Headwaters Tech Hub Request for Proposals

The Headwaters Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (“Headwaters Hub”) invites proposals to provide technical assistance to the Hub consortium with its submission to the EDA’s Phase 2 Implementation Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). You can access our successful Phase 1 Designation submission here.

The Headwaters Hub intends to form a small expert project team working under the guidance of the Hub’s interim steering committee, and in collaboration with consortium members, to develop a compelling submission for Phase 2 implementation funding. The deadline for our Phase 2 submission is 4:59pm EST Feb 29, 2024. 

Accordingly, the Headwaters Hub is seeking consultants/contractors with relevant expertise and capacity to provide assistance in areas including, but not limited to, one or more of the following:

1. Outreach and engagement with a particular focus on tribal and rural communities, leaders, and entities (including tribal and local government, businesses, and nonprofit entities). The objectives of such outreach and engagement include:
   1. Creating awareness of the Headwaters Hub and its potential activities and impacts.
   2. Seeking input on Hub component project design.
   3. Seeking input from businesses interested in participating in the Hub.
   4. Identifying specific ways in which communities, leaders or organizations would actively participate in the Hubs implementation projects.
   5. Seeking input on potential community concerns, needs, and opportunities related to the Hub, including, but not limited to access to training, housing, broadband, transportation, and childcare.
2. Technical Expertise in one or more of the following areas:
   1. Research commercialization
   2. Innovation management
   3. Early stage venture programming and support
   4. Capital access
   5. Scaling of high tech enterprises including global sales & marketing capabilities, and operation
   6. Workforce development
   7. Technology sector ecosystem development
   8. Infrastructure development - including but not limited to housing, broadband, transportation, and childcare
   9. State and local policy development
   10. Cyber Security
   11. Intellectual property management and protection
3. Project Management/Administration and Grant Administration/Writing
   1. Senior program management (i.e. the ability to oversee and coordinate multiple fast paced project design efforts and federal grant applications)
   2. Project administration: capacity to assist with meeting/event coordination, general communications, document and task tracking
   3. Experience with Federal Grant writing and/or administration

This will be an agile project requiring the identification, scoping, and detailed planning of 3-8 interrelated but separately submitted component projects coordinated via an overarching submission. Accordingly, we are seeking statements of capability and capacity from individuals or organizations interested in contracting with the Hub to provide technical assistance as part of the Phase 2 proposal development project team through to Feb 29. The precise scope of work will be agreed upon prior to commencement of work and include efficient mechanisms for change orders as appropriate. 

Please submit your statements of capability and capacity via Submittable here. We encourage you to read the NOFO prior to submitting and to align your responses to the expectations and requirements of the NOFO. You will be asked to respond to the following questions:

1. Organization Name
2. Lead contact
3. Email
4. Phone
5. Please describe the relevant expertise and experience that you or your organization’s team members would bring to this project. (500 words) You may attach resumes or provide links to LinkedIn profiles of the individuals that would be directly involved in the project. Please do not include individuals that will not have capacity to actively engage in the project between now and the Feb 29 deadline.
6. Please provide an outline of the areas of focus and activities you might suggest you or your organization perform or participate in as part of this project. (500 words)
7. Please describe your expertise and experience with respect to Montana’s economy and/or communities or similar environments. (250 words)
8. Please indicate the availability of you or your team members between now and Feb 29 by completing the table of hours available each week.
9. Please provide an indication of how you would charge for your work e.g. hourly or daily rates, retainer or fixed project fee (subject to clear scope and deliverables) and indicate hourly/daily $ rates or illustrative retainer or fixed fee budgets relative to illustrative scope of work/deliverables.
10. Please include any other relevant information (500 words)

We hosted an informational/Q&A session for potential applicants on Tuesday Dec 5 at 9am. You can watch the recording here and view the slides here. Questions may be directed to paul.gladen@umontana.edu although we cannot guarantee all questions will receive direct responses. We will provide FAQs if appropriate. The priority deadline for applications is Monday Dec 11 at 5pm although later applications may still receive consideration. We will close the application form if we are no longer receiving applications.