REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP): D2D LOCAL SUPPLIER CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM Issued by the: Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) 500 Griswold St., Suite 2200 Detroit, MI 48226 Issued on: July 18, 2018
I. Background Information Each year, Detroit s largest buyers procure fewer goods and services from local suppliers than their counterparts in similar sized cities. This supply chain leakage adversely impacts Detroit s small business growth, job creation and tax base. The Detroit Economic Growth Corporation ( DEGC ), established in 1978, is a non-profit corporation devoted to supporting Detroit s economic development initiatives. The DEGC brings together public sector policies and priorities with private sector development and investment interests to strengthen Detroit s economic base. The DEGC s D2D program encourages local business-to-business procurement. The program is primarily funded through charitable donations made to the Detroit Economic Growth Association (the DEGA ), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established with similar economic development goals as the DEGC. The D2D program is currently being redesigned to improve its effectiveness in addressing local supply chain leakages. These changes include the creation of a new supplier capacity building program. II. Definition Proposer means an individual, corporation, firm, or other entity submitting a response to this RFP. III. Purpose The revised D2D program will be driven by the needs of Detroit s large buyers. In particular, it will target Detroitbased, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise ( DBE ) suppliers with the best prospects, offer mentoring and training to prepare those suppliers to succeed, and match the right suppliers to the right buyers at the right time. To this end, the DEGC, through this RFP, seeks a vendor which can create a step change in terms of growing Detroit s local supplier businesses by providing support services to selected suppliers. The DEGC anticipates issuing a contract for services through the DEGA for approximately a one (1) year period, starting in the third quarter of 2018, with an option to extend the contract for up to two (2) additional one-year periods. IV. The New D2D Supplier Capacity Building Program The new D2D supplier capacity-building program (the Program ) will recruit local Detroit-based suppliers with the potential and prospects to scale rapidly and sell more to large Detroit and national buyers. It will ensure that once the suppliers are bidding for supply contracts, they are better prepared to succeed in winning and executing them on time, on budget and to the buyers expectations. July 16, 2018 D2D SUPPLIER CAPCITY 1
The Program s goal will be to support up to forty (40) suppliers within the first year of the Program. It is anticipated that the suppliers will be recruited in cohorts of up to twenty (20) businesses, twice per year. Each cohort will last no longer six (6) months. The expected outcome for each supplier will be to increase their contract volume by a minimum of $100,000 within one (1) year of the Program s completion. We will be tracking supplier progress through quarterly updates provided to the DEGC by the selected vendor. The Program will be use two primary tools to achieve its goals. The core component of the Program will be a mentoring system that uses private sector networks. It is anticipated that this component will consist of assigned peer-to-peer mentoring, one-to-several coaching, capacity-building advice and training, curated meet the buyers events and access to advice/financial partners. Example components include: understanding buyer requirements, overcoming organizational barriers, accreditation, bidding and pitching, cash and resource management, building long-term relationships, tailoring products and services, quality assurance and managing growth. The second component of the Program is a business-based curriculum that will by driven by Detroit s largest buyers wants and needs such as, the need to identify suppliers with the capacity to perform and ability to provide high quality of service and the recruited suppliers needs. A full-time DEGC staff member will oversee and support the vendor s design, development, delivery and evaluation of the Program. The staff member will also liaise with the Detroit Buyers Council (a consortium of large buyers who advise D2D programming activities) members and help with the recruitment of mentors, free event space, etc. V. Scope Of Work The selected vendor will: 1. Recruit Detroit-based supplier business owners, with a priority given to current DBE certified or DBE eligible suppliers, which can rapidly scale to provide the goods and services in demand from large buyers. The Detroit Buyers Council will support the recruiting process by offering recommendations on potential candidate suppliers. The screening for Detroit-based supplier business owners will be a collaborative effort between the selected vendor, the Detroit Buyers Council, and the DEGC, with the DEGC holding final decision-making authority on selecting the Detroit-based suppliers. The screening criteria for the selection of Detroit-based suppliers will consist of, but not be limited to, the following: A. Type of good(s)/service(s) offered B. Location of business C. Annual revenue D. Number of employees E. Current certifications (e.g. City of Detroit, DBE, MBE, VBE, etc.) 2. Prepare and deliver a foundational, evidence-based practice, business curriculum that supports capacity growth of the Detroit-based suppliers. The curriculum will be structured as a classroom format and the selected vendor July 16, 2018 D2D SUPPLIER CAPCITY 2
will work with the DEGC to develop a schedule for the curriculum. The curriculum will consist of, but not be limited to the following topics: A. Strategy B. Finance/Financial Management C. Human Capital Management D. Marketing E. Technology 3. Deliver bespoke, on the ground support via a mentoring system that uses private sector mentors buyers and business leaders who have relevant experience and share an interest in supporting the growth of Detroit s supplier base. DEGC will secure commitments of mentors participating in the program. 4. Monitor and report to the DEGC on a quarterly basis the Program s impact on the supplier s business starting on the date that the suppliers start their program and up to one (1) year after the supplier s completion of the program. Specific metrics to be tracked over and above what would have happened without the prescribed intervention include the following: A. Number of jobs created B. Revenue dollars generated C. Number of contracts secured D. Financing dollars secured VI. Proposal Format & Qualifications Your proposal should include the following information: 1. Summary the legal and assumed names of your business, address, organizational structure (e.g., sole proprietorship, corporation, etc.), length of time it has been in operation, total number of staff and names of the persons who are authorized to make representations. If you intend to use the services of any other organization or person to perform any of the Scope of Work, then the same information for this organization or person. 