Esd - Empire State Government - Ny - Agency Bids & RFPs

Prequalification is required for all notforprofit organizations seeking grant funding from new york state. notforprofit organizations must register as a vendor the statewide financial system and successfully prequalify

Failure to successfully complete the prequalification process early enough may result in a grant application being disqualified. failure to successfully complete the prequalification process early enough may result in a grant application being disqualified.

Applications are due on or before August 31, 2026, by 3:00 PM ET. Late applications will not be accepted.

Evaluation criteria include track record, lending/underwriting capacity, strategic vision, institutional capacity, organizational stability, application completeness, and regulatory compliance. ESD will balance individual application scores with priorities for geographic distribution.

Eligible applicants must be in good standing with New York State and ESD, be an eligible entity type (Empire Zone Capital Corporation, community-based LDC/IDA, not-for-profit, or CDFI), identify a service delivery region, have sufficient expertise, establish a loan committee, obtain New York State prequalification, primarily focus on MWBE/small business lending, be legally able to receive funds, meet other requirements, be current with ESD reporting, and demonstrate strong lending capacity and linkages with other service providers.

Violation of State Finance Law provisions can result in disqualification from eligibility for an award and debarment from future New York State governmental procurement contracts. If an applicant is found to have knowingly and willfully violated the State Finance Law provisions, that applicant and its subsidiaries, related or successor entities will be determined to be a nonresponsible applicant and will not be awarded any contract issued pursuant to this solicitation.

Disqualification can occur for violating conflict of interest provisions, offering gifts to influence ESD staff, or knowingly and willfully violating State Finance Law sections 139j and 139k. Violation of this restriction will disqualify an applicant's proposal from the competition.

Proposals deemed to arrive late will not be considered for award.

By submitting a response to this RFP, the respondent agrees that ESD may withhold payment pursuant to any contract awarded as a result of this RFP pending receipt of the required MWBE documentation.

Contractor warrants that its services shall be performed in accordance with applicable professional standards and that the contractor shall correct, at no charge to the corporation, services which fail to meet applicable professional standards and which result in obvious or patent errors in the progression of its work.

Respondents must be responsible, which means they must have the requisite financial ability, organizational capacity and legal authority to carry out its obligations under this RFP, and in addition must demonstrate that both the respondent and its principals have and will maintain the level of integrity needed to contract with New York State entities such as ESD.

If a respondent is found to have knowingly and willfully violated the State Finance Law provisions, that respondent and its subsidiaries, related or successor entities will be determined to be a nonresponsible respondent and will not be awarded any contract issued pursuant to this solicitation. In addition, two such findings of nonresponsibility within a four-year period can result in debarment from obtaining any New York State governmental procurement contract.

ESD may disqualify any respondent to this RFP or terminate any contract entered into as a result of this RFP should ESD determine that the respondent has violated any of these requirements (referring to conflicts of interest provisions).