June 27, 2025

The Del Puerto Health Care District (DPHCD) is pleased to invite proposals from qualified consulting firms to assist with two important initiatives:

1. Re-establishing the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation for the Del Puerto Health Center service area.
2. Converting the Del Puerto Health Center from a Rural Health Clinic (RHC) to a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC).

DPHCD seeks an experienced consulting partner to provide comprehensive support, including eligibility analysis, strategic planning, and complete application preparation to HRSA.

The detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) is attached, outlining the project scope, qualifications required, evaluation criteria, and submission instructions.

Please review the attached RFP carefully. Any questions should be directed via email to karin.freese@dphealth.org by July 7, 2025.

Proposal Submission Deadline: Tuesday, July 22, 2025, by 4:00 PM (Pacific)

We look forward to your proposal and appreciate your consideration of this important initiative.

CONTACT: Karin Freese, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, karin.freese@dphealth.org 
 

DPHCD is a California Special District organized under California Health and Safety Code Section 32000. 

The mission of the Del Puerto Health Care District is to:  

Provide, Promote, and Partner in Quality Health Care For All

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RESOURCE FILES

RFP Questions Submitted and Answers

Question 1.       Please share the number and specific name(s) of the former MUA/MUP and HPSA designations affiliated with your rural health center.

Stanislaus County has designated MUA/MUP, but it may not include the Patterson census tract.

Question 2.       Does the district have an existing strategic plan, and can it be provided to bidders?

Our strategic Plan FY 2024-25 and beyond is available at https://www.dphealth.org/strategic-plan-fy2024-25

Question 3.       Will you only be seeking HPSA designations for your new location (15611 South Ninth Street, Patterson CA 95363), or is there a need to update the designation for existing locations?

                                 We prefer the entire healthcare campus (land between 9th, Ward, Sperry, and Las Palmas be HPSA designated – since it is new construction on virgin land we do not have the final address for the campus. However, it is contiguous land excluding a street that bisects the property (see image below).

Question 4.       The RFP primarily mentions the HPSA application as opposed to MUA/P. Were you also wanting to consider requesting MUA or MUP status? I ask because the Look-Alike Initial Designation Application requires that “You serve in whole or part a Medically Underserved Area or Population (MUA/P)” but based on the map of your service area, it looks like there is currently no MUA/P in your service area. If you were thinking that your service area would expand to incorporate existing MUAs, that would be helpful to know.

                                 Our service area is limited by our district boundaries, and an initial analysis would have to be conducted to ensure that our area qualifies. However, Golden Valley Health Centers has an FQHC less than one mile away and in the same town.

Question 5.       Regarding Task #1, the 3rd bullet point notes “Prepare and submit a complete HPSA application through the HRSA portal.” As I understand it, the California Primary Care Office would actually submit the application to HRSA. If I have misunderstood or the CA PCO told you otherwise, please let me know.

                           I believe you may be correct, and if the application submission is other than as stated in the 3rd bullet point, the task would be updated.

Question 5.       For Task #2’s 2nd bullet (Evaluate the feasibility, benefits, and risks of FQHC conversion), can I assume that you would like a robust financial analysis as part of understanding the benefits or do you already have a good understanding of the financial impact? We have great financial consultants who can do that work, so I’m just seeking direction to help understand the depth of the work on our end.

                           We have a clear understanding of our RHC financials and significant financial history. It would be an analysis on what converting from RHC to FQHC would impact (i.e., lost funding sources, gained funding sources).

Question 7.       Regarding project timeline, because the process to become an FQHC would depend upon successful designation of MUA/P status, it could make sense to include a decision point in the timeline that may include a pause in work. As such, we would plan to provide cost estimates distinctly to that point. It can take several months to hear back from HRSA, but if you would like the consultant to move forward with an FQHC preparation work and assume success with the MUA designation, please let me know.

                          I believe the most effective approach to this is to break the MUA/P and FQHC application preparation work into two segments with separate costs. The final contract negotiations can address the timing and totality of the scope of work.

Question 8.       Similarly, during the part of the project that analyzes and plans for DPH to meet FQHC requirements, there may be a significant lag time to complete a Look-Alike application because you can only submit that application once your organization already meets all FQHC requirements. Not yet knowing your organization, we can put a range of times in our RFP response. If you prefer another approach, again please let me know.

                            That would be acceptable.