New Mexico Department of Health: Youth Dance Programs for Physical Activity and Healthier Weight

The New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) will support organizations to provide youth dance and physical activity programs in public elementary, middle, and/or high schools for non-recurring and recurring contract(s) within fiscal years 2020-2024. The scope of work includes the following areas:

i. Recurring youth dance and/or physical activity for at-risk and low-income populations: Implement a culturally and age-appropriate in-school youth dance and/or physical activity program to at-risk and low-income populations of students in public, tribal, and/or Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) elementary, middle, and/or high schools in local New Mexico communities. Program must focus on best practices for increasing physical activity and improving nutrition among children and adolescents in schools with at least fifty percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals and designed to reach Native American, Hispanic, and African American students.

ii. Recurring for any kind of youth dance for at-risk and low-income populations: Implement a comprehensive in-school, after school, and/or summer youth dance program in public, tribal, and/or BIE elementary, middle, and/or high schools in local New Mexico communities for at-risk and low-income populations. Efforts should focus on best practices for increasing physical activity and improving nutrition among children and adolescents who attend schools with at least fifty percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Strong efforts should also be made to reach American Indian, Hispanic, and African American children due to higher obesity rates among these populations. Programs must include culturally and age-appropriate physical activity and nutrition curriculum that incorporates dance instruction, promotion of fruit and vegetable consumption, teacher training, and an evaluation component.

iii. Non-recurring statewide youth dance for at-risk and low-income populations: Implement a statewide youth dance program in public elementary, middle, and/or high schools for at-risk and low-income populations. Efforts should focus on best practices for increasing physical activity and improving nutrition among children and adolescents who attend schools with at least fifty percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Strong efforts should also be made to reach American Indian, Hispanic, and African American children due to higher obesity rates among these populations. Programs must include culturally and age-appropriate physical activity and nutrition curriculum that incorporates dance instruction, promotion of fruit and vegetable consumption, teacher training, community-wide performance, and an evaluation component.

iv. Non-recurring regional youth dance (Bernalillo County; Roswell Independent School District; Hobbs Municipal Schools) for at-risk and low-income populations: Implement a youth dance program in public elementary, middle, and/or high schools in Bernalillo County, Roswell Independent School District, and Hobbs Municipal Schools for at-risk and low-income populations. Efforts should focus on best practices for increasing physical activity and improving nutrition among children and adolescents who attend schools with at least fifty percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Strong efforts should also be made to reach American Indian, Hispanic, and African American children due to higher obesity rates among these populations. Programs must include culturally and age-appropriate physical activity and nutrition curriculum that incorporates dance instruction, promotion of fruit and vegetable consumption, teacher training, community-wide performance, and an evaluation component.

All scope of work areas listed above must:

• Incorporate culturally and age-appropriate nutrition education and promotion into all in-school youth dance, and/or physical activity programs in each school for at-risk and low-income populations.
• Conduct at least one teacher training focused on increasing children’s exposure to nutrition and physical activity education in the classroom.
• Training components could include incorporating physical activity into daily routines, changing the physical environment, or offering more time for physical activity, and incorporating fruit and vegetable tastings in the classroom.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the in-school youth dance and/or physical activity program that assesses program efficacy, behavior change, and health outcomes. Activities include but are not limited to: 1) creating annual goals and quarterly milestones; 2) conducting pre and post surveys to assess behavior change around physical activity and nutrition; 3) collecting height and weight measurements using DOH’s standard statewide childhood obesity surveillance protocol on all participating students, and 4) recording student, teacher, and parent testimonials.
• Performance Measures. Contractor(s) shall substantially perform the following Department of Health priority pursuant to the Department of Health 2018 Strategic Plan: Improve health status for all New Mexicans, including special populations and subpopulations having the greatest opportunity for improved health status.

Amount: Contract awards will be made. Multiple contracts may be awarded.

Eligibility: An Offeror is defined as any person, corporation, or partnership who chooses to submit a proposal.

Link: https://nmhealth.org/publication/rfp/

Note: A pre-proposal conference will be held on July 25, 2019 at 10:00AM Mountain Standard Time/Daylight Time in the 1190 St. Francis Dr. Santa Fe, NM 87505 O.A. Larrazolo Auditorium. Attendance at the pre-proposal conference is highly recommended, but not a prerequisite for submission of a proposal.

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