1.01Introduction and Program Description

The Department of Health (DOH), Division of Senior and Disabilities Services (the Division), is requesting proposals from eligible applicants to provide Mental Health Assistive Technology services for the State of Alaska in FY2027 through FY2029. This program aims to expand equitable access to assistive technology across Alaska, helping Mental Health Trust beneficiaries select, obtain, and effectively use assistive devices that support independence and participation in daily life. 

 Program Services are authorized under 7 AAC 78, and Alaska Statue (AS) 37.25.020.AS 37.05.316 and Chapter 2, SLA 20, Page 11, Line 10. Access State of Alaska statutes and regulations at http://www.law.state.ak.us/doclibrary/doclib.html or through the contact person listed in Subsection 3.04 of this RFP.

1.02Program Goals and Anticipated Outcomes

Proposals must demonstrate a thorough understanding of the grant program goals and outcomes anticipated by the Department; and proposed projects must meet or exceed anticipated minimums described in this RFP.

The primary goal of this program is to assist and provide much needed high-technology and low-technology assistive devices to Trust beneficiaries and Alaskans experiencing disabilities. 

Program Goals:

• Increase Access to Assistive Technology (AT) Across Alaska 

Ensure Alaskans, including Mental Health Trust beneficiaries, have equitable access to assistive technology devices and related services regardless of geographic location.

• Promote Informed, Person-Centered Decision-Making

Provide guided consultation, equipment demonstrations, and individualized support to ensure AT selection aligns with functional needs, preferences, and environmental context.

• Improve Functional Independence and Community Participation

Support individuals in achieving greater independence in daily living, communication, employment, education, and community engagement through appropriate AT solutions.

• Strengthen Knowledge and Navigation of AT Resources

Deliver comprehensive information and assistance, including funding options, device options, and referral pathways.

• Ensure Effective Utilization of AT Devices

Provide training, technical assistance, and follow-up to promote proper use, sustained benefit, and long-term outcomes.

• Build System-Level Capacity and Awareness

Increase awareness of AT tools and services among individuals, families, caregivers, and professionals statewide.

Anticipated Outcomes include:

• Improved Access Metrics
  • Increased participation from rural and underserved communities.
• Enhanced Functional Outcomes
  • Participants report on improved ability to perform Activities of Daily Living/Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADLs/IADLs), communicate effectively, or manage home and community tasks.
  • Increased independence and reduced reliance on higher cost supports were appropriate.
• Informed Technology Selection
  • High percentage of participants report satisfaction with device match and usability.
  • Reduced incidence of device abandonment due to guided consultation and demonstration.
• System Impact
  • Increased professional and caregiver awareness of AT solutions.
  • Strengthened cross-sector collaboration across disability, aging, mental health, and community service networks.

1.03Program Services/Activities

Applicant proposals must describe the ways in which the project aligns with program intent. The submitted project proposal will identify agency resources available to the project; describe project activities; and clearly state the project's anticipated goals and outcomes. The applicant must also include a timeline for activities as an attachment to their proposal. 

Applicants may propose any of the following activities:

• Outreach
  • Public outreach and awareness activities to inform potential participants and referral partners of AT services
  • Maintain referral pathways from providers, caregivers, families, and self-referrals
  • Develop and distribute educational materials for AT as needed
• Information and Assistance (I&A)
  • Responding to inquiries regarding AT options and uses
  • Education on available devices, services, and emerging technologies
  • Facilitate referrals to complementary programs and providers
• Assistive Technology Consultation and Assessment
  • Person-centered consultation to identify functional barriers and technology solutions
  • Evaluate and assess functional needs across domains (communication, mobility, vision, hearing, cognition, daily living, home safety, etc.)
  • Make individualized AT recommendations
• Assistive Technology Device Provision and Access
  • Provision of assistive technology devices aligned with individualized needs and recommendations
  • Support for device acquisition through flexible models (e.g., direct distribution, loan, reuse, purchase assistance, or other appropriate mechanisms)
  • Procure or obtain AT devices based on participant needs and program capacity
  • Coordinate device distribution, including logistics for rural and remote communities
  • Maintain inventory and asset tracking systems when applicable
  • Provide participant documentation and instructions related to device use, ownership, or program expectations
  • Facilitate alternative acquisition pathways when direct provision is not feasible (e.g., funding support, reuse programs, vendor coordination)
• Training and Technical Assistance
  • Individualized device training for participants and caregivers
  • Professional training and consultation for providers and support staff
  • Ongoing technical assistance
  • Deliver structured training sessions on device setup, use, and maintenance
  • Develop training materials and user guides
  • Provide troubleshooting and technical support
  • Conduct follow-up coaching to reinforce device use
• Assistive Technology Categories
  • Vision aids
  • Hearing assistance devices
  • Daily living and adaptive equipment
  • Smart home and environmental control technology
  • Communication aids and augmentative/alternative communication devices
  • Cognitive and safety support
  • Home accessibility and alerting systems

