# NEMT Broker RFPs: How States Award Broker Contracts and How Providers Can Plan Ahead

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-broker-rfp/ · Updated 2026-09-29

A NEMT broker RFP is a state's request for proposals to run its Medicaid ride program. Federal rules require a competitive bid, so the state posts the RFP, draft contract, and trip data on its procurement site, scores the proposals, and posts an award that bidders can protest. For providers, the draft contract shows how the next broker must pay, credential, and schedule you.

- Federal rules require states to pick NEMT brokers by competitive bid, so every state broker contract starts with a public solicitation.
- The draft contract in the bid packet shows how the next broker must pay, credential, and schedule providers, months before it starts.
- Awards take a long time. South Carolina is on its third broker RFP since January 2025, with an award planned for March 1, 2027.
- In Wisconsin and South Carolina, the current broker kept running rides while a bid or protest played out, so keep serving riders and billing as usual.
- Credential with the incoming broker as soon as it opens enrollment, and keep claims with the outgoing broker moving until the last one is paid.

Every state broker contract starts as a public bid. The state writes down what it wants from its next [NEMT broker](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/nemt-broker/), publishes the rules and the trip data, and picks a winner. You will not bid, but the documents in that packet tell you how your trips, your pay, and your paperwork will work under the next broker, months before it starts.

## What a NEMT broker RFP is and why states run one

A request for proposals (RFP) is how a state asks companies to compete for a contract. Federal rules require it for brokers. Under [42 CFR 440.170(a)(4)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/chapter-IV/subchapter-C/part-440/subpart-A/section-440.170), a state broker must be picked through competitive bidding consistent with 2 CFR 200.317 through 200.327. The state judges each bidder on its experience, performance, references, resources, qualifications, and costs.

That federal rule leaves the details to each state. Under 2 CFR 200.317, a state follows the same procurement policies it uses for its own money. So the steps, the deadlines, and the protest rules come from state procurement law, and they differ from state to state.

States use different kinds of solicitations for the same job:

| Type | How the winner is picked | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Request for proposals (RFP) | Points for the written proposal and a demonstration. Price can be pass or fail. | South Carolina Solicitation 5400029919, posted June 26, 2026 |
| Invitation for bid (IFB) | The lowest responsible, responsive bid wins | Arkansas IFB 710-26-069, Region G, issued June 19, 2026 |
| Electronic RFP (eRFP) | An RFP run through the state's online procurement system | Georgia eRFP 41900-DCH0000123, issued for the Medicaid agency by the Department of Administrative Services, with a bidder's library dated 2021 |

Arkansas shows how different an IFB is. Bidders offer a discount below the actuary's 2027 monthly rate per member, and the award is expected to go to the lowest responsible, responsive bidder.

Health plans work differently. When a Medicaid health plan arranges rides, it picks its own vendor under its own contract, so there may be no state bid to watch. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, for example, told providers on August 26, 2026 that its Medicaid rides move from Modivcare to MTM Health on October 1, 2026. Watch each plan's provider notices for those changes. [How states run NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-states-run-nemt/) explains which model your state uses.

## The steps from RFP to the first ride

South Carolina's current bid shows every stage with real dates. The state has run its program through a broker under 42 CFR 440.170(a) and plans to move it to a single broker paid a fixed monthly amount per member.

| Stage | What happens | South Carolina, Solicitation 5400029919 |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Design | The state decides what it wants. Federal law lets it consult transportation providers. | Goals include more participating providers and faster, accurate payments |
| 2. RFP posted | The solicitation, draft contract, and data go online | June 26, 2026, with 19 attachments |
| 3. Questions and conference | Bidders ask questions. Answers come out as amendments. | Pre-proposal conference September 30, 2026. Questions due October 2, 2026. |
| 4. Proposals due | Bidders submit a full proposal and a redacted copy | December 3, 2026, 11:00 a.m. |
| 5. Scoring | An evaluation panel scores proposals. Up to three finalists give a two-hour demonstration. | Week of February 12, 2027, tentatively |
| 6. Award posted | The state posts the intended award | March 1, 2027 |
| 7. Protest window | Losing bidders can object | Notice within 7 business days, protest within 15 days (S.C. Code 11-35-4210) |
| 8. Approvals and readiness | Contract sign-off, federal review, and a readiness review | The broker's provider agreement and credentialing process need state approval |
| 9. First ride | The new broker takes over | Estimated March 11, 2027, for 3 years plus two 1-year renewals |

These dates come from Amendment 1, issued September 11, 2026. The state suspended the bid on July 14, 2026 while it reviewed a protest, and the amendment then moved proposals from September 14 to December 3, 2026 and the award from November 19, 2026 to March 1, 2027. Dates can move again, so check the solicitation page before you plan around them.

