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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-432-E-Economic Dev-Creative Economic Development Consulting- Department Strategic planRevised 01/24 NORTH CAROLINA CONTRACT AMENDMENT ORANGE COUNTY THIS CONTRACT AMENDMENT (“Amendment”) is made and entered into this 10th day of July, 2025 by and between ORANGE COUNTY (hereinafter referred to as “County”) and Creative Economic Development Consulting, LLC (hereinafter referred to as “Provider”). WITNESSETH: THAT WHEREAS, the County and Provider entered into a contract dated January 1, 2025, (hereinafter the “Original Agreement”), for the provision of services for an Economic Development Department Strategic Plan; and WHEREAS, the County and Provider desire to amend the Original Agreement while keeping in effect all terms and conditions of the Original Agreement not inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth below. NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements made herein, the parties agree to amend the Original Agreement as follows: 1. In order to ensure the completion of the Services identified in the term of the Original Agreement is amended to reflect an end date by which all Services shall be completed on October 31, 2025. 2. Except for the changes made herein, the Original Agreement shall remain in full force and effect to the extent it is not inconsistent with this Amendment. In the event there is a conflict between the terms of the Original Agreement and the terms of this Amendment, this Amendment shall control. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, this Amendment has been executed by the parties hereto, as of the date first above written. ORANGE COUNTY PROVIDER ______________________________ __________________________________ Travis Myren, County Manager Crystal Morphis, Founder and CEO Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 7/10/20257/16/2025 Revised 01/24 ORANGE COUNTY—INTERNAL USE ONLY ______________________________________________________________________________ Finance Information Vendor Name: Creative Economic Development Consulting, LLC Vendor Contact Person: Crystal Morphis Phone: 336-526-1332 Address: P.O. Box 706 City Elkin State: NC Zip: 28621 Department: Eco Dev Amount: $81,505 Purpose: Department Strategic Plan Budget Code(s): 34600120-630000 Vendor # 68789 Vendor Status with NCSOS: Active-Current Vendor is a BOCC consultant: Yes No Contract Details Contract Type: New Amendment (Original Contract: 1-1-2025) (Most Recent Amendment ) Effective Date 1-6-2025 End Date 10-31-2025 Notice Date (Notice Purpose ) Award Approved by Board (Agenda Date: ); Made or Administered by Signature Authority - BOCC Express Delegation (Agenda Date: ) - Policy 9.4: Under $5,000; Service Under $90,000; Construction Under $250,000 - Budget Policy Section XV (Capital Improvement Project: ) Bidding Informal Bidding ($30k-$90k); Formal RFP ($90k+); Other (<$30k); Exception(# ) Department Affirmation This agreement is approved as to technical form a nd content and I as Department Director affirmatively state work on this project has not been initiated prior to execution of the agreement. This agreement is approved as to technical form and content . Services related to this agreement have already begun or been completed. Description of the nature of the emergency condition that was addressed: Department Director’s Signature ________________________________________ Date: ________ Information Technologies This agreement has been reviewed and is approved as to information technology content and specifications: Office of the Chief Information Officer___________________________________ Date: ________ Inapplicable because no hardware/software purchases or related services Risk Management This agreement is approved for sufficiency of insurance standards, specification s, and requirements: Office of the Risk Management Officer___________________________________ Date: _________ Financial Services This instrument has been pre-audited in the manner required by the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act: Office of the Chief Financial Officer ____________________________________ Date: _________ Legal Services This agreement is approved as to legal form and sufficiency: Office of the County Attorney __________________________________________Date: ________ Clerk to the Board All Docusign contracts must be copied to the Clerk upon completion: occlerkdocs@orangecountync.gov The following signature block is for hard copies only and is not required for Docusign contracts: Received for record retention: Office of the Clerk to the Board __________________________________________Date:_________ Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 7/10/2025 7/16/2025 7/16/2025 7/16/2025 Revised 01/24 1 [Departmental Use Only] TITLE ED Strategic Plan FY 2024-25 NORTH CAROLINA SERVICES AGREEMENT RFP/RFQ ORANGE COUNTY This Services Agreement (hereinafter “Agreement”), made and entered into this January day of 1, 2025, (“Effective Date”) by and between Orange County, North Carolina a political subdivision of the State of North Carolina (hereinafter, the "County") and Creative Economic Development Consulting, LLC, (hereinafter, the "Provider"). WITNESSETH: That the County and Provider, for the consideration herein named, do hereby agree as follows: 1. Services a. Scope of Work. i) This Services Agreement (“Agreement”) is for services to be rendered by Provider to County with respect to (insert type of project): Economic Development Department Strategic Plan ii) By executing this Agreement, the Provider represents and agrees that Provider is qualified to perform and fully capable of performing and providing the services required or necessary under this Agreement in a fully competent, professional and timely manner. iii) Time is of the essence with respect to this Agreement. iv) The services to be performed under this Agreement consist of Basic Services, as described and designated in Section 3 hereof. Compensation to the Provider for Basic Services under this Agreement shall be as set forth herein. 2. Responsibilities of the Provider a. Services to be provided. The Provider shall provide the County with all services required in Section 3 to satisfactorily complete the Project within the time limitations set forth herein and in accordance with the highest professional standards. b. Standard of Care. i) The Provider shall exercise reasonable care and diligence in performing services under this Agreement in accordance with the highest generally accepted standards of this type of Provider practice throughout the United States and in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations applicable to the Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Revised 01/24 2 performance of these services. Provider is solely responsible for the professional quality, accuracy and timely completion and submission of all work related to the Basic Services. ii) Provider shall be responsible for all errors or omissions of its agents, contractors, employees, or assigns in the performance of the Agreement. Provider shall correct any and all errors, omissions, discrepancies, ambiguities, mistakes or conflicts at no additional cost to the County. iii) The Provider shall not, except as otherwise provided for in this Agreement, subcontract the performance of any work under this Agreement without prior written permission of the County. No permission for subcontracting shall create, between the County and the subcontractor, any contract or any other relationship. iv) Provider is an independent contractor of County. Any and all employees of the Provider engaged by the Provider in the performance of any work or services required of the Provider under this Agreement, shall be considered employees or agents of the Provider only and not of the County, and any and all claims that may or might arise under any workers compensation or other law or contract on behalf of said employees while so engaged shall be the sole obligation and responsibility of the Provider. v) If activities related to the performance of this Agreement require specific licenses, certifications, or related credentials Provider represents that it or its employees, agents and subcontractors engaged in such activities possess such licenses, certifications, or credentials and that such licenses certifications, or credentials are current, active, and not in a state of suspension or revocation. vi) Should this Agreement involve project designs, the construction or creation of which is to be bid out or fulfilled by other contractors, and bidding or negotiation with contractors produce prices which, when added to the other elements of the approved total project cost, produce a cost that is in excess of the approved total project cost, the Provider shall participate with the County in negotiation and design adjustments to the extent such are necessary to obtain prices within the approved total project cost. All activity of the Provider with respect to these matters shall constitute Basic Services and shall be performed by the Provider without additional compensation. If negotiation and design adjustments fail to bring costs within the total project cost the County may reject all bids and Provider will redesign or reduce portions of the project in an effort to reduce the bid prices to within the total project cost and rebid the project. One such redesign is included within Basic Services. If this second letting for bids does not produce bids that are within the approved total project cost initially or after negotiations with the contractor the cost is not reduced to an amount within the total project cost, the Provider is not obligated to engage in further redesign. 3. Basic Services a. Basic Services. Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Revised 01/24 3 i) The Provider shall perform as Basic Services the work and services described herein and as specified in the County’s Request for Proposals or Request for Qualifications (the “RFP”) “RFP Number 367-OC 5437 for “Orange County Economic Development Department Strategic Plan” issued October 1, 2024, and the Provider’s proposal, which are fully incorporated and integrated herein by reference together with Attachments Exhibit A (designate all attachments). In the event a term or condition in any referenced document or attachment conflicts with a term or condition of this Agreement the term or condition in this Agreement shall control. Should such conflict arise the priority of documents shall be as follows: This Agreement, the County’s RFP together with attachments, Provider’s Proposal together with attachments. ii) The Basic Services will be performed by the Provider in accordance with the following schedule: (Insert milestones task list, dates and fees. If milestones are not established mark N/A under Milestone Task 1.) Milestone Task Milestone Date Milestone Fee 1. See Exhibit A - Attached 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. iii) Should County reasonably determine that Provider has not met the Milestone Dates established in Section 3(a)(ii), County shall notify Provider of the failure to meet the Milestone Date. The County, at its discretion may provide the Provider seven (7) days to cure the breach. County may withhold the accompanying payment without penalty until such time as Provider cures the breach. In the alternative, upon Provider’s failure to meet any Milestone Date the County may modify the Milestone Date schedule. Should Provider or its representatives fail to cure the breach within seven (7) days, or fail to reasonably agree to such modified schedule, County may immediately terminate this Agreement in writing, without penalty or incurring further obligation to Provider. This section shall not be interpreted to limit the definition of breach to the failure to meet Milestone Dates. 4. Duration of Services a. Term. The term of this Agreement shall be from January 6, 2025 to August 31, 2025. b. Scheduling of Services i) The Provider shall schedule and perform its activities in a timely manner so as to meet the Milestone Dates listed in Section 3. Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Revised 01/24 4 ii) Should the County determine that the Provider is behind schedule, it may require the Provider to expedite and accelerate its efforts, including providing additional resources and working overtime, as necessary, to perform its services in accordance with the approved project schedule at no additional cost to the County. iii) The Commencement Date for the Provider's Basic Services shall be January 6, 2025. 5. Compensation a. Compensation for Basic Services. Compensation for Basic Services shall include all compensation due the Provider from the County for all services satisfactorily (as determined by the County) performed pursuant to this Agreement. The maximum amount payable for Basic Services is Eighty-One Thousand Five-Hundred Five Dollars ($81,505). In the event the amount stated on an invoice is disputed by the County, the County may withhold payment of all or a portion of the amount stated on an invoice until the parties resolve the dispute. Payment for Basic Services shall become due and payable in direct proportion to satisfactory services performed and work accomplished. Payments will be made as Project milestones as set out in Section 3(a)(ii) are achieved up to the corresponding milestone fee. (For example, Provider may invoice for the amount listed as the milestone fee corresponding to the first milestone task upon County’s acknowledgement of the satisfactory completion of Task one. Upon the County’s acknowledgement that the second Task has been satisfactorily completed Provider may invoice for that corresponding milestone fee.) Milestone fees shall be the maximum amount payable for its corresponding milestone task which shall not be altered except by written amendment. b. Additional Services. County shall not be responsible for costs related to any services in addition to the Basic Services performed by Provider unless County requests such additional services in writing and such additional services are evidenced by a written amendment to this Agreement. 6. Responsibilities of the County a. Cooperation and Coordination. The County has designated (Steve Brantley) to act as the County's representative with respect to the Project who shall have the authority to render decisions within guidelines established by the County Manager or the County Board of Commissioners and who shall be available during working hours as often as may be reasonably required to render decisions and to furnish information. 7. Insurance a. General Requirements. Provider shall obtain, at its sole expense, Commercial General Liability Insurance, Automobile Insurance, Workers’ Compensation Insurance, and any additional insurance as may be required by County’s Risk Manager as such insurance requirements are described in the Orange County Risk Transfer Policy and Orange County Minimum Insurance Coverage Requirements (each document is incorporated Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Revised 01/24 5 herein by reference and may be viewed at http://www.orangecountync.gov/departments/purchasing_division/contracts.php.) If County’s Risk Manager determines additional insurance coverage is required such additional insurance shall consist of N/A (if no additional insurance required mark N/A as being not applicable). Provider shall not commence work until such insurance is in effect and certification thereof has been received by the County's Risk Manager. 8. Indemnity a. Indemnity. To the extent authorized by North Carolina law the Provider agrees, without limitation, to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the County from all loss, liability, claims or expense, including attorney's fees, arising out of or related to the Project and arising from property damage or bodily injury including death to any person or persons caused in whole or in part by the negligence or misconduct of the Provider except to the extent same are caused by the negligence or willful misconduct of the County. It is the intent of this provision to require the Provider to indemnify the County to the fullest extent permitted under North Carolina law. 9. Amendments to the Agreement a. Changes in Basic Services. Changes in the Basic Services and entitlement to additional compensation or a change in duration of this Agreement shall be made by a written Amendment to this Agreement executed by the County and the Provider. The Provider shall proceed to perform the Services required by the Amendment only after receiving a fully executed Amendment from the County. 10. Termination a. Termination for Convenience of the County. This Agreement may be terminated without cause by the County and for its convenience upon seven (7) days prior written notice to the Provider. b. Other Termination. The Provider may terminate this Agreement based upon the County's material breach of this Agreement; provided, the County has not taken all reasonable actions to remedy the breach. The Provider shall give the County seven (7) days' prior written notice of its intent to terminate this Agreement for cause. Either party may terminate this Agreement upon notice to the other party that obligations pursuant to this Agreement are made impractical due to declarations of emergency by Orange County or by North Carolina due to events directly impacting Orange County. Both parties shall remain responsible for all payment and performance due up to the receipt of such notice, but shall have no further obligation or responsibility beyond that date provided the terminating party has taken all reasonable steps to complete the performance of its obligations. c. Compensation After Termination. i) In the event of termination, the Provider shall be paid that portion of the fees and expenses that it has earned to the date of termination, less any costs or expenses incurred or anticipated to be incurred by the County due to errors or omissions of Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Revised 01/24 6 the Provider. Upon request of the County, the Provider shall submit to County all relevant documentation, including but not limited to, job cost records, to support its claims for final compensation. ii) Should this Agreement be terminated, the Provider shall deliver to the County within seven (7) days, at no additional cost, all deliverables including any electronic data or files relating to the Project. d. Waiver. The payment of any sums by the County under this Agreement or the failure of the County to require compliance by the Provider with any provisions of this Agreement or the waiver by the County of any breach of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any claim for damages by the County for any breach of this Agreement or a waiver of any other required compliance with this Agreement. e. Suspension. County may suspend the Basic Services and this Agreement at any time for County’s convenience and without penalty to County upon three (3) days’ notice to Provider. Upon any suspension by County, Provider shall discontinue the Basic Services and shall not resume the Basic Services until notified to proceed by County. 