• Business partner meeting, Collaboration of people in organizations, colleagues congratulate successful projects.

    Community Navigator Pilot Program Evaluation

    Program Evaluation & Evidence Registry (PEER) report The Community Navigator Pilot Program (CNPP) Evaluation assessed implementation fidelity, short-term outputs and outcomes, implementation alignment, and identified best practices. The evaluation found that CNPP was implemented using the intended Hub and Spoke model, and enrolled a higher proportion of clients belonging to underserved groups compared to SBA resource partner programs. Clients reported […]

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  • Bank building

    Evaluation of Community Development Financial Institution and Minority Depository Institution Lender Participation in SBA Capital Programs and Lender Match

    Program Evaluation & Evidence Registry (PEER) report The SBA’s Office of Capital Access helps make capital available to small businesses through banks and other lending partners, and expanding access to the SBA’s capital programs through lending institutions specializing in local communities may reduce racial and gender disparities that persist in the use of and access to credit. This evaluation examined […]

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  • economic impact check surrounded by money

    Economic Impact Study – Small Business and Type of Set-Aside Procurement Programs

    The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) contracted with Optimal Solutions Group, LLC, to conduct an economic impact study. The study focused on the economic effects of the $145.8 billion obligated through the Small Business Set-Aside, HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Women-Owned Small Business, and the 8(a) Business Development programs during Fiscal Year 2021. The Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI), an […]

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  • Banker discusses banking services to new customer

    HUBZone Early Engagement Initiative Evaluation

    The Historically Under-Utilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Program facilitates federalcontracting opportunities for small businesses located in economically distressedcommunities, with the goal of alleviating unemployment, stimulating investment, andincreasing overall community well-being. To better achieve these goals, the HUBZoneProgram launched the Early Engagement Initiative (EEI) in October of 2017. The EEI is designed to improve the quality of submitted HUBZone applications, increase thelikelihood […]

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  • Evaluation of Boots to Business Virtual Training Report

    The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) contracted with Optimal Solutions Group, LLC to evaluate the implementation of the Boots to Business (B2B) Introduction to Entrepreneurship course in the virtual delivery format during the COVID-19 pandemic. The evaluation period, FY 2019 through FY 2021 (10/1/2018 to 9/30/2021), allowed for the comparison between pre-COVID and COVID periods for the Quality Assessment Post […]

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  • economic impact check surrounded by money

    SBA HUBZone Economic Impact Report

    This study conducted the economic impact assessment using the Regional Input-Output Modeling System (RIMS II) model produced by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. RIMS II is one of the most widely used I/O models in the nation and is regularly used to assess the impacts of federal spending programs. Read the HUBZone Economic Impact Report.

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  • Man and woman talking to each other

    Evaluation of 8(a) Certified Firms

    Optimal conducted a rigorous quasi-experimental evaluation using sensitive administrative data from multiple systems (System for Award Management [SAM] and the Federal Procurement Data System – Next Generation [FPDS-NG]) to assess the short- and long-term impacts of the 8(a)-certification program. Researchers also conducted interviews with stakeholders (agency executives, industry/business organizations). Optimal also facilitated an after-action review with agency executives and program […]

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  • Evaluation of SBA’s Small Business Procurement Scorecard

    The SBA contracted with Optimal to evaluate the effectiveness of the Small Business Procurement Scorecard methodology change and the overall effectiveness of the scorecard in increasing small business opportunities and improving federal agencies’ ability to meet their small business contracting goals. Major findings include the change in the Small Business Procurement Scorecard methodology did not result in many changes to […]

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  • 7(j) Training Program for 8(a) Participants Evaluations Report

    The Small Business Administration’s Office of Performance Management contracted 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. Read the final report.

