1.01Introduction and Program Description

The Department of Health (Department or DOH), Division of Behavioral Health (Division or DBH), is requesting proposals from eligible applicants to provide Residential Substance Use Disorder (SUD) services through the CBHTR (Comprehensive Behavioral Health Treatment and Recovery) Residential Withdrawal Management and Residential SUD program for the Southeast region of the State of Alaska from February 1, 2025 through FY2026.

Program services are authorized under 7 AAC 78 Grant Programs. Additional governing statutes are AS 47.30.475 Grant-in-Aid Program, AS 47.30.520-620 Community Mental Health Services Act, 7AAC 70 Behavioral Health Services, 7AAC 135 Medicaid Coverage for Behavioral Health Services, AS 47.37 Uniform Alcoholism and Intoxication Treatment Act, AS 47.30.655-.915 Alaska Civil Commitment Statutes, and AS 47.30.011 - .061 Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority. State of Alaska statutes and regulations are accessible at  the Department of Law Document Library or through the grants administrator identified on the cover page of this Request for Proposals (RFP).

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 to provide Residential Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Services:

The goals for this program are to treat adults who, because of specific functional limitations, need safe and stable settings to develop and demonstrate sufficient recovery skills so that they can maintain their recovery upon transfer to a less intensive level of care.

The general overall goals for Residential SUD Treatment services are:

• Providing timely, accessible care
• Providing effective care as indicated by program outcomes
• Utilization of evidence-based practices
• Provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services
• Provision of trauma-informed services
• Promotion of recovery, resilience, and community integration. 

The applicant must clearly identify the service to be provided.

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

1.03Program Services/Activities

RESIDENTIAL SUD TREATMENT 

Proposed Residential SUD Treatment services must meet ASAM Level 3.1, 3.3, 3.5, or 3.7 criteria for adults found in the ASAM 3rd Edition Criteria Text, and the proposed ASAM Level to be provided must be identified.

Level 3.1 services may be offered in a freestanding, appropriately licensed facility located in a community setting (3.3 Adult Only), and 3.5 services are provided in a 24-hour supportive treatment environment, typically in a residential treatment facility or a therapeutic community with a length of stay determined by medical necessity and by appropriate, clinically trained staff (as stated in section 2.02 of this RFP). The duration of treatment depends upon medical/clinical necessity. Residential treatment assists individuals whose addiction is currently so unmanageable that they need 24-hour treatment to initiate or continue a recovery process that has failed to progress. Their needs cannot safely be treated in less intensive levels of care. Note: Priority admissions are required for pregnant injection-drug users, pregnant women, injection-drug users, and Office of Children Services (OCS-engaged) families.

Support Services must include:

• Availability of emergency services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week;
• Direct affiliations with other levels of care or close coordination through referral to more and less intensive levels of care and other services (such as vocational assessment and training, literacy training, and adult education); and
• Arranged medical, psychiatric, psychological, laboratory, and toxicology services as appropriate to the severity and urgency of the patient's condition, including the use of pharmacotherapy to treat their addiction as clinically relevant.

Therapies must include:

• Clinical services to improve the patient's ability to structure and organize tasks of daily living and recovery (such as personal responsibility, personal appearance, and punctuality), and to develop and practice pro-social behaviors.
• Planned clinical program activities to stabilize and maintain stabilization of the patient's addiction symptoms, and to help him or her develop and apply recovery skills. Activities may include relapse prevention, exploring interpersonal choices, and development of a social network supportive of recovery. Counseling and clinical monitoring to promote successful initial involvement or reinforcement in regular, productive daily activity such as work or school and, as indicated, successful reintegration into family living.
• Random drug screening to shape behavior and reinforcement treatment gains as appropriate to the patient's individual treatment plan.
• A range of evidence-based cognitive, behavioral and other therapies administered on an individual and group basis, medication education and management, addiction pharmacotherapy, educational skill building groups, and occupational or recreational activities adapted to the patient's development stage and level of comprehension, understanding and physical abilities. This therapy includes facilitating access to all forms of medication for opioid use disorder including methadone, buprenorphine, and buprenorphine/naloxone. 
• Motivational enhancement and engagement strategies appropriate to the patient's stage of readiness and desire to change. Motivational therapies and other evidence-based practices are used in preference to confrontational strategies.
• Counseling and clinical interventions to facilitate teaching the patient the skills needed for productive daily activity (such as work or school) and, as indicated, successful reintegration into family living. Health education services are also provided.
• Monitoring of the patient's adherence to taking any prescribed medications, and/or any permitted over-the-counter medications or supplements.
• Planned clinical activities to enhance the patient's understanding of his or her substance use and/or mental disorders.
• Scheduled professional services, including interdisciplinary assessments and treatment designed to develop and apply recovery skills. Such services may include relapse prevention, exploring interpersonal choices, and development of a social network supportive of recovery. Such services also may include medical services, nursing services, individual and group counseling, psychotherapy, family therapy, educational and skills-building groups, occupational and recreational therapies including art, music, or movement therapies, physical therapy, and vocational rehabilitation activities.
• Planned community reinforcement designed to foster pro-social values and milieu or community-living skills.

