RFP 3120003342-ASIA FINAL_06.11 2026.pdf

MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP RFx Number: 3120003342

Asian Regional Office Representative

CLOSING TIME AND DATE

Proposals must be received by:

Friday, July 24, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT

LOCATION

Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration

Office of Statewide Strategic Sourcing 501 North West Street, Suite 1301 C

Jackson, Mississippi 39201

PROPOSAL COORDINATOR

Shannon Smith, Statewide

Procurement Analyst Office of Statewide Strategic Sourcing Telephone (601) 359-3451 E-mail: osss@dfa.ms.gov mailto:osss@dfa.ms.gov

SECTION 1: Procurement Process

1.1 Background

The Office of Statewide Strategic Sourcing (“OSSS”), on behalf of the Mississippi Development Authority (“MDA”) (hereinafter “Agency”) has issued this solicitation for the purpose of soliciting sealed proposals from qualified providers for the purpose of serving as a professional services consultant to provide MDA with full-time representation in Asia (focused primarily on, but not limited to, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, and India) to recruit foreign direct investment to Mississippi and to promote the export of Mississippi products to Asia.

MDA would like to have a professional services consultant which would focus on recruiting Asian firms in the automotive, aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing sectors and associated supply chains as primary targets for recruitment. Other industries for recruitment include metals, chemicals and energy, food processing, warehousing and distribution, and forestry. The Contractor will also work on behalf of the MDA and Mississippi businesses to expand market opportunities for the export of Mississippi products and services from a wide range of industries to Asia.

This service will include (i) developing knowledge of Mississippi assets with respect to geography, existing industries, exporters, communities and industrial sites, workforce, research assets and incentives and (ii) developing a recruitment plan and an export promotion plan in partnership with the Authority based on the target sectors to include business missions, virtual business missions, a calling program to meet with existing and new investors, seminars, exhibitions, and other activities for the recruitment and identification of prospective investors.

1.2 Procurement Timeline

Event Date/Time Request for Proposals Issue Date 06/17/2026 Questions and Requests for Clarification 06/30/2026 Anticipated Posting of Written Responses 07/13/2026 Required Letter of Intent Deadline 07/17/2026 at 10:00 AM CDT Proposal Package Submission Deadline 07/24/2026 at 10:00 AM CDT Proposal Opening/Evaluation: 07/27/2026 Anticipated Notice of Intent to Award 08/19/2026 Request PPRB Board Meeting Agenda 09/02/2026 PPRB Meeting for Approval 10/07/2026

Note: Agency reserves the right to adjust this schedule as it deems necessary. Agency may also change the dates of the initial contract term without amendment to this RFP.

1.3 OPSCR Rules and Regulations

This solicitation and any resulting contract shall be governed by the applicable provisions of the Public Procurement Review Board (PPRB) Office of Personal Services Contract Review

(OPSCR) Rules and Regulations, a copy of which is available on the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration’s website (www.dfa.ms.gov). Any offeror responding to this solicitation is deemed to be on notice of all requirements therein.

1.4 Reconsideration of the Terms of the Solicitation

Any potential offeror may file a Request for Reconsideration of the Terms of the Solicitation.

Any such request shall be filed within three (3) business days following public notice of the solicitation and in accordance with Section 6.5.4 of the OPSCR Rules and Regulations.

1.5 Questions and Requests for Clarification

Offerors must carefully review this solicitation, the Contract, any risk management provisions, and all attachments for defects, questionable, or objectionable material. Following review, vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate questions and requests for clarification, offerors shall submit any such question(s) via email by the deadline reflected in the Section 1.2 Procurement Timeline.

All questions and requests for clarification must be directed by email to Shannon Smith at:

Shannon Smith, OSSS, Proposal Coordinator Telephone: (601) 359-3451 E-mail: osss@dfa.ms.gov

When submitting questions and requests for clarification, “Asian Regional Office Representative RFP RFx # 3120003342 - Questions”,” should be the subject of the email.

Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in the format shown below:

No. RFP Section, Page No. Question/Request for Clarification 1.

1.5.1 Official responses will be provided only for questions submitted as described above and only to clarify information already included in the RFP. The identity of the organization submitting the question(s) will not be revealed. All questions and answers will be published on the Mississippi Contract/Procurement Opportunity Search Portal website and the agency's website as an amendment to the RFP by the date and time reflected in Section 2.

1.5.2 The Agency will not be bound by any verbal or written information not contained within this RFP unless formally noticed and issued by the contact person as an RFP amendment. Offerors are cautioned that any statements made by agency personnel that materially change any portion of the proposal document shall not be relied upon unless subsequently ratified by a formal written amendment to the proposal document.

1.5.3 All vendor communications regarding this RFP must be directed to the Proposal

Coordinator.

