Statewide Technical Assistance o Support Regional Food System Development Programs

The Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP S-60300-00016813) for statewide technical assistance contractor services to support its Regional Food System Development Programs. The procurement seeks a single contractor to provide direct technical assistance to farm and food producers referred by ODA and three newly established Regional Food and Agriculture Business Centers (RFABCs) located in the Mid-Willamette Valley, Eastern Oregon, and Southern Oregon regions. The contractor must deliver technical assistance on topics including access to capital, financial education, marketing, supply chain efficiencies, farm diversification, and wholesale market development to a minimum of 60 producers while conducting no fewer than 6 regional trainings across the three RFABC regions between September and December 2026. Minimum qualifications require at least two years of relevant technical assistance experience with producers, demonstrated services focused on small food businesses with 50 or fewer employees, ability to travel and deliver in-person trainings across all three specified regions, and familiarity with dashboard management systems. The evaluation criteria allocate 40 points for expertise and knowledge in providing technical assistance to small and mid-size farm and food businesses, 30 points for producer engagement strategies and systems utilized, 30 points for measuring impact through learner-centered teaching strategies and evaluation tools including familiarity with Customer Relationship Management or Enterprise Resource Planning software, and an additional 20 points for cost evaluation. Key deadlines include questions due May 26, 2026, and proposals due June 11, 2026, at 3:00 PM Pacific Time, with the anticipated Notice of Award issuance on June 30, 2026.

The initial contract term is six months with an option to renew for up to one additional year, terminating no later than December 31, 2026, with a budgeted amount of $162,000 for the project. Proposals may include subcontractors subject to ODA approval, with the awarded contractor bearing full responsibility for subcontractor performance and project management. All direct costs associated with technical assistance delivery, including registration fees, training coordination, speaker fees, facility costs, travel, and lodging, are the contractor's responsibility; however, reimbursements or payments to producers are ineligible expenses. Oregon supplies and services receive a 10 percent cost preference under ORS 279A.128, and the state actively encourages participation of businesses certified by the Oregon Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID). No incumbent vendors or current contractors are referenced in the solicitation, indicating this is a new contracting opportunity for the ODA's Regional Food System Development Programs initiative.