Infrastructure for Public Good

Procurement Planning and Market Research Workshop

Partners for Public Good is offering a free virtual opportunity for cities to work with a team of experts and peers to plan for an upcoming infrastructure project! We’ll help you map out a project plan, explore which businesses could bid on project work, understand what barriers might stand in their way, and prepare to write stronger solicitation documents so you can attract more proposals. Learn more below!

The Opportunity

Is your city planning to build new public infrastructure, such as roadways, sidewalks, water systems, or broadband? Are you preparing to hire a consultant, designer, or contractor? Do you need input from vendors, the community, or other stakeholders to inform your approach and build interest in the project?

Partners for Public Good is offering a free virtual workshop series to help cities plan for an upcoming infrastructure procurement and learn easy ways to gather input from businesses and other stakeholders. We offer hands-on learning alongside peer cities in virtual sessions, as well as a dedicated coach who will help you create concrete planning tools.

Selected cities will participate in four 60-minute sessions while receiving one-on-one assistance from an expert on our team to build a project plan and a tool (such as a Request for Information) to better understand your supplier base and community needs. These sessions and 1:1 support will take place on February 3, February 17, March 3, and March 31.

If you’ve received funding but don’t know where to start, or you’re worried about getting few (or no) bids on your solicitation, this workshop is for you! By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a project plan with clearly identified roles and responsibilities, timelines, and milestones, as well as a market research tool to help you engage with potential contractors.

What Else Should I Know?

  • Cities interested in soliciting services related to infrastructure, such as (but not limited to):
    • Consultant services, such as for site analysis
    • Professional services, such as Architecture & Engineering
    • Construction services
  • Cities with available staff capacity:
    • 1 team lead, who will participate in all 4 workshop sessions and 4 coaching calls, be available regularly via email or phone, and oversee the completion of workshop deliverables for your government (~3 hours/week).
    • Up to 3 project supporters, who will attend as many workshop and coaching sessions as time permits.
  • You might be a good fit for the workshop if:
    • You’re still defining your project scope or goals
    • You’re looking for more vendors or potential partners to respond to your solicitation
    • You’d like to build a Request for Information (RFI), vendor survey, list of contractors, or robust research to gather input, shape your path forward, and increase vendor interest and bids
  • 60-minute group learning sessions over 4 weeks:
    • [February 3, 2:00pm-3:00pm ET] Session 1: Introduction to Procurement Planning and Market Research Methods
    • [February 17, 2:00pm-3:00pm ET] Session 2: Creating a Project Plan and Selecting Your Market Research Method
    • [March 3, 2:00pm-3:00pm ET] Session 3: Refining Your Market Research Method and Engaging Stakeholders
    • [March 31, 2:00pm-3:00pm ET] Session 4: Interpreting Your Results and Planning for the Solicitation
  • 4 hands-on 1:1 support sessions with a dedicated PPG procurement expert
  • 5-10 hours of additional hands-on support from PPG to finalize your market research tool and analyze results
  • A curated collection of market research resources to support your efforts
  • Application form: Complete our application form.
  • 30-minute scoping call: PPG will review your submission and schedule a brief call to discuss your project’s details, challenges, and how we can best support you.
  • Commitment: Selected participants will be asked to complete a short commitment form to share scheduling availability and team contact information.