Support for the WIC Breastfeeding Performance Improvement Project

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
SUPPORT FOR THE WIC BREASTFEEDING PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
ISSUED BY
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES
DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH
RFP NUMBER HSS-27-002
Contents:
I. Overview
II. Scope of Work
III. Required Information
IV. Professional Services RFP Administrative Information
V. Contract Terms and Conditions
VI. RFP Miscellaneous Information
VII. Attachments
Appendix A - Minimum Mandatory Submission Requirements
Appendix B - Scope of Work and Technical Requirements
Appendix C - Vendor Forms
Attachment 2 - Vendor Information Form
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Attachment 3 - Non-Collusion Statement
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Attachment 4 - Exception Form
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Attachment 5 - Confidentiality Form
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Attachment 6 - Business References
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Attachment 7 - Subcontractor Form - if applicable
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Appendix D - Templates/Sample Agreements
Professional Services Agreement
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Business Associate Agreement
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DTI Terms & Conditions
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Appendix E - Project Cost Proposal
** Ctrl + Click on the headings above will take you directly to the section.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
DIVISON OF PUBLIC HEALTH
I. Overview
The State of Delaware, Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health
seeks professional services for Support for the WIC Breastfeeding Performance Improvement
Project. This request for proposals ("RFP") is issued pursuant to 29 Del. C. 6981 and 6982.
The proposed schedule of events subject to the RFP is outlined below:
Public Notice July 30, 2026
Deadline for Questions August 13, 2026 at 3:00 PM EST
Pre-bid Meeting None
Response to Questions Posted by: September 1, 2026
Deadline for Receipt of Proposals September 29, 2026 at 1:00 PM EDT
Estimated Notification of Award October 20, 2026
Estimated Project Start Date January 1, 2027
Each proposal must be accompanied by a transmittal letter which briefly summarizes the
proposing firm's interest in providing the required professional services. The transmittal letter
must also clearly state and justify any exceptions to the requirements of the RFP which the
applicant may have taken in presenting the proposal. (Applicant exceptions must also be
recorded on Attachment 4).
Furthermore, the transmittal letter must attest to the fact, at a minimum, that the Vendor shall
not store or transfer non-public State of Delaware data outside of the United States.
For technology related solicitations, Vendors may refer to the Delaware Department of
Technology and Information identified terms and conditions included in this solicitation.
The State of Delaware reserves the right to deny any and all exceptions taken to the RFP
requirements.
A pre-bid meeting has NOT been established for this Request for Proposal.
Questions may be submitted no later than August 13, 2026 @ 3:00 PM EST.
All inquiries must be submitted in the Q/A section of the project listing in the Euna
Procurement (formerly Bonfire) Portal (https://dhss.bonfirehub.com).
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STATE OF DELAWARE
DIVISON OF PUBLIC HEALTH
The Department's response to questions will be posted, according to the procurement
schedule, under the project listing in Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) and to the State
of Delaware Bid Solicitation Directory Website: http://www.bids.delaware.gov/ by September
1, 2026.
II. Scope of Work
A. Background
Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is a nationally accredited State Public Health
agency, recognized by the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) for demonstrating
commitment to quality improvement, performance management, accountability,
transparency, and ability to address public health needs. DPH serves as the center of a
comprehensive network of public health services, establishing public health priorities and
evaluating the effectiveness of health initiatives.
The mission of the Division of Public Health is to protect and enhance the health of the
people of Delaware. The Division accomplishes its mission by:
* working together with others;
* addressing issues that affect the health of Delawareans;
* keeping track of the State's health;
* promoting positive lifestyles;
* responding to critical health issues and disasters;
* promoting the availability of health services.
The accomplishment of this mission will facilitate the Division in realizing its vision of
creating an environment in which people in Delaware can reach their full potential for a
healthy life.
The WIC program plays an increasingly critical role in addressing the nutritional needs
of young families. The Delaware WIC Program has been a statewide leader in
breastfeeding innovation and support efforts. The Delaware WIC Breastfeeding
Improvement Project has been one of several coordinated efforts that have increased
WIC breastfeeding duration by over 20% over the past 10 years. The WIC program has
slowly closed the gap between WIC participant breastfeeding rates and state and
national indicators. The program's success to date is driven by its focus on continuous
innovation, informed by ongoing data analysis.
The Delaware WIC program seeks to evolve and continuously improve its
understanding and approaches to breastfeeding support. Since 2012, there have been
numerous changes to adjust to and support participants, such as increasing texting. In
addition to the four state peer counselors, WIC has expanded access to breastfeeding
support statewide by expanding partnerships with hospitals, clinics, and community
agencies to provide Contracted Peer Counselor resources to WIC-eligible families.
