ARPA About

Information about DHHS

The Department of Health and Human Services manages the delivery of health- and human-related services for all North Carolinians, especially our most vulnerable citizens – children, elderly, disabled and low-income families. The Department works closely with health care professionals, community leaders and advocacy groups; local, state and federal entities; and many other stakeholders to make this happen.

The Department is divided into 33 divisions and offices. NCDHHS divisions and offices fall under six broad service areas - Health, Opportunity and Well-Being, Medicaid, Operational Excellence, Policy and Communications and Health Equity.

NCDHHS also oversees 14 facilities: developmental centers, neuro-medical treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals, alcohol and drug abuse treatment centers, and two residential programs for children.

Information about ARPA

  • What is ARPA* - ARPA, which stands for “American Rescue Plan Act of 2021”, is a federal law that was passed in March 2021 to provide direct relief to Americans, contain the COVID-19 virus, and rescue the economy. ARPA is foundational for America’s recovery from the effects of COVID-19. NCDHHS is a direct recipient of ARPA funds.
  • Objective* - Create an expedited and efficient procurement process by prequalifying vendors, through a phased approval process, for inclusion in a qualified vendor pool, namely the Vendor Prequalification Process.  Projects will be released via Task Orders, where qualified vendors will be invited to submit bids.
  • Requirements* - ARPA funds will be used to strengthen current health and human services-related programs and invest in new programs. To meet program goals timely and efficiently, and comply with funding stipulations, Vendor Prequalification is employed to meet the following requirements:
    • Address the agency’s need for a full range of service requirements that integrate multiple professional service disciplines and ancillary services/products with the flexibility for all contract types and pricing at the task order level.
    • Capable of addressing specific needs of historically marginalized and underserved communities, and provide opportunities for small businesses and historically underutilized businesses to fully participate in the provision of contractual services.
    • Allow for competitive acquisitions while providing for maximum participation by all NC vendors.
    • Include performance-based evaluations for vendors.
    • Include vendors whose employee base (or subcontractors) can be deployed into historically marginalized communities to overcome social, economic, and cultural barriers; and 
    • Comply with the NC General Statutes, Administrative Code, and DHHS Procurement, Contracts and Grants Policies.

ARPA Program Plan

Information about ARPA Projects

Projects will impact the following category areas:

  • Child Care
  • Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
  • Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF)
  • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorder
  • COVID Vaccines, Testing and Tracing
  • Nutrition and Food Assistance
  • Public Health Workforce
  • Medicaid (Child Health Insurance Program, Strike Teams in Nursing Homes, Home and Community Based Services)
  • Child and Maternal Health Program (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment, Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting, Family Planning)
  • SARS-COV-2 Genomic Sequencing and Surveillance