Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Program

The Rural Health Clinic Technical Assistance Program is a five-year cooperative agreement funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration under the Department of Health and Human Services, with a performance period spanning July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2031. The program aims to deliver nationwide technical assistance to Rural Health Clinics by identifying and addressing critical policy, regulatory, programmatic, and clinical challenges affecting rural healthcare delivery. Award recipients are expected to provide targeted support through evidence-based tools, training webinars, digital platforms, and direct consultation, ensuring national reach and accessibility to RHCs across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. The initiative emphasizes coordination with existing federal and state efforts, particularly requiring disclosure of any involvement with the CMS Rural Transformation Program to ensure non-duplication and complementarity. Applicants must demonstrate strong organizational capacity, qualified staff, and a clear plan for measuring outcomes, with a merit review weighting of 100 points distributed across need, response, performance reporting, impact, resources and capabilities, and budget reasonableness. Evaluation is based on a trade-off approach, considering technical merit, risk, available funding, and alignment with HRSA’s strategic priorities rather than strict lowest-cost selection. Proposals must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by July 8, 2026, adhering to strict formatting requirements including 12-point font, 1-inch margins, and a 50-page limit on narrative and supporting documents, excluding budget forms and CMS disclosure materials. Required attachments include a detailed work plan, staffing plan with job descriptions, biographical sketches for key personnel, multi-year budget documentation, and optional supplemental materials. All applicants must be registered in SAM.gov and hold an active Unique Entity Identifier, with entities receiving awards over $250,000 subject to further assessment via SAM.gov records. The recipient must comply with 2 CFR Part 200, the HHS Grants Policy Statement, 45 CFR 170 for health IT standards, and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. The project director must have at least five years of relevant professional experience. While no traditional FAR contract clauses are included due to the cooperative agreement structure, the award incorporates program-specific compliance mandates, performance reporting through FAPISS, and adherence to federal anti-discrimination laws. The contracting officer and technical point of contact are designated as Beverly H. Smith and Lindsey Nienstedt, respectively, with financial and administrative oversight following standard federal