Ohio Department of Health-Rural Health Transformation (RHT)-Rural Hospital Training and Technical Assistance Center (RHTAC)-DOH59719

The Ohio Department of Health is requesting proposals for a Rural Hospital Training and Technical Assistance Center to provide no-cost technical assistance, training, and workshops to Ohio's rural hospitals and critical access hospitals, with proposals due October 20, 2026, by 3:00 p.m. via OhioBuys. An MBE set-aside program applies, awarding 0–50 evaluation points based on percentage of work allocated to Ohio-certified MBEs (minimum 1–5% for 10 points, scaling to 25% or greater for 50 points).

The contractor must deliver a training needs assessment, conduct a minimum of 10 training events annually with at least 50 participants each, provide on-demand technical assistance to rural hospitals, develop sustainability plans for critical access hospitals, and plan and implement an annual Ohio RHT Summit. Mandatory qualifications include a minimum of five years of demonstrated experience providing technical assistance and training to Ohio's rural hospitals, demonstrated capacity to manage funds according to federal and state cost principles, and expertise in financial solvency, sustainability, healthcare operations, and quality improvement. Administrative costs are capped at 10% of the total award under federal Rural Health Transformation Program guidelines.

The initial contract period runs from November 2, 2026, through June 30, 2027, with two optional renewal periods: July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2029, and July 1, 2029, through June 30, 2031, contingent on legislative appropriation and satisfactory performance. The estimated budget does not exceed $1 million. Technical proposals (limited to 10 pages) are evaluated on a 500-point scale; cost proposals on a 200-point scale. A minimum technical score of 300 points (60% of the maximum) is required for contract consideration. Questions are due October 13, 2026, by 3:00 p.m. Proposals must be submitted electronically with separate technical and cost envelopes. ODH reserves the right to conduct interviews, request best and final offers, or reject any proposal and cancel the RFP.