Alaska Rural Health Transformation Program: Opportunity for Public Comment on Fall 2026 Evaluation Frameworks

The Alaska Department of Health (DOH) is seeking public comment on draft evaluation frameworks proposed for use in the Fall 2026 Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding cycle. The draft frameworks reflect lessons from the first RHTP funding round and proposed updates to how individual applications are evaluated and how projects are considered as part of the overall RHTP funding portfolio. Public feedback will help DOH refine the frameworks before they are finalized. The draft materials available for comment include: • Project Application Evaluation Framework – Implementation Pathway: This framework will be used to evaluate applications for projects that are ready to move into implementation. It includes the criteria, scoring descriptions, weights, and advancement threshold used in project-level review. • Project Application Evaluation Framework – Planning Pathway: This new framework will be used to evaluate planning applications. It uses the same overall criteria and weights as the implementation framework, with scoring descriptions adapted to reflect projects that are still in the planning and development stage. • Portfolio Analysis Review Framework: This framework describes how projects that meet the project-level evaluation threshold will be considered together during portfolio review. It includes considerations such as geography, RHTP initiative, population served, organization and service type, planning versus implementation, Department focus areas, and applicable federal funding requirements. Each framework is posted in two versions: a clean version and a version marked with tracked changes to show updates from the frameworks used in the first funding cycle. Because a separate planning evaluation framework did not exist in the first cycle, both the Implementation Pathway and Planning Pathway frameworks are shown against the single project evaluation framework previously used. Summary of Changes DOH has also published a Summary of Changes to the Project Evaluation and Portfolio Analysis Frameworks. This companion document highlights the key changes from the prior frameworks and explains the rationale for each. It is intended as a guide to the proposed updates; commenters should review the full draft frameworks for the complete evaluation criteria, scoring descriptions, and portfolio review process. Together, the three draft frameworks and the summary of changes are intended to help applicants and other interested parties understand both how projects will be evaluated and what has changed from the prior funding cycle. How to Comment DOH welcomes feedback on the clarity, structure, and substance of these draft evaluation tools. Written comments may be submitted via email to RHTP@alaska.gov, or by mail to State of Alaska, Department of Health, Commissioner’s Office, Rural Health Transformation Program, 3601 C Street, Suite 902, Anchorage, Alaska 99503. Please include Public Comment on RHTP Evaluation Frameworks in the subject line of your email or written materials. Comments are due by October 9, 2026, at 5:00 pm Alaska time. DOH will review comments received before finalizing the frameworks. Final versions will be posted publicly before they are used in Fall 2026 funding decisions. Public Nature of Comments: Public comments, once submitted, are public records and subject to disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act. See AS 40.25.100 - 40.25.295. Please do NOT include in your comments or questions any information that you do not want made public. Accommodations: If you are a person with a disability who needs a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact the RHTP program team at RHTP@alaska.gov, or by telephone at (907) 269-7800 by October 2, 2026, to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided. This project is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $272,174,855.72 million, with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.