Requests for Proposals

Salish Kootenai College (SKC)

Request for Proposals (RFP): Behavioral Health Services

Introduction

Salish Kootenai College (SKC) is seeking qualified behavioral health professionals or agencies to provide on-campus mental health services for students. These services are intended to support student well-being, retention, and academic success through accessible, culturally responsive, and confidential care.

Over the past several years, SKC has transitioned to a model that provides free mental health services for students and their families, as well as secondary support services for employees and their families. These services are designed to provide wraparound support that reduces stress and promotes overall success across the campus community. Historically, SKC has supported these services through grant funding and continues to pursue additional funding opportunities to expand prevention, education, and training efforts. As these services have become a more permanent component of campus support, SKC is seeking to establish a stable, consistent, and efficient behavioral health service model that ensures continuity of care and avoids frequent disruptions in service delivery.

As a Tribal College located on the Flathead Indian Reservation, SKC is deeply rooted in the values, cultures, and traditions of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The College is committed to providing services that honor Indigenous knowledge, community connection, and holistic approaches to wellness.

SKC serves a diverse student population, including over fifty tribal groups, many non-traditional students, student parents, and multigenerational families. The selected provider must demonstrate the ability to deliver culturally responsive, trauma-informed care, including experience supporting students impacted by grief, loss, and complex life stressors.

Scope of Work

The selected contractor (individual or agency) will provide full-time behavioral health services on the SKC campus. Services may include:

● Individual counseling and mental health support for students

● Crisis intervention and response

● Collaboration with campus departments (CPW, Housing, Disabilities Coordinator, TRIO, etc.)

● Participation in prevention and outreach efforts as appropriate

● Provide professional development and consultation for staff and faculty, along with educational workshops, prevention programming, and mental health awareness activities for students, in coordination with the Center for Prevention & Wellness

● Timely and accurate documentation in accordance with professional standards

● Provide trauma-informed counseling services, including support for grief, loss, and crisis-related experiences

● In-person services are required. Limited virtual sessions may be utilized as appropriate to support continuity of care

Minimum Qualifications

Proposals must demonstrate the following:

● Current licensure in behavioral health (LCSW, LCPC, or equivalent preferred)

● Minimum of one (1) year of experience working with students in a higher education setting

● Demonstrated ability to provide culturally responsive care, particularly within Native and rural communities

● Strong ethical practice aligned with the American Counseling Association (ACA) and/or National Association of Social Workers (NASW) codes of ethics

● Ability to work independently while collaborating within a multidisciplinary campus team

● Strong understanding of the impact of historical and intergenerational trauma, particularly within Indigenous communities

Insurance Requirements

The selected providers must carry and maintain:

● Professional liability insurance (malpractice)

● General liability insurance

● Any additional insurance required to operate within the scope of services

Proof of insurance must be provided prior to contract execution and must be maintained in current status for the duration of the contract, with updated documentation provided as needed.

Performance Expectations and Measures

The selected provider or providers will be expected to meet the following performance standards:

● Maintain consistent client engagement and retention

● Provide timely access to services for students

● Demonstrate professionalism, reliability, and responsiveness

● Participate in ongoing program evaluation and reporting

● Contribute to a campus environment that supports healing, resilience, and student wellbeing

● Maintain compliance with all applicable confidentiality laws (HIPAA, FERPA where applicable)

Additional performance measures may be defined in the final contract.

Contract Term, Renewal, and Performance Review

The selected provider will be engaged under the following contract terms and ongoing performance expectations:

● The anticipated contract term is one (1) year, with the option for annual renewal based on performance, funding availability, and mutual agreement. Renewal timelines will be coordinated to allow sufficient time for evaluation and procurement, if necessary.

● Contract performance will be evaluated on a quarterly basis with a focus on client access, timeliness of services, quality of care, continuity of services, and overall client experience and outcomes. Evaluations will also include responsiveness, communication, and collaboration with the Center for Prevention & Wellness. Continued contract renewal will be contingent upon satisfactory performance and alignment with program expectations.

More than one contractor may be selected under this RFP.

