RFA RHTP Rural Partners Amendment 2.docx

This is a Second Amendment to a Request for Applications issued by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services for the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Rural Partners. The amendment modifies the application submission deadline, requiring all applications to be submitted through COMMBUYS no later than 5:00 PM ET on Monday, November 9, 2026. The RHTP represents an $800 million, five-year federal investment designed to strengthen healthcare access, improve population health, and advance long-term health and well-being across rural Massachusetts. Eligible applicants are rural-located facilities, providers, municipalities, and community organizations serving communities designated as Rural Level 1 or Rural Level 2 under the Massachusetts Department of Public Health rural classification system, which encompasses 150+ towns across 14 Massachusetts counties organized into 13 geographic clusters. The scope spans seven initiative areas: Population Health Advancement, Innovation in Rural Care Models, Training Healthcare for Retention Innovation and Excellence (THRIVE), Healthy Rural Communities, Enhancing Technology Interoperability and Connectivity, and Facility Modernization and Re-Use. The initial participation period runs from October 30, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Capital funding varies by entity type, with rural hospitals eligible to request up to $2.5 million, primary care sites up to $1.5 million, and nursing facilities up to $1 million per facility. Total available funding is $162,005,238.13, provided 100 percent by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services through federal financial assistance. Direct funding award amounts will be determined following application review based on the number and scope of eligible applications, available funding within each activity area, program priorities, and implementation support needs. Awardees will be sub-recipients subject to OMB Circular A-133 audit requirements and compliance with applicable federal regulations. Partner Validation Forms are required for all named partners, and applications must be submitted electronically through COMMBUYS; hard copy submissions are not accepted.