Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Commission For The Blind

Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Commission For The Blind, a state government agency headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, operates as a federal grant recipient and a food service contractor to the Department of the Army, functioning primarily as a prime recipient (95% of recent awards) across vocational rehabilitation grants and military dining facility operations with no set-aside designations.

The agency's federal footprint splits sharply between two distinct customer streams. The Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services dominates by award count with 81 formula grants supporting the agency's core mission as the State VR agency for Massachusetts, covering vocational rehabilitation services (CFDA 84.126), supported employment services (CFDA 84.128), and independent living services for older individuals who are blind (CFDA 84.177), along with Social Services Block Grant funding from the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (CFDA 93.667). Recent grants include an $8,930,469 vocational rehabilitation services award for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, and a $1,620,897 Social Services Block Grant award covering October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027. These formula grants support comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services, employment support, and independent living assistance for individuals who are blind in Massachusetts.

The second revenue stream originates from the Department of the Army Sustainment Command, which has awarded the agency a single-award Indefinite Delivery Contract valued at $12,939,744 (ceiling) running through February 22, 2027, for comprehensive full food service operations at Fort Devens in Ayer, Massachusetts. The agency has received six delivery orders under this IDC since February 2022, with individual order values ranging from $667,190 to $2,322,266. The most recent delivery order, awarded February 23, 2026, carries a ceiling of $2,200,948 and runs through February 22, 2027. A prior delivery order modification valued at $1,135,962 was issued September 1, 2024. The Army work encompasses dining facility management, food preparation services, and full food service operations across the military installation. Combined potential value across all Army awards totals $22.1 million. The agency also holds a minor relationship with the Department of Homeland Security US Coast Guard (2 awards, $3.8 million combined potential value) related to food service operations.

Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Commission For The Blind subcontracts as a sub-recipient under the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on federal grant work, specifically managing the Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Library, a federally funded program supporting accessible materials for students who are blind. The agency has received six sub-award notices from DESE dating from July 2023 through July 2026.

Activity has remained stable in recent years (7 awards in 2022, 7 in 2023, 9 in 2024, 8 in 2025), with only two awards recorded in 2026 year-to-date. Two awards carrying a combined potential value of $2.2 million face ultimate completion within the next twenty-four months, presenting minimal recompete exposure. The agency's work is concentrated in food service contracting (9 awards under NAICS Food Service Contractors) and operation of dining facilities (5 awards under PSC codes for dining facility operations and housekeeping-food services).