Agency Agriculture Dept

Contractor FIRST CALL FOR HELP OF ITASCA COUNTY

SWIFT Contract Number 143234

Project Name Crisis triage/Counceling

Project Number (if applicable) {Empty}

Summarize purpose of the contract, including why it was necessary: The Department of Agriculture has taken the lead in providing mental health counseling to the farmers of Minnesota. The Department of Agriculture staff are not prepared or trained as behavioral (mental) health counselors. We are in need of an entity with expertise, staffing, and operations capable to handle live-person, first responder behavioral health counseling via transferred or direct phone calls on a 24/7; 365 day basis.

Project Duration

Start Date Sun, 07/01/2018 - 00:00

Original end date Tue, 06/30/2020 - 00:00

Actual end date Fri, 06/30/2023 - 00:00

Did project finish on time? Yes

Total billable hours utilized (if applicable) {Empty}

Contract Amounts

Original contract: $21504

Amendments $67008

Contract total $88512

Did project finish within budget? Yes

What was the funding source? Legislative set aside.

Is this a sole source contract? Yes

If this was a single source contract, explain why the agency determined there was only a single source for the services (if applicable) First Call for Help is one of the few phone services in Minnesota providing state-wide 24/7 mental health counseling and general crisis line operations with experience working with rural and farm populations. Having a Minnesota based company providing this service helps in connecting callers with local resources as needed. They have a smaller staff that is able to more effectively communicate with each other as to which resources are more effective. We had previously had a contract all ready to go with another vendor to do this service, but due to lack of funding they decided to get out of the call center business. This left us about 3 weeks to find a new vendor and get them set up so that our crisis line does not go dark.

Evaluator Name Matt McDevitt

Evaluator Email Address matt.mcdevitt@state.mn.us

Evaluate the contractor's timeliness Very good.

Evaluate the contractor's quality Very good.

Evaluate the contractor's cost Very good, negotiated a lower contract amount in year 3.

Evaluate the contractor's overall performance Very good.

Would you engage the contractor's services again? Yes

Describe any negative action taken during the duration of this contract (i.e., termination, pursuit of suspension, etc.): None

Please rate the overall experience with the contractor 5 - very satisfied