11. Additional Provisions a. Limitation and Assignment. The County and the Provider each bind themselves, their successors, assigns and legal representatives to the terms of this Agreement. Neither the County nor the Provider shall assign or transfer its interest in this Agreement wi thout the written consent of the other. There are no third-party beneficiaries of this Agreement and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer on any person other than the parties hereto (and their respective successors, heirs and permitted assigns), any rights, remedies, or obligations. b. Governing Law. This Agreement and the duties, responsibilities, obligations and rights of respective parties hereunder shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina. c. Compliance with Laws. Provider shall at all times remain in compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations including but not limited to all state and federal anti-discrimination laws, policies, rules, and regulations and the Orange County Non-Discrimination Policy and Orange County Living Wage Policy (each Orange County policy is incorporated herein by reference and may be viewed at http://www.orangecountync.gov/departments/purchasing_division/contracts.php.) Any violation of this requirement is a breach of this Agreement and County may immediately terminate this Agreement without further obligation on the part of the County. This paragraph is not intended to limit and does not limit the definition of breach to discrimination. By executing this Agreement Provider affirms that Provider and any subcontractors of Provider are and shall remain in compliance with Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the North Carolina General Statutes. By executing this Agreement Provider certifies that Provider has not been identified, and has not utilized the services of any agent or subcontractor identified, on the list created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.58. By executing this Agreement Provider certifies that Provider has not Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Revised 01/24 7 been identified, and has not utilized the services of any agent or subcontractor identified, on the list created by the State Treasurer pursuant to G.S. 147-86.81. d. Dispute Resolution. Any and all suits or actions to enforce, interpret or seek damages with respect to any provision of, or the performance or non-performance of, this Agreement shall be brought in the General Court of Justice of North Carolina sitting in Orange County, North Carolina. It is agreed by the parties that no other court shall have jurisdiction or venue with respect to such suits or actions. Binding arbitration may not be initiated by either Party, however, the Parties may agree to nonbinding mediation of any dispute prior to the bringing of a suit or action. e. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the RFP and its attachments and the Proposal and its attachments, represents the entire and integrated agreement between the County and the Provider and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations or agreements, either written or oral. This Agreement may be amended only by written instrument signed by both parties. Modifications may be evidenced by facsimile signatures. f. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement is held as a matter of law to be unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement shall be valid and binding upon the Parties. g. Ownership of Work Product. Should Provider’s performance of this Agreement generate documents, items or things that are specific to this Project such documents, items or things shall become the property of the County and may be used on any other project without additional compensation to the Provider. The use of the documents, items or things by the County or by any person or entity for any purpose other than the Project as set forth in this Agreement shall be at the full risk of the County. h. Non-Appropriation and Government Action. Provider acknowledges that County is a governmental entity, and the validity of this Agreement is based upon the availability of public funding under the authority of its statutory mandate. In the event that public funds are unavailable or not appropriated for the performance of County’s obligations under this Agreement, then this Agreement shall automatically expire without penalty to County immediately upon written notice to Provider of the unavailability or non-appropriation of public funds. It is expressly agreed that County shall not activate this non-appropriation provision for its convenience or to circumvent the requirements of this Agreement. In the event of a change in the County’s statutory authority, mandate or mandated functions, by state or federal legislative or regulatory action, which adversely affects County’s authority to continue its obligations under this Agreement, then this Agreement shall automatically terminate without penalty to County upon written notice to Provider of such limitation or change in County’s legal authority. i. Signatures. This Agreement together with any amendments or modifications may be executed electronically. All electronic signatures affixed hereto evidence the consent of the Parties to utilize electronic signatures and the intent of the Parties to comply with Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Revised 01/24 8 Article 11A and Article 40 of North Carolina General Statute Chapter 66. j. Notices. Any notice required by this Agreement shall be in writing and delivered by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested to the following: Orange County Provider’s Name & Address Attention: Steve Brantley Crystal Morphis P.O. Box 8181 P.O. Box 706 Hillsborough, NC 27278 Elkin, NC 28621 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties, by and through their authorized agents, have hereunder set their hands and seal, all as of the day and year first above written. ORANGE COUNTY: PROVIDER: By: _________________________________ Travis Myren, County Manager By: __________________________________ Crystal Morphis, Founder and CEO Printed Name and Title Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0 12/17/202412/19/2024 Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Revised 01/24 9 ORANGE COUNTY—INTERNAL USE ONLY ______________________________________________________________________________ Finance Information Vendor Name: Creative Economic Development Consulting, LLC Vendor Contact Person: Crystal Morphis Phone: 336-526-1332 Address: P.O. Box 706 City Elkin State: NC Zip: 28621 Department: Eco Dev Amount: $81,505 Purpose: Department Strategic Plan Budget Code(s): 34600120-630000 Vendor # 68789 Vendor Status with NCSOS: Active-Current Vendor is a BOCC consultant: Yes No Contract Details Contract Type: New Amendment (Original Contract: ) (Most Recent Amendment ) Effective Date 1/6/25 End Date 8/31/25 Notice Date (Notice Purpose ) Award Approved by Board (Agenda Date: ); Made or Administered by Signature Authority - BOCC Express Delegation (Agenda Date: ) - Policy 9.4: Under $5,000; Service Under $90,000; Construction Under $250,000 - Budget Policy Section XV (Capital Improvement Project: ) Bidding Informal Bidding ($30k-$90k); Formal RFP ($90k+); Other (<$30k); Exception(# ) Department Affirmation This agreement is approved as to technical form and content and I as Department Director affirmatively state work on this project has not been initiated prior to execution of the agreement. This agreement is approved as to technical form and content . Services related to this agreement have already begun or been completed. Description of the nature of the emergency co ndition that was addressed: Department Director’s Signature ________________________________________ Date: ________ Information Technologies This agreement has been reviewed and is approved as to information technology content and specifications: Office of the Chief Information Officer___________________________________ Date: ________ Inapplicable because no hardware/software purchases or related services Risk Management This agreement is approved for sufficiency of insurance standards, specifications, and requirements: Office of the Risk Management Officer___________________________________ Date: _________ Financial Services This instrument has been pre-audited in the manner required by the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act: Office of the Chief Financial Officer ____________________________________ Date: _________ Legal Services This agreement is approved as to legal form and sufficiency: Office of the County Attorney __________________________________________Date: ________ Clerk to the Board All Docusign contracts must be copied to the Clerk upon completion: occlerkdocs@orangecountync.gov The following signature block is for hard copies only and is not required for Docusign contracts: Received for record retention: Office of the Clerk to the Board __________________________________________Date:_________ Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0 12/17/2024 12/18/2024 12/18/2024 12/18/2024 Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Revised 01/24 10 Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Creative Economic Development Consulting PO Box 706, Elkin, NC 28621 336-526-1332 cmorphis@creativeedc.com Contact: Crystal Morphis, CEcD, Founder and CEO Economic Development Strategic Plan RFP# 367-OC 5437 Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Creative Economic Development Consulting, LLC PO Box 706, Elkin, NC 28621 • 336-526-1332 • www.creativeedc.com November 1, 2024 Jovana Amaro, Purchasing Agent Orange County 300 West Tryon Street Hillsborough, NC 27278 Dear Jovana, Creative Economic Development Consulting and Economic Leadership are pleased to submit the attached proposal to facilitate an economic development strategy for Orange County. A strategic plan is an important guiding document outlining goals and strategies to implement a shared vision. We understand the goal of this process is to use data analysis to develop policies that will help guide economic development decision making over the next five years. We designed the scope of work based on the requirements of the RF P and best practices from our experience in strategic planning. The first task is to develop a comprehensive picture of Orange County’s economy to inform strategies. Next, we will engage a broad group of stakeholders to contribute to a thorough SWOT Analysis. We propose to gather information through interviews, input sessions, and surveys with a wide range of stakeholders, allies, and partners. Our team will align the Orange County strategy with existing community development initiatives and apply best practices from leading economic development organizations. The resulting strategic plan will be actionable with an implementation guide and performance measures. The plan will set a course for Orange County to diversify and grow the local economy, thereby creating opportunities for all citizens. Creative EDC and Economic Leadership teamed for this project to apply our unique expertise to the opportunities and challenges of Orange County. Creative EDC and Economic Leadership are boutique consulting firms headquartered in North Carolina. Our wide -ranging experience in economic development, workforce development, local and state government, and public policy offers Orange County a depth of experience not matched by other firms. We have a proven track record of leading successful strategic planning initiatives that result in impactful strategies that leverage emerging opportunities. Our firms have collaborated for many years on county, regional, and state-level strategic plans for organizations such as Golden LEAF and the Small Business & Technology Development Center. Economic Leadership consults nationwide and has worked with all levels of government, chambers of commerce, arts organizations, and workforce agencies. Creative EDC’s work is focused in the southeast U.S. We have worked with many regional and state organizations and understand the economy and public policies of North Car olina. Important to note, our team has prior consulting experience with communities in the Research Triangle Region – we understand the regional econo my well. We look forward to working with you to leverage the opportunities of Orange County. Sincerely, Crystal Morphis, CEcD, LEED Green Associate Founder and CEO Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Table of Contents Project Organization ........................................................................................................................................... 