Subcontracting

The grantee may enter into subcontracts for the performance of any portion of the services under this program, provided that:

• The grantee remains fully responsible for the performance, compliance, and quality of all services delivered under the grant agreement, whether performed directly or through subcontractors.
• All subcontractors must be identified in the proposal or approved in writing by the Division prior to the execution of any subcontract.
• Subcontractors must meet all applicable qualifications, licensing, and regulatory requirements relevant to the services being provided.
• The grantee must ensure that all subcontractors comply with the terms and conditions of the grant agreement, including but not limited to confidentiality, data security, reporting requirements, and nondiscrimination provisions.
• The grantee is responsible for monitoring subcontractor performance and ensuring adherence to the approved scope of work.
• The Division reserves the right to review and approve or reject any proposed subcontractor.
• No subcontract shall relieve the grantee of any obligations under the grant agreement.

Timeline

The proposal must contain a timeline for the initiation and implementation of activities and services as well as project milestones including reporting. 

1.04Program Evaluation Requirements and Reporting

The proposal must contain an evaluation plan with stated performance measures that the applicant will use to evaluate the progress of the grant project toward achieving the program goals and desired outcomes.

Grant Reporting 

Required reporting for this grant will include:

• Monthly or as needed Project Narrative and Funds Disbursement Requests.
• Cumulative Detailed Expenditure Report verifying amounts reported in Cumulative Fiscal Reports due at Q2 and Q4.
• Grantee will be required to submit consumer demographic information and service delivery data for program recipients into the Division’s Aging and Disability Data Management System (GetCare). 

1.05Target Population and Service Area

Proposals must clearly describe the population targeted by the project, including the area or communities that will be served.  Proposals will be evaluated for compatibility with the intended target population identified in this document.

Target Population: The target populations for this program and services requested in this RFP are Alaskans experiencing disabilities and/or Alaska Mental Health Trust Beneficiaries. Trust beneficiaries include Alaskans experiencing any of the following: 

• Mental illness
• Intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Substance use disorders
• Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia
• Traumatic brain injuries

Service Areas and Communities: These services are being solicited Statewide. 

1.06Program Funding

For awards beginning in FY2027, total program funding is available in the amount of $560,000.00 over a three-year duration from state fiscal year 2027 to 2029. 

Match Requirements: No matching funds are required

Proposed Budget: The applicant must submit a detailed and narrative budget for the entire project. The proposed budget detail and narrative will support the program's results-based service delivery and staffing requirements stated in this RFP.

Resources specific to budgeting are also available under the GEMS Documents tab. The Department's Grant Budget Preparation Guidelines provide information and guidance about budget lines, cost detail groupings, and narrative requirements. Grantee User Manual Part I provides detailed instructions for entering a budget proposal in the chapter "Responding to a Solicitation." 

2.01Required Experience

Proposal evaluation will include consideration of the applicant's history of compliance with service and grant requirements, and previous experience in providing the same or similar services. Evaluation may include Department site reviews, program audits, and confirmation of the successful resolution of any findings. This is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

The applicant must describe previous experience providing services the same or similar to those proposed. The description must clearly identify the time period over which services were provided and the target population served. 

2.02Project Staffing

Project staffing must be sufficient to implement the proposed activities to meet program goals and the anticipated outcomes. 

Resumes (and/or position descriptions) and professional credentials for key project personnel must be uploaded as part of the response. This is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

2.03Administrative, Management, and Facility Requirements

The proposal must support the applicant's ability to responsibly administer the grant, including a description of the resolution of any prior year audit findings.

The applicant will be required to demonstrate that the administrative infrastructure necessary to support the project exists within the agency or through collaborations that support efficiencies. Executive and administrative staff must be qualified, as indicated by their professional and educational experience detailed in their resume(s) (see Requirement 4.05).

