Addendum & Amendment No. 2

Description

July 28, 2026 SUBJECT: FY27 Request for Proposals “Small Business Technical Assistance Grant Program – Capacity Building” Addendum and Amendment No. 2 To All Interested Parties: Please be advised that the questions below have been received and are addressed as follows: Questions Responses Can you provide the evaluation scoring rubric or indicate the relative weighting assigned to Strategic Alignment, Experience & Capacity, Program Design, and Financial Feasibility? Does MassDevelopment encourage applicants to incorporate AI across all curriculum topics (e.g., financial readiness, marketing, coaching, operations), or is AI expected to be delivered as a standalone instructional module? Would MassDevelopment welcome proposals that incorporate behavioral science, organizational culture, leadership development, and change management as foundational competencies that improve the effectiveness of technical assistance providers? Evaluation criteria are described on page 7 of the RFP. Proposals will be evaluated on their overall merit, responsiveness to the RFP, and the extent to which the proposed approach advances the desired outcomes. The incorporation of AI into the proposed curriculum is at the discretion of the applicant. Besides participant satisfaction, what outcomes are considered most important when evaluating program success? MassDevelopment welcomes proposals incorporating any of the mentioned components, coinciding with instruction in critical TA skill sets and competencies including, but not limited to, financial management and capital readiness, bookkeeping and accounting, marketing and customer growth, legal and regulatory compliance, and artificial intelligence. Beyond participant satisfaction, it is important that proposals include clear, measurable outcomes that demonstrate how the proposed program will strengthen the expertise, competencies, and capacity of participating Business Support Organizations (BSOs). Applicants should identify the performance measures, metrics, and indicators they believe are most appropriate for assessing both progress and impact.