Cultural and Faith Communities COVID-19 Update

Requests for Services for Contracts with Diverse Media Vendors and Community-based Organization for COVID-19 Communications and Outreach

The Minnesota Department of Health plans to issue two Requests for Services on Monday, May 25.

1. Diverse Media Vendors for COVID-19 Communications

This Request for Services will ask vendors to propose a plan for media services to help MDH in getting culturally relevant, linguistically appropriate, accurate, and timely messages related to COVID-19 to communities of color, American Indian communities and LGBTQ communities in Minnesota. Media services may include formats such as online and social media, radio, television and print. Vendors are encouraged to use methods that are adaptable to quickly changing information and explore alternative methods of communication that are effective while people maintain social distancing.

• Funding: $750,000 available for multiple contracts.

• Target Audience of Request for Services: Media vendors; priority will be given to media vendors who are owned/led/operated by people of color, American Indians, and/or LGBTQ individuals.

2. Community-based Organizations for COVID-19 Outreach and Engagement This Request for Services will ask vendors to propose a plan for culturally relevant, linguistically appropriate and timely community engagement activities to aid the state in learning about community needs related to COVID-19, connecting communities to existing resources and services, and developing or adapting resources and services as needed. Activities may include outreach and engagement related to testing, case investigation and contact tracing, and mental health and well-being, among other areas. The primary audience(s) for community engagement must include people of color, American Indians and/or LGBTQ Minnesotans.

• Funding: $1,500,000 available for multiple contracts.

• Target Audience of Request for Services: Community-based nonprofit organizations, other community-led organizations, and Tribes; priority will be given to entities that are led/operated/owned by people of color, American Indians, and/or LGBTQ individuals.

MDH will make final selections of contractors based on a competitive review of proposals, while also ensuring that the final cohort of selected contractors covers a range of racial, ethnic and cultural communities and geographic areas in Minnesota.

The proposal submission deadline for both funding opportunities will be June 3, 2020. MDH will make more information available on May 25, 2020 with the release of the full Requests for Services. Current contractors of MDH will be eligible to apply.