1.01Introduction and Program Description

The Department of Health, Division of Public Health, is requesting proposals from eligible applicants to provide Statewide Opioid Settlement Grants services for the State of Alaska in FY2025 through FY2027. Program Services are authorized under 7 AAC 78 Grant Programs. Additional governing statutes are AS 44.29.020(a)(17), Duties of the Department. State of Alaska statutes and regulations are accessible at the Department of Law Document Library or through the contact person identified on the cover page of this Request for Proposals (RFP).

The Division of Public Health (DPH) will use opioid settlement funds to support the Statewide Opioid Settlement Grant Program. Funding is to support prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery activities across the state, as allowable and outlined by Attachment A of the final settlement agreement. Please note, this funding is not allowed to backfill existing efforts.

The Division of Public Health expects to award up to three (3) grantees per each of the seven (7) Alaska Public Health Regions, for a total of 21 grantees. Additionally, one (1) statewide grant will be awarded to provide statewide support and offer smaller subgrants (the expectation is a total of $150,000 for subgrants; $10,000-$15,000/subgrant) to organizations who were unable to apply or not awarded funding through this opportunity.

Please review the eight (8) Application Groups listed in the solicitation carefully, as responding to the incorrect solicitation may result in not being funded.

Applicants may apply for their respective Regional Application Group and the Statewide Application Group, if eligible. It is up to the applicant to submit a proposal to the correct Application Group(s). If your agency intends to apply for the statewide grant, apply in the Statewide Application Group. Proposals will be evaluated within their respective application groups. The statewide grantee is not eligible for a regional grant.

1.02Program Goals and Anticipated Outcomes

The proposed project must demonstrate a thorough understanding and support of the grant program goals and outcomes anticipated by the Department.

The goal of this funding is to support opioid remediation efforts that serve Alaskans at highest risk of and impacted most from opioid use disorder through the development, implementation, enhancement or expansion of evidence-based strategies or promising practices to prevent and address the adverse impacts of the overdose epidemic      .

At minimum, this funding is expected support coordinated responses and services to communities across Alaska to increase prevention activities and improve availability and access to treatment, recovery, and harm reduction services. 

Projects must meet or exceed anticipated minimum outcomes described in this RFP.

1.03Program Services/Activities

Attachment A (named Exhibit E of the National Opioid Settlement) outlines the approved abatement uses. Applicants may request funding for any of the listed services and initiatives, however priority will be given to proposals which most closely align with demonstrated community needs summarized in the proposal.  

Applicants are required to select one or more from the following approved abatement use categories: 

A. Treat opioid use disorder (OUD)

B. Support people in treatment and recovery

C. Connect people who need help to the help they need (connections to care)

D. Address the needs of the criminal-justice involved persons

E. Address the needs of pregnant of parenting women and their families, including babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome

F. Prevent over-prescribing and ensure appropriate prescribing and dispensing of opioids

G. Prevent misuse of opioids

H. Prevent overdose deaths and other harms (harm reduction)

I. First responders

J. Leadership, planning, and coordination 

K. Training

L. Evaluation

Applicants will upload a timeline for the initiation of services and project activities.

EXPECTED PROJECT START DATE: JULY 1, 2024

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, outputs, and outcomes.

This funding cannot be used to backfill existing efforts.

Applicants agree to comply with the following additional program requirements and service standards.

Grantees will be expected to –

• Participate in monthly statewide grantee collaboration calls
• Participate in annual in-person grantee meetings
• Within the first six months, develop an evaluation plan for state grant program coordinator approval

1.04Program Evaluation Requirements and Reporting

Performance Measures

Projects are required to align with program objectives expressing Department priorities and core services. Projects will use performance measures to evaluate progress toward meaningful outcomes, and to initiate data collection and reporting consistent with Department priorities.

The Department Priorities, Core Services, Objectives, and Performance  Measures for this program are:

Department Priorities

• Health & Wellness Across the Lifespan
• Health Care Access, Delivery & Value
• Safe & Responsible Individuals, Families & Communities Department 

Core Services

• Protect and promote the health of Alaskans.
• Facilitate access to affordable health care for Alaskans.
• Promote personal responsibility and accountable decisions by Alaskans.

Objectives

• Address the misuse of opioids.
• Treat or mitigate opioid use disorder or related disorders.
• Mitigate other effects of the opioid epidemic.