1.6 Restrictions on Communication with Agency Staff

http://www.dfa.ms.gov/

At no time shall any offeror or its personnel contact, or attempt to contact, any Agency/OSSS staff regarding this RFP except the RFP Coordinator listed on the cover page of this RFP in the manner prescribed in Section 1.5. Unauthorized contact regarding the RFP with other employees of the agency/OSSS may result in the potential offeror being disqualified, and the potential offeror may also be suspended or disbarred from the State.

1.7 Cancellation of Solicitation or Rejection of Individual Proposals

At the Agency’s sole discretion, an RFP may be canceled or any or all responses to the solicitation may be rejected, in whole or in part, when the Agency determines that it is in the Agency’s best interest to do so.

MDA reserves the right to reject any and all proposals during any step of the procurement process, even after negotiations have begun. Agency reserves the right to reject any and all proposals if the Offeror takes exception to the terms and conditions of the RFP and/or fails to meet the terms and conditions and/or in any way attempts to limit the rights of Agency and/or the State of Mississippi, including but not limited to, the required contractual terms and provisions set forth in this RFP.

Reasons for rejecting individual proposals or qualifications include but are not limited to:

The Agency may reject proposals that do not conform to the requirements outlined in this RFP.

Proposals may be rejected for reasons which include, but are not limited to, the following:

• the proposal or qualification was non-responsive to the solicitation;

• the offeror is deemed non-responsible;

• the proposal or qualification fails to meet the requirements of the Agency;

• the proposed price is clearly unreasonable;

• lack of competitiveness by reason of collusion or knowledge that reasonably available competition did not occur.

• Any other reason the agency determines to be in the best interest of the State.

Proposals that include terms and conditions that do not conform to the terms and conditions in the RFP document are subject to rejection as non-responsive. Further, submission of proposals that are not complete and/or signed is subject to rejection as non-responsive. The Agency reserves the right to permit the offeror to withdraw nonconforming terms and conditions from its proposals prior to a determination by the Agency staff of non-responsiveness based on the submission of nonconforming terms and conditions. Furthermore, if an offeror’s price is substantially higher than those of other offerors, meaning those in excess of a twenty-five percent (25%) differential, the offeror’s price may be deemed non-responsive.

1.8 Expenses Incurred in the Procurement Process

All parties participating in the procurement process with regard to this solicitation shall bear their own costs of participation, pursuant to Section 1.4.4 of the Public Procurement Review Board Office of Personal Services Contract Review Rules and Regulations.

1.9 Trade Secrets, Commercial, and Financial Information Public Record Exemption Any offeror claiming that its response contains information exempt from the Mississippi Public Records Act (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 25-61-9, 75-26-1 through 75-26-19, and/or 79-23-1), must submit a second copy of the proposal document in which all information offeror deems to be confidential commercial and financial information and/or trade secrets is redacted in black.

Offeror shall also provide a document stating the specific statutory authority for each redaction/exemption. Offeror may be subject to exclusion pursuant to Chapter 15 of the OPSCR Rules and Regulations if the Agency or the PPRB determine that redactions made by the offeror were made in bad faith in order to prohibit public access to the portions of the proposal which are not subject to Miss. Code Ann. §§ 25-61-9, 75-26-1 through 75-26-19, and/or 79-23-1. The redacted version of the proposal, or if an offeror does not produce a redacted version, the full proposal document, will be released at the Agency’s sole discretion, without notice to the offeror and will be produced as a public record exactly as submitted.

1.10 Registration with Mississippi Secretary of State

By submitting a proposal, the Offeror certifies that it is registered to do business in the State of Mississippi as prescribed by Mississippi law and the Mississippi Secretary of State or, if not already registered, that it will do so within five (5) business days of being notified by the agency that it has been selected for contract award. Sole proprietors are not required to register with the Mississippi Secretary of State.

1.11 Debarment

By submitting a proposal, the offeror certifies that it is not currently debarred from submitting proposals for contracts issued by any political subdivision or agency of the State of Mississippi or federal government and that it is not an agent of a person or entity that is currently debarred from submitting proposals for contracts issued by any political subdivision or agency of the State of Mississippi or federal government.

1.12 Offeror Investigations

Before submitting a proposal, each offeror shall make all investigations and examinations necessary to ascertain all site conditions and requirements affecting the full performance of the contract and to verify any representations made by the Agency upon which they will rely. If the offeror receives an award as a result of its proposal submission, failure to have made such investigations and examinations will in no way relieve the offeror from its obligation to comply in every detail with all provisions and requirements of the contract documents, nor will a plea of ignorance of such conditions and requirements be accepted as a basis for any claim whatsoever for additional compensation.

1.13 Certification of Independent Price Determination

By submitting a proposal, the offeror certifies that the prices submitted in response to the solicitation have been arrived at independently and without any, consultation, communication, or agreement with any other offeror or competitor for the purpose of restricting competition.

