfactory
performance.
The NHJB anticipates awarding one contract for each Drug Court County resulting from this RFP process. Note:
Hillsborough County will be split, awarding one to Hillsborough North (Manchester) and one to Hillsborough
South (Nashua).
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SECTION II. SCOPE OF SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED
A. Overview
A successful vendor will be able to demonstrate through the submission of its RFP Response that
it has the skills, experience, and qualified personnel to operate an Adult Drug Court Program in
accordance with the following standards, policies, and procedures:
New Hampshire Adult Drug Courts are based on a post-adjudication model. It is expected that
the participant will plead guilty to the offense and sign an appropriate waiver and
acknowledgement of understanding of all the consequences and sanctions involved in the
program. For each participant, an individual treatment plan will be developed by the vendor or
subcontracted vendor, unique to the needs of that participant, to be completed in five phases
over the approximately 18-24 month term in the program. Each participant will be required to
participate in all phases of treatment and will be held accountable to standardized expectations
for each phase. Failure to comply with the individual components of the treatment plan will
result in the imposition of sanctions to be determined by the court at review hearings.
In Phase I, the team made up of the vendors employees (coordinator, case managers, treatment
provider) in addition to representatives from Department of Corrections, County Attorney,
Public Defender, and the Court, will meet with the Judge on a weekly basis to review each
participant's progress based on input from team members. The team will meet with the Judge prior to
every court session to review cases of all participants who are scheduled to appear. For Phases II -V,
the frequency of each participant's appearances before the court will be determined on an individual
basis, but not less frequently than one appearance per month unless the
participant is in an aftercare phase.
B. Minimum Requirements for Vendor:
Vendor must demonstrate the organizational capacity, subject-matter expertise, and operational
readiness to administer and support the day-to-day operations of an Adult Drug Treatment Court
program in the State of New Hampshire, in coordination with the New Hampshire Judicial
Branch (NHJB) and other system partners, as applicable.
At a minimum, the Vendor must be able to:
* Deliver Adult Drug Treatment Court operational support end-to-end (e.g., program
coordination/administration, participant workflow management, scheduling support, documentation
support, and other program infrastructure required to keep the Adult Drug Treatment Court
functioning effectively).
* Evidence relevant experience operating and/or providing comprehensive support services to adult
problem-solving courts (e.g., Adult Drug Court, DWI Court, mental health court, reentry court),
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including experience with multidisciplinary team-based models and participant accountability
structures.
* Maintain appropriate staffing capacity with qualified personnel (including a designated program lead)
sufficient to meet service levels, continuity-of-operations expectations, and required timelines-
without service disruption due to turnover, leave, or vacancies.
* Work within the court environment and boundaries of authority, supporting program operations while
recognizing that judicial decision-making, court orders, and court administration remain the
responsibility of NHJB.
* Coordinate effectively with stakeholders (e.g., judges, court staff, treatment providers, supervision,
prosecution, defense, and other partners as applicable), including participating in staffing meetings
and supporting consistent communication protocols.
* Comply with all applicable requirements (local/state/federal laws, confidentiality expectations, court
policies, and any NHJB security or data-handling requirements relevant to program operations and
participant information).
* Maintain and produce required program records and reporting, including the ability to track
operational metrics and provide routine and ad hoc reports in a format acceptable to NHJB.
C. Minimum documentation expectation:
The Vendor's proposal should include a concise narrative describing how it will operationalize and
support an Adult Drug Treatment Court in New Hampshire, an implementation/transition approach (if
applicable), a staffing plan (roles & capacity), and examples of comparable experience (references
and/or prior engagements).
a. For an out of state vendor, they must have a valid Certificate of Authority to transact business,
as required by New Hampshire law RSA 293-A. The form for applying for a Certificate of
Authority can be acquired through the New Hampshire Secretary of State's website at:
https://sos.nh.gov/corporation-ucc-securities/corporation/forms-and-fees/
b. This requirement must be satisfied by applying for a Certificate of Authority before the
effective date of the contract resulting from this RFP.
D. Minimum Qualifications for Vendors
Vendor must demonstrate expertise in the following areas:
A. Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Evidence-Based Treatment Interventions
The vendor must demonstrate current, practical expertise in substance use disorder treatment,
including evidence-based interventions used in justice-involved or court-supervised populations.
