RFA SSBCI Technical Assistance Round 2.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

FOR NEW YORK STATE

SSBCI Technical Assistance to Capital Programs (Round 2)

ISSUED: Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Designated Contact for this Procurement:

Primary Contact: Angeli O’Connell Secondary Contact: Julia Borukhov

All contacts/inquiries shall be made by email to the following address:

SSBCITASmallBusiness@esd.ny.gov

Proposals must be sent to the designated Dropbox:

https://www.dropbox.com/request/naa720w8xw0pvya87gyq

This Request for Applications (“RFA”) is posted on the Empire State Development website:

https://esd.ny.gov/doing-business-ny/requests-proposals

APPLICATIONS DUE DATE AND TIME:

On or before Tuesday, November 10, 2026, by 2:00 PM ET

Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted nor reviewed. There will be no exceptions.

SSBCITASmallBusiness@esd.ny.gov https://esd.ny.gov/doing-business-ny/requests-proposals

I. INTRODUCTION

II. PROGRAM SUMMARY

III. REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS SCHEDULE

IV. PROJECT SUMMARY

A. Program Goals and Objectives

B. Goals and Outcomes

C. Required Goal Timeline

D. Eligibility Requirements

E. Eligible TA Services

F. Data Collection and Reporting

G. Program Budget Contracting with Consultants

Eligible and Ineligible Expenses

V. APPLICATION INFORMATION

Application Narrative Submission Requirements

Additional Required Application Components

VI. SELECTION, REVIEW CRITERIA, TIMELINE, AND PROCESS

A. Selection Timeline

B. Review Process

C. Selection Criteria

VII. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

VIII. QUESTIONS

IX. GENERAL PROVISIONS

X. PROCUREMENT FORMS AND REQUIREMENTS

Required Procurement Forms

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

REQUIRED MATERIALS

ADMINISTRATIVE PROPOSAL (CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENT FORMS)

I. INTRODUCTION

The mission of Empire State Development (“ESD”) is to promote a vigorous and growing state economy, encourage business investment and job creation, and support diverse, prosperous local economies across New York State through the efficient use of loans, grants, tax credits, real estate development, marketing and other forms of assistance.

II. PROGRAM SUMMARY

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) reauthorized and amended the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 to provide $10 billion to fund the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). The SSBCI is a federal program administered by the Department of the Treasury that seeks to expand access to capital, promote economic resiliency, create new jobs, and increase economic opportunities. Governor Hochul designated ESD as New York State’s agency to apply, receive, and administer both the SSBCI Capital and SSBCI TA Grant Programs.

ESD’s Capital Access team currently administers a total of $5 million to provide technical assistance.

Round 1 of TA launched in early 2025. Round 2 will utilize a total of $2,050,000 of remaining funding via this Request for Applications (RFA). This RFA will select qualified TA Providers to offer legal, accounting, and financial services to Eligible Beneficiaries with targeted outcomes, as described in Section IV.A.

Round 2 of the TA funding will target eligible beneficiaries who identify as very small businesses

(VSBs) and businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals

(SEDI-owned businesses) that are applying for, preparing to apply for, or have previously applied for a SSBCI capital program or other federal or other jurisdiction small business programs. Eligible beneficiaries will be evaluated by selected TA providers for SSBCI programs. If they are not eligible for SSBCI programs, they will be assessed and referred to other potential services and programs in the marketplace and TA providers must follow up and document for outcomes. Further, there is a 10% minimum requirement for all selected TA services providers to serve NYS small and medium sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) as part of their total TA services rendered under this Program. If any respondent to this RFA has received funding under the SSBCI TA grants for Capital Access TA Round 1 and/or Entrepreneurial Assistance Centers, they will be ineligible to apply for this program.

All activities funded under this RFA must comply with the U.S. Treasury State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Technical Assistance Grant Program Guidelines and all applicable federal requirements, including reporting, record retention, Uniform Guidance, civil rights requirements, and audit provisions. Program Guidelines should be reviewed prior to responding to this RFA:

https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SSBCI-Technical-Assistance-Guidelines-April-2022.pdf.

https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SSBCI-Technical-Assistance-Guidelines-April-2022.pdf

III. REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS SCHEDULE

Item Date

Release of Request for Applications Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Deadline for Submission of Questions: Submit questions to SSBCITASmallBusiness@esd.ny.gov

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Deadline for ESD to Respond to Questions:

Responses will be emailed in an FAQ.

Monday, November 2, 2026

Deadline for Submission of Applications:

Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted after this date.

Tuesday, November 10, 2026, by

2PM EST

Notification of Interview Selection:

Application status will be sent via email.

Monday, November 30, 2026

Interview Period: Must be available to interview during this window if selected.

Friday, December 4, 2026 – Friday, December 11, 2026

Notification of Awardee Selection: Selected awardees will be notified via email and physical mail. Total package will include items required for execution including Award Letter, GDA, confirmation of goals, wire information, etc.