Performance Measures

• Number of people impacted/reached by grant program activities. 
•  Additional performance measures will be determined by the strategy and activity proposed

The applicant's proposed evaluation plan will incorporate the performance measures identified above. Applicants can propose additional performance measures for evaluating the project’s progress in achieving results supportive of the program.

Grant Reporting

Required reporting will include:

1. Cumulative Fiscal Reports recording overall grant and match expenditures by budget line; and
2. Program Reports in the format prescribed by the program.

1.05Target Population and Service Area

Applicants 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 program’s intended target population identified in this solicitation.

Target Population and Service Areas and Communities: The population and service areas and communities requested for the services solicited are as follows:

One Statewide grantee and up to three grantees from each the seven (7) Alaska Public Health Regions.

• Region 1: Anchorage Municipality
• Region 2: Gulf Coast Region
• Region 3: Interior Region
• Region 4: Mat-Su Region
• Region 5: Northern Region 
• Region 6: Southeast Region
• Region 7: Southwest Region

1.06Program Funding

Funds available for this program are anticipated to total $3,300,000.00 per fiscal year (FY).

The Statewide Opioid Settlement Grants will be divided across the seven (7) Alaska Public Health Regions, with up to three (3) grant awards per region at approximately $428,571 per region.

• Region 1: Anchorage Municipality
• Region 2: Gulf Coast Region
• Region 3: Interior Region
• Region 4: Mat-Su Region
• Region 5: Northern Region 
• Region 6: Southeast Region
• Region 7: Southwest Region

Additionally, one (1) statewide grant will be available for $300,000. The statewide grantee is required to support statewide efforts in the areas of prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery by providing subgrants to entities not able to apply or not funded through this competitive opportunity or its regional subgrants. The statewide grantee will offer smaller subgrants (smaller subgrants are expected to be in the amount of $10,000-$15,000 each, for a total of $150,000). This grantee is also required to support the grant program evaluation, facilitate collaborative monthly technical assistance meetings for grantees and support the planning and implementation of the annual in-person grantee meeting alongside the Statewide Opioid Settlement Grant Program Manager.

Proposed Budget: The applicant must submit a budget proposal for the first fiscal year of the project. The proposed budget detail and narrative, will support the program's results-based service delivery and staffing requirements stated in this RFP. This funding cannot be used to backfill existing efforts.

Regional Grants

Proposed budget should include the following:

• Minimum of 0.25 FTE to support project implementation and reporting
• Travel for a minimum of one (1) person, including sub-grantees, to Anchorage for an annual grantee meeting

Statewide Grant

• Minimum of 0.25 FTE to support project implementation, including subgrant distribution and reporting
• Travel for a minimum of one (1) person, including sub-grantees , to Anchorage for an annual grantee meeting

The proposed budget will be fully compliant with the limitations described in this RFP, and those detailed in 7 AAC 78.160 (Costs). Regulations are provided under the GEMS Documents tab.

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."

Other Agency Funding: Prior to submitting a proposal, applicants are required to list all other agency funding received and applied for. This task must be completed by an Agency Power User in the Other Funding section of the Agency Administration tab. This is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

Indirect Costs: If the proposed budget includes indirect costs, 7 AAC 78.160(p) requires a copy of the agency's current federally approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement. The agreement is to be uploaded in the Agency Administration tab. Lapsed agreements can be used if uploaded with the negotiating federal agency's written approval to continue using the rate until a new agreement is negotiated. If an agency has never entered into a federally approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or no longer has a federally approved agreement in place, the Federal Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 allows that agency to budget the 10% De Minimis. Effective October 1, 2024, the De Minimis will be increased to 15% and proposed budgets for FY25 may reflect that percentage.

Payment for Services/Grant Income: If applicable to the services proposed in response to this solicitation, awarded grantees will have a Medicaid Provider Number or apply to obtain one, and will make reasonable effort to bill all eligible services to Medicaid and any other available sources of payment before seeking grant support for delivery of the proposed services. Department funds are the payer of last resort.

In the applicant’s proposed budget, anticipated receipts and expenditures for all grant income must be evident in the detail and narrative. Fiscal reports for awarded income generating projects will include the receipts and expenditure of all grant income.

2.01Agency 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.

The applicant must provide a brief history that demonstrates sustainable fiscal and administrative capacity, capabilities, and responsibility.

2.02Project Staffing

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

Describe your organization’s staffing, including qualifications and number of staff required to implement the proposed activities. As appendices to the proposal, applicants must provide job descriptions for each position funded through the grant.

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.

