96128-002.0 RFP Document (PDF, 2MB)

VIRTUAL PRE-PROPOSAL MEETING

October 3, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. Local Time (ET) via Zoom Webinar

The City of Kalamazoo’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is a public entity formed pursuant to Public Act 338 of 1974 (the “Act”), that provides financing and other assistance for commercial and industrial development projects. Membership for the board meets each month for a public meeting in accordance with the Open Meetings Act.

RFP Summary. The EDC & the City of Kalamazoo are requesting proposals from qualified independent organizations, organizational partnerships, and individuals to set up a comprehensive Social Equity Cannabis Chamber. This Chamber will assist Cannabis businesses and the City of Kalamazoo with its Social Equity efforts (including the City’s Marihuana Social Equity Policy provided in Appendix B), while also focusing on profitability and safety. The chamber will form an Equity Committee/Board that works with the City regarding funding.

To promote economic development and social equity in the Northside, Eastside, and Edison (SPK) neighborhoods, local cannabis businesses will be incentivized to provide hiring and training initiatives for residents of these areas. The new Cannabis Chamber will establish a jobs board that will exclusively promote employment opportunities for SPK neighborhood residents. In addition, the Chamber will develop a workforce selection and training process that prioritizes the hiring and training of SPK residents and underrepresented individuals.

The EDC and the Chamber will also work together to develop community outreach and educational programs on health and safety with cannabis, as well as to educate employers on local and regional workforce concerns related to the cannabis industry.

Furthermore, the Chamber will provide workforce development training programs in the SPK neighborhoods and support the development of micro-home-based businesses in the community. These initiatives seek to promote social equity and increase economic opportunities for underrepresented individuals and groups in the SPK neighborhoods.

This Chamber will work in collaboration with the Economic Development Corporation to provide the development and delivery of training programs to equip underrepresented individuals, including Black, Indigenous, and People of color (BIPOC) with the knowledge, tools, and information needed to become owners and operators of their own cannabis businesses.

This Chamber and all of its personnel will perform contractual obligations for this program as independent contractors, not as employees of the City or EDC.