Request for Qualifications (RFQ)- Business Advisor Trainer
(Awarded through the Recompete Grant)

The Economic Development Council (EDC) Team Jefferson is seeking a Business Advisor Trainer to design, coordinate, and deliver a comprehensive training program for new business advisors as a workforce component of  the Recompete grant. This role is critical to equipping advisors with the skills, frameworks, and tools needed to provide high-quality business advising services to entrepreneurs across Jefferson County, with a focus on fostering resilience, economic sustainability in underserved communities.

The individual selected will lead the Advisor Training Program, which systematizes the process of business advising into an effective sequence with accompanying skill development. Each year for five years, the Business Advisor Trainer will train 5 new advisors to serve the North Olympic Peninsula, ensuring they are prepared to address the unique challenges faced by businesses in rural and frontier communities. This training will help expand access to business advising services across a two-county region, including Jefferson and Clallam Counties, enhancing economic opportunities and resilience.

This is a contract position funded through the Federal Recompete grant, with the overarching goal of significantly increasing the availability and quality of business advising for businesses throughout Jefferson and Clallam Counties in Washington State. 

Background

The EDC Team Jefferson focuses on high-impact, place-based initiatives that improve economic well-being and quality of life in Jefferson County. As the designated Associate Development Organization (ADO) for Jefferson County, the EDC is committed to enhancing economic opportunities through technical assistance, resource access, and workforce development initiatives.

EDC Team Jefferson is committed to building equitable economic opportunities and fostering sustainability within local business networks. Through the Recompete grant, we aim to address systemic barriers faced by rural businesses by enhancing access to technical assistance. The Business Advisor Trainer will play a vital role in implementing this objective, resulting in improved business success measured by increases in profits, increased ability to hire and retain employees, and increased business growth over time.

Scope of Services1. Objective

The primary objective of this role is to provide high-quality training to a cohort of new business advisors, equipping them with the tools and frameworks necessary to deliver effective, sustainable advising services to small businesses in Clallam and Jefferson County. Over the five-year period, the Business Advisor Trainer will train 25 advisors to be placed in existing partner organizations, increasing resilience in existing programming, and placed in organizations that are adding advising as a new service. 

2. Tasks to be Performed

2.1 Training Program Design and Delivery:

• Design and deliver an Advisor Training Program, including supporting materials. Must be provided in a seminar format, 120 total hours per cohort/year and 30 co-advising sessions of 2 hours each (60 total hours per cohort).

• Incorporate instructional methods that engage trainees in discussion, problem-solving, and real-world application.

• Provide all necessary instructional materials, including access to course texts and digital resources.

• Teach efficient process for developing existing businesses.

2.2 Curriculum and Module Development:

• Teach modules covering topics such as:

  • Building resources and capabilities.

  • Maximizing cash flow and productivity.

  • Marketing and strategic planning.

  • Systems redesign and operational efficiency.

  • Leadership development and transformational strategies.

  • Financing alternatives and implementation planning.

2.3 Co-Advising and Mentorship:

• Conduct 30 co-advising sessions per cohort, providing direct mentorship to trainees during real-world advising scenarios.

• Evaluate trainee performance and provide actionable feedback for continuous improvement.

2.4 Reporting and Collaboration:

• Track program participation, trainee progress, and outcomes.

• Collaborate with EDC staff to align training objectives with Recompete grant deliverables and organizational goals.

3. Grant Deliverables

• Over five years, successfully deliver training to 25 new business advisors through multiple cohorts.

• Development of training materials, including syllabi, handouts, and digital resources.

• Development of a progress tracker through which to perform trainee evaluations including

  • Final summaries as a group or group task (oral) 

  • End of segment interview with instructor

  • Evaluations provided to trainees

  • Final Course interview

• Final reporting on training outcomes: attendance, certificates given - Grant deliverables: grant criteria need to fit final reporting data

• Certification of trainees who meet the program requirements, ensuring they are prepared to provide high-quality business advising services.

4. Performance

Compliance with the established timeline is critical to ensure that funds are obligated consistent with grant terms. The contractor will ensure all tasks are completed on schedule, maintaining high levels of communication and accountability. 