1 Technical Approach ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Experience, Qualifications, Capabilities, Capacity ............................................................................................... 8 Meet the Creative Team .................................................................................................................................... 10 Project Timeline ............................................................................................................................................... 16 References ....................................................................................................................................................... 17 Attachments Pricing Addendum Acknowledgement E-Verify Form Orange County Nondiscrimination Certification Supplemental Vendor Information: Historically Underutilized Businesses Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 1 Project Organization The Orange County economic development strategic planning project will be led by Crystal Morphis, CEcD. Crystal will be the project contact, lead engagement and strategy development, and ultimately be responsible for all deliverables. Penny Whiteheart, Senior Consultant, will be involved in engagement and strategy development. Economic Leadership (Ted Abernathy and Skylar Casey) will the data analysis including cluster and workforce analyses, supported by Heather Beard. Billye Carter designs all deliverables to ensure they communicate the strategic plan. The consulting team will work with a local Project Management Team made up of Orange County staff, and any leaders integral to the planning process and who could be champions of the strategic plan during implementation. Orange County Project Management Team Crystal Morphis, Project Lead, Engagement, Strategy Penny Whiteheart, Strategy Ted Abernathy, Data Analytics Skylar Casey, Research Lead Heather Beard, Research Billye Carter, Deliverables Orange County Staff Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 2 Technical Approach Project Management We will hold a kickoff meeting with staff to finalize the scope, tasks, and project timeline. A solid discussion of the expected deliverables will make sure all project team members start off on the same page. We will work with the Project Management Team to oversee the planning process and provide direct feedback throughout the project. We anticipate the following project management meetings: • Monthly or milestone check-in meetings • Workshops with the Project Management Team at project milestone s • Meetings with the Project Management Team to review and approve the draft and final strategic plan • Mid-project update/briefing with the Advisory Board and county leadership • Final presentation(s) Alignment with County Plans Our team will review the 2050 land use plan, Orange County Strategic Plan, planning department plans and studies, and other county and regional plans that impact the economic development strategic plan. We have experience aligning economic development strategies with plans such as these – we are currently paralleling an economic development strategic planning process with a county land use plan update. Deliverable: A summary of county plans and how the economic development strategic plan aligns with them. Project Management Alignment Data Analysis Stakeholder Engagement Economic Development Assessments Best Practices Vision, Mission & Strategy Performance Metrics Strategic Plan Final Report & Presentation Launch Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 3 Data Analysis Our team will contribute to the SWOT Analysis with an economic and demographic analysis of Orange County. We will analyze trends in population, labor force, employment, industries, wages, occupations, demographics, income, affordability, and other data points that will show how the county is growing and changing. We will benchmark Orange County to a few peer counties, the region, and state. Research will build upon the Orange County Fact Book. Additionally, we will analyze RTRP and EDPNC industry clusters and find those that align with industries concentrated in Orange County. We will make recommendations on clusters to target for business attraction and retention. We believe clusters need talent, infrastructure, supply chain, and centers of innovation to grow. We will recommend strategies to strengthen existing clusters as well as attract companies in emerging clusters. To support Orange County’s focus on entrepreneurship and small business development, research will include data points that illustrate how the ecosystem is trending. Similarly, the county supports the development of agriculture related businesses. Data will be compiled on farm operations, acres, and output. Workforce quantity and quality will continue to be the most important competitive differentiation between locations. We will research and produce a Laborshed Assessment for Orange County to use for prospects and for planning purposes. The assessment will include: • Defining the Orange County laborshed • Detailing the laborshed employment by zip code (final product will include data & interactive maps) • Summarizing the potential business sources of labor • Tabulating wage comparisons across the laborshed • Aggregating regional industry and occupational growth patterns in recent years and projected forward • Compiling and comparing educational attainment, local college graduates, and top program completions. Deliverable: Our team is expert at data visualization , incorporating tools such as Tableau. We will deliver the data in easy to interpret charts and graphs and provide an overarching narrative that relates the data to the Orange County economic development strategy. Information will be presented to the Project Management Team in a milestone meeting. Stakeholder Engagement By engaging stakeholders, the consulting team will build consensus for a shared vision for the future of economic development in Orange County. Stakeholder engagement ensures alignment with strategic partners like municipalities, education, development allies, and business groups. Our team will develop an engagement plan , list of stakeholders, and engagement materials with input from the Project Management Team. We will include graphics that can be shared on social media. The engagement plan will be designed to be inclusive of the many voices in Orange County. We provide a wide range of options for stakeholder engagement: virtual meetings, one-on-one interviews, small group meetings, community input sessions, and surveys. We ensure all voices are heard and are flexible in how we reach out and meet with people. Input from this wide range of stakeholders will be used, along with research and consultant assessments, to inform the SWOT Analysis. Example Engagement Promotion Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 4 • Facilitate an input session with the Project Management Team at the beginning of the process, then facilitate a strategic planning workshop with the Team later in the process. • Economic Development Staff interviews • County Leadership interviews – commissioners, manager, planning director, and other key department directors • Input sessions with the following stakeholder groups: (we will finalize during scope discussions) o Community Input Sessions (3-4) o Economic Development Advisory Board o Education and talent development partners (Orange County Schools, Durham Tech, UNC, etc.) o Business Leadership (2) • Interview key leader (staff and/or chair) of allies: o Utility partners o Chamber and other business associations o Municipal economic and community development staff o Entrepreneur organizations o EDPNC representative(s) who has worked projects in Orange County o RTRP • Business community survey • Community survey Deliverable: Written summary of engagement, findings, and how it supports the strategic plan. Information will be presented to the Project Management Team in a milestone meeting. Economic Development Program Assessments We believe in an asset-based approach to strategic planning. That approach includes a thorough understanding of the current economic development program, gaps, and opportunities. Product Assessment Even though talent drives the economic development location decision, the initial draw to a community is most often product. For this assessment, we will draw from our experience evaluating sites, parks, and buildings for EDOs and corporate clients to evaluate Orange County’s inventory, specifically addressing whether the inventory aligns with target sectors including entrepreneurial startups, small businesses, and agri -businesses. We will evaluate industrial sites/parks using our proprietary system, CreativeSiteAssessment.com, county GIS, as well as an on-the-ground site selector review. The assessment evaluates total acreage, remaining acreage, utilities, access, topography, development red flags, curb appeal, etc. Our team will make recommendations on product development such as : • Filling gaps in startup and growth space for small businesses • Future industrial site and building development • “Next steps” such as due diligence on existing sites and parks • Best practices in public-private development partnerships • Best practices in funding product development , including entrepreneurship space Crystal Morphis is a LEED Green Associate, denoting our firm’s commitment to sustainable development. Talent Assessment and Strategy Workforce quantity and quality will continue to be the most important competitive differentiation between locations. Our team will review existing workforce development service providers and additional programs and plans. The process will begin with an ove rview of the existing information on major employers, area assets, and regional trends. Then we will analyze the laborshed and talent pipeline. We will gather data on the occupations that are growing, wage trends, and skills gaps. Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 5 The assessment will be supplemented by an education and workforce development input session and targeted questions for employers as part of the business survey. The data and stakeholder engagement will be used to identify the workforce challenges of local industries with a specific focus on industry clusters identified in earlier research. Our team will develop strategies to fill gaps in talent development, retention, and attraction. We will form recommendations for Orange County based on best practices in North Carolina and the U.S. Operations Evaluation and Benchmarking We will include an organizational analysis for Orange County in the strategic planning process. With staff input, we will identify a few communities similar to Orange County then benchmark economic development budget, staff, program, structure, funding, and other items of interest. This information will help us determine if the organization has the capacity to implement the strategic plan or needs to expand capacity. Business Retention and Expansion We will evaluate the business retention program, the most important economic development strategy. The BRE program should include not only target sectors but also at -risk companies and gazelles. Creative EDC has developed numerous BRE strategies centered on supply chain development, talent alignment, data mining, cluster development, and advocacy. We will update the strategy to ensure Orange County is using the latest best practices. Entrepreneurship, Small Business, and Agriculture The program of work of Orange County Economic Development includes services for small businesses such as SizeUp, funding for agriculture certification, and entrepreneur development. We will explore how to enhance these programs, fill gaps, and capture emerging opportunities. Some examples of our work in these areas include supporting an entrepreneur network in Moore County, ag innovation hub study in Southwest Virginia, and a statewide strategy for the Small Business & Technology Development Center. Marketing and Recruitment Strategy Our team will review the marketing and business attraction program of Orange County including brand, website, e-communications, materials, and social media platforms along with outreach such as sales trips, trade shows, and lead generation to determine a marketing strategy for target sectors. Examples could include new target sector marketing briefs, updated competitive position information on the website, and a shift in lead generation and sales outreach. Deliverable: All economic development assessments will be summarized in the appendix and the findings used in the development of goals and strategies. Information from the assessments will be presented to the Project Management Team in milestone meetings. Best Practices Creative EDC is aware of many best practices from across the country through our work with leading EDOs; however, we will also investigate the best practices of EDOs that Orange County considers to be “best in class” peer communities, specifically including those with similar higher educational institutions and industry clusters . Deliverable: Integration of best practices into Orange County’s economic development strategy. Vision, Mission & Strategy Analysis In a workshop with the Project Management Team, the consultant will facilitate the development of vision and mission statements that will guide the vetting and prioritization of potential strategies. The consulting team will develop a set of potential strategies informed by data analysis, engagement, SWOT analysis, economic development program assessments, and best practices. Strategies will be developed with consideration of equity, sustainability, livability, and strengthening partnerships. Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 6 During the workshop with the Project Management Team, we will vet strategies, evaluate potential outcomes and budget implications, identify ideal organizations/partners to lead implementation, and prioritize strategies. The outcome of the workshop will lead to the development of the draft strategic plan. Deliverable: Consensus-developed vision and mission statements, goals, and strategies that will form the foundation of the strategic plan. Performance Metrics As part of the strategic planning process, we will recommend a Dashboard. The Dashboard is a few metrics that are regularly reported to stakeholders via e -communications and on the website. We will work with Orange County to develop the Dashboard metrics. In addition to the Dashboard, we will recommend a more comprehensive set of data points for the organization to track. We consider these to be “economic health indicators.” They take a considerable amount of time to impact but are important: income, povert y, median home value, educational attachment, etc. Deliverable: A set of program metrics that Orange County Economic Development can use to t rack implementation progress of the strategic plan. Strategic Plan The Orange County Economic Development Strategic Plan will include a wide range of strategies to enhance the business climate, improve competitiveness, and address the development needs of all of Orange County. Example Strategies: • Attraction and development of target clusters • Business retention and expansion • External (attraction) and internal (BRE and stakeholders) marketing and communications • Product development aligned with target clusters, growing business sectors , trends in startups, and agri-business • Talent development programs that provide a talent pipeline for the future • Best in class organization with capacity, resources, and partners to implement of the strategic plan The Economic Development Strategic Plan will be an integrated report containing all information gathered and analysis performed during the process. The plan outlines goals, strategies, and actions, including implementation. The Implementation Guide include s a suggested timeline to accomplish action steps and resources needed for implementation. Our team provides a graphic Executive Summary. The summary is useful when communicating the strategic plan to stakeholders. We will also deliver a PowerPoint presentation that can be used after the planning process has concluded to engage community groups and allies in implementation. Launch Communications Our team will deliver an example press release, draft content for social media posts, and summary content for the website and newsletter to communicate the launch of the new strategic plan. Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 7 Deliverables • Data Analysis • Engagement • SWOT Analysis • Economic Development Program Assessments • Best Practices • Metrics • Economic Development Strategic Plan • Implementation Plan • Launch Communications Engagement Note Our team is flexible on in-person and virtual meeting coordination. Creative EDC’s team is located in North Carolina, less than two hours from Orange County, making in-person meetings convenient and cost efficient. Typically, input sessions are planned to be held in-person, except for the talent session because it is often easier to coordinate a virtual meeting time with educators. One -on-one interviews are most often held virtually to accommodate the busy schedules of community leaders. Update meetings with the Project Management Team are usually a mix of in-person and virtual depending upon the agenda topic (e.g., workshops in-person, status meetings virtual). The Creative Retainer At no additional cost, Creative EDC is available for unlimited phone and email consultations for one year following the delivery of the plan to support implementation. Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 8 Experience, Qualifications, Capabilities, Capacity Strategic Planning Strategic plans and action plans that help EDOs and communities reach their goals. How do you know where you are going without a road map? Creative approaches to economic development challenges. When you look around your community, do you find yourself wondering how to transform that vacant site into a new business park? How to spark entrepreneurs to invest in your community? How to position a project to catalyze the economy? Just like kids, we like transforming what others see as plain boxes into something special. Let us help transform your community. We Are The Go-To Firm Product Development Proprietary tools and a wide range of site and building development services to identify, assess, prioritize, plan, and fund product development services. Economic Impact Analysis Will the project produce a positive ROI? We can help you find out. Too often EDOs and local officials invest without first analyzing whether the project really is a good deal. Organizational Development Whether your organization is in a transition, mired in chaos, or just looking for better ways to do business, our team can apply best practices that lead to success. Creative Back Office Suite of Services Ever wish you could delegate a research task, have someone else write the blog, or turn around a quick survey? Our back office for EDOs is the answer. Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 9 Economic Leadership's ability to help its clients is enriched by the broad nature of the firm’s strategy work and dedication to relationships and success. Clients include state and local governments, public and private companies, economic development organizations, non -profits and foundations. Over the last ten years, their consultancy has provided strategic planning, analysis, and counsel in more than 250 client projects. The firm’s strategic work extends to organizations in over 28 states ranging from the Business Council of New York State to the Foundation for the Ozarks. Economic Leadership’s strengths include future trends analysis and organizational capacity evaluation. Bolstered by decades of experience in state and local economic development, real estate, planning, organizational mana gement, public affairs, and analytics, the firm designs strategy with a focus on the future. The convergence of this skill set and extensive work in stakeholder engagement has created an incredible resource for their clients to achieve success. Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 10 Meet the Team Crystal Morphis, CEcD, Founder and CEO is Creative EDC’s “bright idea generator.” She started the firm in 2012 and built it to become the “go-to” economic development consulting firm. The entrepreneurial firm has launched four proprietary programs and has a unique commitment to pay-it-forward through several nonprofit initiatives. Crystal will be the Project Manager. She will lead engagement and strategy development, facilitate the Project Management Team, facilitate input sessions, and work closely with economic development staff. Crystal’s experience is as a practitioner and consultant. She has expertise in strategic planning, product development, organizational development, economic impact studies, existing business retention and expansion programs, and entrepreneurship. Crystal has consulted across the Southeast U.S. with companies and EDOs. The majority of Creative EDC’s clients are repeat customers, a testament to the firm’s quality of work and customer service. Examples of the firm’s entrepreneurial culture can be found in its four proprietary programs. In 2013, Creative EDC launched a web-based site assessment tool, CreativeSiteAssessment. It helps economic developers assess potential business development sites through an independent ranking and prioritization system. In 2015, we relaunched the nationally recognized Certified Entrepreneurial Community® program. The first back office for economic developers, C-BOSS, was launched in 2018. Creative Coaching services, our way to support the next generation of economic developers, was launched in 2023. Crystal was a managing partner in Sanford Holshouser Economic Development Consulting for 10 years where she was involved in the firm’s economic development and site location consulting practices. Prior to joining Sanford Holshouser, Crystal served as the president, of Surry County Economic Development Partnership, NC. Crystal Morphis, CEcD Founder and CEO Professional Certifications and Memberships •Certified Economic Developer •IEDC •NCEDA •SCEDA •VEDA •SEDC •Basic Economic Development Course Instructor -UNC Chapel Hill, Georgia Tech, Kentucky Institute of Economic Development •North Carolina Real Estate Broker •LEED Green Associate Education •Salem College, Bachelor Degree in Economics •University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Master Degree in Economics •Basic Economic Development Course, University of North Carolina •Economic Development Institute, University of Oklahoma •U.S. Green Building Council Continuing Education Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 11 Penny Whiteheart, Senior Consultant, is Creative EDC’s “enlightened change catalyst” bringing unique solutions to economic development challenges. Penny joined Creative Economic Development Consulting, LLC in 2016. She develops out-of-the box strategies, leads economic impact analysis, and provides expert facilitation support for CEDC’s clients and internal projects. Penny authors many of the firms blogs, including the most popular, and research papers. With more than 25 years of experience in economic development, she brings experience in regional innovation and cluster strategies, marketing, and international trade. Penny will be involved with engagement and strategy development. She is skilled at aligning economic development plans with overarching plans at the county and regional levels. Penny’s background includes promoting and managing Foreign Trade Zones, regional and state-wide cluster development, strategic planning, talent recruitment and development, and demographic and economic analysis. She is a frequent speaker on regional economic trends and strategy, international trade, and aerospace and advanced manufacturing clusters. Penny has spent more than 15 years in strategic leadership for regional economic development. She has managed programs for communications and media, business development, and marketing as well as administration and program evaluation. Areas of interest include connecting higher education and economic assets; international trade strategies; and place making and branding. She also serves as Executive Vice President of the Piedmont Triad Partnership in Greensboro, NC. Prior to working in a regional approach, Penny was research manager and vice president of economic development in a local economic development program where she experienced the passion that drives cities and counties to advance economic prospects for their companies and residents. Penny Whiteheart Senior Consultant Professional Certifications and Memberships •NC Economic Development Association •Virginia Economic Development Association •Council for Community and Economic Research •Southern Economic Development Council •UNC Greensboro Masters of Public Administration Advisory Council Education •University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A. in Political Science and American Studies •University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Master’s of Public Administration Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 12 Creative EDC is a certified HUB in North Carolina, SWaM in Virgina, and Woman-Owned Small Business with the City of Charlotte, NC. Heather Beard, Research Analyst, began her economic development career at the county level and has since worked in many capacities at the county and regional levels. She joined the Creative EDC team as Research Analyst supporting the firm’s work in strategic planning, product developmen t, and workforce analysis. Heather’s experience in research and analysis is practical and developed with implementation in mind. Click here for full bio. hbeard@creativeedc.com Billye Carter, Technology, Marketing and Operations Manager, leads Creative EDC’s marketing, outreach, social media services and all things technology. She is the firm’s “guardian of the brand.” Billye is best known for leading the Women’s Economic Development Network Leadership Forum every year – a professional development and leadership training program. Billye’s expertise is used to ensure all of Creative EDC’s deliverables visually communicate the project. Click here for full bio. bcarter@creativeedc.com Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 13 We asked strategic partner Economic Leadership to join our team for this project. Our firms have worked collaboratively on strategic plans for Golden LEAF, NC Southeast, Small Business & Technology Development Center, and other organizations. Ted Abernathy and Skylar Casey will data analysis. Economic Leadership has extensive experience in strategic planning for governments, chambers of commerce, arts organizations, foundations, workforce development agencies, and other public and private organizations. Ted Abernathy serves as the Managing Partner of Economic Leadership, LLC, based in Shallotte, NC. Ted is the principal author of close to 100 reports on future trends, strategy, economic and workforce development, technology, and leadership, and he speaks on the economy almost every week. He currently serves as an economic advisor to the National Association of State Chambers and previously held a similar position with the Southern Governor’s Association. In his 42 -year career, Ted has led city, county, and regional economic development organizations and an economic policy think tank. Born in Dallas, North Carolina, Ted received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and his master’s from Johns Hopkins University, is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute and is an Eisenhower Fellow for global economics. Skylar Casey has been working with Economic Leadership since 2014, specializing in data collection and analysis, stakeholder interviews, and economic impact analysis. This research has included state tech sector evaluations, workplace safety reports, supply chain analyses, sustainability reviews, regional cluster assessments, and workforce strategic plans. He has worked with a range of clients including private industry, chambers of commerce, non-profits, and economic development groups. Prior to joining Economic Leadership, Skylar worked for RTI International as an Associate Economist in the Environmental, Technology, and Energy Economics group. He received bachelor’s degrees in economics and geography from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 14 Relevant Projects Creative EDC has experience with a wide range of communities . The relevant projects below were selected because they were either similar in scope or represent our expertise in a specific business sector of interest to Orange County. Please see the “clients” page on our website for more information on our clients, communities, and projects. Creative EDC has facilitated the last two strategic plans for Onward NRV, the economic development organization for the New River Valley region in Virginia. We include this project because it highlights our experience developing strategies in places with significant higher educational institutions, Virginia Tech in this case. The strategic plan has four goals related to cluster competitiveness, talent, regional branding, and growing the organization. Target clusters are advanced manufacturing, information technology, food and beverage processing, and unmanned systems. Creative EDC developed strategies to advance the unmanned systems cluster through talent development, innovation, and strengthening the ecosystem. Onward NRV works closely with all levels of education, including Virginia Tech, to develop the talent pipeline for unmanned systems. The strategic plan is supported by business and governmental leaders in the NRV and was used by the organization in a fundraising campaign to fund implementation. The Dorchester County Economic Development Strategic Plan included cluster and workforce analysis, SWOT analysis, product assessment, marketing strategy, and talent attraction and development strategies. Dorchester County is a fast- growing community in the Charleston region where preserving land for industrial development is needed as the housing market booms. The strategic plan calls for investments in product and talent to develop the clusters of aerospace, automotive, bioscience, technology and design, advanced logistics, and marine. The plan also calls for reducing workforce barriers and supporting innovation. This project is included because of the influence of the life sciences sector on Orange County and the region. NCBiotech was awarded a U.S. Economic Development Administration Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant to further strengthen North Carolina’s existing life sciences manufacturing cluster by expanding, connecting, and promoting training and career opportunities to underserved and distressed communities, including historically excluded populations. The life sciences manufacturing workforce Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 15 training initiative aims to meet the workforce challenge by developing a talent pipeline that will support the growing life sciences manufacturing cluster in southeastern North Carolina. In partnership with Economic Leadership, Creative EDC developed a workforce strategy built upon regional education and training assets, best practices, and the evolving life sciences landscape. Initiatives include new and expanded education and training programs and raising awareness at all points of the talent development pipeline. We offer this project example because of the importance of entrepreneurship in Orange County. Moore County has a burgeoning culture of entrepreneurship that can be cultivated to drive economic recovery and resiliency in distressed areas of the county. Creative EDC performed a feasibility analysis for an entrepreneurship hub in Moore County. The study process included an ecosystem assessment, business owner engagement, ESOs engagement, and action plan development. Following the hub feasibility study, Creative EDC coached Moore County through the Certified Entrepreneurial Community® Program. The county became the third certified community in North Carolina. One outcome of the certification process was an entrepreneur summit that attracted some 200 entrepreneurs, funding agencies, and ESOs. It was the first event of its kind and jumpstarted interest in entrepreneur-led economic development strategies. We completed a feasibility study for an agriculture innovation hub affiliated with Emory & Henry College in Southwest Virginia, funded by a GO Virginia grant. The college will advance cluster development around the agriculture sector, including entrepreneurship, workforce development, and business attraction. We include this example since agriculture was noted as an important cluster for Orange County. Samples of Previous Work These work samples are also examples of the collaboration between Economic Leadership and Creative EDC. • Dorchester County Economic Development Strategic Plan - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WZ6WMe4BKHhBcFrtQOCeGkAxNqVQMJCZ/view • NC Biotechnology Center Workforce Strategy - https://creativeedc.com/wp- content/uploads/2024/09/NC-Biotech-Final.pdf • Golden LEAF Strategic Plan - https://goldenleaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Golden-LEAF- Strategic-Plan-FY2022-2026-_-2022-Update.pdf Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 16 Project Timeline The timeline is dependent upon several variables such as the timely scheduling of meetings and interim report review. Below is an example timeline. We look forward to firming a timeline during the scope discussion. Launch Data Analysis Initiated December Stakeholder Engagement Initiated January Research Complete Stakeholder Input Complete February SWOT Analysis ED Program Assessments Initiated March ED Program Assessment Complete April Strategy Workshop May Draft Strategic Plan June Final Deliverables Presentation July Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 17 References Recent project summaries can be found on our website, www.creativeedc.com. We encourage you to contact our clients. They do our best marketing! Katie Boswell, Executive Director, Onward New River Valley, 540-267-0007, katie@onwardnrv.org Michelle McDonald, Deputy Director, Dorchester County Economic Development, 843-875-9109, mmcdonald@dorchestercountysc.gov Randall Johnson, Executive Director, Southeastern Office, NC Biotechnology Center, 910-398-2385, randall_johnson@ncbiotech.org Natalie Hawkins, President, Moore County Economic Development Partnership, 910-246-0311, nhawkins@moorecountyedp.org Alllison Mays, now the Director of Virginia Tech Southwest Center, 276-619-4311, maysa@vt.edu Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 13 PRICING FORM TASKS DESCRIPTION PRICE Task 1 Project Management $ Task 2 Data Analysis $ Task 3 Stakeholder Engagement $ Scalable cost for Economic Development Partner Engagement (Optional) $ Task 4 Economic Development Strategy Analysis $ Task 5 Final Economic Development Strategic Action Plan $ Total Cost $ 27,000 22,000 15,880 Type text here 4,425 Note: Includes Program Assessments 12,200 81,505 Pricing includes fees and expenses. Note: Milestone meetings are budgeted in Tasks 2, 3, & 4 Note: We are open to negotiating more/less partner engagement. Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 ADDENDUM ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM Consultants must acknowledge receipt of addendums posted by Orange County before the RFP/RFQ deadline https://www.orangecountync.gov/Bids.aspx. Please initial for Addendums received. Addendum No 1 ________________ Addendum No 2 ________________ Addendum No 3 ________________ Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 ORANGE COUNTY NONDISCRIMINATION CERTIFICATION The undersigned bidder or proposer hereby certifies and agrees that the following information is correct: 1. In preparing its enclosed bid or proposal, the undersigned bidder or proposer has considered all bids and proposals submitted from qualified, potential subcontractors and suppliers, and has not engaged in discrimination as defined in Section 12-52 of the Orange County Non-discrimination Ordinance. 2. Without limiting any other remedies that Orange County may have for a false certification, it is understood and agreed that, if this certification is false, such false certification will constitute grounds for Orange County to reject the bid or proposal submitted with this certification, and terminate any contract awarded based on such bid or proposal. It shall also subject the bidder or proposer to disqualification from participating in county contracts or bid processes for up to two years. 3. As a condition of contracting with Orange County, the undersigned bidder or proposer agrees to promptly provide to Orange County all information and documentation that may be requested by Orange County from time to time regarding the solicitation and selection of suppliers and subcontractors in connection with this solicitation process. Failure to maintain or failure to provide such information constitutes grounds for Orange County to reject the bid or proposal and to terminate, without penalty to Orange County, any contract awarded on such bid or proposal. All such information and documentation shall be maintained for a period of three years after the expiration of the contract. 4. As part of its bid or proposal, the undersigned bidder or proposer shall provide to Orange County a list of all instances within the past ten years where a complaint was filed or pending against bidder or proposer in a legal or administrative proceeding alleging that bidder or proposer discriminated against its subcontractors, vendors, suppliers, or commercial customers, and a description of the status or resolution of that complaint, including any remedial action taken. 5. As a condition of submitting a bid or proposal to Orange County the undersigned bidder or proposer agrees to comply with the Orange County Non-discrimination Ordinance. Falsification of this certification shall constitute a violation of the Orange Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 County Non-Discrimination Ordinance and shall be grounds for rejection of the bid or proposal or termination of an existing contract, without fault or further obligation to Orange County. 