Economic Development Advisory Services

The City of Folsom is seeking proposals from qualified economic development consultants to assist in formulating and implementing a comprehensive economic development strategy. The selected consultant will work closely with the City Council, City Manager, and staff to develop a three-year economic development action plan, assess development projects, conduct a comparative analysis, perform a void analysis, and provide ongoing support as a third-party economic development resource. Attached is the RFP that provides detailed information about the project, requirements, and submission guidelines. Please review the RFP and consider submitting a proposal. Inquiries must be submitted by September 6, 2023. Responses to inquiries will be posted below by 5 p.m. September 8, 2023. Q&As 1. The deadline for questions is September 6 and answers won’t be released until September 8, yet the Proposals are due September 15. Is the city open to extending the due date so that we have adequate time to

incorporate the responses to questions in the proposal and meet the deadline for transmittal, given the relatively tight turnaround between these dates? The City will not change the schedule outlined in the Request for Proposals (RFP). Answers will be posted on or before September 8 at the RFP website: https://www.folsom.ca.us/rfp 2. The reference to a comprehensive economic development action plan could be constructed to mean different things. Can you clarify if the City is looking for a CEDS for EDA review (see: https://www.eda.gov/resources/comprehensive-economic-development-strategy#:~:text=Simply%20put%2C%20a%20CEDS%20is,of%20an%20area%20or%20region.), or rely on a regional CEDS for federal funding purposes? The City's intention is to develop a broad economic development action plan that will be formulated through thorough input and research. This plan is not specifically geared toward seeking a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for EDA review or relying on a regional CEDS for federal funding purposes. Instead, the City aims to create a comprehensive economic development action plan tailored to its own needs and priorities. 3. Regarding the void analysis, is the City seeking to identify specific retailers or is the focus on broader industry subsectors? The City of Folsom is seeking to identify diverse retail opportunities across various categories, as well as potential specific businesses that will support the local economy and cater to the preferences of its residents. 4. The scope of work is very broad - have you established a budget and/or timeframe for completion of this work? The City of Folsom has a specific line item in its General Fund budget not to exceed $100,000 for an economic development consultant for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The City Council provided City staff with guidance on an economic development consultant (including scope of work and goals) at its June 27, 2023 meeting. View the City Council meeting discussion online. 5. How much community engagement was done in the preparation of the recent citywide strategy? What are the expectations for engagement for this project? The City of Folsom conducted extensive feedback through the Folsom Listenscampaign, which helped shape the City’s strategic plan. Public opinion research was conducted through qualitative and quantitative outreach. More than 775 completed the statistically valid public opinion research poll, and 4,858 completed online and mailed surveys. Engagement for the economic development consultant scope of work may include interviews with elected officials and City staff, key community stakeholders, and business community members. 6. The economic development assistance section appears to be seeking ongoing assistance post-adoption of the action plan. What duration is the city seeking these services? What is the expectation on onsite presence for this work? What would be the roles of city staff related to economic development services during this period. Is there a budget for this component of the work? During the FY 2023-24 budget planning process, the Folsom City Council directed the City Manager to hire an economic development consultant for the fiscal year. After the contract term ends, the city staff will ask for policy guidance from the City Council. Physical presence at the worksite is not mandatory for the majority of the contract scope but may be necessary upon City Manager request. The position will report to the Folsom City Manager, with support from the City executive team, including the Community Development Department and Communications Division. The City has budgeted a maximum of $100,000 in its General Fund for an economic development consultant for the 2023-24 fiscal year. 7. I hope this email finds you well. My name is Jessica, and I represent Retail Strategies. We recently had the opportunity to review the RFP that Folsom released for an Economic Development Consultant. We are excited about the prospect of potentially partnering with you on this initiative. However, as we delved into the details of the RFP, we came across a few points that require further clarification to ensure that we provide the most accurate and comprehensive proposal possible. In light of this, we kindly request a brief call at your earliest convenience to address these inquiries and gain a clearer understanding of your expectations. Inquiries must be submitted in writing by September 6, 2023. Responses to inquiries will be on or before 5 p.m. September 8, 2023 at www.folsom.ca.us/RFP.