SPRINGFIELD — Boston Bud Factory has filed a Freedom of Information request with the city of Springfield Procurement Department, specifically requesting documents related to phase 2 of adult-use applications and Cannabis RFP/Q No. 21-107.

Boston Bud Factory submitted a proposal for a retail store in East Forest Park, along with all the required documentation related to RFP/Q No. 21-107. Boston Bud Factory would like to better understand the ranking process and the scoring system for each submission, as well as which proposal was improperly scored.

Boston Bud Factory is a participant in the state’s social-equity program and was the first social-equity establishment to open in Western Mass. Boston Bud Factory co-owners Frank Dailey and Carlo Sarno live in Western Mass., and the business has no outside investors or startup financing. Dailey was born in Springfield, is an economic-empowerment applicant, and previously served on the East Forest Park Civic Assoc. board. He is also an active volunteer at several local charities, including the Springfield Rescue Mission.

In addition, Boston Bud Factory has been very active educating the community and the city of Springfield, holding the first cannabis educational event in East Forest Park in 2017 and then going on to host four local and successful Pioneer Valley Cannabis Industry Summits.

“I felt that Boston Bud Factory had a chance of being chosen in the first round, but if not then, we certainly expected to be chosen in the second round,” Dailey said. “When we were not chosen in either round, it certainly made me wonder how the submissions were scored.”

HOLYOKE — Boston Bud Factory Inc., a Holyoke-based company, is opening its retail store at 73 Sargeant St. today, July 17, after working after two years in the licensing process. Boston Bud Factory is one of only a few small, locally owned and operated stores in the state of Massachusetts, holding two licenses from the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, one for the retail store and one for product manufacturing. Co-owners Frank Dailey and Carlo Sarno are both long-time residents of Western Mass.

“This is an exciting day for Boston Bud Factory and everyone who has helped us along the way,” Dailey said. “There are many friends and family who have helped us make this dream come true, and we are extremely grateful for all of their support. The industry in Massachusetts is still developing, and we hope to continue seeing more social-equity and economic-empowerment businesses opening across the state. As a small business, we hope to have a more relaxed and inviting atmosphere where people are comfortable asking questions and taking longer to figure out what products really suit their needs.”