End of December 2026 / Early January 2027

Anticipated Contract Start Date* Mid-February 2027

Technical Assistance Service Delivery Deadline

Tuesday, October 15, 2028

Close-out Deadline / Anticipated Contract End Date

Tuesday, October 31, 2028

*This is subject to funding availability. ESD’s Small Business and Technology Division is currently in the process of securing the next tranche of Technical Assistance funding from the U.S. Treasury.

IV. PROJECT SUMMARY

A. Program Goals and Objectives

ESD’s Capital Access team will select TA providers to administer a grant award in the amount of up to a maximum of $205,000, with a targeted program launch date of mid-February 2027, depending on the program eligibility. Eligible TA providers will use this funding, divided into an initial advance and a final advance each representing 50% of the total grant, to administer legal services, accounting services, and financial advisory services to eligible TA beneficiaries. All selected applicants will be expected to deploy the full award towards technical assistance by October 15, 2028. Release of the second advance is subject to satisfactory performance against the expected goals and outcome threshold as described in this section.

Selected eligible TA providers will only offer TA services to eligible beneficiaries and must elect to provide services in three of the ten regions below and distribute services approximately equally, with one-third of total services provided in each region. Please note, New York City will be capped

SSBCITASmallBusiness@esd.ny.gov to a limited number of TA providers. High priority will be given to providers who opt outside of servicing New York City and realistic projections. You must identify your three selected regions in your response to this RFA.

• Western NY: Alleghany, Cattaraugus, Erie, and Niagara counties

• Finger Lakes: Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates counties

• Southern Tier: Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Delaware, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga, and Tompkins counties

• Central NY: Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, and Oswego counties

• Mohawk Valley: Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego, and Schoharie counties

• Capital Region: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, and Washington counties

• Mid-Hudson: Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties

• New York City: Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond counties

• Long Island: Nassau and Suffolk counties

• North Country: Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties

Applicants must also select one of the two tracks of technical assistance. If there are specific programs in differing tracks that your organization will target, your organization may also elect to serve both. Track one provides general technical assistance in support of five SSBCI capital programs: the Loan Guarantee Program, Small Business Revolving Loan Fund, Capital Access Program, Main Street Capital Loan Fund, and Capital Project Loan Fund. Track two provides specific technical assistance to contractors in support of three SSBCI capital programs: the Contractor Financing Program, the Surety Bond Assistance Program, and the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Fund.

Selected respondents may carry out the TA Grant Program award itself, or contract with third party legal, accounting, and financial advisory firms to provide TA services. The selected respondents must identify and verify prior to entering into a subcontract that the consultant is not suspended, debarred, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in federal assistance programs or activities. If utilizing contractors for service delivery, please identify them in your application.

If an eligible respondent chooses to contract with third parties to deliver TA, the respondent must prioritize consultants that are SEDI-owned businesses, consistent with any applicable federal, state, and local requirements. The TA providers’ plan must explain how it will implement this requirement and prioritize prospective SEDI-owned businesses.

ESD will ensure broad and equitable geographic distribution of funding across New York State. After applications have been reviewed and scored, ESD reserves the right to ask the most competitive and qualified providers to amend their proposals, expand their geographic coverage areas, and/ or adjust their goals and outcomes.

B. Goals and Outcomes

Applicants must propose fixed numerical goals for the SSBCI Technical Assistance Grant. Goals must show what the applicant expects to achieve using existing and acquired resources, supplemented by the TA award.

The proposed contract period is anticipated to begin in mid-February (depending on funding availability from U.S. Treasury), subject to execution of the grant agreement. Year One of this program will commence in mid-February 2027 (depending on funding availability from U.S.

Treasury) and conclude in December 2027, with Year Two of this program commencing in January 2028 and concluding on October 15, 2028.

The TA award will be broken into an initial and final advance, with each representing 50% of the total grant amount. The release of the final advance will depend on the Provider meeting the required 80% threshold of Year One (mid-February 2027 – December 2027) goals. Each payment request must include documentation sufficient for ESD to verify the Provider’s performance, as sampled in the Grant Expenditure Summary Report Forms found in Appendix C, which is provided as separate attachments to this RFA.

Applicants must propose goals that are realistic, achievable, and appropriately distributed across the contract period. In developing their goals, applicants should account for the time needed to hire or assign staff, establish program operations, conduct outreach, enroll eligible businesses, deliver technical assistance, and complete all required documentation.

Applicants should not backload a disproportionate share of their proposed activities or outcomes into the final months of the contract. Please note that October 15, 2028, is Treasury’s firm deadline for completing all SSBCI-funded technical assistance services and other program activities.

This deadline will not be extended because an applicant proposed goals that could not reasonably be completed within the available timeframe.

All technical assistance services, deliverables, and numerical performance goals must be completed by October 15, 2028. There will be a close-out period between October 15, 2028 – October 31, 2028. During this time, the Provider may perform only administrative closeout activities, including submitting final reports, and reconciling expenditures. No new or continuing technical assistance services may be provided after October 15, 2028.