Assessment/Treatment Plan must include:

• An individualized, comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessment of the patient's substance use or addictive disorder conducted or updated by staff who are knowledgeable about addiction treatment. This assessment is used to confirm the appropriateness of placement, and to help guide the individualized treatment planning process, which is focused on the patient's strengths, needs, abilities, preferences, and desired goals.
• An individualized treatment plan, which includes problem formulation and articulation of short-term measurable treatment goals and activities designed to achieve those goals. The plan is developed in collaboration with the patient and reflects the patient's personal goals while considering the capabilities and resources available to achieve the patient's personal goals.
• A bio-psychosocial assessment, treatment plan, and updates that reflect the patient's clinical progress, as reviewed by an interdisciplinary treatment team in collaboration with the patient.
• A physical examination, performed within a reasonable time, as determined by the patient's medical condition consistent with facility policy or legal requirements.

Documentation must include:

1. Alaska Automated Information Management System (AKAIMS) Minimal Data Set.
2. Individualized progress notes that clearly reflect implementation of the treatment plan and the patient's response to therapeutic interventions for all disorders treated, as well as subsequent amendments to the plan.
3. Documentation in the treatment plan of treatment plan reviews conducted at specified times.

Applicants for this RFP agree to comply with all of the following Residential SUD Treatment program requirements and service standards:

• Residential SUD Treatment services are intended to serve individuals who require structured therapy and 24-hour programmatic milieu to promote treatment progress and recovery.
• Residential SUD Treatment services are intended to serve those individuals who present with severe substance use disorders.
• Residential SUD Treatment services are intended to serve those individuals transferring into services after withdrawal management but are not yet ready for outpatient treatment, and who need immediate placement into Residential SUD Treatment but most often encounter wait lists and repeated failures to be admitted.
• The Division also requires the provider to demonstrate the capability of providing co-occurring mental health services, either on-site or closely coordinated off-site as appropriate to the individual needs of the client.
• Applicants responding to this RFP must demonstrate the capability of maintaining a person recently initiated into a MAT program, including transportation, assisting with the storage and/or administration of all forms of medication for opioid use disorder including methadone, buprenorphine, and buprenorphine/naloxone.

Applicants will upload a timeline for the initiation of services and project activities beginning February 1, 2025. Please note that priority will be given to those applications proposing to provide category 3.5 Residential Services.  

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.

Providers must agree to accept all individuals eligible for services, regardless of their ability to pay.

1.04Program Evaluation Requirements and Reporting

Results Based Budgeting Framework

Results based budgeting provides a framework in which allocated resources support, and are justified by, a set of outputs and expected results. Within this framework, actual performance and achieved outcomes are measured by objective 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 of Effectiveness and Efficiency for this program are:

• Providing timely, accessible care
• Providing effective care as indicated by program outcomes
• Utilization of evidence-based practices
• Provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services
• Provision of trauma-informed services
• Promotion of recovery, resilience, and community integration.

Department Priorities

• 1 Health & Wellness Across the Life Span

Department Core Services

• 1.1 Protect and Promote the Health of Alaskans

Department Objective 

• 1.2 Decrease Substance Use and Dependency

Performance Measures of Effectiveness and Efficiency

• Efficiency: Maintain a bed utilization of at least 85%
• Effectiveness: Meet or exceed the State average for program completion rates as documented in AKAIMS (to include Satisfactory Completion or Referral to another program with satisfactory progress, or Transfer to another facility for health reasons)

The applicant's proposed evaluation plan will incorporate the performance measures of effectiveness and efficiency identified above. Applicants can propose additional performance measures for evaluating the project’s progress in achieving results supportive of program goals and outcomes. (The applicant's evaluation plan must include indicators and data-gathering strategies that will be used.)

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: The target population for the solicited services is adults with substance use disorders or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.

Service Areas and Communities: The service area and communities requested for the services solicited are the following regions of the State of Alaska:

• Region 7 - the Northern Southeast Region; and
• Region 8 - the Southern Southeast Region.

(Please refer to the map in Attachment 1 of this RFP).

