Press Releases – Optimal Solutions Group

A microloan program designed to assist women, low income, veteran, and minority entrepreneurs, and other small businesses will be evaluated for its impact in growth outcomes
The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Microloan Program makes direct loans to qualified nonprofit, quasi-governmental and tribal mediators that, in turn, lend working capital for job creation, equipment, and material purchases. This program is essential for small businesses who do not qualify for traditional business loans and who have historically been underrepresented in the business community across a number of industries. […]
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Optimal evaluated four Small Business Administration programs using logic models to determine outcomes
A logic model provides a visual likeness of the key program pathways linking program components to short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes. The purpose of a logic model is to define a program’s theory of change by showing how the program’s underlying assumptions, strategies, resources, activities, and contextual factors are expected to lead to the desired outcomes. Optimal prepared logic models […]
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Optimal develops AI-tool to assist government agencies identify qualified under-represented firms
Government agencies often use incomplete and non-systematic approaches to identify qualified contractors and capable, socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses for government requests. While information about firms is available, it is stored across disparate systems that are not linked together. In order for staff to more efficiently identify small disadvantaged businesses, Optimal Solutions Group, LLC (Optimal), developed a series of […]
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Optimal assessed the impact of small business development program
The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) Business Development Program grants participants access to set-aside or sole source contracts, a business opportunity specialist, the right to enter a mentor-protégé program, and other benefits. The goal of the Evaluation of 8(a) Certified Firms is to better understand the market for goods and services demanded by federal agencies and those supplied by 8(a) businesses. The […]
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Optimal assessed the impact of SBA’s Emerging Leaders Training and Mentoring Initiative
This study helped SBA in improving the program enactment of Emerging Leaders (e200) Training and Mentoring Initiative by identifying strategies to improve program participation and stakeholder engagement. It also identified the factors affecting the business revenue and business survival rates of the businesses poised for growth in historically challenged communities. Optimal assisted in developing the overall evaluation frameworks for SBA’s […]
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Optimal assessed the performance of the SBA small business regional clusters
The SBA’s Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) Initiative, launched in September 2010, promotes and supports U.S. regional clusters—geographically concentrated groups of connected businesses, suppliers, service providers, and similar institutions in an industry or field. Clusters act as a networking hub to convene resources for small businesses. This then helps small businesses in navigating funding, procurement, and supply-chain opportunities in their specific […]
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Optimal analyzed small business program designed to provide business development assistance
Established in 2016, the All Small Mentor-Protégé Program (ASMPP) extends the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) approved mentor-protégé relationships to every small business. The program’s goal is to develop strong protégé firms through mentor-provided business development assistance. Optimal assessed why firms leave the ASMPP either during the application process before they are approved for the program or during the program participation […]
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Optimal Solutions Group Appraised at CMMI Level 3 – Development
Optimal Solutions Group, LLC today announced that it has been appraised at level 3 for Development (DEV) of the CMMI Institute’s Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)®. The appraisal was performed by Abridge Technology. CMMI is a capability improvement framework that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes that ultimately improve their performance.
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Using Mobile Applications in Opioid Treatment: Opportunities and Challenges
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) awarded Optimal a contract to assess the implementation and effectiveness of mobile application technology to provide recovery support services to patients undergoing treatment for opioid dependence in an Opioid Treatment Program (OTP).
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Recent Press Releases

Optimal Approved to Join GSA’s Program Evaluation Services Subgroup

November 6, 2023

Optimal is proud to announce its approval to join the General Services Administration’s (GSA) exclusive program evaluation subgroup. This achievement shows Optimal’s expertise in evaluating complex multisite programs, government demonstrations, pilots, and initiatives. GSA’s Program Evaluation Subgroup allows Federal agencies to give solicitations to contractors with expertise in program evaluation. It provides contractors access to large Federal investments in program […]

Optimal’s CEO, Mark Turner, Joins the National Data Science Alliance Education and Workforce Committee to Advance Data Science at HBCUs

November 1, 2023

Optimal’s President and CEO, Dr. Mark Turner, has joined the National Data Science Alliance (NDSA) Education and Workforce Committee. The committee aims to advance the field of data science across Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). It is recognized for its commitment to fostering equitable opportunities in the data science arena. The NDSA is a national consortium of individuals and […]