Failure to meet specified goals and outcomes and/or unused funds will be subject to recapture of the awarded funds.

Applicants must provide cumulative and period-specific goals for the following areas:

Goal 1: Increase Access to Capital for Underserved Small Businesses

Applicants must describe how they will help eligible businesses prepare for, apply for, and access capital through available SSBCI programs and affiliated lenders. The application should provide goals for outcomes for each checkpoint including:

▪ Number of businesses served, including serviced count or percentage by region;

▪ Number of loan and/or surety bond applications submitted (if a financial institution or a surety bond company)*; and

▪ Number of loan and/or surety bond approvals underwritten (if a financial institution or a surety bond company)*.

*If the applicant is a participating SSBCI lender, a set percentage of the referrals supported through this grant must be referred to another external participating lender under an SSBCI program. Please detail this percentage in your application.

Goal 2: Improve Capital Readiness of Underserved Small Businesses

Applicants must describe how they will help businesses become ready to seek and secure a path to financing or surety bonding. The application should provide goals for outcomes for each milestone:

▪ Number of one-on-one financial assessments completed;

▪ Number of classroom workshops completed;

▪ Number of financial systems implemented;

▪ Businesses determined to be loan and/or bonding ready;

▪ Number of loan packages prepared and/or surety bonding applications completed and submitted;

▪ Number of loan and/or surety bond referrals to SSBCI and other lenders; and

▪ Number of loan and/or surety bond referrals resulted in secured loans.

Goal 3: Expand Access to Technical Assistance throughout New York State

Applicants must describe how they will reach eligible businesses across their proposed service area, including VSBs, SEDI-owned businesses, underserved regions, and manufacturing, as applicable. The application should provide goals for outcomes such as:

▪ Number of SEDI-owned businesses served;

▪ Number of VSBs served;

▪ Number of manufacturing businesses served (Note: Minimum of 10% of businesses served must qualify as such);

▪ Description of outreach and marketing activities conducted;

▪ Number of one-on-one sessions provided;

▪ Number of cohort and/or classroom sessions provided; and

▪ Referral partnerships established or maintained.

Goal 4: Referral Outcomes of the Program

Applicants must describe how they will track and follow-up with referrals, such as:

▪ How the provider will document follow-ups with small businesses and outcomes of referrals; and

▪ How the provider will provide documentation of workshop attendance and advertising.

C. Required Goal Timeline

Applicants must complete the goal tables found in Exhibit B showing their proposed outcomes by each quarterly checkpoint period. A quarterly goal table must be completed separately for each selected region, as found in Exhibit B.

Applicants must provide a narrative explaining:

▪ How the goals were developed;

▪ Why the proposed goals are realistic based on the applicant’s current capacity;

▪ How existing staff, programs, partnerships, and referral networks will support the work scope;

▪ How the SSBCI TA grant will expand or strengthen those resources;

▪ How the applicant will reach VSBs, SEDI-owned businesses, and manufacturers;

▪ Description of one-on-one TA services offered;

▪ Description of classroom and/or cohort TA services offered;

▪ Description of workshop series offered;

▪ How the applicant will track and report progress, including month-to-month performance of each TA eligible beneficiary and ensure successful outcome; and

▪ Any risks (geographical, time, etc.) that may affect achievement of the goals and how the applicant will address them.

The Goals and Outcomes section of the application will be evaluated based on whether the proposed goals are clear, realistic, measurable, and aligned with the purpose of the SSBCI Technical Assistance Grant. When completing the Goals and Outcome section, applicants should note that at least 80% of the goals for Year One (Mid-February 2027 – December 2027) must be achieved before the applicant may request the next advance. Eligible TA providers may request advances before the stated checkpoint dates if the applicable performance thresholds have been met.

All other application components can be found in Section V.

D. Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicant - TA Providers

To be eligible to receive grant proceeds from ESD, an applicant must be in good standing with the State of New York and ESD. Applicants may be either non-profit or for-profit entities, as specified in Section III.c of the U.S. Treasury Technical Assistance Grant Program Guidelines (https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SSBCI-Technical-Assistance-Guidelines-April-2022.pdf, page 4).

If an applicant is a collaborative application with more than one entity, the lead applicant and all their partners must identify it as an entity that provides the legal, accounting, or financial advisory services as described above. Applicants must also be registered in the Statewide Financial System (SFS) to compete for New York State grants. For more information, please use the following link:

Register Your Organization in SFS | Grants Management.

SSBCI TA service providers must provide services to SEDI, VSB, and at least 10% of all services to be https://grantsmanagement.ny.gov/register-your-organization-sfs provided to SMEs under this Program. They can be a local or statewide nonprofit economic development organization, a small business support organization, a Community Development Financial Institution, a cultural or ethnic chambers of commerce that provide advisory services to its members, for profit professional service firms that provide quality legal, accounting, or financial advisory services, or an intermediary surety bond broker/consultant, that provides services targeting these small business groups.

