RFR 27-102 State Aid Facilitator FINAL.pdf

RFR 27-102 State Aid Review Facilitator

BD-27-1007-1007C-1007L-131585

Date of COMMBUYS Posting: July 27, 2026

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners 90 Canal St, Ste 500, Boston, MA 02114

617-725-1860 ● 1-800-952-7403 ● Fax: 617-725-0140

REQUEST FOR RESPONSES

RFR 27-102 for State Aid Facilitator

COMMBUYS Bid# BD-27-1007-1007C-1007L-131585

ISSUE DATE: July 27, 2026

Purchasing Department Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

Address 90 Canal Street, Suite 500

City, State Zip Code Boston, MA 02114-1933

Procurement Contact Person Tanesha Deane

Telephone Number 617-725-1860 x241

Fax Number 617-725-0140

E-Mail Address tanesha.deane@mass.gov

RFR Name/Title State Aid Review Facilitator

RFR Number RFR 27-102

COMMBUYS Bid Number BD-27-1007-1007C-1007L-131585

1. Description or Purpose of Procurement

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) is seeking a qualified Facilitator for the State Aid to Public Libraries Review Committee. The Facilitator will lead the Committee in a detailed review of the components of the current program, including scheduling and conducting a series of meetings; compiling, reviewing, and analyzing findings, and compiling recommendations pertaining to the State Aid to Public Libraries Program’s Municipal Appropriation Requirement (MAR), MAR Waiver process, Materials Expenditure Requirement, Hours Open Requirement, and all other aspects of the State Aid to Public Libraries program requirements.

Background

The State Aid to Public Libraries Program is an annual, voluntary program administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. State Aid awards are made to municipalities whose public libraries meet statutory and regulatory requirements that support Minimum Standards of Free Public Library Service (MGL c.78, ss.19A and 19B; 605 CMR 4.00). The purpose of State Aid to Public Libraries is:

2. to encourage municipalities to support and improve public library service

3. to encourage reciprocal resource sharing among libraries across Massachusetts

4. to compensate for disparities among municipal funding capacities

5. to offset additional costs to municipalities whose libraries circulate materials to patrons from other certified Massachusetts municipalities

The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is the state agency statutorily charged to support, develop, coordinate, improve and promote library services throughout the Commonwealth. The Board was established in 1890 under Chapter 78 of the Massachusetts General Laws and consists of nine Commissioners appointed by the Governor. The State Aid to Public Libraries Program has been in existence since 1890. Periodic reviews of the program have been conducted, most recently in 2015- 2016.

2. Applicable Procurement Law

Check Appropriate

Box (“X”):

Type of Purchase Applicable Laws

Executive Branch Goods and Services

Goods and Services MGL c. 7, § 22; c. 30, § 51, § 52; 801 CMR 21.00

Human and Social Services MGL c. 7, § 22, § 22N; c. 30, § 51, § 52; 801

CMR 21.00; 808 CMR 1.00

Legal Services MGL c. 30, § 51, § 52 and § 65; c. 7, § 22;

and 801 CMR 21.01(2) (b)

Grants MGL c. 7A, § 7; St. 1986 c. 206, § 17; 815

CMR 2.00

3. Acquisition Method

Check All Applicable (“X”): Category

Fee-For-Service

Outright Purchase

Rental (not to exceed 6 months)

Term Lease

License

Other: [specify, e.g., TELP]

4. Whether Single or Multiple Contractors are Required for Contract

Check One (“X”):

Single Contractor

Multiple Contractors

4.1 Estimated Number of Awards

The target maximum number of Contractors is one (1); the Purchasing Department may award more or fewer contracts, if it is in the best interests of the Commonwealth to do so.

4.2 Adding Contractors After Initial Contract Award

If, over the life of the contract, the Purchasing Department determines that additional Contractors may be added, these may be drawn from qualified companies which responded to this Solicitation but were not awarded Contracts. If necessary to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth, the Solicitation may be reopened to obtain additional Bids.

5. Entities Eligible to Use the Resulting Contract

Check One (“X”): Eligible Entities

Limited User Contract – Restricted to Use by Defined Entities Only. Any Contract(s) resulting from this Bid will be open for use by the issuing Purchasing Department and the following other entities:

• [Identify additional Eligible Entities by name] Limited User Contract – Restricted to Use by Issuing Entity Only.

