Two RFQs now published as the Colorado Coalition begins to seek a variety of experts to execute on Build Back Better Grant

Colorado Coalition’s Request for Qualifications (RFQs) for Construction, Financial Modeling, DEI, Management Consulting, Specialized Cluster Building, Economic Impact Projects

The Colorado Coalition, the regional stakeholder group led by Innosphere Ventures in partnership with organizations from government, business, academia, and nonprofits named below, was named by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) as a finalist in the $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge. The Colorado Coalition will now advance to Phase 2 to develop and scale the region’s research and development (R&D) intensive industries.

Therefore, the Colorado Coalition is immediately seeking REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS to execute on a variety of projects that include: construction efforts; Real Estate Law; Finance; Tax Expertise; Economic Development initiatives around cluster building; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives; and more. As a finalist in Phase 1, the Colorado Coalition was awarded $500,000 to develop a plan to execute focused projects that advance the bioscience and cleantech industries.

Deadline to respond to one or both RFQs is Thursday, January 13th.

All project details and application information are found within the below two RFQs.

1. REQUEST FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & DEI-RELATED QUALIFICATIONS: Innosphere Ventures is seeking experienced consultant(s) for 2 projects in Colorado’s “Build Back Better” grant proposal. Build and execute economic cluster strategies for the bioscience and cleantech target clusters, including feasibility studies, collection and forecasting of economic data, real estate pro-forma modeling, and more. Strategy development and implementation of the proposal’s equity initiative, creation of measurable Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) outcomes, generating economic metrics, working with communities to achieve DEI-related impacts, and more. For copy of full RFQ, email: Emily Wilson, [email protected]. Responses due Thursday, January 13th.

For more information on the above RFQ and to download the application, please click here: RFQ for Professional Services for the Colorado Coalition BBB Grant.

The above mentioned RFQ seeks experts in:

  1. Project one: Scale DEI impact in Colorado.
      • Equity Initiative: Scale the existing Prosper CO strategies to recruit, retain and promote more people of color across the cluster and connect more BIPOC procurement opportunities for EDA related and non-EDA related procurement.
      • Innosphere Ventures is seeking outside expertise and project support sought regarding economic development – cluster building strategies integrating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Seeking support regarding successful DEI strategy development, the creation of realistic and measurable DEI outcomes, generating economic metrics that demonstrate achieving DEI objectives, and implementation of DEI strategies. The successful consultant should demonstrate their success in working with communities and achieving DEI related impacts.
  2. Project two: Specialized Cluster Support
      • Innosphere Ventures is seeking outside expertise and project support to achieve the goal of expanding Colorado’s startup & scaleup support for the biosciences and cleantech industries or clusters. We are seeking to extend early support for all inventors at research universities and federal labs, expand product support, and improve industry access. We will invest in entrepreneurial training for a more diverse current and future workforce.
      • Innosphere Ventures is seeking support to further its strategy building economic clusters, evaluate the feasibility of implementing innovation districts in three regions of Colorado, the collection of economic data in our target clusters, forecasting economic growth in these clusters, creating and executing economic cluster strategies, and general economic development – technology based economic development. Innosphere Ventures is seeking real estate pro-forma modelling expertise and IMPLAN or similar economic/employment forecasting related to the construction of up to six construction projects.

2. REQUEST FOR CONSTRUCTION-RELATED QUALIFICATIONS:
Innosphere Ventures is seeking industry consultants for up to 6 construction projects along Colorado’s Front Range. Responses to this RFQ can be specific to one or more of the following areas of needed project support: Engineering Design; Design Architecture including Zoning, Expedited Permitting, etc.; Historic and Archeological research and management; Real Estate Law, Finance, Tax Expertise; Management of Environmental Work including water planning and mitigation, air quality, pollution, etc.; Financial planning including real estate pro-forma modeling, etc. Request the full RFQ by emailing Aziza Syed, [email protected]. Responses due Thursday, January 13th.

For more information on the above RFQ and to download the application, please click here: RFQ for multiple Construction Sites_Legal_Finance_Professional Services for BBB Grant.

This above mentioned RFQ seeks experts in:

  1. Historic/ Archeological research experts. Management of Indigenous people’s issues
  2. Environmental Professionals
      • Phase one and Phase 2 documentation
      • Water quality planning and mitigation
      • Floodplain Mitigation
      • Endangered Species management
      • Solid Waste management
      • Hazardous/ Toxic Material management
      • Water Resources
      • Air Quality including Micro Dust
      • Wastewater treatment/ collection
      • Air Quality
      • Noise and night sky pollution mitigation
  3. Engineering Design
      • Water Supply and Distribution
      • Wastewater Collection and Treatment
      • Transportation and Access
      • Soils Reports including structural recommendations
      • Transportation
      • Survey’s and As-built updates
  4. Design and Architecture
      • Planning and Zoning
      • Permits and Permit Expediting
      • Public Notification/ Controversy management/ Presentations management
      • Historic/ Archeological Issues and requirements
  5. Financial
      • Cost Estimating
      • Real Estate Financial Planning & Tax Expertise
      • Tax Increment Financing (TIF’s)
      • New Market Tax Credits where appropriate (NMTC)
      • Opportunity Zones
      • Other Financial tools
      • Innosphere Ventures is seeking real estate pro-forma modelling expertise and IMPLAN or similar economic/employment forecasting related to the construction of up to six construction projects.
  6. Real Estate Law, Finance, & Tax Expertise
      • Commercial Real Estate governance and compliance
      • Development, Finance, Sustainability, and Transactional
      • Land Use & Zoning
      • Tax credit financing
      • Development incentives
      • Opportunity Zones

The Colorado Coalition’s vision is to create innovation at scale in two of Colorado’s leading industries – biosciences and cleantech. The proposal will leverage Colorado’s nationally recognized innovation assets to build a world-class ecosystem for the region’s R&D-intensive growth industries.

The organizations that make up the Colorado Coalition include: Innosphere Ventures; State of Colorado; National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL); Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA); Colorado Cleantech Industries Association (CCIA); the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation; the cities of Boulder, Denver, and Fort Collins; Jefferson County; the research universities of Colorado School of Mines, University of Colorado, and Colorado State University.

About Innosphere Ventures:
Innosphere Ventures accelerates the success of science and technology-based startups through its unique accelerator and commercialization programs, specialized laboratory facilities, and venture capital fund. Innosphere has supported founders and CEOs building high-tech companies for 24 years and is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a strong mission to grow the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. https://innosphereventures.org/