Request for Proposals: Mass Timber Accelerator Consultant

MassCEC is seeking a qualified consultant with subject matter expertise in Mass Timber to manage the Mass Timber Accelerator.

The Accelerator is a new initiative that will:

  • Increase the understanding of the benefits of Mass Timber among building developers who procure design teams and general contractors for new construction projects or additions
  • Demonstrate projects that showcase cost-saving use cases for Mass Timber construction
  • Increase industry knowledge about the time to build, cost, and climate impacts of using Mass Timber
  • Decrease the upfront carbon from building projects
  • Position the state as a leader in reducing embodied carbon in new construction and additions by using Mass Timber as a climatetech solution

The selected consultant will be responsible for managing all aspects of the Accelerator, including:

  • Designing a program based on a cohort model, where participants will receive technical assistance support, opportunities for learning and sharing, and networking alongside other participants in the cohort
  • Recruiting projects to participate in the Accelerator
  • Coordinating the review and approval of applications from developers, design teams, and general contractors who would like to apply to participate in the Accelerator
  • Engaging key stakeholders to participate as industry experts in the cohort model in order to build support for and understanding of Mass Timber buildings
  • Providing technical assistance support or coordination of technical assistance for participants
  • Reviewing analyses and design work, estimated time to build, cost, and embodied carbon savings, and synthesizing key takeaways into a final report
Open
Award Potential

$180,000

Application Deadline

November 26, 2025

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Questions? Contact

Procurement Schedule

Process Step Timing
Release of RFP October 8, 2025
Questions due to MassCEC via email to buildings@masscec.com November 5, 2025
Questions with Answers Posted to MassCEC Website November 13, 2025
Proposals Due November 26, 2025
Interviews of Top Applicants Mid December
Notification of Award January 2026

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Application Process

MassCEC must receive responses to this Request for Proposals (RFP) no later than November 26, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET. Only complete, timely proposals will be considered. MassCEC, at its sole discretion, may determine whether an application is complete. The submission must be in electronic form, submitted via email to buildings@masscec.com. Proposals should be in a single PDF document. “Mass Timber Accelerator Consultant” should appear in the email subject line.

Please include in your proposal:

  • Attachment A: Authorized Applicant's Signature and Acceptance Form (located at the end of the RFP document)
  • Attachment B: Application Form
  • Attachment C: Proposed Budget and Schedule
  • Resumes of key participating individuals, including those from project partners
  • Up to three relevant work samples or links to work samples
  • Up to three relevant references

MassCEC does not anticipate accepting responses past the deadline.

Application Materials

Frequently Asked Questions

The RFP states "The Selected Consultant should reserve at least $30,000 of funding for a technical assistance subconsultant." If the prime recipient is the technical lead, are we able to count the funds going to the prime recipient as satisfying the $30,000 of funding for technical assistance?

MassCEC prefers that the Lead Applicant has a relationship, commitment, or planned strategy with the technical assistance provider at time of application. A prime recipient that is also serving as the technical lead should still allocate at least $30,000 for technical assistance work. The primary recipient should be the party responsible for administering the program. That party may also serve as the technical lead, but should ensure capacity and expertise is sufficient to complete all work described in this RFP.

Is the "partner" a technical advisor that we would identify and contract directly, or will MassCEC make that selection? Are we expected to have contacted and gained agreement from technical assistance subcontractors prior to application, or can this be completed once chosen as the consultant?

The technical assistance provider will be a subcontractor to the consultant. MassCEC prefers that the Lead Applicant has a relationship, commitment, or planned strategy with the technical assistance provider at time of application. MassCEC will not choose the technical assistance provider.

FAQs continues...

General Technical Assistance

Could MassCEC please clarify the expectations around matching funding for technical assistance mentioned in the RFP Section VIII - Selection Criteria? How is the matching component intended to work, and what are eligible sources for matching funds?

