New RCJ briefing: RHTP Post-Award — What States Must Prove After the Award

CMS's September 2026 Post-Award FAQ makes one point especially important: receiving the federal award is only the beginning. States still have to manage Budget Periods, obligations, contracts and subawards, checkpoints, metrics, workforce commitments, policy actions, and ongoing reporting.

The new 8-page RCJ briefing translates that guidance into practical questions:

• How can you tell an open downstream opportunity from a planning signal?
• What evidence confirms a vendor or subrecipient was actually selected?
• When can a clinical workforce initiative create a five-year rural service obligation?
• What budget, checkpoint, and recovery risks should vendors watch?

Read the briefing: https://www.ruralcarejourney.com/reports/rhtp-post-award-2026

The official CMS FAQ is also available in Reference Documents. What post-award signals are you seeing in your state or market?