Cannabis Clinical Care Line Pilot

Background

The Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) is the state government agency responsible for regulating the cultivation, manufacture, testing, and distribution of medical and adult-use cannabis in Maryland. MCA aims to enhance its medical cannabis program to meet the needs of new and existing medical patients. The agency has identified a need for additional tools to provide professional information on medical cannabis topics, leading to the proposal of a Cannabis Clinical Care Line (CCL) pilot. This initiative seeks to improve clinical access for patients, particularly social equity licensees, and fill gaps in information regarding problem use of cannabis.

Work Details

The CCL pilot will involve recruiting, hiring, training, and compensating staff who will provide professional information on medicinal cannabis and health-related questions. Key requirements include: - Developing a staffing plan for at least 12 hours of weekly coverage including evenings and weekends. - Creating a plan for managing multiple concurrent calls. - Establishing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for call handling. - Providing necessary software and equipment. - Conducting pre-launch testing. - Collecting data on calls. - Maintaining confidentiality of caller information. - Hosting meetings with MCA. Staff must have relevant qualifications such as being licensed healthcare professionals with experience in medical topics related to cannabis.

Period of Performance

The contract period is not explicitly defined but is expected to align with the pilot's operational needs, which may include evening and weekend shifts.

Place of Performance

The services will be performed within the state of Maryland, specifically serving consumers seeking information about medical cannabis.

Bidder Requirements

Bidders must have at least two years of experience in call center operations within the past five years. Staff taking calls must have documented experience with medical topics related to cannabis. There are restrictions on conflicts of interest for selected Offerors and subcontractors concerning employment by cannabis licensees.