CHARLES COUNTY GOVERNMENT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN & MARKET ANALYSIS

RFP No.: TBD Issue Date: TBD Proposals Due: TBD Comment by Jim Chandler: I would really like a 45-day proposal response period with proposals due back sometime between April 7th - 9th. My goal is to have a contractor in place no later than May 18, 2026.

I. INTRODUCTION

The Charles County Economic Development Department (EDD) seeks proposals from qualified consulting firms to prepare a Five-Year Strategic Economic Development Plan, informed by economic and market analysis, extensive stakeholder engagement, and industry-specific research.

The purpose of this plan is to:

· Provide a clear, data-driven strategy for County economic growth

· Strengthen the County’s competitiveness

· Guide investment in key programs, assets, infrastructure, and partnerships

· Support sustainable and equitable economic development

· Align County, regional, state, federal, and private-sector partners

II. BACKGROUND

Charles County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Maryland and the Washington–Baltimore region. Proximity to Washington, D.C.; expanding national defense and innovation assets; key emerging industries; and a strong quality of life position the County for transformational economic growth.

EDD’s mission is to promote a thriving, diverse, and resilient local economy through:

· Strategic partnerships

· Business retention & expansion

· Business attraction & competitiveness

· Rural and agricultural economic development

· Entrepreneurship and innovation

· Workforce and talent pipeline development

· Site readiness and infrastructure support

· Public-private partnership (P3) facilitation

· Marketing, branding, and business engagement

Charles County’s economic vision continues to evolve with the growth of:

· The Western Charles County Technology Corridor

· NSWC Indian Head and the defense/energetics innovation economy

· Waldorf Urban Redevelopment Corridor (WURC)

· Small business and MWBE ecosystems

· Rural and agricultural economic opportunities

· Regional logistics and distribution

· Innovation and tech-talent pipelines

To support this growth, the County has identified the following current target industries as central to its economic development strategy:

· Defense & Federal Contracting

· Energetics Technology

· Agribusiness

· Logistics & Distribution

· Health Services

· Retail

EDD now seeks a comprehensive strategic plan that will establish priorities, guide program development, identify resource requirements, and establish performance indicators for the next five years.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

a. Overview The selected firm will produce a Five-Year Strategic Economic Development Plan and a supporting Economic & Market Analysis. The plan must be:

· Data-driven

· Stakeholder-informed

· Action-oriented

· Measurable

· Clear, accessible, and implementation-ready The plan must address the following core priority areas.

b. Strategic Priority Areas

i. Western Charles County Technology Corridor

· Strategic visioning and positioning

· Innovation ecosystem development

· Opportunities related to NSWC Indian Head, USBTA, MTC, Velocity Center

· Recommendations for commercial, office, tech-flex, and research-oriented growth

· Site readiness, infrastructure, zoning, and land-use alignment

ii. Innovation, Tech Talent & Workforce Pipeline

· Skills mapping for emerging and existing industries

· Partnerships with CCPS, CSM, USMSM, military partners

· Talent attraction and retention strategies

· Youth, young adult, and adult workforce alignment

iii. Industry Cluster Development Plan must identify and analyze:

· Market competitiveness

· Peer and regional benchmarking

· Industry gaps and opportunities

· Workforce and supply chain requirements

· Policies and economic development incentive tools needed for investment and economic growth, including a framework for P3 policy models, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs).

iv. Small Business, MWBE, & Entrepreneurial Support

· Assessment of existing programs

· Program delivery models for business services, technical assistance, capital access

· Best practices for equitable economic development

v. P3 Development & Capital Investment Readiness

· Identification of priority P3 opportunities

· Required tools, processes, and develop a policy framework

· Infrastructure needs to support major investment

· Site and facility readiness that align with State policy

vi. Rural & Agricultural Economic Development

· Assessment of rural economic opportunities

· Integration of agriculture, agritourism, and outdoor recreation

· Rural small business and entrepreneurship development

· Infrastructure and broadband needs

vii. Strategic Marketing & Branding

· Competitive positioning

· Target industry messaging

· Digital marketing and business outreach

· Trade/media strategy

· Public-facing economic narrative

viii. Asset Inventory & Competitive Readiness

· Inventory of commercial and industrial properties

· Infrastructure and transportation needs

· Development pipeline

· County assets, programs, resources, and partner services

· Gaps and constraints impacting business attraction

IV. ECONOMIC & MARKET ANALYSIS REQUIREMENTS

The analysis must include:

Quantitative Analysis

· Demographic and population trends

· Labor force and workforce characteristics

· Economic, wage, and income profiles

· Industry sector performance and best practices

· Competitive regional benchmarking

· Commercial real estate analysis (office, flex, industrial, retail)