1.06Program Funding

One award will be funded through this solicitation. Funds available for this program are  $202,594.70 for FY25 (February 1, 2025 - June 30, 2025), and $270,126.27 for FY26 ($472,720.97 funding total) from Substance Abuse Prevention and Fed Rcpts. program.‬

(Match Requirement: The budget must include matching funds equal to 25.00% of the proposed Department funds. Calculate required match with the following formula:

                         Total Requested Grant Award x Required Match Percentage = Required Match

Federal grant funds may not be used to match federal funds awarded through this grant program, and State grant funds may not be used to match State funds awarded through this grant program.

Eligible sources of matching funds include:

• Local Cash: local sources, including local tax receipts, municipal revenue sharing, cash donations
• Local In-Kind:  donated items of value for which the applicant incurs no cost, including volunteer labor and donations of supplies, equipment, space
• Other Sources:  government and non-government grant awards, third party receipts, direct receipts such as gaming or sales of goods
• Grant Income: earnings anticipated as a result of this project proposal receiving award, and Medicaid reimbursements if award of this grant is required for the applicant to bill Medicaid for awarded services
• Medicaid: includes Medicaid which is not Grant Income, as well as other third-party receipts)

Proposed Budget: The applicant must submit a budget proposal for February 1 - June 30, 2025 of FY25 only, which is within the first fiscal year of the project. The proposed budget detail and narrative (including required match) will support the program's results-based service delivery and staffing requirements stated in this RFP.

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 applying 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 recently updated Federal Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 now allows that agency to budget the 15% De Minimis.

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 expenditures 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.

2.02Project Staffing

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

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

Also, specific to Residential SUD Services:

• Licensed or credentialed clinical staff such as addiction counselors, social workers and licensed professional counselors to work with the allied health professional staff in an interdisciplinary team approach.
• Allied health professional staff, such as counselor aides or group living workers, on-site 24 hours a day. One or more clinicians with competence in the treatment of substance use disorders are available onsite or by telephone 24 hours a day.
• Clinical staff knowledgeable about the biological and psychosocial dimensions of substance use and mental health disorders and their treatment.

2.03Administrative, Management, and Facility Requirements

The applicant must demonstrate the agency's sustainable fiscal and administrative capacity.  As part of the pre-award risk assessment required under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 20, executive, administrative, and financial staff must be qualified, as indicated by the resumes of position holders uploaded as an element of the proposal.

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.

The agency who receives an award will be required to submit additional agency information if the agency GEMS record is not current.

Audit Requirements:

Federal Requirements: Agencies spending $1,000,000 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.

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 DHSS 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 and Social Services
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 address potential safety concerns for clients and staff in the management of services proposed in response to this RFP.
2. The applicant should describe client accessibility to services and the way in which that will enhance project success.
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. Community support where services are proposed;
2. Involvement of the public and potential service recipients in the planning process;
3. Partnerships and collaborations specific to the proposed project; and
4. Coordination with necessary referring agencies and the role of each described.

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 non-profit entities or the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 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.
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.

Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) requirements: In accordance with 2 CFR Chapter 1, Part 170 Reporting Sub-Award and Executive Compensation Information, reporting is required of any grant award with federal funding equal to or greater than $30,000. FFATA is intended to hold the federal government accountable for spending decisions. Accountability data is available to the public at U.S. Government spending. Reporting requirements extend to recipients of State-issued awards with federal funds. An Agency Power User must complete the FFATA form under Federal Reporting in the GEMS Agency Administration tab. The report data will reflect the audited figures of the agency's most recently completed fiscal year. The report captures expenses and executive compensation for your agency. More information regarding FFATA requirements can be found at:    Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act Subaward Reporting System.

Effective April 4th, 2022, the U.S. federal government transitioned from the Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to a System for Award Management (SAM)-generated Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) alpha-numeric value for federal awards management. All grantees receiving awards with federal funds are required to have a UEI. More information regarding this transition can be found on the U.S. General Services Administration.

The Grants Electronic Management System (GEMS) has been updated to include fields for both the DUNS nine-digit number and the UEI twelve-digit alpha-numeric value under the General section of the Agency Administration tab. An Agency Power User must confirm the current UEI number is listed in GEMS. The DUNS number will continue to be displayed in GEMS until further notice.

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.

If this grant program includes federal funding, effective November 12, 2020, Federal Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 requires that agencies be registered on the System for Award Management (SAM) website at System for Award Management (SAM). If an applicant is recommended for award and is not registered on this site, the offered award will not be executed, and funds will not be issued until agency registration is confirmed.

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 grants administrator 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 17-month period, beginning 2/1/2025 through 6/30/2026. 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 remaining 18-month 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 February 1 - June 30, 2025 only. Funding in subsequent year(s) 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.

This RFP applies to fiscal year FY2025, 2/1/2025 through 6/30/2026.

3.06Proposal Review

Following the deadline for receipt of proposals, no revisions will be accepted unless provided in response to a request from the grants administrator 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