Request for Expressions of Interest Minneapolis Saint Paul Economic Development Action Strategy July 2014 Project Purpose This request seeks to identify a consultant to develop a Minneapolis Saint Paul Economic Development Action Strategy (Strategy.) The goal of this work is to create a strategy with short and medium-term actions to accelerate investment and job creation in the core cities. The Strategy will: Focus on growing industries/sectors in the core cities (and sub-markets within) that have a variety of occupations ranging from low, middle, and higher skill requirements. Sectors will be used to inform business expansion, attraction, and retention efforts as well as to advance local supply chain opportunities. Identify targeted approaches to maximize the development potential of the central cities, including for: o areas of market challenge and market strength o transit-oriented development sites; and o larger-scale redevelopment opportunity sites. Define the roles and actions of local partners needed to implement the strategy; and Be informed by input from urban site selectors This work will be led with an economic development lens (i.e. the principles of industry clusters, business expansion, attraction, and retention) and will integrate the assets of community and workforce development to ensure that market-challenged areas and lower-skilled workers also benefit from these strategies. Project Team and Supporting Partners This work is led by a core team of the following organizations: GREATER MSP City of Minneapolis City of Saint Paul Saint Paul Port Authority Hennepin County Ramsey County Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce Minnesota Philanthropy Partners As the work advances, supporting partners will also be engaged to advise on the strategy: Metropolitan Council East Metro Strong (East Metro) University of Minnesota Northside Job Creation Task Force (Minneapolis) Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Minneapolis Downtown Council Development Others, TBD Consultant Roles, Tasks and Deliverables The Project Team will work with the selected consultant to negotiate the project approach, scope of work and budget. The team has an aggressive timeline, seeking to complete the Strategy during the first quarter of 2015, and seeks a proposed approach to this work that will: Minimize duplication of existing work and build from previous efforts Quickly illuminate data gaps Deliver action focused products (i.e. specific recommendations and what it will take to implement) Engage the team in consensus building discussions which will occur at each phase of the project 1
Culminate in an implementable strategy with broad partner support. Note: the Project Team is not looking for highly produced materials; but rather powerpoint decks, strategy memos, and data sets. The Project Team s preliminary approach, which will be finalized in negotiations with the selected consultant, includes the following tasks, deliverables and schedule. Task 1 Synthesize conclusions/actions from recent economic development plans, data, and partnerships Partners in the region have produced a number of plans and reports addressing economic development. This Strategy seeks to leverage existing work, build on any consensus, and not to duplicate activities. The purpose of this task is to review these efforts in order to: a) Synthesize critical recommendations/actions and illustrate common elements; b) Determine data gaps what additional analysis is needed; c) Identify organizational assets: private, public, and non-profit stakeholders d) Identify physical assets: buildings, sites, utilities, infrastructure e) Identify human capital assets: existing and potential workforce f) Evaluate market trends g) Recommend how to better connect and leverage this work to support the Strategy Examples of these existing efforts include, but are not limited to: Minneapolis Saint Paul Region Intersections 2025 Minneapolis Downtown Council Plan Saint Paul Market Watch GREATER MSP Regional Economic Development Strategy Minneapolis Trends Community Planning & Economic Development Saint Paul Industrial Strategy Saint Paul Port Authority GREATER MSP 2013 regional perception analysis; One Minneapolis Minneapolis West Midway Industrial Strategy MSP Business Plan Foundation Planning & Economic Development Minneapolis Creative Vitality Index Report University Avenue Urban Manufacturing Market Study (2012) prepared by Stantec for University MSP Export Strategy Carlson Consulting Enterprises Creating Jobs in North Minneapolis United Central Corridor Development Strategy & additional commercial corridor plans DEED-Brookings Statewide Report Southeast Minneapolis Industrial Area (SEMI) Saint Paul Employment Analysis Saint Paul Area Chamber of Commerce Thrive MSP 2040 Met Council (2014) and memos prepared regarding economic competitiveness Minneapolis Lifesciences Corridor Saint Paul 2015 Choice, Place & Opportunity Met Minneapolis Upper River/ Above the Falls Plan update Mayor s Downtown Task Force Report (2014) Cultivating Economic Prosperity: Combating Concentrated Poverty (Ramsey County, 2014) Council (2014) MSP Regional Cluster Competitiveness Study (2013) University of MN 2