1.14 Offeror Certification

Offeror agrees that submission of a signed proposal, fee schedule, and BAFO (if requested), is certification that Offeror will accept an award made to it as a result of the submission. Under no circumstances shall the maximum time for proposal acceptance by the State extend beyond one (1) year from the opening date.

1.15 Registration with Mississippi’s Accountability System for Governmental Information and Collaboration (MAGIC) If the offeror is not already registered as a supplier in MAGIC, the offeror should register as a supplier with the State of Mississippi. Registering as a supplier with the State of MS allows businesses to register for upcoming opportunity notifications by the products they supply, search the system for upcoming solicitations, respond to solicitations electronically, and receive purchase orders via e-mail.

Offerors can complete the registration at the following link: http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliershttp://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/vendors/supplier-self-service/. Any questions regarding registration in MAGIC should be directed to the Mississippi Management and Reporting System (MMRS) staff by emailing mash@dfa.ms.gov or calling 601-359-1343.

1.16 Discussions with Offerors

Discussions may be conducted to promote understanding of the Agency’s requirements and the offeror’s proposal, or to facilitate arriving at a contract that will be most advantageous to the Agency. The Offeror may update its proposal to reflect clarifications needed following discussions.

Discussions may be conducted with offerors who submit proposals determined to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award; however, proposals may also be accepted without such discussions. Agency reserves the right to accept any proposal as submitted for contract award, without substantive negotiation of proposed terms, services or prices. For these reasons, all parties are advised to propose their most favorable terms initially.

1.17 Solicitation Document

The RFP is comprised of the RFP document, any attachments, any amendments issued prior to the submission deadline, and any other documents released before the contract award. The attachments to this RFP are made a part of this RFP as if copied herein in words and figures.

1.18 Amendments

Agency reserves the right to amend the contents of this RFP as it deems necessary. This RFP, all questions, requests for clarification, and answers, and any other amendments will be published on the Mississippi Contract/Procurement Opportunity Search Portal and the Agency website in a manner that all offerors will be able to view. It is the sole responsibility of the offeror to monitor the agency website and the procurement portal for amendments to the RFP to ensure their proposal complies with any such amendments.

1.19 Acknowledgement of Amendments

Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to the RFP in writing. The acknowledgement shall be submitted by signing and returning the amendment with the proposals package, by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ mailto:mash@dfa.ms.gov http://www.dfa.ms.gov/dfa-offices/mmrs/mississippi-suppliers-vendors/supplier-self-service/ this purpose on the proposal form, or by letter. Each offeror shall submit a written acknowledgment of every amendment to the OSSS on or before the submission deadline.

Written acknowledgement of all amendments to the RFP shall be received from all offerors prior to the issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award. Offerors who do not provide the Agency acknowledgement of every amendment issued may be deemed non-responsive and not eligible for award.

1.20 Minor Informalities and Irregularities

The MDA has the right to waive minor defects or variations of a proposal from the exact requirements of the specifications that do not affect the price, quality, quantity, delivery, or performance time of the services being procured and if doing so does not create an unfair advantage for any offeror. If insufficient information is submitted by an offeror for the MDA to properly evaluate the offer, the MDA has the right to require such additional information as it may deem necessary after the submission deadline, provided that the information requested does not change the price, quality, quantity, delivery, or performance time of the services being procured and such request does not create an unfair advantage for any offeror.

1.21 Right to Reject Proposals

Agency reserves the right to reject any and all proposals during any step of the procurement process, even after negotiations have begun. Agency reserves the right to reject any and all proposals if the Offeror takes exception to the terms and conditions of the RFP and/or fails to meet the terms and conditions and/or in any way attempts to limit the rights of Agency and/or the State of Mississippi, including but not limited to, the required contractual terms and provisions set forth in this RFP.

1.22 No Obligation to Contract

The release of this RFP does not constitute an acceptance of any submitted proposals, nor does such release in any way obligate the Agency to execute a contract with any offeror. Agency reserves the right to accept, reject, or negotiate any and all offers on the basis of the evaluation criteria contained within this document. The final decision to execute a contract with any party rests solely with the Agency including the decision to make no contract award.

1.23 Contract Formation

This RFP and any amendments, the offeror’s proposal, including, and Offeror’s Best and Final

Offer (as applicable) shall be incorporated into the successful offeror’s contract.

1.23.1 Type of Contract

Compensation for services under a contract resulting from this RFP will be in the form of a firm-fixed price agreement.

1.23.2 Contract Rights

Contract rights do not vest in any party until a contract is legally executed. The MDA is under no obligation to award a contract following issuance of this solicitation.

1.23.3 Property Rights

Property rights do not inure to any offeror until such time as services have been provided under a legally executed contract. No party responding to this RFP has a legitimate claim of entitlement to be awarded a contract or to the provision of work thereunder.

The MDA is under no obligation to award a contract and may terminate a legally executed contract at any time.

