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666877 - FY27 RFP COMPADM26008 Combat Cancer Health Hubs Round 2
Funding Opportunity Details

Healthy Hometowns

Final Application Deadline: Jun 17, 2026 12:00 PM

  • Status Posted

    Posted Date May 8, 2026 9:36 AM

    Award Amount RangeNot Applicable

    Project Dates 08/17/2026 - 09/30/2031

    Award Announcement Date 08/07/2026

    Categorical Area

    Recurring Opportunity No

Description
Description

  • It is the responsibility of the Applicant to review all Attachments listed below for additional details regarding this Funding Opportunity.

    The issuance of this Funding Opportunity in no way constitutes a commitment by Iowa HHS to award a contract.

    Excerpts from the RFP: 

    1.01     Purpose  

    The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) # COMPADM26008 is to solicit applications that will enable the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (referred to as Agency) to select the most qualified applicants to serve as cancer Hub and Spoke sites. The purpose of developing Hub and Spoke sites is to increase access to and availability of cancer treatment in Rural Iowa. Through the Healthy Hometowns Rural Health Transformation Program, Iowa is working toward innovative and transformative models of healthcare delivery to best serve rural Iowans.  

    Hub and Spoke sites will work collaboratively to increase access to chemotherapy in Rural Iowa. The Hub and Spoke sites will also increase access to additional forms of cancer treatment, management, screening, and diagnostics at Spoke sites by developing and implementing networks that include: 

    • Adding new chemotherapy lines of service at Spoke sites or the creation of additional capacity at existing Rural chemotherapy sites via additional infusion chairs, increased hours of operation, or other solutions that increase the number of patients receiving chemotherapy in Rural communities, 

    • Coordinating care for patients between Hub and Spoke sites, resulting in treatment provided locally at the Spoke site whenever possible and appropriate visits to the Hub site coordinated to maximize appointment time and reduce the amount of travel needed for completion of the care plan, 

    • Conducting remote consultation with medical personnel located at Hub sites, including tele-oncology services, 

    • Developing virtual Tumor Boards that allow medical professionals at Spoke sites to work collaboratively with medical professionals at the Hub site to diagnose patients and develop treatment plans that include care at the Spoke whenever possible and at the Hub site when necessary,  

    • Developing solutions for virtual visits and exchanging records and data between Hubs and Spokes. 

    • Developing and executing referral agreements, telehealth agreements, and innovative payment models to support the long-term success of the Hub and Spoke network, 

    • Expanding access to specialty services in a financially sustainable manner,  

    • Streamlining or centralizing functions to create cost savings,  

    • Improving the financial viability of Rural providers,  

    • Preserving independence of Rural providers,  

    • Keeping care local in Rural communities when possible and appropriate,  

    • Developing models of sustainability for rural cancer providers,  

    • Supporting long-term sustainability planning, including workforce development, tele-oncology integration, and alignment with Commission on Cancer (CoC) standards, and 

    • Implementing transformational models of care that makes Iowa a nationwide leader for positive Rural health outcomes. 

    Applicants for this RFP will be proposed Hub sites. Hub sites will indicate proposed subcontractors (three sites) to serve as Spoke sites. Spoke sites may include, but are not limited to, community hospitals, critical access hospitals, rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, or independent oncology practices. Hubs may have more than three Spokes, but only three will be considered in the evaluation of this procurement and only three will be supported financially through these funds unless prior written approval is given by the Agency to financially support additional Spokes. Hub and Spoke sites are expected to work collaboratively on this application, but ultimately the proposed Hub site will be responsible for application submission and leading the work of successful networks. The Hub site must provide copies of legally executed agreements with their proposed Spoke sites to demonstrate their agreement to work on this project collaboratively. These agreements must show evidence that the budget submitted in this application has been mutually agreed upon by the Hub and the Spoke.  

    Applicants will have the opportunity to apply for an approximate total five-year award of $26,731,178. The Agency reserves the right to award a different dollar amount if this is best for achieving statewide coverage of cancer care in Rural Iowa or meeting other Agency needs regarding cancer care, as determined solely by the Agency.  

    This procurement is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling approximately $209,040,063.71 over a five-year period with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official view of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government.  

    This work implements a portion of the Combat Cancer: Prevent and Treat initiative of the Iowa Healthy Hometowns Project, funded through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Rural Health Transformation Program, opportunity #: CMS-RHT-26-001. 

     

    1.06 Schedule of Important Dates (All times and dates listed are local Iowa time.) 

    The following dates are set forth for informational purposes. The Agency reserves the right to change them. 