6. As a condition of submitting a bid or proposal to Orange County the undersigned bidder or proposer agrees that Orange County may consider the information submitted as part of this certification in its determination of the responsibility of the undersigned bidder or proposer. The undersigned bidder or proposer, as the case may be, waives the right to challenge the rejection of a bid or proposal when such rejection is based, in its entirety, on information submitted as part of this certification. The bidder or proposer certifies the undersigned has full authority to sign on its behalf. By:________________________________________ ___________________________________________ Printed Name and Title On behalf of _________________________________ ___________________________________________ Company or Corporate name Crystal Morphis, Founder & CEO Creative Economic Development Consulting Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 Supplemental Vendor Information: HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES Company Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: _________ Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) consist of minority, women and disabled business firms that are at least fifty-one percent owned and operated by an individual(s) of the categories. Also included in this category are disabled business enterprises and non-profit work centers for the blind and severely disabled. Pursuant to G.S. 143B-1361(a), 143-48 and 143-128.4, the County invites and encourages participation in this procurement process by businesses owned by minorities, women, disabled, disabled business enterprises and non-profit work centers for the blind and severely disabled. This includes utilizing subcontractors to perform the required functions in this RFP/RFQ. Any questions concerning NC HUB certification, contact the North Carolina Office of Historically Underutilized Businesses at (919) 807- 2330. The Vendor shall respond to question #1 and #2 below. 1) Is Vendor a Historically Underutilized Business? Yes No 2) Is Vendor Certified with North Carolina as a Historically Underutilized Business? Yes No If so, state HUB classification: ____________________________________________________________ Creative Economic Development Consulting 1/1/24 Woman Owned Small Business Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 C r e a t i v e E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t C o n s u l t i n g P O B o x 7 0 6 , E l k i n , N C 2 8 6 2 1 | 3 3 6 .5 2 6 .1 3 3 2 | w w w .c r e a t i v e e d c .c o m T H I N K O U T S I D E T H E B O X Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 12/03/2024 LifeStore Insurance Services, Inc. An ISU Network Member 102 W Main Street Elkin NC 28621 Melissa Miles (336) 835-4060 (336) 903-8333 mmiles@golifestore.com Creative Economic Development Consulting, LLC Po Box 706 Elkin NC 28621-0706 Cincinnati Indemnity Company 23280 iSurity 24 25 Master COI A Y ENP 0161005 09/01/2024 09/01/2025 1,000,000 100,000 5,000 1,000,000 2,000,000 2,000,000 Designated Person A ENP 0161005 09/01/2024 09/01/2025 1,000,000 B Professional Liability MPL5460686.24 07/09/2024 07/09/2025 General Aggregate $1,000,000 Each Claim $1,000,000 Orange County 300 West Tryon Street P.O. Box 8181 Hillsborough NC 27278 SHOULD ANY OF THE ABOVE DESCRIBED POLICIES BE CANCELLED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE THEREOF, NOTICE WILL BE DELIVERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICY PROVISIONS. INSURER(S) AFFORDING COVERAGE INSURER F : INSURER E : INSURER D : INSURER C : INSURER B : INSURER A : NAIC # NAME:CONTACT (A/C, No):FAX E-MAILADDRESS: PRODUCER (A/C, No, Ext):PHONE INSURED REVISION NUMBER:CERTIFICATE NUMBER:COVERAGES IMPORTANT: If the certificate holder is an ADDITIONAL INSURED, the policy(ies) must have ADDITIONAL INSURED provisions or be endorsed. If SUBROGATION IS WAIVED, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy, certain policies may require an endorsement. A statement on this certificate does not confer rights to the certificate holder in lieu of such endorsement(s). THIS CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED AS A MATTER OF INFORMATION ONLY AND CONFERS NO RIGHTS UPON THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER. THIS CERTIFICATE DOES NOT AFFIRMATIVELY OR NEGATIVELY AMEND, EXTEND OR ALTER THE COVERAGE AFFORDED BY THE POLICIES BELOW. THIS CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE ISSUING INSURER(S), AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OR PRODUCER, AND THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER. OTHER: (Per accident) (Ea accident) $ $ N / A SUBR WVD ADDL INSD THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE POLICIES OF INSURANCE LISTED BELOW HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO THE INSURED NAMED ABOVE FOR THE POLICY PERIOD INDICATED. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY REQUIREMENT, TERM OR CONDITION OF ANY CONTRACT OR OTHER DOCUMENT WITH RESPECT TO WHICH THIS CERTIFICATE MAY BE ISSUED OR MAY PERTAIN, THE INSURANCE AFFORDED BY THE POLICIES DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO ALL THE TERMS, EXCLUSIONS AND CONDITIONS OF SUCH POLICIES. LIMITS SHOWN MAY HAVE BEEN REDUCED BY PAID CLAIMS. $ $ $ $PROPERTY DAMAGE BODILY INJURY (Per accident) BODILY INJURY (Per person) COMBINED SINGLE LIMIT AUTOS ONLY AUTOSAUTOS ONLY NON-OWNED SCHEDULEDOWNED ANY AUTO AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY Y / N WORKERS COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY OFFICER/MEMBER EXCLUDED? (Mandatory in NH) DESCRIPTION OF OPERATIONS below If yes, describe under ANY PROPRIETOR/PARTNER/EXECUTIVE $ $ $ E.L. DISEASE - POLICY LIMIT E.L. DISEASE - EA EMPLOYEE E.L. EACH ACCIDENT EROTH-STATUTEPER LIMITS(MM/DD/YYYY)POLICY EXP(MM/DD/YYYY)POLICY EFFPOLICY NUMBERTYPE OF INSURANCELTRINSR DESCRIPTION OF OPERATIONS / LOCATIONS / VEHICLES (ACORD 101, Additional Remarks Schedule, may be attached if more space is required) EXCESS LIAB UMBRELLA LIAB $EACH OCCURRENCE $AGGREGATE $ OCCUR CLAIMS-MADE DED RETENTION $ $PRODUCTS - COMP/OP AGG $GENERAL AGGREGATE $PERSONAL & ADV INJURY $MED EXP (Any one person) $EACH OCCURRENCE DAMAGE TO RENTED $PREMISES (Ea occurrence) COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY CLAIMS-MADE OCCUR GEN'L AGGREGATE LIMIT APPLIES PER: POLICY PRO-JECT LOC CERTIFICATE OF LIABILITY INSURANCE DATE (MM/DD/YYYY) CANCELLATION AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE ACORD 25 (2016/03) © 1988-2015 ACORD CORPORATION. All rights reserved. CERTIFICATE HOLDER The ACORD name and logo are registered marks of ACORD HIRED AUTOS ONLY Docusign Envelope ID: 122863EA-19E8-4E71-8604-98BA2A36EEF0Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40 07/15/2025 LifeStore Insurance Services, Inc. An ISU Network Member 102 W Main Street Elkin NC 28621 Melissa Miles (336) 835-4060 (336) 903-8333 mmiles@golifestore.com Creative Economic Development Consulting, LLC Po Box 706 Elkin NC 28621-0706 Cincinnati Indemnity Company 23280 iSurity 24 25 Master COI A Y ENP 0161005 09/01/2024 09/01/2025 1,000,000 100,000 5,000 1,000,000 2,000,000 2,000,000 Designated Person A ENP 0161005 09/01/2024 09/01/2025 1,000,000 B Professional Liability MPL5460686.25 07/09/2025 07/09/2026 General Aggregate $1,000,000 Each Claim $1,000,000 Orange County 300 West Tryon Street P.O. Box 8181 Hillsborough NC 27278 SHOULD ANY OF THE ABOVE DESCRIBED POLICIES BE CANCELLED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE THEREOF, NOTICE WILL BE DELIVERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICY PROVISIONS. INSURER(S) AFFORDING COVERAGE INSURER F : INSURER E : INSURER D : INSURER C : INSURER B : INSURER A : NAIC # NAME:CONTACT (A/C, No):FAX E-MAILADDRESS: PRODUCER (A/C, No, Ext):PHONE INSURED REVISION NUMBER:CERTIFICATE NUMBER:COVERAGES IMPORTANT: If the certificate holder is an ADDITIONAL INSURED, the policy(ies) must have ADDITIONAL INSURED provisions or be endorsed. If SUBROGATION IS WAIVED, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy, certain policies may require an endorsement. A statement on this certificate does not confer rights to the certificate holder in lieu of such endorsement(s). THIS CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED AS A MATTER OF INFORMATION ONLY AND CONFERS NO RIGHTS UPON THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER. THIS CERTIFICATE DOES NOT AFFIRMATIVELY OR NEGATIVELY AMEND, EXTEND OR ALTER THE COVERAGE AFFORDED BY THE POLICIES BELOW. THIS CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE ISSUING INSURER(S), AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OR PRODUCER, AND THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER. OTHER: (Per accident) (Ea accident) $ $ N / A SUBR WVD ADDL INSD THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE POLICIES OF INSURANCE LISTED BELOW HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO THE INSURED NAMED ABOVE FOR THE POLICY PERIOD INDICATED. NOTWITHSTANDING ANY REQUIREMENT, TERM OR CONDITION OF ANY CONTRACT OR OTHER DOCUMENT WITH RESPECT TO WHICH THIS CERTIFICATE MAY BE ISSUED OR MAY PERTAIN, THE INSURANCE AFFORDED BY THE POLICIES DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO ALL THE TERMS, EXCLUSIONS AND CONDITIONS OF SUCH POLICIES. LIMITS SHOWN MAY HAVE BEEN REDUCED BY PAID CLAIMS. $ $ $ $PROPERTY DAMAGE BODILY INJURY (Per accident) BODILY INJURY (Per person) COMBINED SINGLE LIMIT AUTOS ONLY AUTOSAUTOS ONLY NON-OWNED SCHEDULEDOWNED ANY AUTO AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY Y / N WORKERS COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY OFFICER/MEMBER EXCLUDED? (Mandatory in NH) DESCRIPTION OF OPERATIONS below If yes, describe under ANY PROPRIETOR/PARTNER/EXECUTIVE $ $ $ E.L. DISEASE - POLICY LIMIT E.L. DISEASE - EA EMPLOYEE E.L. EACH ACCIDENT EROTH-STATUTEPER LIMITS(MM/DD/YYYY)POLICY EXP(MM/DD/YYYY)POLICY EFFPOLICY NUMBERTYPE OF INSURANCELTRINSR DESCRIPTION OF OPERATIONS / LOCATIONS / VEHICLES (ACORD 101, Additional Remarks Schedule, may be attached if more space is required) EXCESS LIAB UMBRELLA LIAB $EACH OCCURRENCE $AGGREGATE $ OCCUR CLAIMS-MADE DED RETENTION $ $PRODUCTS - COMP/OP AGG $GENERAL AGGREGATE $PERSONAL & ADV INJURY $MED EXP (Any one person) $EACH OCCURRENCE DAMAGE TO RENTED $PREMISES (Ea occurrence) COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY CLAIMS-MADE OCCUR GEN'L AGGREGATE LIMIT APPLIES PER: POLICY PRO-JECT LOC CERTIFICATE OF LIABILITY INSURANCE DATE (MM/DD/YYYY) CANCELLATION AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE ACORD 25 (2016/03) © 1988-2015 ACORD CORPORATION. All rights reserved. CERTIFICATE HOLDER The ACORD name and logo are registered marks of ACORD HIRED AUTOS ONLY Docusign Envelope ID: A3902C54-A6A4-4273-8997-AD0899F0BB40