Federal approval sits between the award and the first ride. When the broker is paid a fixed monthly amount per member as a NEMT-only plan, CMS must review and approve the contract, and a state that wants approval by a set start date must send it at least 90 days ahead ([42 CFR 438.3](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-438.3)). CMS told states in 2006 that broker contracts must be approved by CMS (SMDL #06-009), and South Carolina's draft contract says it is subject to CMS's final approval. Some states add a legislative step: Arkansas says its award may include review by the Legislative Council.

## How long it takes: real timelines

Broker bids run long, and protests make them longer. These are recent examples from official records.

| State | What happened | Time it took |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | Intent to award to LogistiCare in August 2018. The Department of Administration ordered it rescinded on appeal on February 28, 2019. Intent to award to Veyo on February 28, 2020. Veyo started November 1, 2021. | More than three years from the first intent to award to the new manager |
| Wisconsin, now | Notice of intent to select Verida on May 21, 2026, under RFP S-1699 DMS-25. As of August 25, 2026, the state had set no transition date. | Still open |
| South Carolina | Last competitive broker award in 2011. New round: first RFP January 24, 2025, canceled May 2, 2025. Second RFP drew seven proposals. Intent to award to MTM on July 3, 2025. Protest granted in part on October 2, 2025. Third RFP June 26, 2026, suspended July 14 for a protest that was denied August 5, 2026. | Award planned March 1, 2027, more than two years after the round's first RFP |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia broker solicitations RFA 35-21 and RFA 01-23 were canceled after bid protests. RFA 06-24 was stayed while litigation was pending as of June 25, 2026. | Several years and still unresolved |
| Montana | The state contracted with Modivcare. The provider notice of July 9, 2026 set a soft go-live of September 1, 2026 and an anticipated start of October 1, 2026. | About three months from the provider notice to the start |

Some states decide not to buy a broker at all. Pennsylvania's June 25, 2026 study for the legislature concluded that its county-run model remains the most effective framework, and it found no statewide or regional broker procurement issued since 2018. See our reports on [South Carolina's third bid](https://nemtguide.com/news/south-carolina-nemt-broker-rebid/), [Wisconsin's pick](https://nemtguide.com/news/wisconsin-verida-nemt-award/), and [Pennsylvania's study](https://nemtguide.com/news/pennsylvania-matp-broker-study/).

## Where NEMT broker RFPs and awards are posted

Look in two places: the state purchasing office, which runs the bid, and the Medicaid agency, which explains the change to providers and members.

| State | Where the bid lives | What to sign up for |
|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | procurement.sc.gov and the South Carolina Business Opportunities ads (scbo.sc.gov). The SCEIS solicitation page lists every attachment and amendment. | Vendor registration at procurement.sc.gov |
| Arkansas | The Department of Human Services procurement announcements page, which also posts each anticipated award | Check the page. Anticipated awards stay posted 14 days before a contract is issued. |
| Wisconsin | The Department of Administration bidder portal (search NEMT or S-1699 DMS-25). The health department's NEMT vendor page tracks the change. | The health department's NEMT email alerts |
| Delaware | The Bid Solicitation Directory at bids.delaware.gov. Questions, answers, and the list of bidders are posted as PDFs. | The Delaware Notification Service |
| Georgia | The Georgia Procurement Registry run by the Department of Administrative Services. The Medicaid agency posts a bidder's library. | Registry notices and the Medicaid agency's NEMT page |

For any other state, search the state purchasing site for "non-emergency medical transportation" and "NEMT", then check the Medicaid agency's provider bulletins. Our [state guides](https://nemtguide.com/states/) and [NEMT brokers by state](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-brokers-by-state/) show who runs rides where today.

## What to read in the bid packet

The bid packet is written for bidders, but most of it describes your future work. Start with the draft contract and the data.

| Document | What it tells you | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Draft contract or scope of work | How the broker must pay, credential, schedule, and monitor providers | South Carolina's ATTM 010 (June 26, 2026) |
| Data book | Trips by purpose, mode, region, or county | South Carolina's PL 001 counts 3,788,276 rides in state fiscal year 2025, led by adult day care (1,288,159) and dialysis (731,143) |
| Rate materials | How much the state plans to pay the broker per member each month | The actuary's draft letter for Arkansas (May 9, 2025) set 2026 bid ranges from $2.36 to $12.71 per member per month by region, before adding day treatment rides |
| Questions and answers | The state's answers to bidders, which often settle provider rules | Delaware's answers (July 17, 2025) kept its rule of at least 3 ambulatory and 3 non-ambulatory providers in each county and capped administrative fees at 15 percent |
| Spending rules | Limits that push money toward rides | Arkansas's 2026 IFB makes the broker pay back the difference if its ride spending falls below 95 percent of the actuary's target |