Archived Press Releases

Revelo Teams Up with University of Maryland for Digital Accessibility Pilot

June 10, 2020

The challenges of quickly transitioning to online classes in response to the COVID-19 global health crisis highlight the urgent need for digital accessibility in higher education. Website designers and developers often overlook incorporating accessibility features and best practices and may be unaware that they have created an inaccessible website. iAccessible tests websites for digital accessibility, instructs developers on how to […]

Revelo Software Joins W3C Members

April 20, 2020

Revelo Software, LLC (Revelo) has been approved to join as a member of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Led by web inventor Tim Berners-Lee and Director Jeffrey Jaffe, W3C is an international community that develops protocols, guidelines and standards for the web. Web standards that are presented by the W3C are developed by members for the W3C community, W3C […]

Streamlining Government Procurement by Using Machine Learning and Natural Language Analysis

April 1, 2020

The Maryland Technology Enterprise Institute (MTECH) awarded a Maryland Industrial Partnership (MIPS) grant to Optimal Solutions Group (Optimal) and the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) jointly to build an automated government procurement decision support tool. The work conducted over the next year will focus on creating a deep learning algorithm as the backend of a tool for government agencies’ […]

Optimal CEO Joins Panel of Judges for Economic Opportunity Challenge

December 4, 2019

The MacArthur Foundation and its affiliate Lever for Change, has launched the Economic Opportunity Challenge aimed to improve the financial health of low-income individuals and families in the United States. The panel will select up to five finalists that present the best evidence-based, data-driven solution on how to improve economic opportunities for low-income families and communities in the United States. […]

Automate with NAEP -Optimal participates as panelists and exhibitor at DC STAT conference

June 17, 2019

Optimal Solutions Group will present and have an exhibitor booth at the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) Data Conference (DC-STAT) from July 24-26.

Track Record of Technological Innovation in the Public Sector

June 16, 2019

Optimal Analytics, a division of Optimal, has been at the forefront of automation and machine learning in the public sector since 2009.

Optimal Selected for HHS Intelligent Automation/Artificial Intelligence Solutions, Services, and Products IDIQ

June 10, 2019

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Program Support Center announced awards for the Intelligent Automation/Artificial Intelligence Solutions, Services and Products IDIQ on May 31st.

Optimal to Debut iAccessible at M-Enabling Summit June 17, 2019

June 6, 2019

Optimal Solution Group, LLC will participate as an exhibitor in the 2019 M-Enabling Summit, unveiling its new iAccessible software Platform.

Optimal Solutions Group to Create Platform to Review Sites for Accessibility Compliance

October 11, 2018

Like buildings and homes, websites may have barriers to accessibility that are not obvious until you know what to look for. Site users who are blind need text descriptions of images that can be read by a screen reader device, while users who cannot easily grip objects will need forms with fields that are navigable without clicking a mouse.

Understanding the effects of 7(j) online training for 8(a) firms

October 2, 2018

The Small Business Administration’s Office of Performance Management has contracted with Optimal Solutions Group to assess the effectiveness of online training on topics such as marketing, contract management, and federal contracting rules and regulations for participants in the 8(a) Business Development Program.

Understanding the role of HUBZone businesses in fulfilling federal government contracts.

October 2, 2018

The Small Business Administration’s Office of Performance Management has contracted with Optimal Solutions Group to provide analyses to determine whether HUBZone-certified firms can fulfill the needs of the available federal government contracts.

Demographics of the Entrepreneur Workshop

September 20, 2018

Dr. Jennifer Auer of Optimal Solutions presented a paper, “Business Assistance and Women Entrepreneurs” at the Demographics of the Entrepreneur Workshop on Sept. 20, 2018.

2018 National Center for Education Statistics STATS-DC Conference

July 27, 2018

At this year’s NCES DC Stats Conference, “Visualizing the Future of Education Through Data,” Optimal Solutions shared its work on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and with state assessment data via a presentation and demonstration booth.

Optimal Founder and CEO appointed to University of Maryland Economics Leadership Council

July 1, 2018

Dr. Mark Turner, founder and CEO of Optimal Solutions Group, LLC, has been appointed to the University of Maryland Economics Leadership Council (ELC).

Optimal awarded GSA IT Schedule 70

June 29, 2018

On June 29, Optimal was awarded the U.S. General Services Administration’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) 070 contract, 47QTCA18D00FC. The contract expires in 2023, with the potential of three (5) year options to follow.

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