Specifications include, but are not limited to: Lake County, a Michigan county government entity, is soliciting “Statements of Qualification” for firm(s) to provide Economic Diversification Services, including the creation of an Economic Diversification Study that leads to the development and successful implementation of an Economic Diversification Plan by December, 2025. The plan will be the framework for creating a community environment that fosters business and entrepreneurial growth and creatively utilizes its unique resources to attract and expand its rural economy. This work will be completed in collaboration with the Lake County Economic Diversification Advisory Group, under the oversight of the Lake County Economic Development Alliance Director who serves through a partnership with The Right Place. The selected consultant will work in partnership with the Lake County Economic Diversification Advisory group, with oversight from the Lake County Economic Development Alliance Executive Director provided through a partnership with The Right Place, to provide the following services: A. ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION STUDY IMPLEMENTATION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Perform field work and produce study findings with the assistance of the ED Advisory Group and community input. Consultant will also utilize findings as appropriate from studies and plans recently completed within the county, including Village of Baldwin Downtown Vision, Historic Community Planning for the African American resort community of Idlewild, and a County-wide Housing Needs Assessment. B. REPORT OUT TO COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS: Create a Report of Findings and Recommendations and present it to county stakeholders through a series of community meetings, including a special meeting of Board of Commissioners. C. PLAN DEVELOPMENT: Develop an Economic Diversification Plan, based on study findings, including researching, and securing necessary resources for plan implementation. Plan will provide suggested use for current and proposed infrastructure, viable business development options for increased employment and tax revenue, potential incentives and resources for business attraction. The Scope of Work will also culminate in the following interrelated studies and reports as deliverables: 1. INFRASTRUCTURE INVENTORY: An infrastructure inventory will identify the existing types and location of infrastructure, as well as crucial service gaps. This information will allow county and municipal governments to identify and prioritize infrastructure investments and best available sites for future development. Types of infrastructure to be assessed include electric, natural gas, broadband, water, sewer, roads. 2. MUNICIPAL UTILITY ASSESSMENT: The study will assess infrastructure capacity and need, and provide Lake County, the Village of Baldwin, and Webber Township with potential solutions for utilizing excess capacity and minimizing impacts to low-income households. Study will include recommendations for reaching minimum capacity through public/private partnerships and/or funding requests for system changes. 3. CORE COMMUNITY ENTREPRENEURIAL HUB FEASIBILITY STUDY: The project study will explore findings related to the creation of an entrepreneurial hub with an open market concept on the site of a condemned structure located in the heart of recent redevelopment in Downtown Baldwin. The study will include an analysis of viability for such a hub downtown, along with potential funding opportunities. 4. ECONOMIC RECOVERY STRATEGY: The selected consultant will facilitate discussions to identify community supported solutions for sustainable economic recovery and diversification in the wake of the closing of the county’s largest employer. 5. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INDUSTRIAL AND COMMERCIAL VACANCIES: The study will provide suggested viable uses for inventoried industrial sites that can result in the marketing of these sites to potential industrial users as well as the potential for a future funding request for necessary infrastructure development. An inventory of the County’s core city’s (Village of Baldwin) vacant commercial sites and an analysis of their potential use, including a market leakage report will be included in the study’s final report as well.