### Provider terms in South Carolina's draft contract

South Carolina's draft contract, posted June 26, 2026, is a good model of what to look for. The broker:

- must pay providers at least weekly and pay undisputed invoices for authorized trips within 30 calendar days,
- must send the trip manifest at least 48 hours before the day of the trip, except urgent trips, and call to confirm any later manifest,
- must sign provider agreements that run at least one year and include dispute resolution procedures,
- must give a provider written notice of the reason if it declines to add that provider to its network,
- may negotiate rates with each provider and is not held to the state fee schedule, but the rate must be written into the agreement,
- must accept a transit provider's federal Section 5307, 5310, or 5311 certification in place of its own vehicle and driver credentialing, and
- must let members keep their preferred provider from the old contract, where possible, during the switch.

If the broker defaults or the state terminates its contract, the provider agreements pass to the state or its agent on the same terms and rates. The terms are a draft until the contract is signed. Compare each one with your current agreement, and see [NEMT broker credentialing](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-broker-credentialing/) for what the new broker will ask for.

## How providers can use a broker RFP to plan ahead

You cannot control who wins, but you can be ready on day one.

1. **Find your state's contract dates.** Contract terms tell you when the next bid is likely. South Carolina's new contract runs 3 years plus two optional 1-year renewals. Arkansas's Region G contract runs 1 year and can renew up to a 7-year total. Wisconsin says state law requires it to procure vendors on a regular schedule.
2. **Sign up for notices.** Register for the state's bid alerts and the Medicaid agency's NEMT emails.
3. **Speak up early.** Since December 27, 2020, federal law lets a state consult transportation providers when it sets up a brokerage program. Wisconsin's NEMT Transportation Advisory Council is open to the public and meets on the first Thursday of March, June, September, and December.
4. **Read the provider sections of the draft contract.** Mark the pay cycle, payment deadline, manifest timing, credentialing steps, vehicle and driver rules, and insurance limits.
5. **Use the data book.** Match the trip counts for your counties and trip types, such as dialysis, against your fleet. That shows where the next broker will need capacity.
6. **Watch the award and any protest.** An intended award is not a contract. Arkansas says its anticipated awards are preliminary and subject to protest.
7. **Get the winner's provider terms.** After the award, ask the state for the winning proposal under its public records law. South Carolina's 2026 RFP requires each bidder to submit proposed fee schedules for transportation providers.
8. **Credential early.** Apply as soon as the incoming broker opens enrollment. In Montana, provider enrollment and billing move to Modivcare under the program set to start October 1, 2026.
9. **Keep working with the current broker.** Wisconsin told providers in 2026 they did not need to do anything yet and that MTM's contract continues through the procurement.
10. **Plan your cash for the switch.** Bill every trip to the outgoing broker on time, and budget for the gap before the new broker's first payment cycle. See [NEMT cash flow](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-cash-flow/).

Our checklist for [when your state changes NEMT brokers](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-broker-transition/) walks through the switch itself.

## When a broker award is protested

A protest is a formal objection by a bidder, and it can stop an award. In South Carolina, a bidder aggrieved by an intended award must give written notice of intent to protest within 7 business days of the posting and file its protest within 15 days (S.C. Code 11-35-4210). A would-be bidder can also protest the solicitation itself within 15 days of its issue. The Chief Procurement Officer's decision can be appealed to the state Procurement Review Panel within 10 days.

Protests do overturn awards:

- **South Carolina.** On October 2, 2025, the Chief Procurement Officer granted in part Modivcare's protest of the intended award to MTM. It found MTM's proposal nonresponsive and found that the state had not treated the two finalists equally during demonstrations. The state issued a third RFP on June 26, 2026. Modivcare protested that one too, and the Chief Procurement Officer denied the protest on August 5, 2026.
- **Wisconsin.** On February 28, 2019, the Department of Administration ordered the health department to rescind its intended award to LogistiCare. The state then ran a new procurement.
- **Pennsylvania.** Two Philadelphia broker solicitations were canceled after bid protests, and a third was stayed as of June 25, 2026.

For a provider, a protest mostly means delay. In Wisconsin in 2019, the state kept its current manager running rides through the new procurement, so keep your agreement with the current broker in good standing until the state sets a new start date.