All grantees, Regional and Statewide, are required a minimum 0.25 FTE dedicated to this project and supported with funding through this grant. 

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Manage project strategies and goals
• Submit quarterly reports and cumulative fiscal reports into GEMS
• Attend monthly meetings with the DPH Grant Program Manager
• Attend all required trainings
• Attend Quarterly All-Grantee Calls
• Ensure that project funds are used in alignment with the activities outlined in this RFP
• Ensure that lobbying activities do not occur with grant funds
• Report all program activities on a quarterly basis through submission of quarterly reports and cumulative fiscal reports into GEMS

2.03Administrative, Management, and Facility Requirements

The applicant must demonstrate the agency's sustainable fiscal and administrative capacity. Executive, administrative, and financial staff must be qualified, as indicated by the resumes of position holders uploaded as an element of the proposal. This is part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

1. The applicant must ensure procedures are in place to protect client confidentiality compliant with State and federal standards.
2. The applicant must ensure its most recent financial audit was submitted to the appropriate state office (see Audit Requirements below), and any findings identified have been resolved.

Awarded proposers will be required to submit additional agency information if the agency GEMS record is not current.

Audit Requirements:

Federal Requirements: Agencies spending $750,000 or more total Federal Financial Assistance in the agency fiscal year may be required to comply with conditions of the Single Audit Act of 1984, P.L. 98-502, as amended by the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996, P.L. 104-156, and as defined in 2 CFR 200. Please be aware that this threshold will be increased to $1,000,000 effective October 1, 2024.

State Requirements: Agencies spending $750,000 or more total State Financial Assistance in the agency fiscal year are required to comply with the conditions of 2 AAC 45.010-090. The current regulations may be viewed at the State of Alaska, Department of Law website, Department of Law Document Library, or copies may be obtained from the contact identified on the cover page of the RFP.

Information on State and Federal Single Audit Acts compliance may be obtained from:

State Single Audit Coordinator
Department of Administration
Division of Finance
PO Box 110204
Juneau, AK 99811-0204
Telephone: (907) 465-4666
Fax: (907) 465-2169

Department of Health Program Audit Requirements: All DOH grantees are subject to the requirements of 7 AAC 78.230. If awarded, agencies which are not required to file State Single Audits under 2 AAC 45.010 must ensure a fiscal audit of the agency operations under the grant program is performed by an independent, licensed, certified public accountant at least once every two years and submitted to:

State of Alaska Department of Health
Finance and Management Services
Audit Section
PO Box 110602
Juneau, AK  99811-0602
Telephone: (907) 465-3120

Facility, Service Access, and Safety:

1. The applicant must maintain policies and procedures which address potential safety concerns for clients and staff in the management of services proposed in response to this RFP.
2. The applicant must maintain policies and procedures in regard to client accessibility to services.
3. All applicants for Department grants should have a written plan for emergency response and recovery that provides for potential safety concerns and the safe evacuation of clients and staff. This plan is mandatory for agencies providing residential and/or critical care services as noted in the State Grant 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:

1. Applicants must coordinate with internal and external partners to effectively serve the proposed target population. Applying organizations will provide examples of how they have engaged or will engage the community and target population in the planning and implementation of opioid remediation activities.
2. A current letter of support from the administration of the applying organization must be included in the proposal and demonstrate the leadership’s understanding of work to be conducted, the application of funds towards a minimum 0.25 FTE for applicants, and travel and training requirements as a condition of this award. The letter of support must be signed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) AND division or department head in which the program will reside.
3. All applicants must provide tangible demonstration of necessary partnerships and cooperative agreements in response to this proposal, internal as well as external. Letters of commitment are acceptable, a minimum of one letter up to three letters is sufficient. 

3.01Eligibility

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 Areas; nonprofit organizations and consortia of nonprofits; and Alaska Native entities. As follows, eligibility will be verified by Grants and Contracts.

1. Political subdivisions of the state and Regional Educational Attendance Areas will be verified by State records.
2. Eligible nonprofits are listed in the State's database of registered nonprofit entities or the US Internal Revenue Service's register of tax-exempt organizations. Nonprofit subsidiaries of nonprofit corporations must also provide a letter from the parent organization confirming nonprofit status.
3. Alaska Native entities as defined in 7 AAC 78.950(1) must submit, with the application, a legally binding resolution waiving the 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 RFP including all identified attachments and guidelines, 7 AAC 78, and any other applicable statutes and regulations. Copies of these may be accessed through the contact person identified on the cover page 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 the awarded 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

Applicants should immediately review this RFP for defects and questionable or confusing content. Questions that can be answered by directing the applicant to a specific section in the RFP may be answered verbally by the contact person identified on the RFP cover page. Questions that cannot be answered by directing an applicant to a specific section of the RFP may be declared substantive. 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 and/or clarifications to all prospective applicants.

