Rural Health Link - Vehicle Acquisition and Service Expansion Grant Program

The West Virginia Department of Health administers the State's Rural Health Transformation Program under executive leadership and oversight of the Office of the Governor. West Virginia received an initial Rural Health Transformation Program financial assistance award totaling $199,476,098.72, funded 100 percent by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Rural Health Link is one of seven initiatives within the State program and is intended to address transportation capacity gaps that limit healthcare access for rural residents. The Vehicle Acquisition and Service Operations funding opportunity will support one or more grantees capable of expanding transportation supply and operational capacity across West Virginia, with an emphasis on non-emergency medical transportation and improved access to healthcare and wrap around services. The funding is intended to expand transportation capacity, improve operational efficiency and coordination, increase geographic coverage and service availability, and reduce transportation-related barriers to care. Applicants may propose vehicle acquisition, staffing, service delivery enhancements, expanded service hours, improved fleet utilization, dispatch integration, and other activities that create measurable transportation capacity beyond existing operations. Newly acquired vehicles require CMS prior approval before purchase. Applicants must develop fleet acquisition and deployment plans, recruit and train qualified drivers and support staff, establish vehicle readiness and maintenance protocols, integrate operations with regional dispatch and State-designated systems, and report performance data. Funding may not merely replace aging assets or maintain existing operations without measurable expansion or transformation, and it may not supplant existing State, local, tribal, or private funding. Other prohibited costs include pre-award costs, new construction, duplicate payments for otherwise reimbursable clinical services, lobbying with award funds, and other costs prohibited by applicable federal requirements. A total of $2,340,000 is available for Vehicle Acquisition and Service Expansion. Applicants may apply for the ceiling amount, and the State intends to make awards to more than one grantee but reserves the right to select one grantee based on application quality and geographic coverage. Funding is for one year and is released through State-approved milestones. The funding schedule assigns 30 percent, or $702,000, to initial start-up costs; 25 percent, or $585,000, to Milestone 1; 30 percent, or $702,000, to Milestone 2; and 15 percent, or $351,000, to Milestone 3. An initial advance is available for allowable start-up costs, while subsequent payments are reimbursement-based and contingent upon achievement and verification of milestones. A private match may be provided but is not required. Administrative and indirect costs combined may not exceed 10 percent of the total subaward amount per budget period. Eligible applicants include transportation providers, public transit agencies, healthcare-affiliated transportation entities, and other organizations with demonstrated experience operating transportation services and managing vehicle fleets. Applicants must demonstrate the operational capability to deploy vehicles, recruit and manage drivers, satisfy safety and insurance requirements, and integrate with regional dispatch and coordination systems. The geographic scope encompasses all counties in West Virginia. Competitive applicants should demonstrate operational readiness, measurable expansion beyond existing services, a credible performance and reporting framework, and long-term operational and financial sustainability. Applicants must also support integration of county-level, programmatic, and outcome data with the State-led RHTP data spine or State-approved interim reporting mechanisms. Applications must be submitted through the WVOASIS Vendor Self-Serve Portal. Required application materials include an application narrative addressing Organizational Capacity, Experience, and Readiness; Impact of the Project on Health Outcomes; Feasibility and Implementation Plan; and Long-term Project Sustainability. Applicants must include resumes of key program members, a detailed task- and outcomes-oriented GANTT chart through September 2027, a Detailed Line-Item Budget, a Budget Narrative-Justification, a Grantee Contact List containing at least two contacts covering applicable administrative, financial, program, and reporting functions, and a County-Level Service Form identifying counties to be served and estimated population served. Applicants must have or obtain a Unique Entity Identifier and must have an active registration with the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office. Applications are scored on Organizational Capacity, Experience, and Readiness at 25 percent; Impact of the Project on Health Outcomes at 20 percent; Feasibility and Implementation Plan at 20 percent; Long-Term Project Sustainability at 20 percent; and Budget at 15 percent. An application must score at least 80 percent to be funded. The opportunity was released August 21, 2026, and applications close September 4, 2026, with the WVOASIS page specifying 11:59 PM EDT. Applicant questions are due by the end of August 26, 2026 and should be submitted using the AFA Question and Answer Form; technical assistance inquiries may be sent in writing to Gwyndolyn.m.McGee@wv.gov. The WVOASIS opportunity page identifies Rural Health Transformation Program coordinator Mike Sheets at mike.sheets@wv.gov and 681-542-4971. No separate letter of intent, concept paper, or other pre-application gating stage is identified. The funding period extends through September 30, 2027, although the AFA separately requires successful applicants to fully expend awarded funds and submit invoices to the State by July 31, 2027. Continued funding in future years is not guaranteed and depends on subsequent CMS awards, satisfactory grantee performance and compliance, and State determination.

Demonstrate measurable transportation expansion beyond current operations rather than simple vehicle replacement; show rapid operational readiness and a clear fleet acquisition and deployment plan; connect transportation investments to healthcare access and measurable outcomes; demonstrate regional dispatch and State data integration readiness; address all scored criteria and target at least the required 80% score; provide a credible path to financial sustainability independent of RHTP funding within 24-36 months; clearly distinguish allowable new or expanded capacity from prohibited supplanting