The applicant must include a current organizational chart showing the relationship of this project to the other functions within the organization (see Requirement 4.05). Successful grant applicants will be required to submit additional agency information with submission of their signed grant agreement, if that information is not current and already on file with the Department's Grants and Contracts Support Team.

The applicant must address potential safety concerns for both clients and staff in the management of services proposed in response to this RFP.

The applicant should describe how access is provided to clients and how that will enhance the success of the project.

All applicants for DOH grants should have an emergency response and recovery plan for the safe evacuation of clients and staff, and that provides for other potential safety concerns. This plan is mandatory for grantees providing residential and/or critical care services (see DOH Assurances).

2.04Support/Coordination of Services

Applicants must demonstrate the proposed project has the necessary support and coordination for the successful delivery of services. The proposal must address the following:

• Partnerships and collaborations specific to the proposed project; and 
• Coordination with necessary referring agencies and the role of each described.

The proposal should include a list of agencies (e.g., subcontractors or partnering organizations), as well as the relevant contacts within those agencies, that will provide the resources necessary for the effective delivery of proposed services. Additionally, if subcontractors will be utilized, please provide a written description of the working relationship between grantee and subcontractor(s), including communications plan, workflows, operations, and/or logistics.

3.01Eligibility (Who May Apply)

Applicants must be eligible to apply under 7 AAC 78.030 (Eligible Applicants). Eligible applicants are state agencies: political subdivisions of the state such as cities, organized boroughs, and Regional Educational Attendance Area; non-profit organizations and consortia of nonprofits; and Alaska Native entities, as follows, eligibility will be verified by Grants and Contracts.

• Political subdivisions of the state and Regional Educational Attendance Areas will be verified by State records.
• Eligible nonprofits are listed in the State's database of registered non-profit entities or the US Internal Revenue Service's register of tax-exempt organizations. Non-profit subsidiaries of non-profit corporations must also provide a letter from the parent organization confirming non-profit status.
• Alaska Native entities as defined in 7 AAC 78.950(1) must submit, with the application, a legally binding resolution waiving entity's sovereign immunity to suit through the duration of the program identified in RFP Subsection 3.05. The resolution must be authorized in compliance with the tribe's constitution, either by the tribal council or by majority vote of the tribal membership. The required template is provided at Subsection 4.02. Other Technical Requirements. 

Applicant agency GEMS records must contain the agency's current State of Alaska Business License number and a current governing board roster which includes titles, contact information, and terms of office for each seat. The roster must include emergency contact information outside the applicant agency for one or more officers. 

Grants and Contracts will verify neither the applicant agency nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from receiving grant assistance from any State or federal department or agency. If an agency or its principals are excluded from receiving grant assistance the proposal may not be considered. 

Applicants who have had a contract or grant to help produce this RFP are not eligible to apply and any submitted proposal will not be considered. 

3.02Acceptance of Terms

By submitting a proposal, an applicant accepts all terms and conditions of this Request for Proposals including all associated documents and guidelines identified in this RFP; 7 AAC 78 and any other applicable statutes, regulations. Copies of these may be accessed through the contact person listed in subsection 3.04, or through the web address(es) identified in this RFP.

If a grant is awarded, this RFP and the applicant’s proposal become part of the grant agreement. The applicant will be bound by the provisions contained in their proposal, unless the Department agrees that specific parts of the proposal are not part of the agreement.

Proposals and other materials submitted in response to this RFP become the property of the state and may be returned only if the state allows. Proposals are public documents and may be inspected or copied by anyone after grants have been awarded.

3.03Inquiries and Protests

Applicants should immediately review this Request for Proposals for defects and questionable or confusing content. Questions about the RFP that can be answered by directing the applicant to a specific section in the RFP may be answered verbally by the Contact Person on the cover of this RFP. Questions that cannot be answered by directing an applicant to a specific section of the RFP may be declared to be of a substantive nature. The applicant will be directed to submit the question in writing to the contact person at the email address on the cover page no later than the Deadline for Written Inquiries, also identified on the cover page. This will allow issuance of any necessary amendments to all prospective applicants.

Any protests based on any omission or error in the content of the RFP will be disallowed if these faults have not been brought to the attention of the Contact Person, in writing, by deadline indicated on the cover page. Applicants are responsible for monitoring the State’s Online Public Notice website located at: Online Public Notices for any subsequent clarifications or amendments that may be issued regarding this solicitation.

Proposals will not be accepted after 3:59 PM prevailing local time on the due date identified on the cover page.

