Issued by: The Kitsap Economic Development Alliance (KEDA), on behalf of the Washington Autonomous Vehicle Cluster (WAV-C).
Release Date: September 26, 2024
Proposal Deadline: October 16, 2024, 11:59 PM PST
Project Duration: October 21, 2024 - December 31, 2024
Budget: $10,000
Summary
The Kitsap Economic Development Alliance’s (KEDA’s) Washington Autonomous Vehicle Cluster (WAV-C) program invites qualified consultants to submit proposals for enhancing our membership engagement and expansion activities. This work will result in increased member participation and engagement within our cluster, both by increasing the engagement of existing members and by identifying a strategy to recruit select new members with the right strategic fit at WAV-C. The successful consultant will spearhead the development of cluster membership strategies aligned with WAV-C's core mission and objectives.
Background
The Washington Autonomous Vehicle Cluster (WAV-C) drives innovation and collaboration around marine autonomous systems. Since inception, WAV-C has brought together diverse interests such as the Defense Industry (Booz Allen Hamilton), educators (University of Washington, Olympic College), tribal interests (The Suquamish) and more on projects. Examples include efforts focused on cleaning up Puget Sound waterway tire dump sites, a white paper for Defense interests, and collaboration around a potential autonomous ferry system.
In total, WAV-C’s membership sits at around 70 members, ranging from startups in the space to more established companies to firms with a distant relationship with marine autonomy. As such, the strategic problem that needs to be solved with this consulting RFP is for WAV-C to better “dial in” its value to its members, make sure the right members are at the table, engage them more deeply, and produce enough value to justify a small annual membership fee (ranging from $600 - $2500) in the organization.
Scope of Services
The consultant will be responsible for delivering comprehensive services in the following key areas:
Strategic Membership Engagement.
Analyze current membership structure, contacting members and receiving feedback as needed.
Develop a plan to elevate engagement levels and boost member participation.
Propose cutting-edge engagement tactics aligned with WAV-C's mission.
Membership Expansion.
Design and execute targeted strategies to attract new members from key industries (most significantly but not limited to the maritime, defense, software and robotics sectors).
Communications and Outreach.
Develop communication processes and workflows to strengthen member relations.
Identify how to pursue and encourage intra-cluster collaboration and partnerships.
Event Coordination and Support.
Recommend a plan for ongoing member gatherings, webinars, workshops and outreach.
Provide content recommendations, guidance and support for a WAV-C event held in November or December of 2024. Note: Associated hard costs (e.g., conference room rental), will be paid from a separate budget.
Strategic Recommendations and Reporting.
Deliver a comprehensive final report by December 31, 2024 that provides actionable recommendations for an ongoing member engagement strategy, informed by feedback from existing and new potential members.
Deliverables
Comprehensive membership engagement strategy (i.e., items 1-4 in the scope).
Strategic event planning and execution support (specifically for November or December 2024, as described in item 4 in the scope).
Detailed final report encompassing activities, outcomes, and strategic recommendations to increase member engagement (item 5).
Proposal Requirements
Proposals should be concise (maximum 10 pages) and must include:
Consultant Qualifications: Demonstrate experience in helping organizations with:
Increasing membership engagement and outreach (ideally in innovation, and/or the transportation, defense, maritime or technology sectors).
Event coordination, support, and content guidance.
Methodological Approach: Provide a detailed description of your proposed strategy to achieve the Scope of Work and Deliverables above.
Project Timeline: Present a comprehensive timeline with key milestones for the project duration (October 16 - December 31, 2024).
Budget Projection: Submit a detailed budget not exceeding $10,000, itemizing costs for each scope of work task or milestone. Note: Hard costs of the planned November/December 2024 event as part of this (e.g., a half-day conference facility charge) will be paid from a separate budget, and need not be included.
Professional References: Provide a minimum of two references from clients with similar project scopes.
Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
Depth of experience and expertise in membership engagement and outreach.
Understanding of WAV-C's mission and experience with target membership sectors.
Effectiveness of the proposed methodological approach.
Cost-effectiveness and budget allocation.
Quality and relevance of professional references.
Submission Guidelines
Please submit proposals electronically in PDF format by October 8, 2024, to:
Seth Abelson
Washington Autonomous Vehicle Cluster (WAV-C)
Email: abelson@kitsapeda.org
360-946-2636
Key Dates
RFP Release: September 24, 2024
Proposal Submission Deadline: October 8, 2024
Selection Notification: October 10, 2024
Project Commencement: October 14, 2024
Project Conclusion: December 31, 2024
Note: WAV-C reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, conduct interviews during the proposal period, waive requirements and negotiate modifications as needed in order to meet our business objectives.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for WAV-C Membership Consultant RFP
1. What is the purpose of this RFP?
The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to seek a qualified consultant who can enhance WAV-C’s membership engagement and expansion activities. The consultant will help increase participation from current members and develop a strategic plan to recruit new members aligned with WAV-C’s mission.
2. Who is eligible to apply for this RFP?
Any consultant or consulting firm with relevant experience in membership engagement, outreach, event coordination, and communications, ideally within innovation, maritime, defense, technology, or related sectors, is eligible to apply.
3. What is the budget for this project?
The total budget for the project is capped at $10,000, which includes all tasks outlined in the Scope of Services. Hard costs related to the planned November/December 2024 event will be covered under a separate budget.
4. What are the key deliverables for this project?
The selected consultant will be responsible for:
A comprehensive membership engagement strategy.
Strategic event planning and execution support for a WAV-C event in November/December 2024.
A final report with actionable recommendations to boost ongoing member engagement and recruitment.
5. What is the project timeline?
The project will commence on October 21, 2024, and conclude by December 31, 2024. Key milestones will be outlined as part of the consultant's proposed strategy.
6. What are the proposal submission requirements?
Proposals must include:
Consultant qualifications and experience.
A detailed methodological approach.
A timeline with key project milestones.
A detailed budget breakdown.
References from at least two similar projects.
7. How will proposals be evaluated?
Proposals will be evaluated based on:
The consultant’s experience and expertise in membership engagement.
Understanding of WAV-C’s mission and target sectors.
The effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Cost-effectiveness.
Quality of references.
8. When is the proposal submission deadline?
All proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format by October 16, 2024, at 11:59 PM PST.
9. How should proposals be submitted?
Proposals should be submitted via email to Seth Abelson at abelson@kitsapeda.org. Please ensure the file is in PDF format.
10. What is the anticipated start date for the project?
The project is expected to start on October 21, 2024, and conclude by December 31, 2024.
11. Can proposals exceed 10 pages?
No, proposals should be concise and not exceed 10 pages.
12. Will WAV-C accept modifications to submitted proposals?
WAV-C reserves the right to negotiate modifications, conduct interviews, and make adjustments as necessary to meet the organization’s business objectives.
13. Who should I contact for more information about the RFP?
For any questions or clarifications, please contact Seth Abelson at abelson@kitsapeda.org or by phone at 360-946-2636.
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