How to contract with The Harris Center
The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD is an agency of the state, a unit of local government and the designated local behavioral health and intellectual & developmental disability authority for Harris County. The Harris Center was established by and operates pursuant to Texas Health and Safety Code, Title 7, Subtitle A, Chapter 534 with an assigned catchment area of Harris County, Texas.
The Steps
If you are interested in contracting with The Harris Center, please refer to the following steps as defined by the Contracts department.
Step 1 - Contract is Awarded Through the Procurement Department
Congratulations on being awarded the contract. Now that the notification of award has been announced, and released to all participants, the next step is to start the contract process. The contract process is initiated the Contract Services department.
1. The Harris Center will send you a Welcome Letter and Request for Documentation from a dedicated contract specialist who will be your point of contact throughout the contracting process. The letter will provide the following information and/or request specific documentation about your business:
- Deadlines to submit required documents.
- Request supporting documents in regards to your business entity.
- Provide insurance requirements and request a Certificate of Insurance.
- Request a W-9.
- Request a 1295, if applicable.
- Provide any special instructions.
- Request copies of licenses or registrations, if applicable.
2. It is imperative that all requested documents be provided to your designated Contract Specialist in a timely manner. Upon receipt of all documents as requested, a contract consisting of all necessary elements will be drafted and sent to you for review, comment and signature if there are no changes. The Harris Center strives to fully execute all contracts within a twenty-one (21) business days or less timeline. The Harris Center will do its part, but we need your help.
Step 2 - Basic Contracting Requirements and Standards
- Did you timely submit all documents with all information accurately completed?
- Business documents are required-[i.e. d/b/a, corporations, LLC, Non-profits, partnerships].
- A physical address is required for a contract vs a P.O. BOX.
- The W-9 has to be in the same business name as the contracting Entity [Disregarded entity must be named on the second line if Applicable].
- Submit 1295 as defined and explained in the separate link for any Contract over 50,000 and requiring Board of Trustee approval.
- Submit a Certificate of Insurance [COI] showing the appropriate insurance levels as required by the Contract Services department [CSD]. The link below allows you to view a sample agreement. Note: The agreement is not the actual agreement but is meant to give you an idea of some of the terms and conditions that you may see in the final agreement.
View a sample of a Basic Standard Professional Agreement.
Insurance Requirements
As a Community Center the Harris Center is a member of the Texas Council Risk Management Fund. As the underwriter for all community centers, the fund establishes the minimum insurance standards for contracts and publishes those standards annually. Outlined below are some the main insurance requirements that are typically required on all contracts. This summary is not exhaustive and is provided as information only as standards periodically change and are updated from year to year. *Note that specialty type Contracts may have additional requirements. When you receive the “Welcome Package,” the letter will tell you specifically the amount of insurance required for each line of coverage.
| Insurance Type | Additional Requirements |
| General Liability (GL) | Waiver of Subrogation, Additional Insured to the HC, Notice of Cancellation |
| Automobile Liability | All owned, hired and non-owned vehicles. Waiver of Subrogation, Additional Insured to the HC and Notice of Cancellation or nonrenewal. |
| Workers Compensation | Waiver of Subrogation in favor of the Center, Notice of Cancellation or nonrenewal. |
| Umbrella Liability | Special Provision, Waiver of the Subrogation in favor of the Center, Notice of Cancellation or non-renewal. |
| Professional Liability | 30 Day notice of Cancellation and Non-Renewal. |
| Products Sales | Vendors who sale products to the Center should have Product Liability as part of its General Liability. |
| Insurance Types | Workers Compensation, General Liability, Automobile Liability is required for Contractors, Vendors and Providers. |
| Professional Liability is required for contracted physicians, therapist and counselors. |
Specialty Agreements: Construction, IT, Leases, Repair or Renovation Agreements
The Harris Center enters into many types of agreements including those listed above. When the Contract Services department engages with a vendor to establish an agreement to provide the types of services outlined below it is likely that the contract requirements may change to ensure that the agreements contain legally required provisions that are specific to the type of services. Please see some of those expanded requirements below. The list is not exhaustive but is meant to be a sample of those requirements.