1.23.4 Pre-Contract Work at Offeror’s Risk

Any work performed by the awarded Offeror prior to the start date of a valid, executed contract is done at Offeror’s sole risk. The State is under no obligation to pay for work performed prior to contract start date.

1.23.5 Standard Independent Contractor Agreement

A draft Contract has been included as Attachment G to this RFP for your review.

Any contract entered into with the Agency pursuant to this RFP shall include clauses required pursuant to the PPRB OPSCR Rules and Regulations as updated and replaced by PPRB. These required clauses are mandatory and are nonnegotiable. For your convenience, the required clauses, and other clauses MDA cannot modify, are in bold headings in the sample agreement.

1.23.6 Exceptions to the Standard Terms

MDA discourages exceptions to the draft contract content, regardless of whether the contract clause is required or not. Such exceptions may cause proposals to be rejected as non-responsive. Proposals which condition the proposal based upon the State accepting other terms and conditions not found in the RFP, or which take exception to the State’s terms and conditions, may be found non-responsive, and no further consideration of the proposals will be given.

1.23.7 Term

The initial term of the contract resulting from the RFP shall be for a period of two (2) years and will begin upon PPRB contract approval and execution by both parties. At its sole discretion, MDA reserves the right to renew the contract in any combination for up to thirty-six (36) months at the same rate(s) bid.

1.24 General References Throughout the RFP

This RFP, any amendment thereto, such as Questions and Answer document(s) and Summary of Pre-Proposals Conference, Tour, or Site Visit, if any were issued, the Notice of Intent to Award, and the Evaluation Report will be posted on the Agency website at http://www.mississippi.org, or http://www.mississippi.org/about/competitive-procurements/.

Throughout this document, the various references below refer to the webpages or documents found at the specified link:

• “The MDA/Agency website” refers to the website found at http://www.mississippi.org, http://www.mississippi.org/about/competitive-procurements/ http://www.mississippi.org/ http://www.mississippi.org/

• “The Mississippi Contract/Procurement Opportunity Search Portal” or “the procurement portal” refers to the website found at https://www.ms.gov/dfa/contract_bid_search/Home/Buy

• “The Public Procurement Review Board Office of Personal Service Contract Review

Rules and Regulations” or “the PPRB OPSCR Rules and Regulations” refers to the rules and regulations found at https://www.dfa.ms.gov/personal-service-contract-review.

1.25 News Releases

The MDA is the only entity authorized to issue news releases relating to this RFP, its evaluation, and award of any contract and performance thereunder.

1.26 Ownership of Materials

MDA shall own all materials and data produced for the Agency under a contract resulting from this RFP unless otherwise agreed to in writing.

1.27 Benefit

Any information obtained by the Contractor(s) as a result of a contract with MDA resulting from this RFP is for the benefit and use of MDA, its constituents/clients, and the Contractor as it relates to the Contractor’s work for MDA and this project. This contract and any information obtained as a result of this contract with MDA should not be used by the Contractor for the benefit of the Contractor or any third party or person not associated with MDA or this project/contract. This clause does not preclude other agencies from entering into separate agreements with the Contractor in accordance with OPSCR in-state cooperative procurement rules and regulations.

1.28 Right to Consider Historical Information

MDA reserves the right to consider historical information regarding the Offeror, whether gained from the Offeror’s proposal, conferences with Offeror, references, or any other source during the evaluation process. This may include, but is not limited to, information from any state or federal regulatory entity.

1.29 Mandatory Letter of Intent

Respondents must submit a Letter of Intent to respond to this RFP no later than 10:00 A.M CDT, July 17, 2026, to osss@dfa.ms.gov. The subject of the email should be “Asian Regional Office Representative RFP RFx # 3120003342 – Letter of Intent”. Respondents who do not submit a Letter of Intent by the established deadline will be disqualified from responding to the

RFP.

https://www.ms.gov/dfa/contract_bid_search/Home/Buy https://www.dfa.ms.gov/personal-service-contract-review

SECTION 2: Scope of Services and Other Requirements

2.1 Scope of Services

This RFP contemplates that the Agency will contract with the successful Respondent to be the professional service consultant for the MDA and its Programs and the principal advisor and provider for the following specified services: The Contractor will perform the following services upon request of the AUTHORITY in fulfillment of the purposes of this Contract. The services will include, but not be limited to:

2.1.1 The Contractor will provide the Authority/State of Mississippi with full-time representation in Asia (focused primarily on, but not limited to, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, and India) to recruit foreign direct investment to Mississippi and to promote the export of Mississippi products to Asia. The Contractor must be based in one of the focused countries and be willing to travel to other Asian countries as approved by the Authority for recruiting and trade activities. The Contractor will focus on recruiting Asian firms in the automotive, aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing sectors - and associated supply chains - as primary targets for recruitment. Other industries for recruitment include metals, chemicals and energy, food processing, warehousing and distribution, and forestry. The Contractor will also work on behalf of the Authority and Mississippi businesses to expand market opportunities for the export of Mississippi products and services from a wide range of industries to Asia.

