Schweitzer Wants to Move Up State Employee Clinic Opening

The Schweitzer administration wants to speed up the opening of a proposed health clinic for state employees in Helena.

The request for proposals filed last week seeks bids to have the clinic open by Aug. 31. When Gov. Brian Schweitzer initially announced plans for the clinic in February, he said he hoped to have it running by mid-December. The bidding documents said the Aug. 31 date is for planning purposes and subject to change.

Officials with prospective bidders CareHere of Nashville, Tenn., and Take Care Health Systems of Camas, Wash., told Lee Newspapers of Montana they would try to meet the new deadline. The bids are due on April 2.

The vendor who is chosen will be asked to have two additional clinic sites open by early 2013.