TA Providers are required to prioritize SEDI-Owned Businesses as consultants Under 12 U.S.C. § 5708(e)(1), consistent with any applicable federal, state, and local requirements, if an eligible applicant chooses to contract with third parties to deliver TA, in its TA plan, the eligible applicant must explain how they will implement this requirement and prioritize such providers. To the extent that the eligible applicant has already-established policies or processes for identifying and prioritizing such providers, such as contracting policies related to minority-owned or women-owned businesses, the eligible applicant may cite these policies or processes to support its implementation of this requirement. If the eligible applicant does not have such policies or processes, or wishes to supplement existing policies, the eligible applicant must describe the process for identifying and prioritizing providers that are SEDI-owned businesses. Additionally, the eligible applicant may provide data, if available, on the extent to which it has contracted with providers that are SEDI owned businesses for comparable services during the last two years. Eligible TA providers must meet the following criteria in the checklist below:

Specializes in, or partners with other entities with expertise in legal, accounting, and/or financial advisory services.

Can demonstrate a successful history of serving SEDI owned, or very small businesses, directly or through contracted services.

Has ability to deliver TA services to manufacturing small and medium sized businesses that either are SEDI or VSB. Or, can partner with collaborators to meet the 10% minimum TA service requirement under this Program.

Can demonstrate a history of direct and successful collaboration with CDFIs in support of improving access to capital and/ or as a CDFI can demonstrate history of providing pre-loan and post-close TA services to borrowers.

Is headquartered in New York State. The TA respondent must have a physical presence in New

York State and must have 80% of its business transactions conducted in the State.

Is in good legal and financial standing with New York State.

Is eligible to enter into a grant agreement with ESD to provide TA services.

Can complete and pass an interview process before awards.

Can certify that it, and any entities associated with its application, are not included on the governmentwide exclusions list in the federal System for Award Management (SAM).

Section IV of the US Treasury Technical Assistance Grant Program guidelines describes whether an entity is a legal, accounting, or financial advisory services provider. Specifically, entities must meet at least one of the following criteria:

o A primary purpose of the entity or a central part of the entity’s mission is to provide legal, accounting, and/or advisory services.

o The entity regularly markets or publicizes itself as providing legal, accounting, and/ or financial advisory services, or o At least 25% of the entity’s revenues or staff are dedicated to provide legal, accounting, and/or financial advisory services.

Eligible TA Beneficiaries

Technical assistance program eligible beneficiaries are VSB and/or SEDI-owned businesses that are applying for, preparing to apply for, or have previously applied for an SSBCI capital program, or referred to other federal or jurisdiction small business programs upon initial assessment for SSBCI programs. Further, at least 10% of unique eligible beneficiaries served in the program must be manufacturing small or medium-sized businesses that independently qualify as VSBs and/or SEDI-owned businesses under this RFA. If the applicant does not currently work with manufacturers, it must identify working partners that will serve the manufacturing small and medium sized enterprises.

E. Eligible TA Services

Funds provided under the TA Grant Program award are only for the provision of legal, accounting, and financial advisory services intended to help eligible beneficiaries access SSBCI capital or participate in other federal or other jurisdiction programs that support small businesses, if they do not qualify for SSBCI capital programs.

Eligible legal, accounting, and financial advisory services include the following. Selected TA providers must deliver services under each category.

I. E.1 Legal Services

• Assisting with business formation or adopting corporate governance documents.

• Obtaining needed registrations, licenses, filings, and certifications.

• Advising or preparing documents for the business to enter into contracts.

• Legal services related to the business obtaining capital from investors, such as the development of financial instruments, investment term sheets, purchase agreements, and shareholder rights agreements.

• Legal services related to a transfer of ownership interests in a business, in the case of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs).

• Legal services pertaining to procurement processes, reviewing contracts, surety bonds, funds control, bid documents, and other contracting related services for applying to and receiving services from SSBCI programs.

• Legal services related to contractor financing.

• Legal services related to surety bonding, related procurement, and contracts.

E.2 Accounting Services

• Preparing audits, financial statements, or business records.

• Digitizing financial records.

• Advisory services or training regarding accounting practices, recordkeeping, or accounting software.

• Developing financial documents to access contractor financing or obtain surety bonds and secure bond lines, such as work in progress schedule, accounts receivables and payables schedules, and transitioning from cash basis accounting to accrual basis in order to comply with lenders or sureties’ request for applying to SSBCI programs.

E.3 Financial Advisory Services

• Assisting with the establishment of banking relationships or other financial services.

• Assisting with applications for government small business programs, including preparing financial analyses.

• Identifying sources of credit, capital, grants, and other financing.

• Advising on factors that may impede the businesses’ access to financing.

• Advising on financial management.

• Developing presentations to potential investors, financial models, and business plans.

• Educating contractors on the basics of surety bonds, bid, payment and performance bonds, single bond limit, surety bond line, indemnity agreements, guarantees, mitigating surety claims, funds control, and all other surety bonding essentials, including applying to the New York State Surety Bond Assistance Program.

• Assisting with contractor financing basics, managed lines of credit, assignments, and other contractor financing related matters.

