Section 47.27.300 - Regional public assistance programs(a) The department may develop a regional public assistance program for the administration of this chapter in order to provide state public assistance in a uniform and cost-effective manner in a region of this state if an Alaska Native organization is authorized to implement a federally approved tribal family assistance plan that includes that region and has been awarded an Alaska Native family assistance grant for a program that includes that region for the applicable fiscal year under AS 47.27.200. The regional public assistance program developed under this section must be designed to serve eligible state residents in the region covered by the program who are not already covered by a federally approved tribal family assistance plan in that region.(b) The department may award contracts to implement a program developed under (a) of this section. A contract authorized for delivery of state public assistance under a regional public assistance program under this section is exempt from the competitive bid requirements of AS 36.30 (State Procurement Code). Subject to appropriation, a contract under this section must be in an amount that represents a fair and equitable share of the money appropriated under this chapter to serve the state residents specified in (a) of this section. This section provides additional authority to contract to that available under AS 47.05.015 or other law.(c) The department may award a contract under this section only to an organization that(1) has been awarded an Alaska Native family assistance grant under AS 47.27.200 for a program that includes that region;(2) agrees to administer state public assistance under this chapter to state residents in the region who are not served by the Alaska Native family assistance grant awarded under AS 47.27.200;(3) agrees to provide state public assistance identical to that provided under the federally approved tribal family assistance plan for which Alaska Native family assistance grant money has been awarded under AS 47.27.200; and(4) agrees to implement an appeals process as described in (e) of this section.(d) Records pertaining to recipients of state public assistance under a contract awarded under this section have the same confidential protections as are provided to recipients of assistance from Alaska Native family assistance grants under AS 47.27.200.(e) An organization that receives a contract under this section shall provide an appeals process to applicants for or recipients of state public assistance covered by the contract awarded under this section. The appeals process must be the same as the method available under the federally approved tribal family assistance plan, except that the decision reached shall be considered as a recommended decision to the department. Within 30 days after receiving a recommended decision, the department shall review the recommended decision and issue a decision accepting or rejecting the recommended decision. If the department rejects the recommended decision, the department shall independently review the record and issue its final decision. The final decision of the department on the matter is appealable to the courts of this state.(f) If the department establishes a regional public assistance program and awards a contract to provide state public assistance under this section, a person applying for state public assistance under this chapter in the region of the state covered by the regional public assistance program may obtain state public assistance from the department only through the organization designated by the department to serve the region.