This service will include (i) developing knowledge of Mississippi assets with respect to geography, existing industries, exporters, communities and industrial sites, workforce, and research assets and incentives and (ii) developing a recruitment plan and an export promotion plan in partnership with the Authority based on the target sectors to include business missions, virtual business missions, a calling program to meet with existing and new investors, seminars, exhibitions, and other activities for the recruitment and identification of prospective investors.

To achieve the primary stated objectives, the Contractor shall provide services outlined in the remainder of this Section.

2.2 Investment Recruitment and Promotion:

2.2.1 The Contractor will engage in a proactive program of outreach to Asian companies to promote the state to potential investors. The Contractor will develop a minimum of 12 new investment prospect leads per contract year by identifying companies within Asia that have the potential and intention to begin or expand business operations in the United States, and to provide them with the information, resources and other assistance that will lead them to consider Mississippi as an ideal location for their investment.

2.2.2 The Contractor will assist the Authority with qualified appointments for up to two annual investment missions to Asia to directly support Mississippi’s foreign direct investment recruiting program. Each mission to Asia may include business meetings in multiple countries in Asia. When travel is not feasible, events may include virtual business missions to recruit investors to Mississippi.

2.2.3 The Contractor will provide investment leads to the Authority that arise from the

Contractor’s network of contacts and target sector research in Asia.

2.2.4 The Contractor will meet with the headquarters of Asian companies with investment in Mississippi. The Contractor will consult with the Authority regarding priority firms to be included in the calling plan.

2.2.5 The Contractor will attend relevant industry events in Asia, primarily in the sectors of automotive, aerospace, defense, and advanced manufacturing.

2.2.6 The Contractor will participate in relevant SEUS-Japan, Select USA events, chambers of commerce conferences, and industrial association meetings in Asia to introduce companies to investment opportunities in Mississippi.

2.2.7 The Contractor will attend relevant industry forums and trade shows in Asia in which the Authority is an exhibitor and will support efforts for securing appointments with Asian companies at the determined event in Asia.

2.2.8 The Contractor will provide prompt follow-up for any investment leads from recruiting activities in Asia.

2.2.9 The Contractor will provide ongoing support and advice to the Authority regarding market opportunities, economic and political developments, and promotion strategies in Asia.

2.2.10 The Contractor will consult with the Authority on relevant events, industry associations and government agencies in Asia.

2.2.11 The Contractor will refrain from accepting any conflicting engagements with other state agencies or development organizations in the Southeast U.S. involving the recruitment of investment from Asia. This includes Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, Florida, and Virginia. Potential conflicts need to be disclosed and reviewed by the Authority.

2.2.12 The Contractor will present his/her progress in person during an annual event in Mississippi to be determined by the Authority. The Contractor may also be asked to present economic trends and analysis to economic development stakeholders in Mississippi. The Contractor may be asked to participate in Select USA in Washington, D.C. together with the Authority and economic development partners. When feasible, the annual visit to the U.S. and Mississippi will be arranged in conjunction with the Select USA event.

2.3 Trade Promotion:

2.3.1 The Contractor will coordinate with the Authority and in-country intermediaries during the preparation, execution, and follow-up phases of all trade promotion events during the term of this Contract. Trade promotion events may include trade missions comprised of Authority staff and Mississippi companies as well as trade exhibitions.

2.3.2 The Contractor will assist the Authority with qualified appointments for up to two annual trade promotion missions to Asia to directly support Mississippi’s export promotion program. Each mission to Asia may include business meetings in multiple countries in Asia. When travel is not feasible, events may include virtual business missions to promote the export of Mississippi businesses.

2.3.3 Trade promotion assistance may also include individual Mississippi company visits to Asia on an as-needed basis. (Assistance with individual company trade visits to Asia will be provided as needed and is not subject to the trade mission limitations in B.

above.)

2.3.4 The Contractor will provide on-going support and advice to the Authority and Mississippi businesses regarding Asian market opportunities and trade promotion strategies.

2.3.5 The Contractor will also advise the Authority and Mississippi businesses on relevant trade events, industry associations, and government agencies in Asia.

2.3.6 The Contractor will advise the Authority and Mississippi firms on market potential, business practices, regulations, and other market intelligence.

2.3.7 The Contractor will generate qualified trade leads through the participation in key business seminars, conferences, and meetings sponsored by private industry associations, government agencies, banks, and other special service providers. The Contractor will attend these events at no additional cost to the Authority.

2.3.8 The Contractor will maintain a database of potential agents, distributors, importers, end-users, and manufacturers. The Contractor shall maintain a database of international trade service providers including translator services, law firms, and public and private trade organizations in Asia.

