FCCDC Best Value.pdf

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs

100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900 Boston, MA 02114

Maura T. Healey

GOVERNOR

Kimberley Driscoll

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

Rebecca L. Tepper

SECRETARY

Tel: (617) 626-1000 Fax: (617) 626-1081 http://www.mass.gov/eea

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A BEST VALUE GRANT

COMMBUYS BID # Bid BD-26-1042-ENV-ENV01-124912 Project # FY26LAND51

Purpose of Notice: In accordance with the State Comptroller’s Procurement/Contracts Policy for State Grants, Federal Sub-Grants and Subsidies, dated September 8, 2014, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) is publishing this notice of its intent to make a Best Value Grant Award in the amount of $25,000 to Franklin County Community Development Corporation (FCCDC), in order for the Commonwealth to fulfill its obligation under the terms of a successful grant proposal to the U.S. Forest Service’s Landscape Scale Restoration Competitive Process Request for Applications.

Name of Selected Grantee: Franklin County Community Development Corporation, 324 Wells Street, Greenfield, MA 01301.

The Grant Amount: As noted above, the Grant funding will be $25,000.

The Purpose of the Grant Funding: Franklin County Community Development Corporation has successfully secured federal funding through the U.S. Forest Service to complete work as described in the Proposal dated September, 2023 “Expanding Sustainable Forestry to Produce Wood for Local Rural Communities”. As described in the proposal, EEA committed a combination of cash and in-kind services as a match. Because EEA has strong interest in the use of state policies and programs to ensure that Massachusetts’ forests are managed to mitigate climate harms, and in supporting a local wood supply chain in the Woodlands Partnership region, Massachusetts’ most rural, forested, and low-income region and a priority landscape in the MA Forest Action Plan, it agreed to contract with Franklin County CDC for the administration of this federal contract. Franklin County CDC agreed to work with Lever, Inc. to take advantage of Lever’s existing ‘Woodcraft Collaborative’ - an emerging enterprise to assist business planning and marketing for dozens of local wood producers and wood-based craftspeople modeled after a successful previously developed agricultural model in the region they launched.

The funding will support FCCDC in administrating this federal grant of $296,000.

The Duration of the Grant: Immediately upon award of the Grant by EEA through June 30, 2027 (approximately 18 months).

Justification why this Best Value Grant Award is Fair, Reasonable, and in the Best Interests of EEA and the Commonwealth: EEA intends to provide this grant funding to ensure FCCDC may administer for the benefit of the Commonwealth, a federal grant which has already been approved by the U.S. Forest Service. The funding will support work to be completed by, and in coordination with, Lever, Inc.’s Woodcraft Collaborative, an emerging enterprise to assist business planning and marketing for dozens of local wood producers and wood-based craftspeople.

A. RESPONSE REQUIREMENT. The intent of this posting is to determine if there are any other qualified grantees. Any such potential grantee (“Respondent”) must submit documentation demonstrating that they can provide a comparable or better offer to address this need (“Response”).

All Respondents interested in responding to this Notice, regardless of prior communications with the Department, must submit a Response containing evidence of their qualification and interest.

If, after the posting deadline has passed, interest is generated by this Notice, EOEEA will review all Responses and will determine whether it will: (i) withdraw the notice and not grant the funds to FCCDC (and cancel the Notice of Intent); or (ii) grant the funds to FCCDC.

B. RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS AND DEADLINE. All Responses must be submitted electronically by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.

C. QUOTE SUBMISSION METHOD

Online Quote Submission via COMMBUYS is required. All Interested Vendors and Offerors must submit Quotes online using tools available only to Sellers registered in COMMBUYS.

COMMBUYS provides Seller registration functionality at no charge. To register, go to www.COMMBUYS.com and click on the “Register” link on the front page. All Interested Vendors and Offerors who are awarded a contract resulting from this Notice, if any, will be required to maintain an active account during the duration of the Contract, by reviewing their registration information regularly and maintaining its accuracy.

D. COMMBUYS QUOTE SUBMISSION TRAINING AND INSTRUCTIONS

The following resources are provided to assist Interested Vendors and Offerors in submitting Quotes:

• An online job aid on How to Create a Quote;

• Webcast video on How to Find Bids (Solicitations) and Submit Quotes (Responses)through

COMMBUYS;

• Instructor-led trainings (ILT) and live webinar sessions on “How to Locate and Respond to

Bids” may also be available. Check the OSD Training Courses schedule for Sellers/Business Entities for available locations, dates and times. Note that space is limited and pre-registration for trainings is required to attend. Follow instructions on the course schedule to register.

E. COMMBUYS SUPPORT

Technical assistance is available during the procurement process. Every effort is made to respond to inquiries within one business day.

• Website: Go to www.mass.gov/osd/commbuys and select the COMMBUYS Resource Center link offered under Key Resources.

• Email: Send inquiries to the COMMBUYS Helpdesk at COMMBUYS@state.ma.us

• Telephone: Call the COMMBUYS Help Desk at 1-888-MA-STATE (1-888-627-8283). The

Help Desk is staffed from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday Eastern Standard or Daylight time, as applicable, except on federal and state holidays.

Interested Vendors and Offerors are advised that COMMBUYS will be unavailable during regularly scheduled maintenance hours of which all users will be notified.

http://www.mass.gov/anf/budget-taxes-and-procurement/procurement-info-and-res/conduct-a-procurement/commbuys/job-aids-for-sellers.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhUTNokbhfY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhUTNokbhfY http://www.mass.gov/anf/budget-taxes-and-procurement/procurement-info-and-res/osd-training-events-and-outreach/osd-training-and-outreach.html http://www.mass.gov/osd/commbuys mailto:COMMBUYS@state.ma.us

F. NOTICE OF INTENT DISTRIBUTION METHOD: This Notice of Intent has been distributed electronically using the COMMBUYS system. It is the responsibility of every Respondent to check COMMBUYS for any addenda or modifications to Response requirements. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its subdivisions accept no liability and will provide no accommodations to Respondents who fail to check for amended requirements and submit inadequate or incorrect Responses. Respondents are advised to check the “last change” field on the summary page to ensure they comply with the most recent requirements