3.04Proposal Costs

DOH will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by the grantee prior to the authorized grant performance period. All costs of responding to this RFP are the responsibility of the applicant.

3.05Duration of Grant

This RFP is for a three-year period beginning in fiscal year 7/1/2026 through 6/30/2029.

3.06Proposal Review

Procedures – Following the deadline for receipt of proposals, Department staff will verify that all submission requirements have been met. No amendments or corrections will be accepted after the deadline unless they are in response to the State’s request. Proposals will be reviewed as follows:

1. In accordance with 7 AAC 78.090, Department staff will evaluate each grant proposal for minimum responsiveness and other technical requirements and eliminate nonresponsive proposals from consideration. Using the criteria set out in this RFP and 7 AAC 78.100 (Criteria for Review of Proposals), other applicable statutes, regulations, and guidelines; staff will conduct a written evaluation of each responsive proposal based on the contents of the proposal as well as relevant documentation and information regarding the applicant that is available to the Department. Recommendations for funding will include consideration of on-site program reviews, histories of compliance with grant requirements, prior year audits and the appropriate allocation of resources.
2. If there are multiple responsive proposals for which there is insufficient money to fully fund, or supplementary expertise is deemed necessary to the review of requested services, the Department may appoint a Proposal Evaluation Committee (PEC) as an additional advisory body. Using the criteria set out in the RFP and 7 AAC 78.100, members of the PEC will evaluate proposals, independently of other committee members. Then as a committee they will meet to further review proposals and develop recommendations. The PEC will include in their review, consideration of staff recommendations and discussion of each proposal’s merits. Recommendations will include approval or disapproval of the award, modifications to the proposed project, special compliance conditions, and ranking proposals in priority order. This meeting is closed to the public and public testimony is not allowed.

All advisory recommendations, including staff recommendations, and the recommendations of the Proposal Evaluation Committee, if applicable; and all other review materials will be submitted for consideration by the Director of the Division, who will make recommendations to the Department of Health's Commissioner.

3.07Final Decision Authority

The Commissioner will make the final decision on grant awards, taking into consideration all advisory recommendations, the criteria established in 7 AAC 78.100, priorities in related state health and social services plans, the requirements of applicable state and federal statutes and regulations, relevant municipal ordinances or regulations, the distribution of services and the availability of funds. The Commissioner will decide to approve or disapprove award, the amount of each award and whether modifications or special conditions are necessary.

3.08Notification of Grant Award and Appeals

Within fifteen (15) days after the decision regarding grant awards, the applicant will be notified of the final funding decision, and any conditions of award or modifications. Following any necessary negotiations for revisions to the proposed budget and scope of services, applicants will be issued a Grant Agreement. This formal agreement will contain specific performance and reporting requirements consistent with Department policy and procedure and 7 AAC 78. Per 7 AAC 78.305 (Request for Appeal), an applicant may appeal a final grant award decision. Requests for hearing must be addressed to the Commissioner, and received in writing at the address below, within 15 days after the applicant receives notification of the decision. The request must contain the reasons for the appeal and must cite the law, regulation, or terms of the grant upon which the appeal is based. Appeals should be sent to: 

Heidi Hedberg, Commissioner

Department of Health

3601 C Street, Suite 902

Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5923

Additionally, a copy of the appeal should be sent to the contact identified on the cover page of this solicitation. 

3.09Cancellation of the RFP/Termination of Award

Contingent upon funding appropriations and the Governor’s approval, the Department may fund proposals from eligible applicants. DOH may withdraw this competitive Request for Proposals at any time and reserves the right to refrain from making an award when such action is deemed to be in the best interest of the State. Funds awarded for a grant as a result of this RFP may be withheld and the grant terminated by written notice from the grantor to the grantee at any time for violation by the grantee of any terms or conditions of the grant award, or when such action is deemed by the grantor to be in the best interest of the State.

4.01Minimum Responsiveness Criteria per 78.100(2)(a)

Proposals that fail to meet the minimum responsiveness requirements below will be eliminated from consideration per 7 AAC 78.090(b)(2).

4.02Other Technical Requirements per 7 AAC 78.060, 78.090(b) and 78.100

Application & Organizational Documentation

4.03History of Compliance with Grant Requirements per 7 AAC 78.100(2)(B).

4.04Questions and Criteria related to Program policy, Goals, Outcomes, and Activities

4.05Applicant Qualifications- Criteria Relating to Personnel, Management and Facilities

4.06Demonstration of Support/Involvement and Service