Emergency Management and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Plan Development

The Colville Tribal Health Care Authority (CTHCA) is soliciting proposals from qualified consultants or firms to develop a new Emergency Management and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Plan for CTHCA clinics and tribal public health operations.

The project is intended to strengthen preparedness, response, continuity of essential healthcare and public health services, and recovery from emergencies that may affect facilities, patients, staff, and tribal communities. The selected contractor will work with CTHCA leadership, clinic administrators, clinical personnel, public health staff, and other designated stakeholders.

A. Project Initiation and Stakeholder Engagement

• Conduct a kickoff meeting with designated CTHCA representatives and confirm project objectives, roles, milestones, and communication methods.
• Identify stakeholders and request relevant facility, operational, and emergency planning information.
• Conduct interviews, meetings, or workshops with CTHCA leadership, clinic staff, public health personnel, and other authorized stakeholders.
• Coordinate with Tribal emergency management and external partners when authorized by CTHCA.

B. Hazard Vulnerability and Risk Assessment

Assess hazards and vulnerabilities that may affect CTHCA facilities, personnel, patients, public health operations, and continuity of services. [...] Document potential impacts and recommended mitigation and preparedness measures.

C. Emergency Management Plan

Develop a written plan establishing purpose, scope, roles and responsibilities, activation criteria, emergency notifications, incident coordination, response procedures, evacuation and shelter-in-place considerations, staff accountability, patient safety, resource management, protection of records and information, recovery procedures, approval, distribution, and maintenance. [...]

D. Public Health Emergency Preparedness

Develop procedures appropriate to CTHCA operations for identifying and notifying relevant parties of public health threats; coordinating communicable disease and outbreak response; public health surveillance and information sharing; risk communication; infection prevention and control; continuity of essential services; support for populations requiring additional assistance; and documentation, reporting, and post-event evaluation. [...]

E. Continuity of Operations

Identify essential clinical, public health, and administrative functions; minimum staffing needs; critical supplies and equipment; communication and information system dependencies; alternative service arrangements; referral and partner coordination; and procedures for restoring normal operations.

F. Emergency Communications and Coordination

Establish internal and external notification procedures, backup communication methods, responsibility for public messaging, documentation of notifications, and coordination procedures with authorized Tribal, local, state, and federal partners. [...]

G. Training and Exercises

Develop a role-based training framework and recommended annual training schedule. Include at least one tabletop exercise with designated CTHCA stakeholders, an exercise scenario and objectives, discussion materials, evaluation tools, and an after-action improvement template. [...]

H. Implementation and Maintenance

Provide an implementation roadmap, identify responsible roles, recommend plan review intervals, describe how contact lists and resource information will be updated, and establish a process for incorporating lessons learned from exercises and actual emergencies.

Required Deliverables

1. Project work plan and milestone schedule.
2. Hazard vulnerability and risk assessment with recommended risk-reduction actions.
3. Draft Emergency Management and Public Health Emergency Preparedness Plan.
4. Continuity of Operations framework or plan.
5. Emergency response procedures, checklists, notification protocols, and communication templates.
6. Training schedule and tabletop exercise materials, including evaluation and after-action improvement tools.
7. Final plan revised to address consolidated CTHCA feedback.
8. Implementation and maintenance schedule with priorities, responsibilities, and recommended timelines.

Submission

Submit proposals to: Alexandria Desautel, CEO, Colville Tribal Health Care Authority, P.O. Box 150, Nespelem Washington 99155, or electronically to alexandria.desautel.ohc@colvilletribes.com. Use the subject line: "CTHCA Emergency Management and Public Health Plan RFP – [Vendor Name]." Proposals must be received by **11/16/2026 @ 3pm**. Late proposals may be rejected.

Evaluation

The proposed evaluation criteria below total 100 points. Cost is important, but the Colville Tribes may select a proposal other than the lowest-cost proposal when permitted by applicable procurement requirements.

| Evaluation Criteria | Maximum Points |
| --- | --- |
| Understanding of the work and responsiveness of the proposal | 15 |
| Reasonableness of overall schedule and task-level time estimates | 5 |
| Qualifications and relevant experience of respondent / firm | 15 |
| Firm size, structure, project management, and continuity of services | 5 |
| Experience serving Tribal entities, healthcare organizations, public health agencies, or government entities | 15 |
| Qualifications and experience of assigned staff | 10 |
| Technical approach, hazard assessment, plan quality, and implementation methodology | 15 |
| Indian preference, when applicable under Tribal procurement requirements | 10 |
| TERO certification documentation, when applicable and required | 5 |
| Cost and overall value | 5 |

Contract and Insurance

The anticipated project period is approximately 16 weeks from the authorized start date. Before beginning work, the successful respondent shall enter into a Tribal Consulting Contract or other written agreement required by the Colville Tribes. The selected contractor shall comply with insurance and risk-management requirements established by the Colville Tribes for the final contract.

Site Visits

Respondents shall state the number of on-site visits and remote meetings included in the proposed price. CTHCA may require on-site stakeholder engagement at designated facilities.