- Construction: Contractor will most likely have to include costs in its bid for payment or performance bonds, as applicable. Depending on the funding source [i.e. Federal vs. state] the terms and conditions of the agreement may require compliance with Bacon/Davis requirements. Large construction projects will often require project schedules. Payment will adhere to the contractor meeting those milestones and there may be associated liquidated damage clauses for delays caused by a contractor.
- IT Agreements: These agreements are often complex and require professional licensing terms. We often include project schedules and special termination provisions. We typically do not agree to indemnification, jurisdiction outside of Texas or arbitration. Most importantly with IT Agreements the contractor must be inside the territorial borders of the United States.
- Leasing or Purchase/Sale Agreements: The Harris Center enters into a variety of leasing agreements. They include but are not limited to car, property and sometimes equipment Leasing agreements. Most agreements contain standard TAA terms and conditions and many other special provisions specific to our entity type. [I.e. community center]. The agency is statutorily prohibited from purchasing property above the appraisal value unless approved by the Board of Directors. The Harris Center can sale its property but must do so in accordance with special provisions found in the Texas Administrative Code relating to governmental entities and community centers in particular.
Step 3 - Debarment and Background Checks
During the procurement and contracting processes the Harris Center staff will search the state and/or federal debarment lists to confirm that you or your business entity have not been debarred from receiving a contract with a governmental entity. Debarment means the disqualification of a person and/or entity to receive invitations for bids, or requests for proposals, or the award of a contract by federal or state governments, for a specified period of time commensurate with the seriousness of the offense or the failure or inadequacy of performance.
The debarment process protects the state and the government from fraud, waste and abuse. The effect of being placed on the suspension or debarment list are many but the main effects are listed below.
- Your name will be published as ineligible on the Texas Comptroller site and/or the System for Award Management (SAM), a GSA administered website www.sam.gov (Federal). Your suspension is effective throughout the State of Texas and the Executive Branch of the Federal government and applies to procurement and non-procurement programs.
- Offers will not be solicited from, contracts will not be awarded to, existing contracts will not be renewed or otherwise extended for, and subcontracts requiring the Harris Center’s or state approval will not be approved. For additional information see the Texas Comptroller site at www.comptroller.texas.gov.
Frequently Asked Contracting Questions
FAQs
Yes! They just need to meet the minimum requirements of the position.
If you have additional questions, please reach out to talentacquisitionpartners@theharriscenter.org to learn more about the program.
We are grateful support and encourage you to donate to The Harris Center Foundation for Mental Health and IDD. To do so, visit theharriscenterfoundation.org
- If you or a loved one are living with a developmental disability and would like to show support for this community, contact organizations like The Arc and The Center for Pursuit.
- If you or a loved one are living with a behavioral health condition and would like to show support for this community, contact organizations like Mental Health America and the National Alliance on Mentally Illness (NAMI).
- The Harris Center, along with these organizations and others like it work continuously to end stigma and educate the public on behavioral health and IDD.
- If you wish to request The Harris Center’s participation in a community or industry event, please email PublicAffairs@theharriscenter.org.
- If you wish to request that The Harris Center partner on program operations, please contact 713.970.7000.
Please visit our Business Opportunities section for information on Procurement, Contracts, and information for Vendors and Suppliers. https://www.theharriscenter.org/business-opportunities
Understanding the organization’s Strategic Plan and Annual Financial Reports will enhance your awareness of the functions of The Harris Center, the reasons behind decisions being made, and the trajectory of where the agency is headed, especially in relation to achieving budget and strategic plan goals.
Viewing the services provided and decisions being made through the lenses of the Strategic Plan and Annual Financial Report will help you maximize administrative learning outcomes during your Administrative Fellowship.
Fees vary depending on the type of service. Discounts are available based on family size and income, and a sliding scale rate schedule is available.
Yes, the Harris Center is an Agency of the State and a unit of local government.
As a patient, you have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, to receive care in a safe and supportive environment, to be informed about your treatment options, to participate in your care decisions, and to have your privacy and personal information protected. You also have the right to file a complaint or grievance without fear of retaliation. For patient rights concerns, please call (713) 970-7742 or (713) 970-7211. You may also send an email to RightsLine@TheHarrisCenter.org. or fill out the Patient Rights Concern form. Individuals with hearing impairment or loss may call using the free service of Texas Relay: 1-800-735-2989 or Relay Texas number 711. You can also read our Patient Rights Handbook here.
