REQUEST FOR QUOTES

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) Consultant Services Flint Hills Regional Council (FHRC)

Issue Date: 5.20.26

Quote Deadline: 5.29.26 by 12:00 Noon CT

1. Introduction

The Flint Hills Regional Council (FHRC) is seeking quotes from qualified planning consultants to assist in the development of a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) in accordance with U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) guidelines.

FHRC serves seven counties in our Flint Hills Economic Development District and is committed to advancing regional economic development through strategic planning and collaboration.

2. Project Overview

FHRC will conduct county-wide outreach in partnership with Kansas State University Extension and regional stakeholders. The selected consultant will be responsible for synthesizing stakeholder input and producing a final CEDS document that meets all EDA requirements.

3. Scope of Services

The selected consultant will perform work necessary to develop a Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) consistent with current U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) guidelines (13 CFR Part 303), including support for stakeholder engagement, strategy development, and documentation.

The consultant will:

• Assist with content to support regional stakeholder engagement (completed by KState Extension, including presentations, facilitation guides, surveys, or outreach tools.
• Review, synthesize, and incorporate stakeholder input collected through outreach into the CEDS development process
• Compile, analyze, and present relevant regional economic, demographic, and industry data to inform strategy development
• Prepare all required CEDS components in accordance with EDA requirements, including:
  • Summary Background (economic conditions and trends)
  • SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
  • Strategic Direction/Action Plan, including measurable goals and implementation strategies
  • Evaluation Framework, including performance measures and reporting approach
• Identify regional economic development priorities and develop implementable projects, programs, and activities aligned with those priorities
• Identify and align potential funding sources (federal, state, local, and private) to support implementation of CEDS strategies
• Ensure consistency with existing state Framework for Growth, regional and local plans, including comprehensive plans and other economic development efforts
• Design and format a professional, EDA-compliant CEDS document suitable for submission, public distribution, and ongoing use by FHRC and regional partners

Provide coordination and regular communication with FHRC staff throughout the project to ensure compliance with EDA requirements and alignment with regional goals.

4. Deliverables

• Draft CEDS document for FHRC review
• Final CEDS document meeting EDA requirements
• Digital and print-ready formatted versions

Add-Alternate (Optional): CEDS Implementation Dashboard

Consultants may provide a separate, itemized cost to develop a CEDS implementation dashboard to track progress on goals, performance measures, and priority projects. The dashboard may be web-based or Excel-based and should be user-friendly for FHRC staff and regional partner

At a minimum, the dashboard should include:

• A project/initiative tracking module with fields for project name, location, lead entity, status, timeline, and funding sources
• Alignment of projects and activities to CEDS goals, objectives, and strategies
• Performance measure tracking consistent with the CEDS evaluation framework (e.g., jobs created/retained, private investment, milestones achieved)
• Simple filtering and sorting capabilities (by county, sector, status, or priority area)
• A summary view or dashboard page that provides a high-level snapshot of progress across the region
• Export functionality (e.g., PDF or Excel) for reporting to EDA and stakeholders
• Basic user guidance or documentation for FHRC staff

Consultants should clearly describe the proposed platform, level of customization, and any ongoing maintenance or subscription requirements.

FHRC reserves the right to accept or reject the add-alternate based on available funding and value to the project.

5. Qualifications

Firms should demonstrate:

• Experience preparing CEDS documents or similar economic development plans
• Familiarity with EDA requirements and federally funded projects
• Strong data analysis, technical writing, and document design capabilities
• Experience working with rural and regional stakeholders. Experience in the Flint Hills region is a bonus.

6. Submission Requirements

Interested consultants shall submit:

• A letter of interest outlining: qualifications and relevant experience, examples of similar work (preferably CEDS), project approach and timeline, fee structure and total cost (not-to-exceed or hourly with estimate). Include a list of references (minimum of three)

7. Evaluation Criteria

Quotes will be evaluated based on:

• Relevant experience and qualifications
• Understanding of the scope of work
• Cost and value
• Ability to meet the EDA project timeline

8. Timeline

• RFQ Issued: 5.20.2026
• Responses Due: 5.29.26 12:00 Noon CT
  Email to: Admin@flinthillsregion.org
• Project Completion: 9.11.26

9. Terms and Conditions

FHRC reserves the right to reject any or all quotes, waive informalities, and negotiate with the selected consultant.

10. Contact

Flint Hills Regional Council
admin@flinthillsregion.org