6. Expected Duration of Contract (Initial Duration and any Options to Renew)

The anticipated duration of this contract is from January 1, 2027 to December 31, 2027, including any renewals.

Contract Duration

Number of Options Number of

Years/Months Instructions

Initial Duration

1 year January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027

Renewal Options

Total Maximum Contract Duration

1 year January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027

7. Anticipated Expenditures, Funding, or Compensation

The estimated value of purchase(s) resulting from this Bid is $30,000 including all renewals. Estimated Value of Procurement: $30,000

The Commonwealth makes no guarantee that any commodities or services will be purchased from any Contract resulting from this Bid. Any estimates or past procurement volumes referenced in this Bid are included only for the convenience of Bidders and are not to be relied upon as any indication of future purchase levels.

8. Contract Performance and Business Specifications

8.1 Scope of Services

The MBLC is seeking a qualified Facilitator for the State Aid to Public Libraries Review Committee.

Charge to the State Aid to Public Libraries Review Committee

The Committee is charged with completing an in-depth review of the State Aid the Public Libraries program, including all statutes, requirements, policies, and procedures, before a final determination can be presented to the Board regarding possible recommendations for change. The Committee will assess additional input from the library community, analyze more focused research on current requirements, and conduct a closer review of relevant data.

The Committee will:

• Meet a minimum of six times between August and November of the contract period

• Review existing program elements of the State Aid to Public Libraries program, including statutes, requirements, policies, and procedures

• Identify elements for possible updates or changes

• Report findings and proposals to the Board of Library Commissioners

• Present Board recommendations to the Public Library Community for response

Facilitation Responsibilities

The Facilitator will conduct a minimum of six meetings of the State Aid to Public Libraries Committee Facilitation includes: working with the MBLC staff to determine the objectives of each meeting and to assure that the objectives are reached; compiling notes reflecting discussion, outcomes, and action items from each meeting; meeting with MBLC staff to review outcomes. The Facilitator will report to the Board of Library Commissioners the findings and recommendations of the State Aid to Public Libraries Review Committee.

The Facilitator must be able to travel to Committee meeting locations around the Commonwealth and be available to present committee findings at Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners Meeting(s) upon completion of the review process or when updates to the Board are requested.

8.2 Vendor Specifications

The Facilitator must meet the following minimum qualifications:

• 5 years administrative experience in a Massachusetts public library OR have documented experience consulting with at least 3 public libraries and/or state library agencies on strategic plans. All assigned staff for this project must have this experience. Therefore, please provide the resumes of each individual who will be participating in this project and their relevant experience as it pertains to this project only.

• Understanding of the public library structure in Massachusetts

• Knowledge of the current State Aid to Public Libraries Program’s statutes, requirements, policies, and procedures

8.3 Failure to Perform

Failure to perform contractual obligations is outlined in the Standard Contract Form, Terms and Conditions, Section 4 regarding termination and suspension of contract.

9. Form of the Response

Responses will be divided into two main parts: Narrative Proposal and a Cost Proposal. The Narrative Proposal and Cost Proposal must be two separate documents.

https://www.macomptroller.org/wp-content/uploads/form_commonwealth-terms-and-conditions.pdf

9.1 Narrative Proposal

The vendor shall write a narrative that is detailed enough to help the procurement team understand how they would provide the services required and how they would work with the Agency throughout the process.

9.1.1 Vendor Qualifications

The vendor will provide a brief narrative of their business history and focus of their mission, as well as their interest in undertaking this work for the Agency and the library community as a whole. The vendor then will describe in detail their qualifications to perform the duties enumerated in this document. Each of the vendor specifications listed in Section 8.2 Vendor Specifications must be addressed individually.

Vendor responses will use the same numbering scheme as in this document (e.g., 8.2.1, 8.2.2, 8.2.3…).

All qualifications must be addressed.

9.1.2 Required Services

The vendor will describe in detail how they intend to meet each of the services listed in Section 8.1 Scope of Services. Vendor responses will use the same numbering scheme as in this document (e.g., 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.1.3…). All services must be addressed. The vendor should indicate any services they believe are essential to the process that are not mentioned in this document and explain how they would provide them.

9.2 Cost Proposal

This RFR seeks a comprehensive cost proposal for all services outlined in Section 8.1 Scope of Services.

