Economic Development Forum

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Economic Development Forum
March 26, 2008
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Requests for Information and Proposals on
International Projects

• Mark Lytle
• Director-Statewide Projects

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The Ugly Truth about RFIs and RFPs

• You will rarely be afforded enough time to
  respond properly
• They will usually request some information you
  dont have readily available
• You will have to answer some very strange
  questions
• They will always require answers now that you
  think should come much laterafter we get to
  know them

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What You Can Do

• Build and train your community ED team before you
  are under the gun
• Designate an Economic Development Team
• Commit administrative resources with electronic
  competence
• Permit 24 / 7 / 365 access to the Community
  decision makers
• - Empower the community responder or spokesperson

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What You Can Do

• Submit your RFIs and RFPs on time and respond as
  comprehensively as possible in the time allotted
• Be factual not verbose respond only to what has
  been requested
• Be prepared for the next round of questions
• Be consistent from one round to the next

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What do inbound companies really want from you?

• Help in reducing their initial costs
• Help minimize their risk
• Available work force
• Workforce education and skills
• Construction and start up
• Start up schedule
• Inadequate or delayed utilities
• Make them feel secure-Security-Police and Fire
  protection

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What do inbound companies really want from you?

• Reduce the hassles
• Local fees, permitting, etc.
• Employee transitions
• Family transitions
• Family support
• Provide information about what services, lodging,
  restaurants, golf courses, entertainment and
  athletic facilities are available within 30 miles

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How do we maximize the probability of success?

• Be responsiveno matter what
• Always tell the truth

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How do you help them..be creative!

• Offer to help recruit key employees
• Offer to provide or partially support furnished
  and equipped temporary office space
• Offer to support the in bound family transitions
• Temporary housing
• Permanent housing
• Offer to provide a translator / ombudsman for the
  families
• Offer to help them with
• Doctors, dentists, schools, insurance
• Vehicle registration
• Transportation for unlicensed spouses

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Show them the LOVE !!!

• During the final proposal and visitation stages
• Offer them a piece of the community
• Some land
• Landscaping to beautify their building
• A permanent commemorative plaque/flagpole etc.
• Offer to name a street after their company or
  company chairman
• Offer to participate in and pay for part of their
  groundbreaking or opening ceremony