2. Understanding your understanding of the Scope of Work, including any exception, qualifications or additions. Your proposed approach, activities and work products. 3. Competences your business mission statement or values, brief history and description of the products or services offered and industries served. Your qualifications and capacity to perform the scope of work along with case studies, descriptions of what happened and references. 4. Organization your proposed organization to execute the Scope of Work, the anticipated division of duties among team members, the project principal and the staff who will participate in the day-to-day provision of services. DEGC will be taking into account your businesses presence in the Detroit Metropolitan Area as well as your local availability and degree of accessibility in the region. 5. Fees and expenses your proposed fee schedule and policy regarding out-of-pocket and or indirect cost expenses. 6. Availability your current and anticipated workloads and availability. July 16, 2018 D2D SUPPLIER CAPCITY 3
VII. Proposal Submission And Withdrawal The DEGC will receive proposals in hard copy OR electronic formats. Three (3) copies of the hard copy proposal should be sent by personal delivery, mail, or courier to: Joe Tate Detroit Economic Growth Corporation 500 Griswold Street, Suite 2200 Detroit, MI 48226 Electronic proposals should be submitted in PDF format to jtate@degc.org and should not exceed 20 MB. THE DEGC MUST RECEIVE ALL PROPOSALS BY August 15, 2018 at 5:00pm. Any proposals received by the DEGC after the established deadline or not in accordance with the requirements mentioned in this RFP will not be considered. You may withdraw your proposal by notifying the DEGC in writing at any time prior to the submission deadline via mail or email to the addresses provided for above. After the deadline, proposals shall become a record of the DEGC and will not be returned. Upon opening, proposals are subject to public disclosure consistent with Michigan law. For data or other materials to be protected, you must invoke the exemptions to disclosure provided by law, stating both the reasons why such exemption from public disclosure is necessary and the legal basis for such exemption. VIII. Contract Awards The proposals will be reviewed by relevant members of DEGC staff. The reviewers will evaluate and rate each proposal utilizing a number of criteria, including but not limited to: 1. Overall responsiveness and quality of the proposal in clearly stating an understanding of the work to be performed. 2. Technical ability of the proposer to perform the required services. 3. The experience, background and availability of the primary point of contact set forth in the proposal (the Primary Contact ). 4. The experience and availability of support staff for the Primary Contact. 5. The experience and reputation of the proposer as represented in the response and the quality of the references. July 16, 2018 D2D SUPPLIER CAPCITY 4
6. Cost of services. Although a significant factor, fees and expenses may not be the dominant factor. Fees and expenses will be a particularly important factor when all other evaluation criteria are relatively equal. A cost or price analysis will be performed by the DEGC for this procurement action. 7. Considerations of minority-owned firms, women-owned firms and disadvantaged firms and businesses located in or owned by residents of the city of Detroit. The DEGC anticipates issuing a contract, through the DEGA, with the Proposer which submits the proposal judged by the DEGC to be the most responsive in accordance with the above. The DEGC anticipates awarding one contract, but reserves the right to award more than one if in the DEGC s best interest. The Proposer understands that this RFP does not constitute an offer, or a contract with the Proposer. An official contract or agreement is not binding until proposals are executed by the parties. The DEGC reserves the right to reject all proposals, to abandon the project, or to re-advertise for and solicit other proposals. The DEGC reserves the right to request clarification on information submitted and request additional information. The DEGC may, in its discretion, waive any informalities and irregularities contained in a proposal or in the manner of its submittal and award a contract thereafter. The DEGC further reserves the right to negotiate any and all terms of the proposal. IX. Development Costs The DEGC shall not be liable for any expenses incurred in connection with preparing a response to this RFP. X. Inquiries Interested proposers with questions or requests for clarification concerning the meaning or interpretation of this RFP must be received in writing by DEGC by August 1, 2018. The DEGC will publish responses to all questions or requests for clarification received by August 8, 2018. All questions should be addressed as follows: Mail to: Joe Tate Detroit Economic Growth Corporation 500 Griswold Street, Suite 2200 Detroit, MI 48226 OR Email: jtate@degc.org XI. Pre-Submittal Conference A pre-submittal conference for the project will be held at the offices of the DEGC on Thursday, July 26, 2018 at Noon. July 16, 2018 D2D SUPPLIER CAPCITY 5
XII. Timetables The DEGC and Proposers shall adhere to the following schedule in all actions concerning this RFP: a) On July 18, 2018, the DEGC issues the RFP b) On July 26, 2018 from Noon to 1:00pm, the DEGC will host a pre-submittal conference c) August 1, 2018 is the deadline for the submission of questions and clarifications d) On August 8, 2018, the DEGC will publish responses to questions and clarifications e) All proposals must be received by the DEGC by August 15, 2018 at 5:00pm, Time f) The DEGC will evaluate the proposals and select the most qualified proposal. The DEGC may notify up to three (3) candidates for interviews g) The DEGC may interview up to three (3) selected Proposers during the week of August 20th. h) The DEGC may enter into a contract with the selected Proposer(s), having obtained appropriate approvals and conducted negotiations. The DEGC may delay scheduled dates if it is to the advantage of the DEGC to do so. The DEGC will notify known, potential proposers of schedule changes in writing. XIII. Rules For Proposals The proposal must name all persons or entities interested in the proposal as principals. The proposal must declare that it is made without collusion with any other person or entity submitting a proposal pursuant to this RFP. July 16, 2018 D2D SUPPLIER CAPCITY 6