    EVENT 

    DATE 

    RFP Issued 

    May 8, 2026 

    Letter of Intent (Mandatory) 

    June 3, 2026  

    Written Questions and Responses 

     

    Round 1 Questions Due: 

    Responses Posted By: 

    May 20, 2026, by 4:00 PM 

    May 27, 2026 

    Round 2 Questions Due: 

    Responses Posted By: 

    June 3, 2026, by 4:00 PM 

    June 10, 2026 

    Applications Due 

    June 17, 2026, by 12:00 PM (noon) 

    Applicant’s Oral Presentations, if requested by the Agency 

    On or around August 3, 2026 

    Post Notice of Intent to Award 

    On or around August 7, 2026 
Attachments
Attachments
DescriptionFile NameTypeSizeUpload Date
A - RFP#COMPADM26008 Combat Cancer Health Hubs Round 2A - RFPCOMPADM26008 Combat Cancer Health Hubs Round 2.pdfpdf562 KB05/08/2026 09:31 AM
B - Work Plan Formatting Specifications for RFP COMPADM26008B - Work Plan Formatting Specifications for RFP COMPADM26008.pdfpdf114 KB05/08/2026 09:32 AM
C - HHS Application Instructions_Guidance New IGC - HHS Application Instructions_Guidance New IG.pdfpdf2 MB05/08/2026 09:32 AM
D - Sample Draft Contract Combat Cancer Hub Round 2D - Sample Draft Contract Combat Cancer Hub Round 2.pdfpdf350 KB05/08/2026 09:32 AM
E- Cancer Access Zip Code Statistical Modeling MapE- Cancer Access Zip Code Statistical Modeling Map.pdfpdf8 MB05/04/2026 09:02 AM
F - Amendment 1 RFP#COMPADM26008 Combat Cancer Health Hubs Round 2F - Amendment 1 RFPCOMPADM26008 Combat Cancer Health Hubs Round 2.pdfpdf313 KB05/18/2026 04:20 PM
G - Amendment 2 RFP COMPADM26008 Combat Cancer Health Hubs Round 2G - Amendment 2 RFP COMPADM26008 Combat Cancer Health Hubs Round 2.pdfpdf98 KB05/27/2026 11:38 AM
H - Amendment 3 RFP#COMPADM26008 Combat Cancer Health Hubs Round 2 Posted June 5 2026H - Amendment 3 RFPCOMPADM26008 Combat Cancer Health Hubs Round 2 Posted June 5 2026.pdfpdf131 KB06/05/2026 07:24 AM
Website Links
Website links
DescriptionLink
A. IowaGrants Registration and Login Instructions (DOM) https://dom.iowa.gov/state-government/grant-management
B. HHS General Terms and Contingent Terms for Contracts https://hhs.iowa.gov/initiatives/contract-terms
D. CMS Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program | CMS https://www.cms.gov/priorities/rural-health-transformation-rht-program/overview
E. Iowa Cancer Plan: Iowa Cancer Plan | Iowa Cancer Consortium https://canceriowa.org/Iowa-Cancer-Plan/
F. Iowa Cancer Registry: Cancer InFocus https://iowacancerregistry.shinyapps.io/shinyflex/
C. Iowa HHS Rural Health Transformation (RHT) | Health & Human Services https://hhs.iowa.gov/initiatives/healthy-hometowns-iowas-rural-health-transformation-plan
Questions
Submitted DateQuestionAnswer
May 19, 2026 10:39 AMCan funding to be used to contract with a 3rd party vendor to provide tele-oncology services to patients at the Hub or Spokes sites to cover shifts when employed providers are off service? Yes, contracting with a 3rd party vendor to provide tele-oncology services to patients to cover shifts is an allowable use of funding as long as all Cost Restrictions in section 2.1(B) are met. This includes, "vi. Supplanting existing State, local, tribal, or private funding of infrastructure or services, such as staff salaries, "xvii. Funds may not be used to replace payment for clinical services that could be reimbursed by insurance", "xix. Funds may not be used for clinician salaries or wage supports for providers subjected to non-compete agreements", and all salary cap requirements provided by CMS. Additionally, applicants should consider how the project will be sustainable beyond the funds provided from this procurement.
May 20, 2026 2:31 PMCan the funding be used to purchase pharmaceuticals?Subject to agency prior approval following the awarding of a contract, funds for the purchase of pharmaceuticals could be an allowable use of this funding as long as all Cost Restrictions in section 2.1(B) are met. This includes, "xvii. Funds may not be used to replace payment for clinical services that could be reimbursed by insurance. Funds also may not be used for payments to clinical services if they duplicate billable services and/or attempt to change the payment amounts of existing fee schedules." Services should be sustainable beyond the funds provided from this procurement.
May 20, 2026 3:08 PMQuestion 1: On p.31–32 under Cost Restrictions (c. xiv), the RFP states that minor renovations or alterations may not exceed 20% of the total contract amount (with Agency and CMS approval). On p.35 under Anticipated Allowable Costs – Contractual Charges, it states that retrofitting or minor alterations are limited to $1 million per Hub and Spoke network. Can you clarify how these two limits should be applied? Specifically, must applicants comply with both the 20% cap and the $1 million cap, or does one limit take precedence?Applicants should ensure that no more than $1 million and 20% of the total project is budgeted for retrofitting or minor alterations, whichever is the lesser.
May 20, 2026 3:14 PMOn p.35 under Anticipated Allowable Costs – Staffing, the RFP states that “all staff funded through this grant must agree to serve at the practice site for a minimum of five years.”   Can you clarify whether this requirement applies to all grant-funded staff positions (e.g., nursing, care management, administrative/support roles), or only to positions receiving recruitment incentives or similar supports? If this applies to all staff, can this requirement be waived? If not, what are the expectations or consequences if a grant-funded staff member leaves their position before completing the five-year commitment? All staff receiving recruitment and retention incentives through this grant must agree to serve at the practice site for a minimum of five years. Please see Amendment 2.