At minimum, the vendor shall:
* Demonstrate experience providing SUD treatment services, training, technical assistance,
or clinical oversight involving evidence-based modalities (e.g., CBT-based approaches,
motivational interviewing, contingency management, trauma-informed approaches,
relapse prevention, MAT/MOUD integration and coordination), as applicable to the
scope.
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* Demonstrate working knowledge of screening, referral, engagement, retention, and
recovery supports, including coordination with treatment providers and community
partners.
* Demonstrate familiarity with applicable clinical and confidentiality frameworks, as
relevant (e.g., DSM, ASAM criteria, HIPAA, and 42 CFR Part 2, when applicable to
services under this contract).
* Identify key personnel who will perform the work and provide resumes showing relevant
education, credentials, and role-based experience.
B. Evidence-Based Treatment for Criminal Thinking Interventions
The Vendor must demonstrate expertise in evidence-based interventions that target criminogenic needs and
criminal thinking patterns. At minimum, the Vendor shall:
* Demonstrate knowledge and application of evidence-based cognitive and behavioral
interventions designed to address criminal thinking, decision-making, problem solving,
and skill building (e.g., CBT-informed curricula and structured interventions used in
corrections/community supervision settings).
* Demonstrate familiarity with the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model and how
criminal thinking interventions align to criminogenic needs.
* Provide evidence of experience delivering, implementing, coaching, or evaluating such
interventions in a criminal justice, court, probation/parole, or treatment court
environment (or comparable setting).
* Describe quality assurance practices used to support program fidelity, staff coaching, and
continuous improvement.
C. Assessment and Diagnosis for Risk and Need
The Vendor must demonstrate competency in assessing participant risk, needs, and clinical considerations in
a manner consistent with evidence-based practices and justice-involved populations. At minimum, the
Vendor shall:
* Demonstrate experience with validated risk and need assessment processes (including the
ability to interpret results and translate findings into case planning and service matching).
* Demonstrate competence in screening/assessment protocols (e.g., SUD screening, mental
health screening, criminogenic needs assessment) and the integration of assessment
results into individualized recommendations.
* Describe processes for ensuring assessments are objective, consistent, and defensible,
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including staff qualifications, training, supervision, and documentation standards.
o If diagnostic services are within scope, identify staff qualified to perform clinical
diagnoses and confirm the ability to apply generally accepted clinical diagnostic
standards and maintain documentation in accordance with law, policy, and best practices.
D. Drug Court Best Practice Standards and Key Components of a Drug Court
The Vendor must demonstrate subject matter expertise in treatment court operations and nationally
recognized best practices. At minimum, the Vendor shall:
* Demonstrate familiarity with and ability to operationalize Drug Court Best Practice Standards and the
Key Components of a Drug Court (or equivalent nationally recognized treatment court frameworks).
* Demonstrate experience providing training, facilitation, implementation support, or evaluation
services for adult drug courts and/or other treatment courts, including multidisciplinary team
dynamics and court coordination.
* Demonstrate knowledge of core operational practices such as participant engagement and
incentives/sanctions, treatment matching, testing strategies, case management, judicial interaction,
team staffing, stakeholder collaboration, and outcomes monitoring.
* Describe how the Vendor ensures alignment with best practices through implementation planning,
coaching/TA, performance measurement, and corrective action when gaps are identified.
E. Fiscal Management and Contract Expertise
The Vendor must demonstrate the organizational capacity and controls necessary to manage public funds,
comply with contract requirements, and deliver accurate reporting. At minimum, the Vendor shall:
* Demonstrate experience administering public-sector contracts (state, local, judicial, or comparable
government entities), including compliance with deliverables, reporting, and change management.
* Demonstrate capability to provide accurate invoicing, cost transparency, and documentation sufficient
for audit or monitoring (including itemized billing consistent with contract terms and pricing
schedules).
* Describe internal controls for fiscal oversight, such as segregation of duties, expenditure tracking,
subcontractor monitoring (if applicable), and record retention.
* Demonstrate organizational stability and capacity, including the ability to meet timelines, manage
resources, and maintain continuity of service throughout the contract term.
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