2025-MBI-11 Residential Retrofit Program Request for Proposals

The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) is launching a program to make a significant capital investment aimed at enhancing broadband infrastructure within Affordable Housing developments across Massachusetts. Funded by an $81 million grant from the U.S. Treasury's Capital Projects Fund, the initiative seeks to upgrade internet connectivity in public and affordable housing properties, particularly those serving residents at or below 300% of Federal Poverty Guidelines or 80% of the median income, with certain eligibility criteria and restrictions. The project involves deploying fiber optic infrastructure from the street to the building, installing in-building wiring, and providing in-unit termination points, ensuring high-speed internet services with minimum speeds of 100 Mbps symmetrical and latency below 20 milliseconds. The program emphasizes long-term infrastructure durability, ownership rights, and accessibility, including MassTech's retention of rights to use up to three strands of dark fiber for public interest purposes. Applicants are required to meet detailed technical, schedule, and community engagement criteria, including network design standards, customer premises equipment specifications, project timelines aiming for substantial completion by September 2026, and commitments to affordability and participation in future subsidy programs. The evaluation process assigns points based on service affordability, project costs, experience, community benefits, organizational capacity, workforce standards, and financial health, with a minimum threshold of 50 points for eligibility. Additional bonus points are available for leveraging public broadband infrastructure, open access networks, and bulk service offerings. The procurement and project execution must adhere to federal, state, and local laws, including nondiscrimination, environmental, and labor standards, with rigorous oversight and recordkeeping requirements. The program also grants MassTech rights to utilize fiber strands for public purposes and mandates detailed project schedules, service level agreements, and property owner agreements to ensure transparency, quality, and long-term sustainability of broadband services in participating affordable housing developments.