Applications including matched funding for technical assistance will be scored higher, though it is not a requirement. MassCEC plans on providing funding to support project team participants in the accelerator, which an applicant may choose to match. MassCEC estimates that project teams will be awarded ~$40,000 each, which is subject to change at MassCEC's discretion.

What specific types of technical assistance does MassCEC envision being most valuable to the cohort participants? Is the focus primarily on engineering support, construction expertise, life cycle assessment capabilities, or a combination of these and other areas?

Applicants are expected to propose technical assistance programming which likely includes engineering support, construction expertise, life cycle assessment capabilities, and any other relevant technical considerations for Mass Timber design and construction.

How does MassCEC envision the Accelerator program working with existing technical assistance resources like WoodWorks? Should proposals address specific partnerships with these organizations or consider them as external resources to be coordinated with?

Applicants are encouraged to propose their own approach to working with existing technical assistance resources, including any specific partnerships the applicant is planning to pursue. This may include partnerships such as those employed in Boston, Georgia, and NYC Mass Timber Accelerator efforts.

The RFP indicates that the consultant will be responsible for designing the program. How much flexibility does MassCEC expect in the program design, and are there specific program elements from other mass timber accelerators that MassCEC would like to see replicated or avoided?

MassCEC welcomes flexibility in the program design process. Applicants are expected to propose program elements they would like to incorporate in their application. Further direction and collaboration on program design will occur during contracting with the selected applicant and program operation.

Marketing and Communications

Does MassCEC plan to use your website as the central hub for external information and sharing, or should we create or recommend an outside host?

The MassCEC website will be the central hub for external information.

Does MassCEC have a preference on a platform for internal communication and sharing, or should we plan to create a system?

MassCEC will create a SharePoint Collaborative site with the selected applicant for internal collaboration.

Program Operations

Who is included in the mid-review and final public convenings and what is the intent of the meetings?

The intent of the public convenings is for cohort participants to share progress to date, pain points, solutions, and facilitate information sharing between cohort participants. Public convenings should include cohort participants, and applicants are encouraged to propose other entities to be included in their application.

Is it expected that operational carbon is considered in analysis, or are we looking solely at embodied carbon for the sake of the study?

Applicants are encouraged to propose components of Mass Timber design analysis reports in their application. Final required analysis report components will be determined with input from MassCEC during contracting and program operation, though the emphasis will be placed on embodied carbon savings.

Does MassCEC have any preference for project types to take advantage of the funds?

Requirements and preferences for project types selected for cohort participation will be determined by selected applicant and MassCEC during the program design phase. MassCEC prefers to select project types which demonstrate approaches to designing with Mass Timber that save time, cost and embodied carbon.

How much flexibility is there to adjust cohort size or cadence? The RFP references two cohorts, but would MassCEC consider an option to extend or expand the first cohort if participation and outcomes justify it?

There is flexibility to adjust cohort size or cadence. While one cohort of participants is preferred, MassCEC recognizes there may be a need for two cohorts.

What are your expected cohort and grant facilitation timelines?

MassCEC anticipates awarding and contracting cohort teams in mid-2026, with the Accelerator cohort running from mid-2026 through 2027. Program administration, including data collection and preparation of the final report, will run through 2028.

Are project teams expected to contribute any matching resources? Or are the $40K project grants intended to fully cover design and analysis costs for participating teams?

The $40,000 project grants are envisioned to partially cover additional design and analysis cost and cost of reporting time.

Could you provide additional context on expectations for in-person vs. virtual gatherings and facilitation?

Applicants are welcome to propose their approach to in-person vs. virtual gatherings in their application. Final determination will be made with input from MassCEC during program operation.

Other

The fillable Application Form (Attachment B) appears to be "protected". Is that by design?

The Application Form document opens in Protected View by default. To edit the document, choose "Enable Editing".

Additional Opportunities

BETA: Project Planning

Open
Program Area
High Performance Buildings
Opportunity Type
Grants
Award Potential

Each participating building will receive an electrification and decarbonization plan, including direction to financing options and a recommended implementation timeline.

Application Deadline

Rolling

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