E.4 Capital Access Referral Programs

As part of the response to the TA Grant program application, prospective TA Providers must submit a TA plan that describes how they will use TA Grant Program funds either under Track One only, Track Two only, or both. If choosing Track One only, TA providers must provide services supporting all applicable Track One programs. If providing services under Track Two, please describe in the response if services will include services targeting support for the Contractor Financing, Surety Bonding, and/or Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Businesses Enterprises.

Awardees must make targeted referrals to appropriate SSBCI Capital Access Programs and document the referral, receiving program or partner, follow-up, and outcome. The following programs are included for reference.

Track One includes the Loan Guarantee Program, Small Business Revolving Loan Fund, Capital Access Program, Main Street Capital Loan Fund, and Capital Project Loan Fund.

Loan Guarantee Program

The New York State Loan Guarantee Program provides partial loan guarantees to participating lenders to reduce credit risk and encourage lending to eligible small businesses that may not otherwise qualify for conventional financing. By sharing a portion of potential loan losses, the program mitigates lender risk for small business borrowers, particularly those in underserved communities. The program reduces lender risk and encourages new lending to small businesses, especially to Socially https://www.esd.ny.gov/capital-access-program#overview and Economically Disadvantaged Individual (SEDI)-owned businesses and Very Small Businesses (VSBs).

For more information: Loan Guarantee Program | Empire State Development (ny.gov)

Small Business Revolving Loan Fund

Through participating lenders, the Small Business Revolving Loan Fund (SBRLF) provides microloans, ranging from $500 to $25,000, and regular loans, which can go up to $250,000 or more, depending on the lender. Eligible uses include every day working capital, equipment, inventory, real estate improvements, and more. Loan terms generally do not exceed 10 years and vary by lender. Interest rates, terms, and fees are set by each lender, who also oversees all applications, underwriting, and credit decisions.

For more information: New York State Small Business Revolving Loan Fund Round 2 | Empire State Development (ny.gov)

Capital Access Program

New York State’s CAP (Capital Access Program) is a loan loss portfolio insurance program aimed at boosting financing options for small businesses, socially and economically disadvantaged individual (SEDI) business owners, and very small businesses (VSB). The program is managed by Empire State Development (ESD), which funds a dedicated loan loss reserve account to cover defaults. Initial contributions of 3 to 7 percent of the loan amount are made by both borrower and lender, with matching funds from ESD. This reserve grows with each loan added and can reimburse lenders 100% for defaults on any enrolled loan.

Eligibility Criteria: Small businesses with 100 or fewer employees located in New York State.

Applicants must meet at least two of the following six criteria:

▪ Operating for less than five years.

▪ Inability to secure bank financing within three years of application.

▪ FICO score below 700.

▪ Unable to provide more than 10% of a loan as collateral.

▪ Qualifies as a Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individual Owned

Business (SEDI), Minority and Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE), Service- Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVOB), or Veteran Owned Business

(VOB).

▪ Business residence is in a community that is economically distressed.

https://www.esd.ny.gov/capital-access-program#overview https://www.esd.ny.gov/loan-guarantee-program https://www.esd.ny.gov/loan-guarantee-program https://esd.ny.gov/nys-small-business-revolving-loan-fund-round-2 https://esd.ny.gov/nys-small-business-revolving-loan-fund-round-2 https://esd.ny.gov/nys-small-business-revolving-loan-fund-round-2

For more information: Capital Access Program | Empire State Development (ny.gov)

Main Street Capital Loan Fund

In partnership with Pursuit, the Main Street Capital Loan Fund (MSCLF) makes term loans of $100,000 or less available for start-ups and early-stage businesses, particularly businesses in or of communities that have historically faced challenges in obtaining adequate credit or favorable terms. MSCLF loans can be used for working capital, acquiring equipment and other essential assets, and hiring talent.

Eligibility Criteria:

▪ Be owned by a New York State resident

▪ Operate in New York State

▪ Employ 100 or fewer full-time employees

▪ Maintain annual revenue of under $5 million

▪ Be a startup or early-stage business in operation for fewer than 4 years

▪ Provide a personal guarantee from owners with more than a 20% ownership stake

MSCLF loan terms include loans up to $100,000 and interest fixed at 9.90% APR for a maximum term of 6 years. Principal is deferred for the first year with interest-only payments and amortized over the remaining term of the loan in equal monthly installments.

For more information: Main Street Capital Loan Fund| Empire State Development (ny.gov)

Capital Project Loan Fund

The Capital Project Loan Fund (CPLF) provides direct loans for the growth of manufacturing and other eligible businesses within New York State. Eligible uses include acquisition and/or renovations to an existing building owned by the business, purchase of land and/or construction of a new building on the business’ current premises, soft costs associated with a real estate transaction, and acquisition costs and soft costs associated with machinery and equipment.

The program utilizes a financing structure of up to 50% SSBCI funds, 40% private lender financing, and a minimum 10% borrower equity contribution to leverage private capital and address financing gaps. CPLF promotes business expansion, job creation, and long-term economic development.

