Single Source Procurement: End of AIDS - Community Mobilization Program

Pursuant to New York State Finance Law § 163.10(b), The New York State Department of Health is presenting the following summary of relevant circumstances, and material and substantial reasons why a competitive procurement was not feasible.

The Community Mobilization Programs (CMP) were originally established to maintain a population perspective to advance community health and were phased-in over several years, based upon state appropriations for this specific purpose. CMP funded agencies seek to change the attitudes and behaviors of communities as it relates to HIV/STD/HCV prevention through the implementation of community mobilization, health education, policy awareness, and information sharing/dissemination. Agencies also focus on building community leadership and in creating and sustaining a positive, supportive environment for individuals most impacted by the epidemic.

The primary goal of the initiative is to build community wide knowledge and support to minimize the number of people who enter the Cascade of HIV Medical Care (e.g., minimize HIV transmission), increase the percentage of people living with HIV who know their status, and reduce the attrition that occurs from one stage of the Cascade to the next among those who are infected. Activities supported include: increasing awareness; building community support for safer behaviors by influencing norms, attitudes and practices; providing priority communities with information about HIV/STD/HCV policy changes and local issues; identifying gaps and community needs and collaborating with direct service providers to find/Implement a strategic response; and establishing and/or working with local leadership networks and statewide planning bodies to mobilize the community around HIV/STD/HCV issues.

CMP funded agencies work closely with other organizations which have a history of providing services to communities who are disproportionality impacted by HIV including African American and Latino populations. Programs engage in strategic communication and use the most appropriate messaging and communication channels (forums, social media, etc.) to achieve objectives related to AIDS Institute priorities.

Two of the identified high-risk groups are African Americans and Latinos, particularly individuals who remain undiagnosed, those not linked to care and those engaging in high risk behaviors. Despite the many notable achievements in HIV prevention and care in New York, HIV continues to pose a serious health threat to African American and Latino communities in the state. As of December 2012, 74% of individuals reported to be living with diagnosed HIV (non-AIDS) or AIDS were African American (42%) and Hispanic (32%). Moreover, these two populations represent about 73% of newly diagnosed HIV cases between January and December of 2012. Thus, prioritizing these communities is critical to ensuring the success of the Governor's 'end the epidemic' plan and bringing an end to AIDS in New York State (Bureau of HIV and AIDS Epidemiology, NYSDOH, 2014).

The AIDS Institute is requesting to increase the existing contracts with three CMP funded agencies which serve African American and Latino populations statewide to expand awareness and community mobilization efforts targeted to these high-risk groups, particularly to individuals who remain undiagnosed, those not linked to care and those engaging in high risk behaviors. The agencies are: Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, Latino Commission on AIDS, and Hispanic Federation of NY.

These CMP agencies were selected because they are the only CMP's which possess the statewide infrastructure to effectively reach African American and Latino communities, particularly young African American and Latino men who have sex with men. All activities, events and services provided by these CMP agencies benefit not only from a critical understanding of historical underpinnings, they also incorporate important social and cultural norms which are essential to effective community engagement. These agencies also have a deep appreciation for broad societal context that recognizes and addresses the roles of such external factors as poverty, stigma, discrimination, and trauma. These CMP agencies are minority-based and they have the necessary credibility with the communities that they serve, in part due to their stability and continuous presence.

Procurement / Program Name End of AIDS - Community Mobilization Program
Contractor Name(s) National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS
Hispanic Federation
Latino Commission on AIDS
Contract Period 7/1/2014 – 6/30/2018
Contract Number(s) C028453, C028448, C028451