May 20, 2026 3:14 PM Question 3: Regarding the requirement that all grant-funded staff must agree to serve at the practice site for a minimum of five years, what form of documentation or agreement is expected to demonstrate compliance (e.g., employment contract, attestation, HR policy)? Additionally, are there reporting or monitoring requirements tied to this provision? Employment contract, attestation, and/or HR policy would all be examples of evidence that Iowa HHS would accept to demonstrate compliance with this requirement. Quarterly, annual, and as-needed reporting will be required for this project and Iowa HHS will conduct subrecipient monitoring to ensure compliance with the award.
May 23, 2026 10:39 AMOur organization has a desire to apply for this funding because of the positive impact the project could have on the provision of oncology services in rural communities and on our patients’ quality of life. Unfortunately, the delivery of chemotherapy in sites that do not currently offer those services would require significant building upgrades, including major construction and expansion, the costs of which are not allowable through this funding opportunity. We have also considered the use of mobile units but understand that the purchase of vehicles or mobile structures are also prohibited.  For these reasons, we find it difficult to justify applying for the funds. Is there any possibility the RFP can be modified to allow for these expenses?Spoke sites are required to provide or increase the provision of chemotherapy by June 30, 2028. Minor alterations and renovations are an allowable use of this funding, but construction is not an allowable use of this funding.
May 26, 2026 4:40 PMIf a rural critical access hospital is in an urban metropolitan statistical area (MSA) and ineligible for telehealth reimbursement, is it still possible for the hospital to participate as a Spoke in this grant opportunity even if they cannot provide tele-oncology?Pursuant to RFP Section 1.01, Successful applicants must have the ability to conduct remote consultation with medical personnel located at Hub sites, including tele-oncology services. Additionally, according to section 2.03(B): Telehealth. Spoke sites must participate in tele-oncology and virtual tumor boards for patients receiving care locally at Spoke site. Tumor Boards may be virtual or in person depending on the needs of the specific case. The ability to bill for and receive reimbursement for telehealth services at the time of application is not a requirement or eligibility criteria. See Section 1.03 for eligibility criteria, including rurality requirements. Applicants should review the evaluation criteria provided for "Implementation Feasibility" and "Sustainability" to address any concerns with and proposed solutions for payment strategies.
Jun 2, 2026 2:45 PMCan a single Spoke Hospital participate in two distinct Hub-and-Spoke applications for the Combat Cancer Health Hubs (one in Round 1 and another in Round 2), assuming the two Hubs are separate organizations? If permitted, what are the budget restrictions for the Spoke Hospital across these two applications, aside from the standard prohibition on overlapping funds for the same staff or equipment?Please see Section 1.03 Eligibility Requirements, "Spoke sites included within an application for RFP# PHTHOCC26756 may be included in applications for this funding opportunity (RFP#COMPADM26008) but will not be eligible to receive funds through this procurement if awarded as part of a successful network from RFP# PHTHOCC26756. If a proposed Spoke site is included in two or more awarded applications, the Agency will work collaboratively with the impacted awarded applicants to determine the arrangement that best supports rural cancer care in Iowa. This may include requiring a Hub site to identify an additional Spoke site." Organizations cannot receive funds through this procurement and RFP# PHTHOCC26756.
Jun 2, 2026 3:16 PMIf an applicant allocates the maximum allowable grant—designating 25% to the Urban Hub and 75% across three Spokes—what happens if the Spokes do not utilize their full 75% allocation? In this scenario, must the Hub proportionally reduce its funding request to strictly maintain a 25% share of the final, reduced total budget?Pursuant to Section 2.1(C)(c), "Budgets must include detailed cost- estimates with clear justification for all expenses. Proposed budget information should be provided for each Spoke and the Hub site. If the Hub is located in a non-Rural area, a minimum of 75% of total funds must be distributed to the Spoke sites. If the Hub is located in a Rural area, a minimum of 60% of the total funds must be distributed to the Spoke sites." At the time of application, the agreed upon budget between all members of the cancer hub and spoke network must demonstrate that 75% of all total budgeted funds are allocated to the spoke sites. This requirement would apply even if the total submitted budget is for less than the maximum allowable amounts. Following the awarding of contracts, the Agency will work collaboratively with Hub and Spoke sites to review budget allocations and spending on a routine basis. The Agency does not anticipate reducing the award to the hub site during the implementation of the project if a spoke site is unable to spend all of their budget.