Federal Advocacy for Oregon Ports

The Oregon Business Development Department (OBDD) through its Infrastructure Finance Authority is soliciting proposals for federal advocacy services specifically targeting Oregon ports. The procurement seeks a contractor to provide high-level representation with congressional offices and federal agencies, focusing on promoting continued federal support for water resources and marine development projects. Key objectives include monitoring and reporting on federal policies related to freight transportation, water resources, U.S. Coast Guard activities, federal funding opportunities, international trade, renewable energy, and maritime issues. The successful proposer will be responsible for developing strategic federal advocacy approaches to support U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintenance dredging and navigation improvement projects. The Request for Proposal (RFP) No. C2022779 was posted on January 27, 2023, with proposals due by February 27, 2023. The anticipated contract will commence in April 2023 with an initial two-year term and potential extensions for two additional two-year periods through contract amendments.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on respondent types were explicitly outlined in the procurement documents. The contract will be structured with a negotiated fixed monthly fee not exceeding $7,500 per month, with the final Statement of Work to be mutually developed between OBDD and the selected proposer. The total potential contract value could range between $180,000 to $360,000 over the potential four-year period, depending on contract extensions. An addendum to the original RFP clarified that no work sample is required as part of the proposal submission, which was an error in the initial document. The procurement is open to federal advocacy firms or consultants with demonstrated experience in maritime policy, federal legislative processes, and strategic government relations, particularly those with established connections to congressional offices and federal agencies involved in port and maritime infrastructure development.