External Legislative

The HSCRC is seeking a vendor to provide consultation and support for external and legislative strategy development and implementation.

The Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC or "Commission") is an independent state agency responsible for regulating Maryland's $20 billion hospital industry. [...] The HSCRC monitors State performance and manages various programs designed to align hospitals, physicians, and other industry stakeholders with CMS goals.

**THIS IS A SMALL BUSINESS RESERVE-ONLY SOLICITATION** and shall be in accordance with the small procurement regulations described in COMAR 21.05.07. The maximum award allowed under these regulations is **$100,000** or less. Awards will only be made to certified Maryland small businesses.

This vendor will inform and advise on the development and implementation of an effective external and legislative outreach strategy.

The HSCRC seeks the Offeror to provide consultation and expert advice on the development of an external and legislative outreach strategy, as well as guidance during implementation to make adjustments or alterations as required in response to emerging concerns.

Specifically, the Offeror will support existing staff with the following tasks:

• Identify policymakers and stakeholders who influence HSCRC-related policy and discussions, define current relationships with each, and identify opportunities for engagement;
• As requested, review and advise on messaging materials for use with various audiences;
• Inform strategy for and implementation of external affairs engagement plans to support increased awareness of policy development;
• Identify priority internal and external stakeholders with overlapping or adjacent priorities and/or responsibilities, define opportunities for engagement, and support new and ongoing collaboration in partnership with HSCRC staff.
• Identify and support engagement with stakeholders who shape policymaker perspectives (e.g., associations, advocacy organizations, research entities);
• Inform and support implementation of a short- and long-term external affairs strategy to engage external stakeholders as informed intermediaries who reinforce accurate understanding of the agency's work.
• Maintain awareness of key/emerging topics in policy discussions and, as necessary, prepare drafts of talking points/response materials.

**Required Meetings:** HSCRC staff and the Offeror shall meet at least weekly, with additional meetings as needed during critical phases, to review the status of the strategy development and implementation and to discuss the work under this contract.

A proposal MUST be posted in eMaryland Marketplace by **4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 23, 2026**, to be considered. Offerors MUST submit their responses to project number BPM059345 in eMaryland Marketplace (eMMA) in two separate sealed envelopes: One submission is to be labeled "Technical Proposal" and the other "Financial Proposal". Emailed or mailed responses to this solicitation will not be accepted.

The contract resulting from this solicitation shall be a firm fixed-price contract.

A minimum technical proposal score of 70% or higher is considered acceptable. The overall score of the proposals is made up of 75% technical and 25% financial.

A transmittal letter prepared on the Offeror's business stationery MUST accompany the proposal.

The term of the contract will be one (1) year from the execution of the contract agreement.