Music Ecosystem Consulting Services - UPDATED

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, through the Tennessee Entertainment Commission (TEC), is seeking Music Ecosystem Consulting Services via RFP #33017-40824. The procurement aims to identify vendors with expertise in conducting comprehensive research and strategic planning for developing local music economies across Tennessee. Specific deliverables include stakeholder engagement, community infrastructure assessment, regulatory policy examination, economic output analysis, and strategic recommendations. The contract will span 36 months, from February 1, 2025, through January 31, 2028, with a potential 12-month renewal. Vendors must provide detailed technical and cost proposals, with technical proposals limited to 20 pages. Evaluation criteria include 15 points for general qualifications, 55 points for technical qualifications, 10 points for oral presentations, and 20 points for cost proposals. Key dates include a pre-response conference on January 14, 2025, written questions due by January 23, 2025, proposal responses due February 21, 2025, oral presentations scheduled for February 12-14 and February 18, 2025, and contract award notification planned for February 28, 2025.

The RFP emphasizes the inclusion of minority-owned, women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, persons with disabilities-owned, and small business enterprises as potential contractors and subcontractors, though no specific set-aside requirements are established. The contract has a maximum liability of $510,000, with pricing structured across multiple phases including initial community partner setup and three rounds of services. Each round will involve pre-census, census, post-census, and community launch/coaching phases, with the contractor expected to service up to two communities/regions per round, targeting a total of five communities/regions by contract end. The State has not yet identified specific communities but will work with the selected vendor to determine participants through a comprehensive review. The project builds upon a pilot initiative in Northeast Tennessee and requires the contractor to have flexibility in developing assessment methodologies while delivering actionable strategic recommendations for music ecosystem development.