Request for Proposal Portage County Food Hub Feasibility Study

Transcription

1 Request for Proposal Portage County Food Hub Feasibility Study Portage County Regional Planning Commission 124 North Prospect Street Ravenna, Ohio Phone: Fax: Website: Todd Peetz, AICP, Director

2 Request for Proposals The Portage County Regional Planning Commission is seeking an individual, agency or consulting firm to complete a Feasibility Study for a food hub in Portage County, Ohio. Background and Purpose In 2011 the Portage County Regional Planning Commission (RPC) applied for and received a grant from The Center for Farmland Policy Innovation, housed at the Ohio State University Agricultural Research & Development Center, to develop a plan for a food hub in Portage County ( The Plan, adopted by the Planning Commission in 2012, envisioned a food hub that will foster collaboration between agricultural producers and local food consumers/buyers for their mutual benefit, enhance the distribution of local foods and local value-added food products, and promote healthy, sustainable food systems in Portage County. In order to begin implementation of the Plan, RPC applied for and received a Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) grant from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service for a Feasibility Study for a food hub in Portage County. This Feasibility Study, to be completed during the grant period from September 2015 to September 2016, will attempt to quantify and evaluate the best potential form and focus of a food hub in Portage County with the following goals: o Create a system or process to strengthen the local, non-commodity agricultural economy in Portage County and connect it to local and regional buyers and consumers o Support smaller agricultural producers by serving as an intermediary between producers and buyers o Help local producers meet larger market demands o Increase access to and use of local foods by residents of all income levels o Educate consumers, buyers, businesses, economic leaders and investors about the benefits of local food The food hub must be a viable business venture even if early efforts are supported by grant monies. Whatever its initial focus and form, it should evolve as a community asset that spurs economic revitalization, serves local residents and strengthens ties between the urban economy and the agricultural economy. As defined in the Food Hub Plan, local food includes products from Portage County or counties in northeast Ohio, typically defined as a 12-county area in the northeast sector of the state; however, the primary focus of the food hub should be Portage County. The Feasibility Study and food hub location should address the food desert on the northwest side of the City of Ravenna and ways to increase the availability of local and fresh produce to this population. 1

3 A Steering Committee has been formed to guide the development of a food hub and to assist in the Feasibility Study. Tentative plans have been proposed, as part of the LFPP grant funding, to host a meeting for producers and buyers. The RFP consultant will be asked for advice on the invitation list and the meeting format, in order to create a meeting scenario that provides valuable input to the Feasibility Study for the food hub. The Feasibility Study shall be prepared between February 2016 and June The successful consultant will work with the Steering Committee throughout the project, present milestone accomplishments and present the final study to the Committee in June Feasibility Study components Market analysis This portion of the Feasibility Study should be locally informed. The methodology for acquiring specific, local information/data about producers and buyers should be stated in response to this RFP. Demand analysis: Determine the type of demand that exists for a food hub and its products, establish the size of the market and its growth capacity. Identify price points of products that would spur interest in locally produced foods. o Local institutions including UH Portage Medical Center (formerly Robinson Memorial Hospital), Kent State University, Hiram College and the Northeast Ohio Medical University, as well as the 11 local school districts, should be considered in the analysis. o Sirna & Sons is an important Portage County food distributor with ties to food buyers throughout northeast Ohio. A Sirna representative has expressed interest in expanding their local food offerings. This existing business could be a key player in the demand analysis. o Other entities may provide insight into northeast Ohio s local food distribution and marketing efforts, among them Growohio, Fresh Fork Market and Bon Apetit s food distribution network. o The food hub s initial focus may be specialized in order to create a financially sustainable business; however, the goal is to grow the facility into a true hub for local foods and community interaction. Supply analysis: Identify producer capacity and existing infrastructure, including the number and characteristics of rural food producers and food entrepreneurs. Assess number of acres of production growers could supply in the next 5 years. 2

4 o The willingness of producers to learn and adhere to food safety and traceability measures should be addressed in this section. o Ideas that would extend the season for product availability, such as high hoop enclosures or food processing (freezing, drying) should be discussed. Relationship analysis: Describe and assess other local food efforts in northeast Ohio and the potential to collaborate and coordinate services with a food hub in Portage County. o Can the proposed food hub tap into an existing food distribution networks such as Sirna & Sons? o Is there potential to partner or collaborate with the Youngstown Lake to River Food Cooperative, the Hattie Larlham Food Hub in Akron or other local food efforts such as farmers markets or CSAs? Competitive advantage analysis The food hub must be financially self-sustaining, even if early efforts are possibly subsidized by grant monies. What will make a local food hub competitive and attract buyers? How will the services provided by a food hub differ from those offered by competitors? Why will customers purchase products from the food hub rather than from competitors? What are the barriers to a food hub being created in the current market? What will make the food hub successful to producers and buyers and how can it remain financially sustainable? Infrastructure and logistics analysis Based on the most appropriate food hub form, what type of facility will be needed? Address: Possible location several City of Ravenna sites would help focus the efforts on the residents of the food desert and create an economic asset for the City, however other options may be considered depending on the benefits and financial viability of the facility Staffing requirements Equipment needs Business analysis A food hub can take many forms, but this analysis should propose an optimal form and specific business activities that are financially feasible and accomplish the goals stated on page 1 of this RFP. An appropriate management strategy to accomplish these activities should be analyzed for 3

5 the initial start-up, but the continued growth of the food hub to address community and education goals must also be considered. Operating model the initial business may be limited in scope, but should have the ability to grow and expand services for a broader range of producers and buyers o What food safety and business regulations will the food hub have to meet? o What are the risks associated with operating a food hub? Business structure should the business be private, non-profit or cooperatively owned? Financial feasibility analysis Address the financial feasibility of the food hub form that will be recommended: Prepare a 5-year sales forecast Estimate start-up and working capital requirements and possible sources of funding Estimate profitability How will the cash flow from seasonal supply and demand affect the operation of a food hub? Estimate monthly cash flow needs Budget and Contract: RFP Submission $13,000 Consultant shall enter into a contract with the Portage County Regional Planning Commission for the Feasibility Study If the project will be done by a single individual, what alternative plan would be proposed if illness or other circumstances hindered completion of the project according to the agreed upon timeline? Proposal Submissions: Submit proposals by: January 20, 2016 (4:30 pm EST) Submissions may be submitted electronically to Todd Peetz, Director (tpeetz@pcrpc.org) Proposals will not be accepted after the closing date. We are not responsible for electronic submission failure. Qualifications (to be submitted with Proposal): Relevant experience with local food and a statement as to why the person or agency is uniquely qualified to assist in this endeavor 4

6 Breadth of experience conducting feasibility studies Credentials Contact information including address, phone number, address and fax number Proposal requirements: Cover letter Detailed work plan with specific deliverables and identified milestones during the process Description of stakeholder interface Itemized budget Feasibility report template Two examples of completed projects Three references Resume Minority-owned and women-owned businesses are encouraged to apply Evaluation Process: Selected, qualified candidates will be expected to present their proposal to the Food Hub Steering Committee at the offices of the Regional Planning Commission in late January The final decision will be based on: Demonstrated expertise, experience and qualifications Study plan and methodology Timeline for completion References Overall quality and thoroughness of proposal The Portage County Regional Planning Commission has the right to reject any proposal. Final selection will be made in early February Contact Information Questions: Contact Todd Peetz or Claudia James. Portage County Regional Planning Commission Todd Peetz, AICP, Director or Claudia James, GISP Specialist/Planner 124 North Prospect Street Ravenna, Ohio Phone: Fax: Website: 5