Applicants with residency in Jefferson or Clallam County are strongly preferred. Familiarity with the local business ecosystem, workforce development needs, and rural economic challenges will be key to ensuring the success of this program. In addition, the ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Extensive experience in business advising and training delivery, with demonstrated success in developing, leading, and evaluating structured advisor training programs.

• Demonstrated expertise in applied business advising methodologies, including financial modeling, operational assessments, and strategic growth planning. The candidate must be fluent in structured problem-solving sequences.

• Demonstrated ability to instruct and mentor adult learners in a seminar-based, discussion-driven format, rather than a lecture-based approach. The program requires engagement in real-world business cases, co-advising with trainees, and live problem-solving sessions.

• Advanced financial literacy with the ability to train advisors in:

  • Cost-Profit-Volume analysis

  • Financial review and forensic analysis for business viability

  • Accounting logic, financial statements, and project costing systems

  • Cash flow projections and risk assessment models

• Deep expertise in organizational systems, leadership, and business infrastructure, including:

  • Operational redesign strategies for business efficiency

  • Growth models, workforce scaling, and succession planning

  • Systems thinking and cross-sector collaboration approaches

  • Crisis management and intervention for businesses in distress

• Experience facilitating problem-solving organizations, including group facilitation, stakeholder engagement, and the integration of economic development strategies into local business ecosystems.

• Understanding of the North Olympic Peninsula business landscape, with a particular focus on rural business development, entrepreneurship in small markets, and the economic conditions of Jefferson and Clallam Counties.

The Business Advisor Trainer will not only teach foundational advising skills but must also demonstrate advanced consulting expertise, preparing trainees to navigate complex business challenges, assist diverse industries, and support economic sustainability in rural communities.

5. Monitoring and Reporting

To ensure the Consultant is following established timelines, periodic check-ins will be held between the Consultant and EDC to review deliverables and address any emerging challenges.

Preliminary Timeline

• RFQ Issued: February 15, 2025

• Proposal Deadline: February 28, 2025

• Selection Announcement: March 15, 2025

• Contract Start Date: April 1, 2025

• Project Completion: October 1, 2029

Estimated Budget

Compensation: $100-$200/hour, to be negotiated based on experience, with a fixed funding amount allocated through the grant to ensure successful delivery of the program over five years.

Each 40-week training cycle consists of:

• 40 Seminar Sessions (3 hours each) → 120 hours

• 30 Co-Advising Sessions (2 hours each) → 60 hours

• Planning, Training Administration, and Evaluations → 20 hours

• Total estimated instructional and training hours per cohort: 200 hours

The Business Advisor Trainer will be expected to dedicate approximately 5-6 hours per week during active training cycles, accounting for seminar instruction, co-advising, and administrative responsibilities.

Estimated annual allocation per 40-week class:

• $20,000 - $40,000 per cohort, depending on negotiated rate and experience.

• Total funding available over five years for multiple training cycles: Up to $200,000.

This contract ensures that five cohorts of five advisors each receive the structured training necessary to expand business advising services across Jefferson and Clallam Counties while aligning with the Recompete grant's workforce development objectives.

Submittal Requirements

Please send a brief cover letter, resume, and the following documentation (A, B, C) to admin@edcteamjefferson.org.

A. Approach

1. Methodology: Describe the planned methodologies for carrying out the tasks outlined in the Scope of Services. Include specifics on how deliverables will be achieved.

2. Work Plan: Provide a sequential plan to accomplish the project, including key deliverables and their timelines.

3. Training Organization: Describe the training deliverable, including outreach plan and outlines of seminar topics.

B. Related Experience and References

Provide resume with three references highlighting education and training. (MBA preferred) 

Provide examples of recent, directly-related advising experience (within the last four years) Include:

• Industry, project title, general description of company/organization

• Description of the work performed

• Project outcomes

C. Statement of Experience

• Provide a narrative of your experience working as a business advisor, trainer, and mentor. Highlight relevant expertise, such as curriculum development, leadership training, and the use of systematized advising methodologies. 

• Describe your experience of working in the North Olympic Peninsula business landscape, with a particular focus on rural business development, entrepreneurship in small markets, and the economic conditions of Jefferson and Clallam Counties.

Evaluation Criteria Table: