REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS This is a Request for Proposals (RFP) from individuals or firms interested in providing professional services on a contract basis for the proposed project described below. Proposals will be received until the date and at the location indicated below. PROJECT NAME: Newport County Chamber of Commerce, Regional Economic Development Division PROJECT LOCATION: Newport County and the Town of Bristol DEADLINE TO SUBMIT: Wednesday, September 20, 2017, 4:00 p.m. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: The Greater Newport & East Bay Region (including Newport County and the Town of Bristol) has a rich history and global brand. Its coastal beauty, historic landmarks, and Newport Mansions make it a sought after destination by travelers from around the world. It is the capital of US sailing with a strong design and building sector for the power and sail pleasure craft industry. Newport is recognized as a center for the military and defense industry as it is home to advanced defense companies, research and development assets like the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and national defense installations like the Naval War College. It has strong educational institutions and medical service providers. Despite these strengths, the region is not meeting its full potential. Recent regional data indicates that the county is suffering from stagnant population growth and a shrinking economy. Neighboring communities and states have become more competitive and are experiencing growth through economic development programs that empower their communities. Civic and government leaders from the communities of Bristol, Jamestown, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth, and Tiverton have come together to establish the first public private partnership focused on economic development in the State of Rhode Island that will be dedicated to growing the Newport County and the Town of Bristol regional economy. This regional initiative will be referred to as the Regional Economic Development Division of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce. The Economic Development Division will create partnerships with both public and private local and statewide entities to strengthen and expand the regional economy. The Economic Development Division is seeking the services of a skilled organizer and coordinator on a full time basis to complete projects that will strengthen economic development capabilities for business located within and around Newport County and the Town of Bristol. Overall goals of this initiative include: Establish a point of contact within the region to address concerns and opportunities related to economic development initiatives; Create a five year strategic plan which provides a roadmap to maintaining longterm economic vitality for the region; Strategically market the community to businesses, encouraging new investment and jobs for the region, and working with existing companies to facilitate expansion of operations;
Build the region s image as a great place for young adults, young families, and entrepreneurs to settle because of its outstanding quality of life, it s incredible recreational and natural resources, its excellent career opportunities, and its strong ability to attract, retain and develop a quality, skilled workforce; Develop and track performance metrics that evaluate the success of the above efforts and communicate them to all stakeholders, including town councils, town administrators, private and philanthropic investors and the overall community regularly. The Regional Economic Development Division will contract with a Program Director to implement specific strategies and objectives over the course of the next fiscal year to lay the foundational work for this initiative, to include the following: Develop and implement comprehensive Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction program, including conducting surveys, holding individual meetings with existing companies, establishing outreach and collaboration programs, and creating an implementation schedule and outcome measures; Establish business outreach and data collection practices to continue to identify and understand the opportunities, needs and challenges of local and regional businesses, and to strengthen long-term business/community relationships; Identify detailed economic, demographic, available commercial space, and other market-related information, as well as a satellite map of the community highlighting infrastructure and key assets, along with dedicated research regarding specific target industry companies; Implement business recruitment programs and participate in business recruitment trips, conferences, trade shows and missions; Oversee the development of a Regional Economic Development web site, including site selection information; Oversee the development of targeted marketing materials; Develop an annual work plan to prioritize regional economic development projects; Support regional economic development initiatives by assisting and identifying relevant grant opportunities and seeking funding sources for the broader initiative. Provides information and/or make presentations to supervisors, boards, commissions, civic groups, businesses, individuals, and the general public on economic development issues, programs, services, and plans; Work with local stakeholders, as well as state and federal agencies, to identify multi-year funding opportunities for the Economic Development Division and its priority projects.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Respondents to the RFP should have a proven track record for accomplishing independent and self-directed project management. Applicants will need to demonstrate that they: Are self-motivated. Have strong organizational skills and ability to coordinate needs of a diverse group of partners and constituents. Have knowledge of and experience working with businesses in different industry sectors. Economic Development experience at the municipal level, county level, in a public/private economic development organization, and/or having represented the private sector in economic development organizations and/or initiatives is preferred. Are able to take initiative and build strong working relationships between area employers and municipal governments. Have leadership capabilities and ability to build credibility among partners and constituents. Demonstrated ability to quickly build relationships and catalyze action. Have strong communication skills including written communication, interpersonal skills and presentation skills. Have a vision for how to create and strengthen the linkages and relationships between businesses, the communities and state and federal agencies. Bachelor's Degree required; degree in Political Science, Business Administration, Economics, Planning, Psychology, Marketing, Communications or related field preferred. Master s Degree in related field also preferred. Three to five years professional experience preferred. Preferred knowledge base includes: Economic development principles, finance, real estate, knowledge of community resources and developmental needs, ability to package and sell the area to prospects with knowledge of applicable governmental regulations, infrastructure requirements, and labor markets. Proven ability to manage and work within a predetermined operating budget. Experience in identifying, applying for and securing state and federal grant funds, as well as securing private resources for initiative support preferred. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS 1. The Proposals shall include the following: A brief (one page) cover letter with a paragraph indicating why the individual or firm is interested in being considered for this contract and a brief summary paragraph indicating why you believe you are well suited for the project. A summary outline of individual or firm qualifications, experiences, and skills that will bring to the project that will contribute to the project success. Please provide specific examples that demonstrate the ability to meet the minimum qualifications above.
A list of related educational degrees attained by the individual or principle of the firm that will be assigned to this project, focus areas of study, and any relevant specialized training. A list of relevant projects the individual or firm has worked on in the past of similar or relevant scope, with brief project synopsis. A description/outline of specific project components the individual or firm would complete to address each project goal, strategy and objective, including possible benchmarks/metrics for assessing/measuring interim progress and completion. Outline a list of deliverables for the proposed year one scope, along with an estimate of the total time and cost that might be required to achieve each deliverable. A cost proposal for completing the first year of the scope of work must be submitted. Descriptions of challenges anticipated as the project gets underway and some ideas about how these challenges will be overcome. A conclusion summarizing the individual s or firm s three strongest attributes that will contribute most to the success of the project. 2. Submission Requirements Responses should be sent electronically by email to: Erin@NewportChamber.com. Supporting materials should be attached in a PDF format. Proposals will be accepted by the Newport County Chamber of Commerce until 4:00 PM on Wednesday, September 20, 2017. Questions about this RFP should be addressed to Erin Donovan-Boyle, Executive Director, Newport County Chamber of Commerce, 35 Valley Road, Middletown, RI 02842 or Erin @NewportChamber.com. Any costs associated with preparing the submittal shall be the sole responsibility of the respondent. 3. Selection Process In selecting a contractor, the Newport County Chamber of Commerce and the Hiring Committee for this initiative may consider: o Qualifications and prior history of performance o Experience with similar types of projects o Proposed approaches for accomplishing the goal o Economic Development experience at the municipal level, county level, in a public/private economic development organization, and/or having represented the private sector in economic development organizations and/or initiatives o Candidates professionalism, communication skills, and personal presentation o Proposed contract cost Candidate review will be completed by a Hiring Committee made up of initiative stakeholders and finalists will be selected to participate in an in-person or online (skype) interview with Hiring Committee during the week of October 1st. Current target to begin the project is expected to be mid-october. RFP ADMINISTRATION 1. Contract Value and Term: The initial contract resulting from this RFP will take into consideration the respondent s recommendations for how best to accomplish the project goals.
The initial contract for this project will end September 30, 2018. The contract may be extended for up to one additional fiscal year. The Newport County Chamber of Commerce reserves the right to terminate, modify, or suspend the process, reject any or all submittals, modify the terms and conditions of this selection process and/or waive any informalities. 2. All submittals received by the deadline will be considered without regard to age, race, creed, color, gender, disability or national origin.