For more information: New York State Capital Project Loan Fund | Empire State Development (ny.gov) https://esd.ny.gov/capital-access-program https://esd.ny.gov/main-street-capital-loan-fund https://esd.ny.gov/main-street-capital-loan-fund https://esd.ny.gov/capital-project-loan-fund https://esd.ny.gov/capital-project-loan-fund

Track Two includes the Contractor Financing Program, Surety Bond Assistance Program, and the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Fund. Applicants can opt to serve one, two, or all three Track Two programs.

Contractor Financing Program

The Contractor Financing Program provides capital to help contractors successfully execute contracts to ease timing of payments from agencies or municipalities to small businesses, SEDI-owned businesses, businesses in distressed census tracts, and MWBEs. Participating lenders can use loan loss reserves to issue government contract-related loans via lines of credit, or managed lines of credit that they otherwise would not underwrite. Loans can be used for contract project deployment, advances against inventory, construction costs, purchase orders, managing payables and receivables, contract finance costs, and working capital to support contractors working on government-funded projects in New York State.

For more information: New York State Contractor Financing Program | Empire State Development (ny.gov)

Surety Bond Assistance Program

The Surety Bond Assistance Program provides technical and financial assistance to help contractors secure surety bonding. Contractors may be eligible to receive a guarantee of up to 30% or $600,000 (whichever is less), to secure a surety bond line, bid bond, or a performance and payment bond on publicly funded or government-led projects.

Eligibility Criteria:

▪ Applicants must be a New York State small business or an MWBE with at least two years of business operations.

▪ Maximum bond line or project size generally is $2 million.

▪ Minimum average gross revenue of $400,000 in each of the last two fiscal or calendar years and maximum gross revenue generally not exceeding $5 million in the most recent calendar or fiscal year.

▪ Minimum credit score of 600.

▪ Previous experience completing similar work to the contract opportunity being pursued.

For more information: New York State Surety Bond Assistance Program | Empire State Development (ny.gov)

Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Fund

The Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Fund (ACDBE) is a federal initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure that disadvantaged businesses, including SEDI-owned businesses, have a fair opportunity to participate in airport concessions contracts. ACDBE certification is a requirement for all prime contractors and subcontractors in concessions operations.

https://esd.ny.gov/nys-contractor-financing-program https://esd.ny.gov/nys-contractor-financing-program https://esd.ny.gov/doing-business-ny/new-york-state-surety-bond-assistance-program#overview https://esd.ny.gov/doing-business-ny/new-york-state-surety-bond-assistance-program#overview

Participating lenders provide direct loans ranging from $50,000 to $5 million for eligible ACDBE-certified businesses.

Eligibility Criteria:

▪ Applicants must be ACDBE-certified by the Port Authority of NY/NJ.

▪ The applicant must be pursuing or currently holding concession opportunities at JFK and/or LaGuardia Airports.

▪ The applicant must demonstrate a need for financial assistance to secure contracts, purchase inventory, cover operational expenses, or for other needs associated with participation in airport concession opportunities.

▪ The applicant must provide a detailed business plan, including financial projections and evidence of the contract or concession opportunity they are pursuing or have been awarded. The applicant must also provide lender a copy of its annual “Declaration of Eligibility” confirming no changes impacting its status as ACDBE.

For more information: Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Fund | Empire State Development (ny.gov)

F. Data Collection and Reporting

Applicants awarded grant funding will be required to track and record information relevant to the success of this grant. Data will be made available to ESD as requested. Awardees must collect and maintain all data required by ESD and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, including TA provider, eligible beneficiary, service, referral, and outcome data. Records must support each reported data element and permit reconciliation to financial and program records.

Before completing and submitting the Application for this RFA, please read SSBCI Reporting Guidelines: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SSBCI-Technical-Assistance-Reporting- Guidance.pdf.

Awardees must submit quarterly operational reports to ESD for periods ending March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 for each active year. The deadline for submitting each quarterly report will fall 15 days after the period-end date. These provider-to-ESD quarterly reports support ESD's reporting obligations to Treasury.

October 15, 2028 is the final deadline for completing all SSBCI-funded technical assistance services and program activities; however, TA providers may perform administrative closeout activities after that date, including submitting final reports and reconciling expenditures, within the closeout period established by ESD.

With respect to the tentative mid-February 2027 program launch date, please reference the quarterly reporting deadlines, as officially outlined by Treasury:

https://esd.ny.gov/airport-concessions-disadvantaged-enterprises-fund https://esd.ny.gov/airport-concessions-disadvantaged-enterprises-fund https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SSBCI-Technical-Assistance-Reporting-Guidance.pdf https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SSBCI-Technical-Assistance-Reporting-Guidance.pdf

Reporting Deadline Activity Period

April 15, 2027 January 1, 2027 – March 31, 2027

July 15, 2027 April 1, 2027 – June 30, 2027

October 15, 2027 July 1, 2027 – September 30, 2027

January 15, 2028 October 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027

April 15, 2028 January 1, 2028 – March 31, 2028

July 15, 2028 April 1, 2028 – June 30, 2028

October 15, 2028 July 1, 2028 – September 30, 2028

October 31, 2028 October 1, 2028 – October 15, 2028

TA providers must maintain records, including attendance sheets, intake forms, promotional flyers, a list of workshop topics, a list of consultants, appropriate referrals, documentation of one-on-one sessions, and success stories. Sample reporting requirements and data elements are attached as Appendix C (Sample Grant Expenditure Summary), Appendix D (Sample Quarterly Reporting Forms), and Appendix E (Sample Quarterly Reporting Excel Template) to this RFA for applicant reference.

