BOSTON
- Tuesday, September 15, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the
City of Boston has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) inviting
proposals from small business technical assistance entities to provide
technical assistance to small business in the City of Boston. The
RFP is designed to expand economic and entrepreneurial opportunity
throughout the city, and support a safe and equitable economic recovery
from the COVID-19 pandemic. Completed proposals will be accepted on a
rolling basis each month, beginning on September 30, 2020 and ending
Friday, January 31, 2023, and can be submitted electronically via the Supplier Portal.
"We
are dedicated to continuing to support our small businesses as they recover
from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Mayor Walsh.
"Small businesses drive our economy and support vibrant neighborhoods.
We want to ensure that business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs have the
tools they need to grow and thrive in Boston."
Technical
assistance providers are experienced business consultants that through the
Small Business Technical Assistance (TA) program will provide high-quality
assistance and training to interested small businesses. Training includes
accounting, financing, business planning, budgeting, projections, staffing,
human resources, insurance, interior design, licensing and permitting,
branding, marketing, promoting, packaging, distribution, vendors,
suppliers, cost analysis, customer analysis, legal responsibilities, and
more.
Selected
TA providers will provide direct one-on-one assistance to designated
businesses within the City of Boston, and also provide group workshops and
coaching sessions to existing or aspiring business owners. The proposed
services should be designed to assist businesses to achieve stability and
increase opportunities for growth, successfully secure procurement
opportunities, and increase the economic vitality of Boston's business
districts.
Changes to the upcoming Technical Assistance RFP round
include:
- Providers may submit bid
contracts for a period up to three years, an increase from the
previous 18-month period, providing greater consistency for TA
Providers;
- TA provider applications will
be open on a rolling, monthly basis, allowing the City to respond to
evolving needs of our small businesses;
- Inclusion of a request for
providers that can support certification of minority and women-owned
businesses (MWBEs).
Every
month, on the first business day of the month, applications will be
downloaded from the City of Boston Supplier Portal
website for review. The RFP will appear live again the next day for the
following month. In order to participate in these online procurement
activities, bidders must register with the Supplier Portal.
The
City of Boston encourages a full range of TA providers to apply for this
opportunity to support the varied and dynamic needs of small business
owners of all backgrounds and industries. In November 2019, Mayor Walsh
announced a new executive
order to support equitable procurement, building on Boston's commitment
to ensuring every resident and business in Boston has access to the same
opportunities, identifying the City's spending power as a key lever for
increasing equity in business opportunities. To certify your business as a
minority, woman, veteran, or small and local business enterprise, please
visit the Equity & Inclusion Unit's Business
Certification page online.
Mayor
Walsh is dedicated to ensuring small businesses have the necessary
resources to reopen and operate their businesses safely. Since the
beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than $6.7 million in debt-free
grants have been distributed to 1,685 small businesses in every
neighborhood across Boston through the Small
Business Relief Fund. The Reopen
Boston Fund, launched in May 2020, continues to offer grants to
Boston's businesses of up to $2,000 to assist with reopening costs. More
than 1,200 businesses have received direct grants from the Reopen Boston
Fund to date, with more than $2.1 million distributed. The Mayor's Office
of Economic Development Small Business Unit has also supported businesses
with various business
lists,temporary
sidewalk extensions and temporary
outdoor dining.
ABOUT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CABINET
The
Economic Development Cabinet's mission is to make Boston an appealing and
accessible place for working families, entrepreneurs, businesses, and
investors to innovate, grow, and thrive in a way that fosters inclusion,
broadens opportunity, and shares prosperity, thereby enhancing the quality
of life for all Bostonians and the experience for all visitors. Learn more
on their website.
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