Notice of Funding Opportunity - Dam Removal Preliminary Design Services FY27

The Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration is issuing a Notice of Funding Opportunity for dam removal preliminary design services in Fiscal Year 2027, with applications due September 4, 2026. Eligible applicants are Massachusetts municipalities only — towns, cities, districts, and commissions — seeking preliminary design work for dam removal projects in early planning stages.

Eligible dams must fall under Massachusetts Office of Dam Safety jurisdiction and be either municipally owned or of municipal interest from a restoration or resiliency perspective. Municipalities may apply for multiple dam sites but must submit separate applications for each; multiple associated structures at a single dam site may be consolidated into one application. Landowner permission for dam and site access is required before submission.

Selected projects receive a one-year agreement with a potential one-year renewal option. DER provides technical assistance from internal staff and procures contracted technical services from qualified vendors on behalf of selected municipalities. DER reserves the right to designate additional dam sites for preliminary studies if additional funding becomes available within state fiscal year 2027.

The formal Request for Response will be released in August 2026 on COMMBUYS with a minimum two-week application window, followed by a formal written question-and-answer period prior to the September 4 deadline. Applicants are responsible for monitoring COMMBUYS for any amendments.

Municipalities incur no obligation to proceed with dam removal after preliminary design work is complete, and DER makes no guarantee of further assistance beyond the preliminary design phase. The complete timeline, technical specifications, funding mechanisms, and matching-fund requirements are available in the COMMBUYS RFR posting and on DER's website.