Data points include, but are not limited to:

▪ SSBCI client intake form;

▪ SSBCI certifications;

▪ Referral data (describe credit improvement, issued legal/accounting/financial services, referral partner, and outcome);

▪ Count of and dollar amount of loans secured;

▪ U.S. Treasury Excel reporting workbook;

▪ Success stories; and

▪ Receipts of all items/services expensed under the award amount.

G. Program Budget

Respondents must provide a budget along with a justification narrative that identifies and explains how the funds will be used to support the goals and objectives of this SSBCI TA Grant Program. This grant is intended primarily to provide direct TA services. Administrative costs are allowable only to the extent permitted by the award, the approved budget, and applicable federal requirements, and must be separately identified and supported. There is no cost-match requirement associated with this grant. ESD reserves the right to award grants in amounts less than the listed figures depending on the number and quality of applications received and other considerations set forth in this RFA.

Applicants must submit Exhibit C (provided as a separate attachment to this RFA) when submitting their budget in the RFA. The submitted budget should only be used to provide direct services, including Personnel, Contractual Consultants, Fringe Benefits, Travel, and Other, and should align with the expenditure cap per category below.

Each applicant must review the federal guidelines on each budget category prior to writing their justification narrative. Guidelines can be found here: Budget and Narrative Justification | SSBCI (U.S.

Treasury)

Contracting with Consultants

If an eligible TA provider opts to contract with a consultant to carry out TA services, a legally binding agreement must be executed that outlines the scope, budget, deliverables, fees, and applicable service requirements. All consultants must be pre-approved by ESD prior to service delivery.

Additionally, the TA provider must confirm that there are no conflicts of interest. The TA provider and any sub-awardee must comply with all applicable federal, State, and ESD requirements, including SSBCI Technical Assistance Grant Program reporting and record-retention requirements.

The applicant must include with its budget a list of proposed consultants, the services to be provided, and the associated fees. For each quarterly reporting period, the TA provider must submit to ESD all receipts, invoices, proof of payment, and other supporting documentation for expenditures charged to grant funds, including payments to consultants. Documentation must be sufficient to demonstrate that each cost was incurred, allowable, reasonable, and directly related to approved TA services.

Eligible and Ineligible Expenses

Grant funds may be used for reasonable and necessary costs associated with providing technical assistance to eligible beneficiaries, including:

• Personnel costs directly related to TA delivery;

• Legal, accounting, and financial advisory services conducted;

• Loan packaging assistance;

• Credit readiness counseling;

• Business planning and financial projections;

• Outreach and marketing activities;

• Workshops and educational programming;

• Translation and interpretation services;

• Technology and equipment necessary to provide TA services (limited);

• Travel necessary (within NYS) to deliver TA services (limited).

Grant funds may not be used for:

• Capital supporting direct loans;

• Grants to small businesses;

• Equity investments;

• Lobbying activities;

• Political activities;

• Construction or real estate acquisition;

• Entertainment expenses;

• General operating expenses unrelated to TA delivery;

• Expenses incurred prior to contract execution.

A sample of the Grant Expenditure Summary Report Form is included in this RFA as Appendix C attached separately. Selected TA providers are expected to produce and deliver invoices reconciling all claims listed under Appendix C. ESD has the right to review all expenses and deny the reimbursement of any expenses that are deemed ineligible. As mentioned in preceding sections, failure to meet specified goals and outcomes and/or unused funds will be subject to recapture of the awarded funds.

V. APPLICATION INFORMATION

Application Narrative Submission Requirements

As part of your RFA response, applicants must submit a comprehensive TA plan narrative detailing their strategic approach and specific actions for delivering technical assistance according to their selected regions. Please note that at least 50% of unique eligible beneficiaries receiving benefits must be referred to an SSBCI program lender and/or an eligible surety-bonding partner, and must address services and outcomes to SEDI and VSB.

Please highlight how your organization will familiarize itself with the SSBCI programs and participating SSBCI lenders and their eligibility criteria and products. The complete narrative must not exceed 25 pages in searchable PDF format, excluding the cover page, required goal tables, budget and budget narrative, resumes, financial statements, and required forms. An ESD review committee will score your application out of a maximum of 100 points. Each section is weighted with a specific point value, and your final score will depend on the strength of your responses in each area.