2.3.9 Trade development assistance in Asia for a Mississippi company or business organization may also include the following services:

2.3.9.1 Agent and Distributor Search (ADS). Conduct qualified agent, distributor, partner, and customer searches. The Contractor will identify qualified agents, distributors, end-users, importers, licensees, or other appropriate business partners based on the requirements of Mississippi firms on an as needed basis.

2.3.9.2 Supplier Search. The Contractor will conduct qualified searches for suppliers in Asia as requested by Mississippi importers and manufacturers on an as needed basis.

2.3.9.3 Preliminary Market Assessment. The Contractor will prepare a summary of the market opportunities and challenges Mississippi businesses and industries face in Asia on an as needed basis.

2.3.9.4 Market Research Report. Conduct in-depth market research including market characteristics, competitor analysis, pricing analysis, distribution, and recommendation for market entry plan for Mississippi business and industry in Asia on an as needed basis.

2.4 The Contractor will coordinate with the Authority during the preparation, execution, and follow up phases of all investment or trade promotion events during the term of this Contract.

The events may include a combination of the following:

2.4.1 Provide relevant company or industry sector profiles of targeted industries.

2.4.2 Provide an orientation or briefing upon arrival in Asia.

2.4.3 Arrange hotel accommodation, ground transportation, and other logistical support as requested by the Authority.

2.4.4 Schedule private appointments with qualified business contacts.

2.4.5 Accompany Authority staff, Mississippi economic development allies, and companies on appointments in Asia as requested.

2.4.6 Serve as a translator to facilitate business discussions during appointments.

2.4.7 Organize seminars on targeted business opportunities in Mississippi.

2.4.8 Facilitate post-event activities with contacts made during the visit.

2.4.9 Provide executive summary of reports about the State of Mississippi in Asian media.

2.5 The Contractor will perform special projects as assigned by the Authority.

2.6 The Contractor will provide monthly and annual activity and financial reports to the Authority on new prospects, events, and investment or trade assistance rendered to the Authority or to economic development allies, including any results and outcomes that can be ascertained from the Contractor’s perspective. The quality and timeliness of these reports and services will be used to evaluate the Contractor’s performance. The reports shall include the following information:

2.6.1 A narrative section describing the Contractor’s activities and successes in the assigned region during the month of the report.

2.6.2 A numerical summary of the Contractor’s activities, setting forth detailed information concerning prospect leads and other activities the Contractor engages in.

2.6.3 The names and addresses of all Asian companies that have been in contact with the

Contractor during the month of the report.

2.6.4 The Contractor will communicate with the Authority staff on a regular basis regarding proposed activities and will provide ongoing feedback to the Authority.

2.6.5 Reports are due no later than seven (7) working days following the end of the reported month.

2.6.6 Monthly reports will include the following summary of measures: numbers and names of qualified investment prospects as well as all companies contacted, and events hosted or attended. The summary of measures shall be reported monthly as well as quarterly.

2.7 The Contractor will visit Mississippi on an annual basis to meet with Authority staff, and to participate in and conduct market briefings and programs arranged by the Authority’s Jackson, Mississippi staff. At such time, the Contractor shall attend and participate as a speaker in Authority functions. During such visits to Mississippi, the Contractor will meet with economic development representatives and community and government officials to inform them about the work of the Contractor and how the representatives and governmental officials can become directly involved in promoting their communities internationally. The Contractor may also be asked to meet with Mississippi companies regarding export opportunities in Asia.

2.8 The Contractor will coordinate all communications with the Authority through the Chief Economic Development Officer or his/her designee, who will then refer matters to other persons within the Authority for action and response.

2.9 Contractor’s bid total should include all costs needed to meet the terms of this RFP including salary, operational expenses and travel costs based on the plan of work outlined above. The Contractor is expected to attend both investment and trade events at no additional cost to the Authority.

2.10 For certain business missions led by agency leadership, the Contractor may be given extra funding for special promotional activities. This will be determined by the Authority prior to the event. The Authority and economic development partners also participate in major international aerospace shows such as the Paris Air Show and Farnborough Air Show. The cost of this exhibition space is paid for by the Authority and economic development partners.

SECTION 3: Minimum Qualifications

3.1 Prior Experience: Offeror must have been in business and provided services similar in requirements and scale to those described in this RFP for a minimum of five (5) years.

a. The name of the consultant, the location of the consultant’s principal place of business and, if different, the place of performance of the proposed contract;

b. The age of the consultant’s business and average number of employees over a previous period of time and average number of employees over the past three (3) years, as specified in the Request for Proposal;

c. The abilities, qualifications, and experience of all persons who would be assigned to provide the required services;

d. A listing of other contracts under which services similar in scope, size, or discipline to the required services were performed or undertaken within a previous period of time, as specified in the Request for Proposal; and,

e. A plan giving as much detail as is practical explaining how the services will be performed.