The program seeks to measure success and outcomes to inform further strategic
investments in breastfeeding. For instance, WIC has also evolved to reflect the cost
and availability of pumps, meeting the needs of moms by tracking pump technology,
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STATE OF DELAWARE
DIVISON OF PUBLIC HEALTH
types, reasons, and pump distribution success rates. WIC has built an outstanding
record of supporting moms, babies, and other family members to enhance
breastfeeding outcomes.
Contracted Peer Counselors have a growing reach and impact across the state. Linking
State and contracted site datasets to provide a longitudinal view of participants,
including the key period around childbirth, where WIC often has a limited view of the
participant experience. The team should monitor any impact, including changes to
ease of data collection, increased matching, and improved understanding of the drivers
of program success.
The analytic team should facilitate quarterly review and planning meetings. These
meetings should include WIC central office staff, peer counselors, and representatives
from the Contracted Peer Counselors. Depending on the topic area, additional state
leadership will join to support cross-agency initiatives.
Each year, new opportunities and needs arise that require additional support and
analysis. The analytic team should support these efforts on an ad hoc basis. For
instance, new grant opportunities arise to enhance breastfeeding supports, and data is
needed to inform the grant response. The team should also review opportunities to
introduce innovation into the peer counselor program, such as new tools, technologies,
and apps, especially those implemented by other state WIC programs. The team will
also share insights into innovations, such as the shift to wearable pumps and the
growing availability of sensor technology.
B. Project Goals
Offerors must meet the following minimum qualifications to be considered responsive:
1. Demonstrated experience (minimum of five (5) years) providing data analysis and
quality improvement services for public health programs, preferably WIC or
maternal and child health programs.
2. Documented experience analyzing breastfeeding-related data and program
performance metrics.
3. Experience working with state or federally funded programs, including compliance
with applicable reporting and confidentiality requirements.
4. Demonstrated capacity to securely manage and analyze protected health
information (PHI) and sensitive program data.
5. Experience producing standardized, professional reports suitable for government
review and federal submission.
6. Ability to provide services statewide and participate in required meetings.
7. Proven organizational capacity to assume and continue the scope of work currently
performed by the State's existing vendor, including transition planning and
continuity of reporting.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
DIVISON OF PUBLIC HEALTH
C. Scope of Work/Bidders Requirements
The State of Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public
Health, seeks a vendor to provide quality improvement (QI), data analysis, and
reporting services related to breastfeeding outcomes for the Delaware Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Services. Services shall build upon and/or replace the
scope currently performed by the State's existing vendor, Gibbous, while ensuring
continuity of data analysis, reporting, and quality improvement activities.
Please refer to Appendix B for details/requirements for the Scope of Work. See
separate document titled "HSS-27-002 -AppB-SOW"
III. Required Information
The following information shall be provided in each proposal in the order listed below. Failure
to respond to any request for information within this proposal may result in rejection of the
proposal at the sole discretion of the State.
A. Minimum Requirements
1. Provide Delaware license(s) and/or certification(s) necessary to perform services as
identified in the scope of work.
Prior to the execution of an award document, the successful Vendor shall either furnish
the Agency with proof of State of Delaware Business Licensure or initiate the process
of application where required.
2. Vendor shall provide responses to the Request for Proposal (RFP) scope of work and
clearly identify capabilities as presented in the General Evaluation Requirements
below.
3. Complete all appropriate attachments and forms as identified within the RFP.
4. Proof of insurance and amount of insurance shall be furnished to the Agency prior to
the start of the contract period and shall be no less than as identified in the bid
solicitation, Section V, Item G, subsection 8 (Insurance).
B. General Evaluation Requirements
1. Qualifications of Vendor
2. Methodology Proposed
3. Responses to Scope of Work, Appendix B
4. Ability to recruit, hire, schedule, and train qualified applicants
5. Evaluation of Costs
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STATE OF DELAWARE
DIVISON OF PUBLIC HEALTH
IV. Professional Services RFP Administrative Information
A. RFP Issuance
1. Public Notice
Public notice has been provided in accordance with 29 Del. C. 6981.
2. Obtaining Copies of the RFP
This RFP is available in electronic form through the State of Delaware Procurement
website at https://mmp.delaware.gov/Bids/ and on Euna Procurement (formerly
Bonfire) at https://dhss.bonfirehub.com.
Paper copies of this RFP will not be available.
3. Assistance to Vendors with a Disability
Vendors with a disability may receive accommodation regarding the means of
communicating this RFP or participating in the procurement process. For more
information, contact the Designated Contact no later than ten days prior to the
deadline for receipt of proposals.
4. RFP Designated Contact
All requests, questions, or other communications about this RFP shall be made
through Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) at https://dhss.bonfirehub.com.
Communications made to other State of Delaware personnel or attempting to ask
questions by phone or in person will not be allowed or recognized as valid and may
disqualify the vendor.