The document should include the specified information requested below and be organized under the following headings:

1. Executive Summary and Proposed Value (5 Points): Explain why the organization is applying, the need it will address, the requested amount, selected regions, proposed service mix, and the measurable results it commits to achieve based on current and prospective resources and historic performance.

2. Organizational Capacity and Relevant Experience (5 Points): Describe the organization’s mission and history, capacity, and experience delivering legal, accounting, and/or financial advisory services. Quantify at least three years of experience serving SEDI businesses, VSBs, and manufacturers and identify comparable publicly funded work. Provide details of the organization’s pre-loan and post-loan services in your current programs.

3. Historical Performance and Evidence-based Projections (10 Points): Provide data driven assessment of the needs of eligible beneficiaries in the eligible services areas to be covered by the applicant. Address how the organization will intake clients and conduct assessments of eligible beneficiaries’ needs to match SSBCI Capital program offerings and other business resource referrals.

4. Service Areas (5 Points): Name three geographic service regions selected and describe the strategic plan to target SEDI, VSBs, and SMEs. Describe the types of financial and technical assistance products and services offered and estimate service growth over the next two years. Explain how the organization will reach SEDI-owned businesses, VSBs, underserved communities, and manufacturers and meet the 10% manufacturing service requirement.

5. Beneficiary Intake and Needs Assessment (10 Points): Describe how the applicant currently assesses the needs of eligible beneficiaries, and how the organization matches the beneficiary to the appropriate service or program offered by the organization. Describe how the organization will implement a process to obtain required SSBCI quarterly exhibits and certifications, assess capital readiness, and intake clients. Please note if your organization is selected that without the executed SSBCI quarterly reporting exhibits and intake form, these beneficiaries cannot be enrolled into the program and will not count towards your goals.

6. Outreach, Referrals, and Capital Partner Strategy (10 Points): Describe the organization’s marketing strategy and outreach coordination with other community-based organizations.

Please be specific about how the organization works with other community-based organizations to reach SEDI, VSBs, and SMEs. Further, address how that collaboration will continue to deliver the outcomes for this RFA and provide services in distressed areas. List all partners that the organization intends to collaborate with for this program. Describe how at least 50% of participants will be referred to SSBCI program lenders or surety companies.

If your organization is a current participant in an SSBCI program, please describe how you will outsource a portion of these referrals to other SSBCI partners. If your organization is not currently involved in SSBCI programs, propose which SSBCI programs the organization will target referrals and how your organization will familiarize itself with the SSBCI programs.

7. Data Systems and Reporting Readiness (10 Points): Describe the current Client Relationship Management (CRM) system, loan origination and servicing systems (if applicable), and technical assistance and case management systems your organization currently utilizes and how these systems will implement SSBCI required reporting, as seen in Appendix D (attached separately to this RFA) and Appendix E (attached separately to this RFA). If your budget appropriations are allocated for specific technology, please describe the justification and how this will help your organization grow and deliver technical assistance services.

8. Staffing and Subcontractor Management (10 Points): Provide a detailed plan identifying staff that will be working on this Program and subcontracting opportunities associated with this project with consultants in the three targeted TA services and explain how SEDI and VSBs would be utilized. Identify staff members who will serve as points of contact for reporting and management, specifically who will be completing Appendix E (attached separately to this RFA) and Excel expertise. Please describe how your organization will oversee and evaluate subcontractors used to deliver services under this program. Please provide the outline of the processes, tools, and resources used to assess the subcontractors’ technical assistance capabilities and ongoing services once chosen (legal, accounting, financial advisory services).

9. Delivery Model and Performance Management (10 Points): Provide a task-level implementation plan from contract execution through the life of the program, with milestones, deliverables, quarterly targets, and corrective-action remediations in the event your organization does not meet their goals. Explain how eligible legal, accounting, and financial advisory services will be delivered through one-on-one, classroom-style, and workshop formats. Please include how the organization plans to serve clients remotely and in-person. If proposing activities such as workshops that are open to the public, describe those specific actions that will be taken to ensure the participation of SEDI, VSBs, and SMEs, and efforts that will be taken to continue to engage participants once the event ends, as well as tracking business outcomes.

10. Risk, Compliance, and Corrective Action (10 Points): Identify any operational, geographic, staffing, partner, technology, and/or performance risks. Identify internal controls in place to mitigate the significance of such risks. Describe what the organization sees as its greatest challenge in fulfilling the goals of this program, and how it plans to mitigate these challenges to ensure program success and compliance with SSBCI.

11. Project Budget (5 Points): Please justify your proposed budget as outlined in Exhibit C (provided as a separate attachment to this RFA). Provide a narrative by cost category and year, including staffing count and salaries, subcontractor count and salaries, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, and other eligible costs. Ensure proposed expenses are within parameters of SSBCI TA Guidelines (Please refer to Section V.d, "Budget and Narrative Justification," of the U.S. Treasury Technical Assistance Grant Program Guidelines at https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SSBCI-Technical-Assistance-Guidelines-April- 2022.pdf).

12. Goals and Outcomes (10 Points): Complete all required goal…