To supplement document review, interviews with key organizations and partnership initiatives are also necessary. A critical part of this task is to understand what barriers exist in implementing proposed strategies. In addition to the organizations represented on the core team, key partnerships include, but are not limited to: Minneapolis Saint Paul Region Downtown Council East Metro Strong Urban Land Institute Minnesota Prospect North Partnership Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood Minnesota High Tech Association Northside Job Creation Task Force Central Corridor Funders Generation Next Collaborative Business Resources Collaborative Northside Achievement Zone Central Corridor Anchor Partnership Itasca Project Northside Funders Group Metropolitan Economic Development Association Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation Accelerate MSP Slide deck presenting the findings and recommendations from this task To be completed within one month of signed contract. Task 2 Summarize national and international urban economic development best practices (e.g. policies, programs, strategies) that use sector-based approaches to: a) Achieve results in areas of market-challenge, including ethnically and racially diverse areas b) Connect strong-market area opportunities to workers in lower-wealth parts of the city c) Attract and expand businesses that provide a spectrum of occupations with differing skill levels d) Market assets to other markets As part of this review, identify which of these approaches are likely to be feasible in the near to mid-term in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Slide deck presenting the findings from this task To be completed within three weeks of notice to proceed from Project Team Task 3 Gather missing data and complete analysis Based on the review of existing local resources, interviews with key partners, and national/international best practices, determine what critical data elements and analysis have not been completed in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The Strategy needs to address many of the following items (this list is illustrative) and some may be addressed by existing analysis but others may need additional study. 3
Sectors What are the primary industries in the urban core? What are the primary industry clusters in sub-areas of the core? What industries should be targets for our selected geographies? What is their rate of growth? What are their space needs? What are their supplier needs? What are the priority zones and sites for development/re-development? What policies (public & private) would support job creation & capital investment in these sectors? Talent What occupations are necessary for our target industries and where are these workers currently drawn from? (e.g. work shed analysis) What does a commute-shed analysis tell us about workers in target geographies? What skills exist in targeted areas? What range of higher ed (e.g. community colleges, post-secondary certificate offerings, universities and colleges, etc) programs are producing graduates in demand by companies within these industry targets? Big Picture Questions What is the universe of partners we need to be working in support of ED in the urban core, and what roles do we need them to play? What is the new coordinated message about our major cities that place them in a compelling, distinctive context relative to other urban environments across the country, and the world? Who are the key audiences for this message within, and outside of our region? Are we prepared to tell the stories for our priority development zones and sites (e.g. Ford site, 280/University) to the market? Memo detailing missing data and analysis and rationale for collecting it Once approved by the project managers, gather missing data and analysis and provide appropriate format Memo detailing missing data and analysis and needs analysis due within three weeks of notice to proceed from Project Team, and meeting with full team to discuss findings within one week of receipt of memo. Additional data collection and analysis scope and timing will be determined in consultation with the project team. Task 4 Develop Strategy Using all of the analysis from the preceding tasks, it is anticipated that the overall strategy will: Develop industry-specific strategies Identify existing companies within target industries Identify and prioritize redevelopment sites Recommend marketing narrative for central cities 4
Identify policies and programs to implement the strategy The final strategy will: Connect the work related to economic development already underway in Minneapolis and Saint Paul Consolidate existing economic analysis; identify and fill critical information gaps Engage, educate elected officials Identify national & international best practices in urban ED, including by engaging urban site selectors Outline policy recommendations to enhance central city competitiveness Strategy document Slide deck presenting the findings and recommendations from this task Up to two revisions of this material Up to 5 facilitated meetings/presentations of this material (e.g. city councils, county boards, etc.) The Project Team seeks to complete this strategy by the first quarter of 2015. How to respond to this request Address the information requested below in no more than 5 pages. Add supporting documents and/or web links as appropriate (not included in page limit) Return via e-mail to: marykay.bailey@mnpartners.org Deadline for receipt: August 6, 2014, 5PM Central Standard Time Contact for questions: Mary Kay Bailey, Minnesota Philanthropy Partners, 651-325-4234 Project Team will schedule interviews with qualified respondents beginning August 14 th. Requested Information (no more than five pages): 1. Name of the applicant firm or organization, contact information and point of contact. 2. Describe your project team. Who will be project manager? Are any subcontractors anticipated, who and what expertise will they bring? What are their relevant credentials and experience? 3. Describe and document the capacity of your firm/organization to successfully address the tasks included in this request, including past clients and bodies of work. 4. Specifically how have your past projects focused on: a. Achieving results in areas of market-challenge, including ethnically and racially diverse areas b. Connecting strong-market area opportunities to workers in lower-wealth parts of the city c. Attracting and expanding businesses that provide a spectrum of occupations with differing skill levels 5. Describe your approach to the tasks in the proposed scope and what you might do differently than proposed in this scope. Prepare a cost estimate based on this approach. 6. Please include several dates and times that your team will be available for a phone interview between August 13 th and 18 th. 5