Applicants are responsible for monitoring GEMS or the State’s Online Public Notices website (Online Public Notices) for any 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 and Content

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

The applicant is responsible for the content of the proposal.

3.05Duration

This RFP is for a three-year period, beginning 7/1/2024 through 6/30/2027. At the discretion of the Department, a project funded under this RFP may be considered for continued funding in subsequent program year(s). The annual decision to continue funding for the subsequent year(s) of the three-year grant cycle is based on the following general conditions:

1. the Department's judgment that there is a continued need for the grant project service;
2. the grantee's satisfactory performance during the previous grant year;
3. the availability of sufficient grant program funds, and whether continuation of the financing is consistent with public health and welfare; and
4. the ability of the grantee and the Department to agree on any adjustments in payments or service.

Applicants will submit a budget proposal for year one of the grant only. Funding in each subsequent year will require submission and approval of documents needed to update service plans, evaluation measures, and budgets. Grants and Contracts will notify grantees of specific submission requirements necessary to qualify for consideration of continued funding.

3.06Proposal Review

Following the deadline for receipt of proposals, no revisions will be accepted unless provided in response to a request from the contact person named in this RFP. Proposals will be reviewed as follows:

1. Proposals will be evaluated in a manner that will avoid disclosure of contents before notices of grant award have been issued.
2. Department of Health staff will evaluate each proposal for minimum responsiveness and other technical requirements and eliminate nonresponsive proposals from consideration.
3. Using the criteria set out in this RFP and 7 AAC 78.100 (Criteria for Review of Proposals), Department staff will evaluate each responsive proposal. Scores for each criterion will be based solely on the response to the associated question. Points will not be earned if the information was provided in response to another question in Section 4. Department staff will also review relevant departmental documentation regarding the applicant. Staff recommendations regarding awards and levels of funding will include consideration of the following:
   1. a history of the applicant's compliance with grant requirements, to include records of program performance, on-site program reviews, and prior year audits;
   2. priorities in applicable State health and social services plans;
   3. requirements of applicable State and federal statutes; and
   4. municipal ordinances or regulations applicable to the grant program.

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 proposed services, the Department may appoint a Proposal Evaluation Committee (PEC) as an additional advisory body. PEC members will initially evaluate proposals, independently of other committee members. As a committee the PEC will meet in a closed session (7 AAC 78.090 Review of Proposals) to further review proposals and develop recommendations. Scores will be assigned based on the applicant's response to each individual question and the associated criteria. Applicants will not earn points for a given question based on a response to another question in the RFP. The PEC review will include discussion of each proposal’s merits. PEC recommendations will rank proposals in priority order and include approval or disapproval for award, modifications to the proposed project, and special compliance conditions.

All staff advisory recommendations and, if applicable, those of the PEC, and all review materials will be submitted for consideration by the Division Director, who will make recommendations to the Commissioner of the Department of Health or the Commissioner's designee.

3.07Final Decision Authority

Recommendations are advisory only, including those from any PEC that may be held. The final decision to approve or disapprove award, the amount of each award, and whether to impose special conditions or modifications rests with the Commissioner or Commissioner's designee.

NOTE: The final decision may include additional considerations, such as a lack or duplication of services in certain locations, or alternative services that may be available; a critical need for services by vulnerable populations; and matters of health, life and safety. The Department has the responsibility to ensure public monies are utilized in a manner that protects the interests of the people of the State and retains the right to make final awards that ensure responsible distribution of grant funds.

3.08Notification of Grant Award and Appeals

Within fifteen (15) days after the decision regarding grant awards, applicants will be notified of the final funding decisions, and, if awarded, any conditions of award or modifications. Following any necessary negotiations for revisions to the proposed budget and scope of services, successful 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.

With a copy to the contact identified on the solicitation cover page, send appeal to:

Heidi Hedberg, Commissioner
Department of Health
3601 C Street, Suite 902
Anchorage, Alaska 99503-5923

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. The Department may withdraw this RFP 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 State 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 to be in the best interest of the State.

4.01Minimum Responsiveness Criterion 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

Response & 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/Coordination of Service