The City of Rochester is seeking proposals from qualified Consultants (“Consultant(s)”) to create and implement a curriculum to help Black and Brown businesses succeed, and to create opportunities for the scope of services to include guest speakers and networking opportunities for businesses to network and learn from one another in less formal environments. The curriculum will cover several subjects which were identified in the Living Cities Closing the Gaps Network Needs Assessment as necessary knowledge and skills to empower our minority owned businesses; grants, loans, business planning, marketing, financial projections, strategic business mindset, and web design.

Click here to see the full RFP >>

All communications by parties who have indicated an intent to submit or have submitted a proposal in response to this RFP (“Respondents”), including any questions or requests for clarifications, submission of the proposal, requests for status updates about the proposal selection process and any other inquiries whatsoever concerning this RFP shall be sent, in writing, to the following City staff person (“City Contact”):

Maisha Beard Johnson

Maisha.beard-johnson@cityofrochester.gov

No contact is permitted with any other City staff member with regard to this RFP during the RFP process unless specifically authorized in writing. Prohibited contact may be grounds for disqualification.

To ensure that all Respondents have a clear understanding of the scope and requirements of this RFP, the City will respond to all timely questions submitted via e-mail to the City Contact by the question deadline stated above. Questions and the responding answers will be sent via e-mail to all Respondents who have provided an e-mail address to the City Contact and will be posted on the City’s web page for this RFP. The City’s failure to timely respond or provide responses to any questions shall not delay or invalidate the City’s right to make a decision to award an agreement pursuant to this RFP.

The City will make every reasonable effort to keep Respondents informed about the RFP process. Notifications about Timeline date changes, amendments to the RFP and other information about the RFP will be sent by e-mail to Respondents who have provided an e-mail address to the City Contact and will be posted on the City’s website for this RFP. The City’s failure to provide such information shall not delay or invalidate the City’s right to make a decision to award an agreement pursuant to this RFP.

In order to provide the City with an opportunity to discuss the RFP and Respondents with an opportunity to ask questions and clarify the RFP, a pre-proposal conference will be held virtually on August 17, 2023 at 1 pm.

Click here to register: https://cityofrochester.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sce-sqzwoGtKHD8fcrSQd8-PCsyefOHS_

There is no requirement to attend the pre-proposal conference and no obligation by the City to provide information from the conference to parties who do not attend.

Proposals are due by 5 p.m. EDT on September, 2023.