Proposal Submission Requirements

Proposals must include:

● Provider or agency name and contact information

● Description of qualifications and relevant experience

● Copies of current licenses and certifications

● Description of the approach to student mental health care

● Summary of experience and positive outcomes working with mental health concerns and traumas common within college, Tribal, and rural communities

● Experience working in higher education settings

● Proposed service model (individual provider or agency structure)

● Cost proposal, including hourly or contract rate

● Availability and proposed start date

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria and point values (100 points total):

-Relevant experience and qualifications(includes demonstrated ability to work with college student populations) - 30 points

-Cultural responsiveness and alignment with SKC values - 25 points

-Ability to meet service needs and timelines - 25 points

-Cost and Overall Value - 20 points

SKC may use best value determination for selection.

Proposal Submission Deadline

Proposals must be submitted electronically to: procurement@skc.edu

Deadline: Monday, June 15th, 2026 5 p.m MST Late submissions will not be accepted.

Inquiries All questions regarding this RFP should be directed to: procurement@skc.edu

SKC reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to select the provider that best meets the needs of the College and its students.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) GENERAL LEGAL COUNSEL SERVICES

Salish Kootenai College, Inc. Release Date: June 10, 2026

Submission Deadline: June 30, 2026

1. Purpose & Background

Salish Kootenai College ("the College") is seeking proposals from qualified law firms and individual attorneys to provide comprehensive General Counsel legal services. The selected firm or attorney will serve as the College's primary legal advisor, ensuring compliance, managing risk, and advising on operational matters.

The College intends to enter into a multi-year agreement, ideally starting August 1, 2026, following the conclusion of our current legal services agreement.

1. Scope of Services

The selected legal counsel will be expected to perform standard, routine General Counsel duties, as well as distinct non-routine legal services as required. With a few exceptions, standard, routine General Counsel duties can average five to ten hours per month.

1. Routine General Counsel Services
   • Providing day-to-day legal advice to the College leadership and
   • Reviewing, drafting, and negotiating contracts, leases, and employment
   • Ensuring compliance with local, state, federal, and tribal laws and
   • Attending board meetings or administrative briefings as
   • Note: Standard representation excludes active litigation unless a separate, advance written agreement is established.

1. Non-Routine Legal Services
   • Conducting specialized internal
   • Handling complex, unpredictable, or specialized legal matters outside of daily

1. Fee Structure & Cost Proposal

Proposals may submit a monthly flat fee, an hourly rate, or a hybrid fee structure. Please explicitly outline your rates for routine services using the following framework:

1. Monthly Flat Rate: Specify the fixed monthly fee for all routine General Counsel Specify if there is a cap on the hours worked and what compensation looks like once the cap is exceeded.
2. Hourly Rate: Specify the hourly rate that will be billed to the .1 of an If any services are not included in that hourly rate, please specify.

1. Non-Routine Hourly Rate: Specify the hourly rate for non-routine services (e.g., investigations).
2. Hourly Value Offset: State if your firm offers a built-in credit or "no-charge" threshold for non-routine hours up to a certain financial value per year/cycle.
3. Travel & Reimbursable Expenses: Itemize standard reimbursable Travel mileage must be billed at the standard federal rate.

1. Minimum Qualifications & Requirements

To be considered for selection, responding firms or attorneys must meet the following criteria:

• Dedicated Personnel: Identification of a primary designated attorney who will handle all direct representation of the College, ensuring consistent point-of-contact Substitution of counsel will require advance written consent from the College.
• Tribal Law & Governance Preference: Experience and/or knowledge of working with Tribal Colleges, Tribal Nations/Entities, and/or Tribal Law is preferred. Proposers should explicitly detail their familiarity with tribal sovereignty, jurisdiction, and the unique administrative landscape of Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).
• Professional Liability: Must maintain active Lawyers Professional Liability Insurance at all times throughout the duration of the representation. Proof of insurance must be submitted with the proposal.
• Licensed to practice in the state of Montana, preferred but not
• Licensed to practice in the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Court upon awarding of the