The cost proposal must be all-inclusive, and the vendor should detail any proposed discounts for expedited payments. The Cost Proposal must be submitted as a separate document.

The following breakdowns are required in the Cost Proposal:

9.2.1 Overall Costs based on Term of Contract

9.2.2 Costs by Service / Project

Submit a proposed budget that includes all administrative costs, staff that will complete each task, and the projected cost of completing each deliverable. The resulting contract will be inclusive of all costs. All costs must be detailed in the proposed budget.

9.3 Other Required Documents

9.3.1 Business References

The vendor will provide at least three client references that the Agency may contact about previous work, using the Business Reference form included with this RFR. If possible, references will be from clients of similar sizes. The Agency is particularly interested in any previous experience vendors may have with other educational, non-profit, or governmental organizations The vendor must have documented experience of at least 5 years administrative experience in a Massachusetts public library OR documented experience consulting with at least 3 public libraries and/or state library agencies on strategic plans. All assigned staff for this project must have this experience. If any Commonwealth agency is an existing customer, the vendor must provide that agency’s contact as a reference. If any Commonwealth agency is an existing customer, the vendor must provide that agency’s contact as a reference.

10. Evaluation Criteria

Contractors must submit responses that meet all the submission requirements of the RFR. Only responsive proposals that meet the submission requirements will be evaluated, scored, and ranked by the evaluation team according to the evaluation criteria. Additional information may be requested for evaluation purposes.

All proposals will be evaluated by the members of the MBLC’s Procurement Team: Head of State Programs, State Aid Specialist, State Aid Administrative Assistant, Data Analyst/IT Support Specialist

Responses will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Criteria Value

Narrative Proposal [40] points

Cost Proposal [20] points

Business References [40] points

Total 100 points

11. Required Forms

Responses to this RFR must contain the following documents:

Check if applicable (“X”)

Form/Document Notes/Instructions

Narrative Proposal Electronic Submission

Cost Proposal Electronic Submission

Business Reference Form Electronic Submission

Prompt Payment Discount Form Electronic Submission

RFR Submission Checklist Electronic Submission

Authorization for Electronic Funds Transfer Upon Contract Award

– can be submitted electronically

W9 Form Upon Contract Award

– can be submitted electronically

The above attachments are available as part of the Bid record on COMMBUYS

(WWW.COMMBUYS.COM).

12. Instructions for Submission of Responses

Only electronic quotes submitted via COMMBUYS will be accepted in response to this RFR. Responses must be sent via the “Create Quote” functionality in COMMBUYS. For instructions concerning how to submit a Quote, please see Appendix B.

Any submission that fails to meet the submission requirements of the RFR will be found non-responsive without further evaluation unless the evaluation team, at its discretion, determines that the non-compliance is insubstantial and may be corrected. In these cases, the evaluation team may allow the vendor to make minor corrections to the submission.

http://www.commbuys.com/ http://www.commbuys.com/

12.1 COMMBUYS Quote Submission Training and Instructions

The following resources are provided to assist Bidders in submitting Quotes:

• Appendix B, Instructions for Vendors Responding to Bids Electronically through COMMBUYS, which is part of this document;

• Training sessions focused on online Quote submission, if offered, are noted in the Estimated Procurement Calendar;

• An online job aid on How to Create a Quote

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

COMMBUYS.

12.2 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 to access COMMBUYS resources, including new bid postings, job aids, and training schedules for buyers, among others.

Email: Send inquiries to the OSD Help Desk at OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov

Telephone: Call the OSD Help Desk at 1-888-MA-STATE (1-888-627-8283). The Help Desk is staffed from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday Eastern Time, except on federal and state holidays.

Bidders are advised that COMMBUYS will be unavailable during regularly scheduled maintenance hours of which all users will be notified.

https://www.mass.gov/doc/how-to-create-a-quote-in-commbuys/download https://www.screencast.com/t/GMJLKkilF12 https://www.screencast.com/t/GMJLKkilF12 http://www.mass.gov/osd/commbuys mailto:OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov

13. Estimated Procurement Calendar

Bidders are required to monitor COMMBUYS for changes to the procurement calendar for this Bid.