Be proactive. Learn all you can about the company, your team(s), and how the team(s) affect the overall mission and values of The Harris Center. This way, you will be in a better position to help those you support to meet organizational needs and affect continuous improvement. Learn new applications and then teach others. Support others and never become complacent in your role.
Be open-minded. As an Administrative Fellow, it can be difficult to integrate into a new working environment and it is important to be sensitive to others' perspectives. It is important to understand the culture and history of an organization before going to new recommendations and suggestions. Thus, utilizing curiosity, observation, openness, and neutrality can support better relational development and successful engagement by others within a group.
Be organized. Administrative Fellows have many things to juggle at once, so being organized from the beginning is crucial. Having an organized desk, computer and calendar can help you complete administrative tasks in a quality and time-efficient manner. Healthcare administrators must have both big-picture organizational systems thinking skills plus an eye for managing small details.
Master time management. With so many responsibilities spread among different aspects, such as meeting with administrators, completing projects, and attending meetings, time management is a must to ensure deadlines are met, tasks are up-to-date, and those working with you are satisfied.
Effective communication. You must be able to communicate processes and information to others, respond clearly to questions, requests and more. You must also be able to use various types of communication including verbal, nonverbal, written, and visual communication to network with key stakeholders, complete projects, and accelerate your learning.
The Administrative Fellow's main preceptor will ensure that the fellow is guided by a clear action plan that includes an in-depth orientation using The Administrative Fellowship Guidebook and related PowerPoint Presentations, establishes a timeline of activities, delineates required skills, and provides periodic performance appraisals using 360 Evaluations.
The main preceptor is responsible for helping the Admin Fellow harness the various experiences gained through the fellowship program and facilitate the realization of learning outcomes. This can be done by:
- Affording the fellow the time and patience needed for an optimal learning experience
- Encouraging the fellow to express opinions and to feel free to come to you to discuss problems
- Suggesting new ideas without dominating the fellow's thought and action
- Encouraging the fellow to develop new ideas and put them into practice
- Empowering the fellow to try different methods of accomplishing assigned tasks
To transform the lives of people with behavioral health and IDD needs.
74-1603950
It is best to start your first 2 weeks before the rotations start by meeting key people and visiting key sites to acclimate you to the agency.
Informational Interviews
Fellows should start by meeting each of the Chief Executives of the agency (CMO, CNO, COO, CAO, CIO, CEO, CFO, and General Council) and then the Vice Presidents under each Chief if time allows. If time runs out, it is best to complete informational interviews when you go through each of the designated rotations. Informational interviews with Directors and Managers can be conducted during the respective rotations.
Please note that for the informational interviews you do not get to within the first 2 weeks of your fellowship, it is best to complete those at the start of each rotation so that you can meet the people you will be learning from during that rotation.
Site Visits
Fellows should start to get their feet wet by rounding at 9401 Southwest Frwy Clinics (Adult Mental Health, Child and Adolescent Services, Primary Care, and IDD).
It is best to complete site visits at the end of each rotation so that projects from the rotation can be completed. Having site visits at the end of each rotation will also allow for an enhanced application of knowledge gained through each rotation so that fellows will be able to see their learnings in action. If fellows complete all visits at the beginning of the fellowship, this might lend to an information overload.
Click here to access our Annual Reports.
Donations to The Harris Center Foundation for Mental Health and IDD are used to support The Harris Center in meeting its operational goals and special needs.
The Harris Center is governed by 10 citizens appointed by the Harris County Commissioners Court, as well as an experienced Executive Team.
For more information, Click here.
• Mental health challenges are common – 1 in 5 adults experience them
• Half of all mental health conditions begin by age 14
Who should take MHFA?
Anyone! MHFA equips people with the skills to support friends, family,
coworkers, and community members. It answers key questions like “What
should I do?” and “Where can someone find help?”
What will I learn in MHFA?
• Signs, symptoms, and risk factors of mental health concerns
• Information on depression, anxiety, trauma, psychosis, suicide, and
substance use challenges
• A 5-step action plan to support someone with signs and symptoms of a
mental health challenge or crisis
• Available professional supports, resources and self-help strategies
