Development of an Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan for Orange City Council

⁠⁠⁠Orange City Council (OCC) is looking to appoint a suitably experienced consultant to develop a five-year Orange City Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan.

The Council is determined that the Strategy and Action Plan reflects the views of the business/broader community. Furthermore, the Council would like to encourage an appropriate level of stakeholder participation in the delivery of the Action Plan. Therefore, Council is interested to receive proposals that demonstrate an innovative and comprehensive approach to engaging with relevant stakeholders including Orange City Councillors, OCC officers, relevant Government departments, relevant local organisations, and members of the business and broader community.

The Council's expectations are:

- The strategy will highlight no more than five strategic objectives/priority areas, each of which is to be informed by relevant data, the broader (Government) policy context and input from stakeholders.
- At least one of the strategies should focus on diversification of the local economy by leveraging existing high-value sectors to support the growth of new sectors and/or long-term enterprises.
- Each strategy will be underpinned by an action plan which will assign specific actions to the Council and where relevant, other identified stakeholders. Actions are expected to be measurable, and timebound.
- Key stakeholders (including but not limited to Councillors, Council staff and members of the business/broader community) will be engaged and consulted with during the development of the Strategy and Action Plan.
- Specific commitments made by relevant stakeholders during the consultation process to the delivery of specific actions in the Action Plan will be documented in the Plan.
- Subsequent to the delivery of the final Strategy and Action Plan, the consultant will provide ongoing support for a period of 18 months to the Economic Development team, including at least one progress review against the Strategy and Action Plan.
- In developing the Action Plan, the consultant will demonstrate an understanding the of the Councils / Economic Development Teams operating environment, capacity and constraints.