· Land-use and zoning considerations

Qualitative Analysis

· Stakeholder interviews and focus groups

· Industry insight and expert interviews

· Competitiveness and loss-analysis (why businesses select or do not select Charles County)

· Market perceptions and brand analysis

Comparative Advantage & SWOT Assessment

· Structural strengths and weaknesses

· Assets and liabilities

· Opportunities and threats

· Identification of competitive niche areas

V. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

The plan must include a robust stakeholder engagement process including, at minimum:

· Charles County Board of Commissioners

· EDD staff and leadership

· Department of Planning & Growth Management

· Other County departments (as relevant)

· NSWC IHD & Federal partners

· Regional education partners (CCPS, CSM, USMSM)

· Business and industry leaders

· MWBE and small business community

· Rural/agricultural sector members

· Real estate and development community

· State partners

Methods may include, but are not limited to the following:

· One-on-one interviews

· Focus groups

· Surveys

· Workshops

· Public and virtual engagement sessions

VI. DELIVERABLES

Deliverable 1 – Project Management Plan Timeline, milestones, engagement plan, roles, and responsibilities.

Deliverable 2 – Economic & Market Analysis Report Comprehensive quantitative and qualitative analysis with visuals, charts, and key findings.

Deliverable 3 – Strategic Framework Vision, mission alignment, guiding principles, strategic objectives.

Deliverable 4 – Action Plan For each priority area:

· Goals

· Recommended actions

· Required resources

· Timeline (short/mid/long term)

· KPIs and metrics

· Responsible partners

· Anticipated outcomes

Deliverable 5 – Implementation Matrix Prioritized, sequenced strategy with resource needs and policy recommendations.

Deliverable 6 – Final Strategic Plan

· Professionally formatted

· Accessible, public-facing

· Includes Executive Summary and presentation slides

· Editable files delivered to EDD

Deliverable 7 – Final Presentations

· One presentation to EDD leadership

· One presentation to the Board of County Commissioners

VII. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals must include:

1. Firm Profile & Qualifications

2. Approach & Methodology

3. Work Plan & Timeline

4. Team Composition, Designated Project Manager & Overall Experience

5. Past Performance & References (Provide 3 of each)

6. Budget,Fee Structure and Hours by Activity

7. Examples of similar strategic planning work (Provide 3)

8. Any proposed subcontractors

VIII. EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated by an Evaluation Committee based on the criteria below. The County reserves the right to request clarifications, conduct interviews/presentations, and verify references. Awards, if made, will be based on the proposal determined to be most advantageous to the County, considering both technical merit and cost.

1. Firm Qualifications & Relevant Experience (20 Points) Evaluation will consider:

· Demonstrated experience developing economic development strategic plans and supporting market/economic analyses

· Experience working with local governments or comparable public-sector clients

· Familiarity with Maryland, the DC region, or comparable high-growth communities

· Proven ability to deliver implementation-ready plans with measurable outcomes

2. Approach, Methodology & Technical Quality (20 Points) Evaluation will consider:

· Quality and completeness of the proposed methodology for the Strategic Plan and Economic & Market Analysis

· Strength of proposed analytical framework (quantitative + qualitative) and benchmarking approach

· Ability to translate data into clear strategies, priorities, and actionable recommendations

· Proposed tools, data sources, and best practices to support target industry and cluster development

3. Understanding of Charles County’s Needs & Project Goals (15 Points) Evaluation will consider:

· Demonstrated understanding of Charles County’s economic context, priorities, and opportunities

· Alignment with the County’s strategic priority areas (including workforce, WCCTC, site readiness, MWBE/small business, rural/ag, marketing/branding, P3 readiness)

· Ability to support a plan that is both competitive and equitable

4. Project Team & Capacity (15 Points) Evaluation will consider:

· Qualifications and relevant experience of the proposed project team, including the Project Manager

· Availability and staffing plan to support scope, timeline, and engagement requirements

· Use and management of any subcontractors (if applicable)

· Overall ability to deliver high-quality work products within the required timeframe

5. Stakeholder Engagement & Communication Strategy (10 Points) Evaluation will consider:

· Quality and feasibility of the proposed engagement plan, including interviews, focus groups, surveys, and workshops

· Ability to facilitate participation across a diverse set of stakeholders

· Strategy for documenting engagement findings and incorporating them into the final plan

· Clarity of communications approach and plan development process

6. Past Performance, Work Samples & References (10 Points) Evaluation will consider:

· Quality and relevance of submitted examples of similar work

· Strength of references and demonstrated success delivering comparable projects

· Evidence of strong project management and client satisfaction

7. Cost Proposal & Value to the County (10 Points) Evaluation will consider:

· Reasonableness and completeness of the cost proposal

· Alignment of level of effort and budget with scope and deliverables

· Cost competitiveness and overall value to the County

· Clear breakdown of hours by activity and deliverable

Total Possible Points: 100