Notice End Date: May 19, 2026

Vendor Name: Epworth Children's Home

Contract Amount: 339,394.38

Agency Procurement Manager: Tameka McClary

Agency Procurement Manager Email: Tameka.McClary@dss.sc.gov

Agency Procurement Manager Telephone#: 803-898-9035

The Agency hereby provides notice that it entered into an emergency contract per S.C. Code Ann. §11-35-1570 with Vendor for the following supplies, services, information technology, or construction:

Youth in DSS custody in Richland County that have complex needs lack placement stability and permanency due to the youth behavioral episodes. These youth have levels of emotional or behavioral needs that DSS staff are not equipped to adequately and safely manage, presenting risk to the physical and mental health of the youth and DSS staff. Additionally, this will serve as a method of emergency placement stabilization and access to emergency clinical diagnostic assessments. This is a part of both the court ordered Michelle H. Healthcare Improvement Plan (HCIP) and Richland County Plan. Epworth has an established reputation for being able to meet the residential placement needs of youth in foster care with mental health issues, behavioral problems, and development disabilities. For many years they have managed a network of therapeutic foster homes, regular foster homes, services for children, and more recently operates a successful crisis beds center. The services include 24/7 Rapid response interventions provided in person or via telehealth when appropriate. Additional services provided under this contract include diagnostic assessments for youth who though not currently experiencing a behavioral health episode are likely to need emergency clinical assessment in the future. Services will also provide emergency clinical diagnostic assessments to ensure appropriate clinical care and recommendations for acute and critical behavioral health services.

Agency's justification for this emergency procurement may be viewed or obtained at: Agency Procurement Manager (Listed Above)

PROTESTS:
Any actual or prospective bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor aggrieved in connection with the intended award or award of this emergency contract, shall notify the appropriate chief Procurement officer in writing of its intent to protest within five (5) business days of the date this notice is posted. Any actual or prospective bidder, offeror, contractor, or subcontractor who is aggrieved in connection with the intended award or award of this emergency contract and has timely notified the appropriate chief procurement officer of its intent to protest, may protest to the appropriate chief procurement officer in the manner set forth below within fifteen days of the date this notice is posted; except that a matter that could have been raised as a protest of the solicitation may not be raised as a protest of the award or intended award of a contract.
A protest must be in writing, filed with the appropriate chief procurement officer, and set forth the grounds of the protest and the relief requested with enough particularity to give notice of the issues to be decided. The protest must be received by the appropriate chief procurement officer within the time provided above. Days are calculated as provided in S.C. Code Ann. § 11-35-310(13).

Any Notice Of Intent To Protest And Protest Must Be Addressed To: Materials Management Officer