Microenterprise Assistance Program

The City of Detroit Office of Contracting and Procurement, on behalf of the Housing and Revitalization Department's Economic Development Division, is seeking a qualified Program Administrator to manage and deliver the Microenterprise Construction Contractor Assistance Program (MCCAP), a technical assistance initiative designed to prepare Detroit-based low- and moderate-income (LMI) construction microenterprises for contracting opportunities. The procurement encompasses workforce development, technical assistance, and placement services supporting 14 participating microenterprises across two four-month cohorts with seven participants per cohort. Key deliverables include structured curriculum-based training covering business operations, estimating, project management, compliance, and scaling strategies; a minimum of five individualized technical assistance sessions per firm; capacity-building reimbursements for eligible business development expenses; and networking opportunities with City departments and prime contractors. Applicants must demonstrate a minimum of two years of experience providing similar services for projects of comparable scope and size, with qualifications assessed across experience questionnaires (20 points), organizational capacity (30 points), application introduction and solution approach (30 points), and budget proposals (20 points). Critical dates include a pre-application conference on February 2, 2026 at 11:00 AM EST via Microsoft Teams, a question submission deadline of February 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM EST with answers distributed by February 17, 2026, and a proposal due date of February 25, 2026 at 4:00 PM EST through the EUNA Bonfire Supplier Portal. The awarded contract will be a one-year City of Detroit Subrecipient Agreement commencing May 1, 2026, with potential renewal options subject to City Council approval and program milestones including onboarding by May 31, 2026, Cohort 1 programming from June through October 2026, and Cohort 2 programming from December 2026 through May 2027.

The procurement is funded through HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and must comply with 24 CFR 570.201(o) microenterprise regulations, with no specific set-asides or restrictions on respondent types identified beyond standard federal debarment and suspension certifications, equal employment opportunity standards, and compliance requirements. All applicants must register with the System of Awards Management (SAM), obtain City of Detroit Treasury Clearance, and submit notarized consolidated affidavits addressing hiring policies, slavery era records, insurance disclosure, prison industry records, covenant of equal opportunity, and political contributions. The program budget ceiling is set at $350,000.00, with applicants required to submit detailed cost proposals clearly delineating expenses between program administration and reimbursements for business development expenses provided to participating microenterprises. While no incumbent vendors or current contractors are referenced in the solicitation materials, applicants must disclose any current or past contracts held with the City of Detroit, claims or lawsuits filed against the organization within the past ten years, and any contract terminations for any reason. Applicants are encouraged to identify existing resources and leverage opportunities that can support requested program functions and advance initiative objectives, with all records required to be maintained for five years after CDBG funds are expended or until December 31, 2031, whichever is later, and subject to City and federal audit.