Vendors should rely only on written statements issued by the RFP designated
Contracts, Management and Procurement contact.
The RFP designated contact is:
Bill Ingram
417 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901
William.ingram@delaware.gov
Contracts, Management and Procurement Contact:
Eddie Mui
Management Analyst III
DHSS_DMS_dmsprocure@delaware.gov
5. Consultants and Legal Counsel
The State of Delaware may retain consultants or legal counsel to assist in the review
and evaluation of this RFP and the vendors' responses. Bidders shall not contact the
State's consultant or legal counsel on any matter related to the RFP.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
DIVISON OF PUBLIC HEALTH
6. Contact with State Employees
Direct contact with State of Delaware employees other than the State of Delaware
Designated Contact regarding this RFP is expressly prohibited without prior consent.
Vendors directly contacting State of Delaware employees risk elimination of their
proposal from further consideration. Exceptions exist only for organizations currently
doing business in the State who require contact in the normal course of doing that
business.
7. Organizations Ineligible to Bid
Any individual, business, organization, corporation, consortium, partnership, joint
venture, or any other entity including subcontractors currently debarred or suspended
is ineligible to bid. Any entity ineligible to conduct business in the State of Delaware
for any reason is ineligible to respond to the RFP.
8. Exclusions
The Proposal Evaluation Team reserves the right to refuse to consider any proposal
from a vendor who:
a. Has been convicted of commission of a criminal offense as an incident to obtaining
or attempting to obtain a public or private contract or subcontract, or in the
performance of the contract or subcontract:
b. Has been convicted under State or Federal statutes of embezzlement, theft,
forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, receiving stolen property, or
other offense indicating a lack of business integrity or business honesty that
currently and seriously affects responsibility as a State contractor:
c. Has been convicted or has had a civil judgment entered for a violation under State
or Federal antitrust statutes:
d. Has violated contract provisions such as:
1) Known failure without good cause to perform in accordance with the
specifications or within the time limit provided in the contract; or
2) Failure to perform or unsatisfactory performance in accordance with terms of
one or more contracts;
e. Has violated ethical standards set out in law or regulation; and
f. Any other cause listed in regulations of the State of Delaware determined to be
serious and compelling as to affect responsibility as a State contractor, including
suspension or debarment by another governmental entity for a cause listed in the
regulations.
B. RFP Submissions
1. Acknowledgement of Understanding of Terms
By submitting a bid, each vendor shall be deemed to acknowledge that it has carefully
read all sections of this RFP, including all forms, schedules and exhibits hereto, and
has fully informed itself as to all existing conditions and limitations.
2. Proposals
To be considered, all proposals must be submitted in through Euna Procurement
(formerly Bonfire) at https://dhss.bonfirehub.com/ and respond to the items outlined
in this RFP.
The State reserves the right to reject any non-responsive or non-conforming
proposals.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
DIVISON OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Responses submitted by hard copy, mail, facsimile, or e-mail will not be
accepted.
All proposals must be submitted prior to 1:00 PM EDT on September 29,
2026.
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
a. Proposals must be received before the Proposal Due Date and Time, as
identified in the Procurement Schedule for this RFP.
Responses received after the Proposal Due Date and Time will not be accepted.
b. Upload your submission at: https://dhss.bonfirehub.com/
Important Notes:
* Logging in and/or uploading the file(s) does not mean the response is
submitted. Users must successfully upload all the file(s) and MUST click the
submit button before the proposal due date and time.
* Users will receive an email confirmation receipt with a unique confirmation
number once the submission has been finalized. This will confirm that the
proposal has been submitted successfully.
* Each submitted item of Requested Information will only become visible to
DHSS after the proposal due date and time.
* If the file is mandatory, you will not be able to complete your submission until
the requirement is met.
* Uploading large documents may take significant time depending on the size of
the file(s) and your Internet connection speed. The maximum upload file size
is 1000 MB.
* Minimum system requirements: Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Mozilla
Firefox. Java Script must be enabled.
* Notarizations are no longer required.
Need Help? Please contact Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) directly at Bonfire
Hub, email to support.bonfire@eunasolutions.com, or call 1- 844- 226- EUNA (3862)
press 1 for customer support/technical questions or issues related to your
submission. You can also visit their help forum at
https://customer.eunasolutions.com/public/s/contactsupport.
Any proposal submitted after the Deadline for Receipt of Proposals date will not be
accepted. The contents of any proposal shall not be disclosed as to be made available
to competing entities during the negotiation process.