Times are Eastern Standard/Daylight Savings (US), as displayed on the COMMBUYS system clock displayed to Bidders after logging in. If there is a conflict between the dates in this Procurement Calendar and dates in the Bid’s Header, the dates in the Bid’s Header on COMMBUYS shall prevail.

Bidders are responsible for checking the Bid record, including Bid Q&A, on COMMBUYS for Procurement Calendar updates. Bidders are required to monitor COMMBUYS for changes to the procurement

13.1 Online Questions (Bid Q&A) potential Bidders are invited to submit written questions.

Written questions must be entered using the “Bid Q&A” tab for the Bid in COMMBUYS no later than the “Online Questions Due” date and time indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above). The issuing department reserves the right to not respond to questions submitted after this date. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to verify receipt of questions.

It is the responsibility of the prospective Bidder and awarded Contractor to maintain an active registration in COMMBUYS and to keep current the email address of the Bidder’s contact person and prospective contract manager, if awarded a contract, and to monitor that email inbox for

Procurement Activity Date Time

Bid Release Date July 27, 2026 9:00 am

Deadline for Submission of Questions through COMMBUYS “Bid Q&A”

August 3, 2026 3:00 p.m.

Official Answers for Bid Q&A published (Estimated)

August 5, 2026

Bid Amendment Deadline / Online Quote Submission Begins. (Bid documents will not be amended after this date)

August 10, 2026

Deadline for Quotes/Bid Responses

(“Bid Opening Date/Time” in COMMBUYS) August 24, 2026 11:00 a.m.

Notification of Apparent Successful Bidder(s) (Estimated)

August 31, 2026

Estimated Contract Start Date January 1, 2027 communications from the Purchasing Department, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth assume no responsibility if a prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s computer, network, or internet service provider (ISP) cause email communications sent to/from the prospective Bidder/Awarded contractor and the Purchasing Department to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

Written Responses to Questions will be released on or about the “Responses to Questions Posted Online” date indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above).

(Written questions and responses will be posted on the Bid Q&A Tab for this Bid in COMMBUYS.)

13.2 Bid Amendment Deadline

The Purchasing Department reserves the right to make amendments to the Bid after initial publication.

It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for amendments, addenda, or modifications to this Bid, and any Bid Q&A records related to this Bid. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth accept no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit a Quote based on an out-of-date Bid or on information received from a source other than COMMBUYS.

13.3 Quotes (Bid Responses) Deadline (Bid Opening Date/Time)

See the Quotes (Bid Responses) Deadline (Bid Opening) Date and Time indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above).

13.4 Estimated Contract Start Date

This is the approximate start date. The actual start date will be the Contract Effective Date which is the date the Contract is executed by the parties.

14. Fiscal Terms

14.1 Prompt Pay Discounts

All Bidders must agree to offer discounts through participation in the Commonwealth Prompt Payment Discount (PPD) initiative for receiving early and/or on-time payments, unless the Bidder can provide compelling proof that it would be unduly burdensome.

Bidders must submit agreeable terms for Prompt Payment Discount unless otherwise specified by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). The MBLC will review, negotiate, or reject the offering as deemed in the best interest of the Commonwealth.

The requirement to offer a PPD may be waived by the MBLC on a case-by-case basis if participation in the program would be unduly burdensome on the Bidder. If a Bidder is claiming that this requirement is a hardship or unduly burdensome, the specific reason must be documented in the Response.

14.2 Commonwealth Tax Exemption

Invoices submitted to the MBLC must not include sales tax.

14.3 VendorWeb

Vendors can see their scheduled payments and payment history by logging on to VendorWeb. On-line vendors can find the tentative scheduled payment date or the actual payment date, payment number, vendor invoice number, contract number, line amount, any associated text information and the Department making the payment. VendorWeb is located at https://massfinance.state.ma.us/VendorWeb/vendor.asp.

The VendorWeb application was created to help the Commonwealth’s vendors get their payment information freely and easily. Vendors access VendorWeb with their Commonwealth VC code and the last 4 digits of their TIN. Vendors can view or download information for payments made in the current or prior fiscal year or scheduled to be paid. Payment information can be generated using date ranges and selected Department(s). Payment information can be sorted by payment number or Department payer(s).

VendorWeb also provides vendors on-line access to 1099 tax forms.