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  • USAID Education Open Data Automation

    Using data from the USAIDEducationData.org website, Optimal researchers visualized USAID Education Strategy results for Beneficiaries. Optimal’s Revelo tool receives, ingests, standardizes and normalizes data. It then undergoes a multi-review process and is transformed using Open Data Act guidance for use in the public portal. This data provides insights on the participating country’s beneficiary reach and costs.

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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 Publications
Community Navigator Pilot Program Evaluation

June 11, 2024

Program Evaluation & Evidence Registry (PEER) report The Community Navigator Pilot Program (CNPP) Evaluation assessed implementation fidelity, short-term outputs and outcomes, implementation alignment, and identified best practices. The evaluation found that CNPP was implemented using the intended Hub and Spoke model, and enrolled a higher proportion of clients belonging to underserved groups compared to SBA resource partner programs. Clients reported […]




Archived Publications
Woman-Owned Small Business NAICS Analysis

May 5, 2022

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) contracted Optimal Solutions Group, LLC (Optimal) to conduct a study that identifies the industries in which WOSBs are underrepresented with respect to federal procurement contracting. Read the report.


The National-Level Economic Impact of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)

April 18, 2022

The Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), contracted with the Optimal Solutions Group, LLC and Robey Analytics, LLC (Optimal Team) to conduct an analysis of the overall effect of MEP projects on the U.S. economy (50 states). MEP centers provide assistance to primarily small and medium-size manufacturing businesses to help them […]


Evaluation of Microloan Program Outcomes

November 29, 2021

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) contracted with Optimal Solutions Group, LLC to evaluate the relationship between the Microloan Program borrowers’ business outcomes of revenue, job creation, and business survival and inform the understanding of the training and technical assistance offered through intermediary lenders. The evaluation focused on participating Microloan borrowers and intermediary lenders in FY 2010 through FY 2019. […]


7(j) Training Program for 8(a) Participants Evaluation Report

November 30, 2019

The 7(j) online training program is a resource the SBA provides to all 8(a) participants. The program helps 8(a) businesses through training and education by enhancing their capacity to obtain federal contracts. This evaluation aimed to understand the use of the 7(j) program by 8(a) certified firms and the effectiveness of this training on 8(a) participant outcomes. Read the 7(j) […]


Under-served Youth Resources Montgomery County – Funded by DHHS/SAMHSA

June 25, 2019

The Montgomery County Collaboration Council requested a Geo-mapping Tool in order to assess resources for transitional age youth (TAY) who are at-risk of disconnecting or are disconnected from their communities.


Spotlight On … Optimal in Bangladesh

September 12, 2018

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in Bangladesh is one of the largest USAID assistance programs in the world. Since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, poverty has been a major challenge that the country is successfully striving to overcome, despite daunting obstacles.


FNS Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Report Published

June 8, 2017

The United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), as part of its efforts to reach out to small businesses, awarded Optimal Solutions Group, LLC (Optimal) a contract to conduct the Annual Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Sponsor Tiering Determination Assessment for 2014.


Office of the Medicare Ombudsman brief

August 27, 2016

About the Office of the Medicare Ombudsman Optimal provides support to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) Office of the Medicare Ombudsman (OMO) to assist in improving Medicare for beneficiaries. Optimal produces the annual Report to Congress (RTC) using real-time storyboarding in support of this contract.


Feed the Future Liberia brief

March 28, 2015

Historical Background • Liberia has undergone a long period of bloody civil war that shattered its economy. • Its principal sector of activity, agriculture, has been damaged and is plagued by low crop yields.


Partnership for Growth: Cross-Cutting Report for Mid-Term Evaluations of El Salvador & the Philippines’ PFG Initiatives

January 27, 2015

The Partnership for Growth (PFG) aims to achieve accelerated, sustained, and broad-based economic growth in partner countries, including El Salvador


Office of National Drug Control Policy Brief

July 13, 2012

Youth and Social Media • 95% of youth are online and 80% of those use social media. • Conversations on drug-related behavior take place more on micromedia using different slang terminology than used in person.