## Rules that shape the next contract

Some states now write provider terms into law, and the next RFP must follow them. Colorado's HB26-1328, in effect July 1, 2026, says the state's broker must give providers the software they need at no cost, may not limit how many vehicles a provider uses, and must have its trip assignment rules approved and posted by the state. It also requires training and support for providers at least 90 days before the broker takes over a region, and it bars the broker from operating, owning, or controlling any NEMT provider in Colorado. See [Colorado's new NEMT law](https://nemtguide.com/news/colorado-nemt-law-video-cameras/).

Federal rules also bar a state broker from giving rides or sending trips to companies it has a financial tie to, with narrow exceptions. [Federal rules for NEMT brokers](https://nemtguide.com/guides/federal-rules-for-nemt-brokers/) explains what those rules require and what you can hold a broker to. If you want to bid yourself, read [how to become a NEMT broker](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-become-a-nemt-broker/) first.

## Frequently asked questions

### Where can I find NEMT broker RFPs?

On your state procurement office site and the Medicaid agency's NEMT page. South Carolina posts bids, amendments, and awards at procurement.sc.gov, Arkansas posts them on its Department of Human Services procurement announcements page, and Wisconsin points readers to the Department of Administration bidder portal for RFP S-1699 DMS-25. Sign up for the state's vendor notices and the Medicaid agency's email alerts so you hear about the next bid.

### Can a NEMT transportation company bid on a broker RFP?

It can bid, but winning usually means giving up its own rides in that program. Under 42 CFR 440.170(a)(4), a state plan broker may not give rides or send trips to a company it or an immediate family member has a financial tie to, except in narrow cases the state documents. Some waiver programs differ: Arkansas's 2026 Region G bid lets the winning broker work as the sole provider.

### Can I see the winning broker's proposal and provider rates?

You can ask for them under the state's records law. South Carolina's 2026 RFP requires bidders to submit proposed fee schedules for transportation providers, and bidders agree that anything they do not mark confidential, trade secret, or protected may be disclosed, along with the prices and other financial figures used to decide the award. Delaware posted the names of the 10 companies that submitted proposals for its 2025 NEMT RFP.

### How long does it take to go from an RFP to a new broker?

Plan in years, not months. Wisconsin announced its intent to award Veyo on February 28, 2020, and Veyo started on November 1, 2021. South Carolina last awarded a broker contract by competitive bid in 2011. Its current round began with an RFP in January 2025, and its third RFP of that round, posted June 26, 2026, sets the award for March 1, 2027 and an estimated start of March 11, 2027.

### What happens to my trips while an award is protested?

Usually nothing changes. When Wisconsin's Department of Administration ordered its health department to rescind an intended NEMT award on February 28, 2019, the state said the contract with the current manager would continue through the new procurement. In 2026 it gave the same answer while Verida's selection moves forward. Keep taking trips and billing the current broker until the state announces a start date.

### Do I have to sign with the new broker to keep my Medicaid trips?

Yes, if you want trips from that program after it starts. South Carolina's 2026 draft contract bars the broker from using any provider without a signed provider agreement. In Montana, the July 9, 2026 provider notice said provider enrollment and billing move to Modivcare under the new program, with an anticipated start of October 1, 2026. Your other brokers, health plans, and private pay work are not affected.

### Can providers have a say before the RFP is written?

Sometimes. Since December 27, 2020, federal law lets a state consult transportation providers, patients, medical providers, health plans, and brokers when it sets up a brokerage program. Some states hold open meetings: Wisconsin's NEMT Transportation Advisory Council is open to the public and meets quarterly, with its next meeting on December 3, 2026. Bring numbers about your costs and your riders.

## Official resources

- [eCFR: 42 CFR 440.170, the federal NEMT broker rule](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/chapter-IV/subchapter-C/part-440/subpart-A/section-440.170)
- [CMS: Medicaid Transportation Coverage Guide (SMD 23-006)](https://www.medicaid.gov/federal-policy-guidance/downloads/smd23006.pdf)
- [South Carolina Procurement Services: bids, amendments, and awards](https://procurement.sc.gov/)
- [South Carolina Business Opportunities (daily bid ads)](https://scbo.sc.gov/)
- [Arkansas DHS: Office of Procurement announcements](https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/do-business-with-dhs/procurement/)
- [Wisconsin DHS: NEMT vendor announcement and email sign-up](https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/nemt/vendor.htm)
- [Wisconsin DHS: NEMT Transportation Advisory Council](https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/nemt/tac.htm)
- [Delaware Bids and Contracts: Bid Solicitation Directory](https://bids.delaware.gov/)
- [Georgia DCH: NEMT procurement and bidder's library](https://medicaid.georgia.gov/programs/all-programs/nemt-procurement)