1. Contractual Terms & Billing Expectations

The final contract will incorporate strict administrative and payment terms, including:

• Invoicing: Detail-oriented legal invoices submitted by the 10th of every
• Termination: The contract will feature a standard 60-day written notice of termination available to either party without penalty.
• Selection Principle: The College will use the best value for selection of the

1. Submission Guidelines & Evaluation

Interested parties should submit a proposal containing:

• Firm Profile & Resume: Detailed experience with higher education institutions or relevant corporate
• Designated Attorney Bio: Specific qualifications of the attorney assigned to the
• Cost Proposal: Complete breakdown of flat rates, hourly rates, and expense

1. Submission Instructions

Proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format to:

Procurement

Salish Kootenai College Email: procurement@skc.edu

Submission Deadline: End of business day, June 30, 2026. Late submissions may not be accepted.

1. Evaluation Criteria

1. Qualifications & Experience of the Dedicated Attorney (30 Points)

Because the agreement requires a specific, named individual to handle all direct representation unless otherwise consented to in writing, the designated attorney’s personal background is paramount.

• Tribal Jurisdiction & TCU Experience (15 points): Specific evaluation of the preferred criteria—experience and/or knowledge of working with Tribal Colleges, Tribal Nations/Entities, and/or Tribal Higher points will be awarded to firms demonstrating a strong track record handling contracts, employment matters, or governance within a tribal context.
• Higher Education & Corporate Governance (10 points): Proven track record of handling standard day-to-day corporate governance, general counsel duties, federal grant compliance, and higher education operations.
• Professional Standing & Insurance (5 points): Verification of an active license in good standing and provision of adequate Lawyers Professional Liability Insurance.
  1. Cost Proposal & Price Competitiveness (35 Points)

This section evaluates the financial impact on the College and how closely the proposer's financial model satisfies your cost-containment goals.

• Affordability of the Flat-Rate Fee (15 points): Evaluation of the proposed monthly flat rate for routine general counsel services compared to other bidders and the historical benchmark of $4,000 per month.
• Non-Routine Hourly Rates & Value Offsets (10 points): Assessment of the hourly rate for investigations or non-routine services (historical benchmark: $225 per hour) and the willingness to match or exceed a "no-charge" buffer up to a certain financial threshold to protect the College from volatile expense spikes (historical benchmark: no-charge up to

$4,000).

• Total Cost Impact & Benefits Structure (10 points): Scoring of the total fiscal footprint. Higher points are awarded to all-inclusive commercial proposals that provide maximum budget predictability without requiring the College to absorb external health and welfare benefit
  1. Proposed Approach and Client Care (20 Points)

Legal counsel must be highly communicative and proactive to protect the College’s long-term interests.

• Communication & Reporting Protocols (10 points): Adequacy of the proposer’s plan to keep College leadership fully informed of significant developments and to advise in advance of critical
• Investigation & Special Matter Readiness (10 points): The firm's immediate capacity and clear methodology for scaling up to handle complex, unexpected non-routine matters or internal investigations seamlessly.
  1. Administrative & Contractual Compliance (10 Points)
• Billing & Interest Terms (5 points): Alignment with the College's required monthly legal invoice cycle, acceptance of net-30 payment terms, chronological payment applications, and agreement to a late interest structure (historical benchmark: 12% per annum, compounded annually).
• Termination Clauses (5 points): Explicit agreement to the bilateral 60-day written notice of termination without penalty.

1. References and Past Performance (5 Points)

• Client Satisfaction (5 points): Feedback from at least three professional references evaluating the firm's responsiveness, accuracy of counsel, cost predictability, and overall integrity in institutional or educational representation.

Salish Kootenai College reserves the right to request interviews, additional information, or modifications to proposals. The College shall use a best-value approach to contractor selection.

1. Additional Terms

• Salish Kootenai College reserves the right to reject any or all
• Issuance of this RFP does not obligate Salish Kootenai College to award a
• All materials submitted become the property of Salish Kootenai
• The selected consultant will be required to enter into a formal agreement with Salish Kootenai College.