Upon receipt of vendor proposals, each vendor shall be presumed to be thoroughly
familiar with all specifications and requirements of this RFP. The failure or omission
to examine any form, instrument or document shall in no way relieve vendors from any
obligation in respect to this RFP.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
DIVISON OF PUBLIC HEALTH
3. Proposal Modifications
Any changes, amendments or modifications to a proposal must be submitted through
Euna Procurement (formerly Bonfire) prior to the proposal due date. Changes,
amendments, or modifications to proposals shall not be accepted or considered after
the hour and date specified as the deadline for submission of proposals.
4. Proposal Costs and Expenses
The State of Delaware will not pay any costs incurred by any Vendor associated with
any aspect of responding to this solicitation, including proposal preparation, printing or
delivery, attendance at vendor's conference, system demonstrations or negotiation
process.
5. Proposal Expiration Date
Prices quoted in the proposal shall remain fixed and binding on the bidder at least
through December 31, 2027. The State of Delaware reserves the right to ask for an
extension of time if needed.
6. Late Proposals
Proposals submitted after the specified date and time will not be accepted by the Euna
Procurement (formerly Bonfire) Portal. Evaluation of the proposals is expected to
begin shortly after the proposal due date. To document compliance with the deadline,
the proposal will be date and time stamped upon receipt by Euna Procurement
(formerly Bonfire).
7. Proposal Opening
The State of Delaware will receive proposals via Euna Procurement (formerly
Bonfire) until the date and time shown in this RFP. Proposals will be opened in the
presence of State of Delaware personnel.
There will be no public opening of proposals, but a public log will be kept of the names
of all vendor organizations that submitted proposals. The contents of any proposal
shall not be disclosed in accordance with 29 Del. C. 10001, et seq. ("FOIA").
8. Non-Conforming Proposals
Non-conforming proposals will not be considered. Non-conforming proposals are
defined as those that do not meet the requirements of this RFP. The determination of
whether an RFP requirement is substantive, or a mere formality shall reside solely
within the State of Delaware.
9. Concise Proposals
The State of Delaware discourages overly lengthy and costly proposals. It is the desire
that proposals be prepared in a straightforward and concise manner. Unnecessarily
elaborate brochures or other promotional materials beyond those sufficient to present
a complete and effective proposal are not desired. The State of Delaware's interest is
in the quality and responsiveness of the proposal.
10. Realistic Proposals
It is the expectation of the State of Delaware that vendors can fully satisfy the
obligations of the proposal in the manner and timeframe defined within the proposal.
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STATE OF DELAWARE
DIVISON OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Proposals must be realistic and must represent the best estimate of time, materials
and other costs including the impact of inflation and any economic or other factors that
are reasonably predictable.
The State of Delaware shall bear no responsibility or increase obligation for a vendor's
failure to accurately estimate the costs or resources required to meet the obligations
defined in the proposal.
11. Confidentiality of Documents
The State of Delaware and its constituent agencies are required to comply with the
State of Delaware Freedom of Information Act, 29 Del. C. 10001, et seq. ("FOIA").
FOIA requires that the State of Delaware's records are public records (unless
otherwise declared by FOIA or other law to be exempt from disclosure) and are subject
to inspection and copying by any person upon a written request. All proposals are
subject to FOIA's public disclosure obligations.
(Note: A FOIA request can be made via this link https://dhss.delaware.gov/foia/.
DHSS will comply with the request after the RFP has been awarded.)
The State of Delaware wishes to create a business-friendly environment and
procurement process. As such, the State respects the vendor community's desire to
protect its intellectual property, trade secrets, and confidential business information
(collectively referred to herein as "confidential business information"). Proposals must
contain sufficient information to be evaluated. If a vendor feels that they cannot submit
their proposal without including confidential business information, they must adhere to
the following procedure, or their proposal may be deemed unresponsive, may not be
recommended for selection, and any applicable protection for the vendor's confidential
business information may be lost.
In order to allow the State to assess its ability to protect a vendor's confidential
business information, vendors will be permitted to designate appropriate portions of
their proposal as confidential business information.
Vendor(s) may submit portions of a proposal considered to be confidential business
information in separate file(s) identified as "Confidential Business Information" and
include the specific RFP number. The file must contain a letter from the vendor's legal
counsel describing the documents in the file, representing in good faith that the
information in each document is not "public record" as defined by 29 Del. C. 10002,
and briefly stating the reasons that each document meets the said definitions.
Upon receipt of a proposal accompanied by such separate file(s), the State of
Delaware will open the file to determine whether the procedure described above has
been followed. A vendor's allegation as to its confidential business information shall
not be binding on the State. The State shall independently determine the validity of
any vendor designation as set forth in this section. Any vendor submitting a proposal
or using the procedures discussed herein expressly accepts the State's absolute right
and duty to independently assess the legal and factual validity of any information
designated as confidential business information. Accordingly, vendor(s) assume the
risk that confidential business information included in a proposal may enter the public
domain.
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