Opportunity Overview
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Substance Use and Mental Health, is accepting applications under DHHS91162 from qualified Utah organizations to provide Peer Support Specialist certification training and increase the number of certified peer support specialists in Utah.
Deadline and Submission
Applications must be received on or before September 30, 2028 at 1:00 PM. The official DHHS opportunity page does not state a time zone, so Atlas does not infer one. Applications are submitted by email to mfloor@utah.gov with “Application for DHHS91162” and the company name in the subject. DHHS instructs applicants not to submit through the Utah Public Procurement Place/SciQuest.
Mandatory Qualifications
The vendor must have an office and instructors located in Utah, at least two years of experience as a Utah business currently engaged with the mental health or substance use recovery community including peer recovery supports, and qualified instructors. Each instructor must have at least two years of experience working or volunteering with people with mental health and substance use disorders and at least one year of adult-learning training experience. At least one instructor must meet the solicitation’s peer-support experience, lived-experience, and certification requirements.
The response package includes the Substitute W-9 when applicable, Conflict of Interest Disclosure, DHHS91162 Data Sheet, documentation of mandatory qualifications, proposed curriculum, a qualifications and curriculum compliance plan, and a final examination. Each technical criterion must receive an average evaluator score of at least 3 to remain eligible.
Scope and Training Requirements
The contractor must provide at least two PSS trainings per state fiscal year. Standard training totals 40 hours, with a hybrid option permitting at least 16 live hours and up to 24 hours through online self-paced modules, video calls, or additional in-person instruction. The DHHS-approved curriculum covers mental health and substance use recovery, ethics, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, communication, motivational interviewing, underserved communities, social determinants of health, and computer and digital health literacy including virtual peer support.
Rates and Funding
Applicants must not submit pricing. DHHS currently pays $300 per trainee who successfully completes PSS training and $100 per day per trainee who successfully completes PSS Specialty Training. The reviewed materials do not state an overall funding pool, universal contract ceiling, guaranteed utilization, or a mandatory non-Federal match.
Atlas Strategic Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 82/100. This is a long-horizon Utah behavioral-health workforce contracting pathway with continuous qualification and established reimbursement, but eligibility is highly specialized and requires Utah-based operations, instructors, peer-recovery experience, curriculum, and examination capability.
N9+ Fit Score: 5/100. The curriculum expressly includes digital health literacy and virtual peer support, but the procurement buys certification training rather than remote physical examination technology. N9+ should not be positioned as a funded deliverable absent a later DHHS scope change or explicit approval. Dr. Miltie direct pursuit is classified No Bid under the currently verified qualifications.
Current Vendor Context
DHHS currently publishes Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness on the DHHS91162 Approved Vendor List. Prospective applicants should confirm they are not duplicating an existing approved-vendor relationship and should review current DHHS Q&A and addenda before submission.
Next Action
Qualified Utah peer-recovery training organizations should validate every mandatory instructor and organizational requirement, assemble the required curriculum and examination materials, and submit by email in accordance with DHHS instructions. Applicant-controlled experience, lived-experience, certification, tax, and signature information must not be fabricated.