Offeror must complete and submit Attachment H, Certification of Minimum Qualifications.

Offeror must provide the page number of the proposal or proposal package where information supporting each minimum requirement may be found.

3.2 Financial Stability or Solvency: By submitting a proposal, Offeror certifies that it is financially stable or solvent. If requested by the MDA/OSSS, within two (2) days of the request, Offeror shall submit copies of the most recent years independently audited financial statements as well as financial statements for the preceding three years, if they exist. The submission must include the audit opinion, the balance sheet, and statements of income, retained earnings, cash flows, and the notes to the financial statements. If independently audited financial statements do not exist, Offeror must state the reason and, instead, submit sufficient information to enable the Agency to access the financial stability or solvency of the vendor, such as financial statements, credit ratings, a line of credit, or other financial arrangements sufficient to enable the vendor to be capable of meeting the requirements of this

RFP.

3.3 The offeror may be required before the award of any contract to show to the complete satisfaction of the agency that it has the necessary facilities, ability, and financial resources to provide the service specified therein in a satisfactory manner. The offeror may also be required to give a past history and references in order to satisfy the agency in regard to the offeror’s proposals.

3.4 The agency may make reasonable investigations deemed necessary and proper to determine the ability of the offeror to perform the work, and the offeror shall furnish to the agency all information for this purpose that may be requested.

3.5 The agency reserves the right to reject any proposal if the evidence submitted by, or investigation of, the Agency determines that the offeror fails to satisfy the agency that the offeror is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract and to complete the work described therein.

SECTION 4: Proposal Submission Requirements

4.1 Proposal Submission Deadline

All proposals submitted in response to this RFP must be received by the RFP Coordinator listed on the cover page of this RFP no later than Friday, July 24, 2026, by 10:00 AM CDT.

Timely submission is the sole responsibility of the offeror. Proposals shall be in writing.

Proposal packages received after the specified time may be rejected and unopened. Proposal is considered delivered when it is received by the RFP Coordinator, or the address stated below.

4.2 Manner of Submission

Electronic Submission:

Proposals may be submitted in the manner described below as “Electronic Submission” by the submission date and time established herein to all three (3) of the following email addresses.

Electronic submissions must be in PDF format and should be no more five (5) megabytes (MB) in size. The Vendor is responsible for ensuring the file size complies with this limitation.

OSSS@dfa.ms.gov

When submitting proposals, “Asian Regional Office Representative RFP RFx #3120003342 - PROPOSAL”, must be the subject for the email. Proposals submitted by email that do not have the proper subject line may be rejected and/or not considered for award.

4.3 Receipt: The time and date of receipt will be deemed received at the date and time indicated by OSSS email.

4.4 Confidential or Exempt Information: Any offeror claiming that its response contains information exempt from the Mississippi Public Records Act (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 25-61-9, 75- 26-1 through 75- 26-19, and/or 79-23-1), must submit a second copy of the proposal document in which all information offeror deems to be confidential commercial and financial information and/or trade secrets is redacted in black. Offeror shall also provide a document stating the specific statutory authority for each redaction/exemption. Offeror may be subject to exclusion pursuant to Chapter 15 of the OPSCR Rules and Regulations if the Agency or the PPRB determine that redactions made by the Offeror were made in bad faith in order to prohibit public access to the portions of the Proposal which are not subject to Miss. Code Ann. §§ 25-61-9, 75- 26-1 through 75- 26-19, and/or 79-23-1. The redacted version of the Proposal, or if an Offeror does not produce a redacted version, the full Proposal document, will be released at the Agency’s sole discretion, without notice to the Offeror and will be produced as a public record exactly as submitted.

4.5 Email Submission/Electronic Copy: The electronic files shall not be password protected, shall be in Portable Document Format (PDF®) and shall be capable of being copied to other media including readable in. The electronic copy, shall consist of the following:

mailto:OSSS@dfa.ms.gov

a. One (1) electronic copy of the complete proposal package, including all attachments in the form as required herein, and

b. If applicable, one (1) Redacted electronic copy of the complete proposal including all attachments in the form as required herein.

4.6 Proposal Opening

Proposals will be opened in the presence of at least two (2) Agency officials. Proposals will not be opened publicly. Information regarding this opening and procurement will be provided via Public Record Request in accordance with the Mississippi Public Records Act, the OPSCR Rules and Regulation, Section 6.7.2 Proposal or Qualification Opening, and Section 1.5 Public Access to Procurement Documents. Specifically, production of any records regarding this solicitation will be tolled until MDA determines it will not issue the procurement, cancels the procurement, or issues a notice naming its intended awardee.

SECTION 5: Content of Proposals

5.1 Each offeror must submit a written proposal in the style and format outlined herein. MDA discourages overly lengthy and costly proposals. Proposals shall be prepared simply and economically providing a straightforward, concise delineation of the offeror’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP.

5.2 In printed form, proposals must be typewritten on 8.5” x 11” paper (charts or graphs may be provided on legal-sized paper) using Times New Roman font type, font size 12, with standard half-inch margins. Appendices, as well as samples and templates required of the proposal need not comply with font and margin restriction. Proposals shall not exceed 50 printed pages (one-sided) total. The electronic submission must be in PDF format and should be no more than five (5) megabytes (MB) in size. Offeror is responsible for ensuring the file size complies with this limitation. The document page count is further detailed in the chart below.

Section/Tab Document Included

50-page limit Section I Tab 1

Proposal Cover Sheet (Attachment A) No

Section I Tab 1

Questionnaire (Attachment B) Yes

Section I Tab 2

Detailed Management Plan Yes

Section I Tab 2

Resume of Key Staff Yes

Section II Tab 3

Detailed Service Plan (Technical Project Approach)

Yes

Section III Tab 4

Cost Submission (Attachment C) No

Section III Tab 4

Rate Sheet, Cost Estimate Breakdown, Estimated Reimbursable Expenses

Yes

Section III Tab 6

Remaining Required Documents

• Signed Amendments

• Standard Certifications (Attachment D)

• Certification of Minimum Requirements

(Attachment H)

No

5.3 The proposal shall consist of three (3) separate sections: Management, Technical and Cost.

The three sections of the proposal shall be prepared and submitted in the format listed below. It is the offeror’s responsibility to organize and separate the information into sections and tabs accordingly.

SECTION I

MANAGEMENT

Tab 1: Proposal Cover Sheet (Attachment A) and Questionnaire (Attachment B): Failure to complete and/or sign may result in Offeror being determined nonresponsive.

In preparing your written response to the narrative questionnaire, you are required to repeat each question, including the number, or requirement followed by your response. Please provide complete answers and explain all issues in a concise, direct manner.

Tab 2: Detailed Management Proposal Provide a detailed description of the management plan for the requested services. Specifically, Offeror should provide the following information:

1) Company Background-Provide information about the Offeror. Offeror should include:

a. The company’s business name, and business type (i.e., individual, partnership, corporation, etc.);

b. Name, phone number, and email address of the primary contact person;

c. The present staff description (size, classification, credentials);

d. Name and contact information of all officers;

e. Confirmation that Offeror is in good standing with the federal government and

f. A statement confirming that Offeror understands that the contract will not be awarded to companies, individuals, or firms that are debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment, and that Offeror is not aware of any conflicts of interest.

2) Use of Subcontractors-If Offeror proposes to use one or more subcontractors, the proposals must identify the contemplated subcontractor(s) and must include evidence of each subcontractor’s ability to fill its respective duties. MDA must approve any subcontractor proposed by the respondent in accordance with MDA’s contract agreement.

SECTION II

Technical Proposal

Tab 3: Detailed Service Plan (Technical Project Approach) Offeror should provide a clear and concise plan of action to achieve the expected outcomes of the Scope of Work. Describe the proposed approach and methodology that will be deployed to accomplish the Scope of Work with key tasks, deliverables, and timeline. Address any additions, clarifications, or modifications that the offeror proposes in order to provide the required services. Describe how completing the Scope of Services will be approached and any cost-saving or value-adding strategies or innovations the respondent will bring to the project.

SECTION III

Cost Proposal

Tab 4: Proposed Costs Provide an all-inclusive total maximum cost per year to provide the requested services. The cost should be provided on the required form. Offeror should also provide information supporting the cost:

• A rate sheet for key personnel;

• Cost estimate breakdown by task and key personnel;

• A list of the types of reimbursable expenses. The list should be as specific as possible to minimize variable costs associated with the contract. Offerors should include reimbursable/variable costs in their total all-inclusive maximum cost per year.

Points for Cost will be awarded using the total all-inclusive maximum cost per year only.

Tab 5: References-Provide a minimum of three (3) organizations, to serve as references, for which the offeror has completed services within the last five (5) years. Include the name of organization or client, grant/project title, name, title, telephone number, and email address of the project manager.

Tab 6: Attachments-Please include Attachments that have been signed if signature is required.

1. Signed Acknowledged Amendments

2. Minimum Qualifications Certification (Attachment H)

SECTION 6. Evaluation and Award

Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria set forth in this RFP.

All proposals received in response to this RFP by the stated deadline will receive an evaluation. The evaluation of any proposal may be suspended and/or terminated at the Agency’s discretion at any point during the evaluation process at which time the Agency determines that said proposal and/or Offeror fails to meet any of the mandatory requirements as stated in this RFP, the proposal is determined to contain fatal deficiencies to the extent that the likelihood of selection for contract negotiations is minimal, or Agency receives reliable information that would make contracting with the Offeror impractical or otherwise not in the best interests of MDA and/or the State of Mississippi.

6.1 Minor Informalities: Proposals with errors that do not alter the substance of the…