14.4 Payments

The selected vendor will be required to submit payment invoices in accordance with the procedures outlined above in order to receive payments. Departments are required to make payments on approved invoices within forty-five (45) calendar days of receipt unless a prompt payment discount is negotiated for this contract. Please note: Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) is the expected form of issuing Commonwealth payments to our vendors. The Commonwealths’ policy is to pay its bills through EFT while maximizing the use of prompt payment discounts (PPD). EFT is a benefit to both vendors and the https://massfinance.state.ma.us/VendorWeb/vendor.asp

Commonwealth because it ensures fast, safe and reliable payment directly to the vendor’s account and saves both parties the cost of processing checks.

BILLS ARE PAYABLE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CTR’S BILL PAYMENT POLICY:

https://www.mass.gov/service-details/understanding-commonwealth-payments

15. Small Business Purchasing Program

15.1 Program Background

The Massachusetts Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) was established pursuant to Executive Order 523 to increase state contracting opportunities with small businesses having their principal place of business within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Pursuant to the SBPP, it is the intention of the issuing department to award this Small Procurement to one or more SBPP participating business(es) as described below.

15.2 SBPP Award Preference

While all businesses, no matter the size or principal place of business, may submit responses to this solicitation, should an SBPP participant respond and meet the best value criteria as described in this solicitation, the SBPP participant shall be awarded the contract. The Strategic Sourcing Services Team (SSST) will not evaluate submissions from non-SBPP participants unless no SBPP Bidder meets the SSST’s best value evaluation criteria.

15.3 SBPP Participation Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in this procurement as an SBPP participant, an entity must meet the following criteria, and be marked as an SBPP-registered business in COMMBUYS:

1. Have its principal place of business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts;

2. Be in business for at least one year;

3. Employ a combined total of 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees in all locations, or employees work less than a combined total of 26,000 hours per quarter; and

4. Have gross revenues, as reported on appropriate tax forms, of $15 million or less, based on a three-year average.

Non-profit firms also must be registered as a non-profit or charitable organization with the MA Attorney General’s Office and be up to date with all filings required by that office and be tax exempt under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

15.4 SBPP Compliance Requirements

It is the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that their SBPP status is current at the time of submitting a response and throughout the life of any resulting contract. Misrepresentation of SBPP status will result https://www.mass.gov/service-details/understanding-commonwealth-payments https://www.mass.gov/sbpp https://www.mass.gov/executive-orders/no-523-establishing-the-massachusetts-small-business-purchasing-program https://www.mass.gov/executive-orders/no-523-establishing-the-massachusetts-small-business-purchasing-program https://www.commbuys.com/bso/ in disqualification from consideration, and may result in debarment, contract termination, and other actions. To learn more about the SBPP, including how to apply, visit the SBPP Webpage.

15.5 Program Resources and Assistance

Bidders and Contractors seeking assistance regarding SBPP may visit the SBPP webpage, http://www.mass.gov/sbpp, or contact the SBPP Help Desk at sbpp@mass.gov.

16. Acceptable Forms of Signature

Effective June 15, 2021, for all 1) CTR forms, including the Standard Contract Form, W-9s, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) forms, ISAs, and other CTR-issued documents and forms, or 2) documents related to state finance and within the statutory area of authority or control of CTR (i.e. contracts, payrolls, and related supporting documentation), CTR will accept signatures executed by an authorized signatory in any of the following ways:

1. Traditional “wet signature” (ink on paper);

2. Electronic signature that is either:

a. Hand drawn using a mouse or finger if working from a touch screen device; or

b. An uploaded picture of the signatory’s hand drawn signature

3. Electronic signatures affixed using a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign. If using an electronic signature, the signature must be visible, include the signatory’s name and title, and must be accompanied by a signature date. Please be advised that typed text of a name not generated by a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign, even in computer-generated cursive script, or an electronic symbol, are not acceptable forms of electronic signature.

17. RFR Attachments

Appendix A: Required Specifications https://www.mass.gov/doc/rfr-required-specifications-of-commodities-and-services

Appendix B: Electronic Quote Submission Instructions https://www.mass.gov/doc/instructions-for-vendors-responding-to-bids

Appendix B: State Aid Review – Regulatory Change Calendar http://www.mass.gov/sbpp http://www.mass.gov/sbpp mailto:sbpp@mass.gov https://www.mass.gov/doc/rfr-required-specifications-of-commodities-and-services