Business Development Consultant to Support Cosmoprof Bologna RFP

The Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) seeking a Business Development Consultant to support the California delegation at Cosmoprof Bologna 2025, a trade event for beauty product exporters. The consultant will provide comprehensive business-to-business matchmaking, site visits, and market entry support for up to nine California exporters. Key responsibilities include conducting client intake calls, performing market analysis, identifying potential customers and partners, scheduling meetings, providing on-site support, and conducting post-event debriefing. Lead consultants must possess at least 10 years of trade promotion experience, an established European (preferably Italian) office, and a bachelor's degree, while assisting consultants must have a minimum of two years of experience. The RFP requires proposals to be submitted by December 23, 2024, at 8:00 AM Pacific Time, with a tentative award notice planned for January 3, 2024, and a contract period running from January 15, 2025, to April 4, 2025. Evaluation will likely consider the consultant's experience, proposed approach, and ability to effectively support California exporters in the beauty product industry.

The solicitation includes preferences for certified small businesses, microbusinesses, and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBEs), who can claim a 5% preference when submitting bids. Bespoke Advantage has been identified in the Notice of Intent to Award as the selected vendor for this contract. The proposed budget is $4,000 or less per participating company, with GO-Biz paying for services on a per-company basis. Payment will be processed via physical check in U.S. dollars, with 25% paid within 45 days of contract start and the remaining 75% paid up to 45 days after project completion. Foreign entities without U.S. tax identification numbers can submit a W-8BEN form instead of the standard Payee Data Record. The total award amount is anticipated to be approximately $5,000 per company, with flexibility to adjust based on the number of participating exporters. Bidders must complete various mandatory state compliance forms, including the Contractor Certification Clauses, Darfur Contracting Act Compliance, and Generative AI Disclosure forms.