HomeMy WebLinkAbout07. 12-370
JULY 24, 2012 12-370 RESOLUTION
(CARRIED____7-0____LOST________LAID OVER________WITHDRAWN________)
PURPOSE: RATIFY EXECUTION OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
AGREEMENT WITH PRAGER COMPANY TO UNDERTAKE A
STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDY ($74,700.00)
INITIATED BY: CITY ADMINISTRATION
WHEREAS, the Common Council requested staff undertake a study and develop a
plan that centralizes the range of economic development services in Oshkosh performed
by various organizations; and
WHEREAS, a Request for Qualifications was issued, interviews held and the Prager
Company selected to perform said study; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of
Oshkosh that pursuant to Section 12-16 of the Municipal Code the actions of the City
Manager signing and executing the professional services agreement with Prager Company
to undertake an organizational and strategic economic development study is hereby
ratified.
Money for this purpose is hereby appropriated from:
100-0730-6401-00000 General Fund – Economic Development
CITY HALL
215 Church Avenue
P.O.Box 1130
Oshkosh 54903-1130 City of Oshkosh
OfHKOlH
Date: July 19, 2012
To: Mayor & City Council
From: Mark A Rohloff, City Manager -4
Subject: Organizational and Strategic Economic Development Study by the Prager Company Team
The City Council has directed me to develop a plan that centralizes the range of economic development
services in Oshkosh performed by various organizations. For this study, I drafted and distributed a
Request for Qualifications and received 14 responses from economic development consulting firms
throughout the nation. Staff and I then narrowed the field to three candidates through a Quality Based
Selection process for follow-up interviews.
The interviews with the three organizations indicated to me that any of the three could do the work.
However, one organization could not only provide the expertise needed for this project, but also
developed a proposal for services that would best investigate, analyze, and then recommend the best
economic development organizational structure for Oshkosh.
The Prager Company is the lead firm that has teamed up with Phil Schneider Consulting. The Prager
Company Team will provide the services for examining and testing our existing economic development
organizations and identifying the organizational form best suited for the range of economic development
services that should be offered in Oshkosh. The Prager Company Team approach includes:
Phase 1: Macro Strategy Compilation and Economic Development Stakeholder Examination.
(August— September)
Phase 2: Identification and Recommendation of Best Practices. (October)
Phase 3: Design of the Optimal Organizational Model and Strategy. (October—November)
The contract with the Prager Company is for a total of $74,700. While I have the authority to sign the
contract, I believe the City Council's direct interest in this study warrants your review and ratification.
The project will be funded through savings achieved as a result of the reorganization within the
Community Development Departments' Inspections Division budget. Please contact me if you have any
questions concerning this contract award.
t«:
it PROPOSAL FOR AN OSHKOSH
ORGANIZATIONAL AND STRATEGIC
* I * 1 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDY (REVISED)
4 s.�
Prepared for
ON T}t£WATE
Prepared by
Prager Team
July 11 , 2012
PROPOSAL FOR AN OSHKOSH ORGANIZATIONAL
AND STRATEGIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STUDY
(REVISED)
CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION AND SITUATION OVERVIEW 1
II. PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK 1
III. TIMING, COMMUNITY INTERACTION AND DELIVERABLES 7
IV. PRAGER TEAM QUALIFICATIONS 7
V. PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS 9
VI. PROJECT COST AND AUTHORIZATION 10
APPENDIX
A. SAMPLING OF PROJECTS
B. TEAM MEMBER BIOS
Oshkosh Economic Development Study
I. INTRODUCTION AND SITUATION OVERVIEW
The Prager Team, comprised of Prager Company, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank
and Schneider Consulting are pleased to submit our qualifications to the City of
Oshkosh to develop a community-wide organizational model and strategy for
economic development. The Prager Team recognizes the necessity of a unified,
well-coordinated and centralized economic development plan. Based on firsthand
experience, we know that an effort of this nature has the potential to greatly
enhance investment attraction, retention and expansion success.
The Oshkosh Community has long been committed to economic development. Its
support spans the public, private and not-for-profit sectors; involves well over one
dozen organizations; and manifests itself in sizable, creative financing, dedicated
staff and widespread volunteerism. To be sure, economic development is deeply
engrained throughout the broader community.
The Oshkosh Community is economically diverse, livable, with an identity and
brand recognized nationally. Oshkosh products ship around the globe and the
community has long been a destination for visitors drawn to its events and
festivals. Whereas countless locations struggle with a dearth of physical attributes,
scant financial resources for economic development, and no discernable identity,
the Oshkosh Community has no such limitations. The community's greatest
challenge is not the correction of limitations, but rather the proper, coordinated
harnessing of its strengths. While the Region has an abundance of wholly
committed economic development organizations and partners, it lacks a unified
vision and an integrated process for achieving their shared objectives. By the
community's admission, this has led to confusion, redundancy and inefficiency.
The absence of a well orchestrated, collaborative plan is deemed an obstacle to
achieving success in business retention, expansion, attraction and cultivation.
Several years ago, leaders of Oshkosh's economic development entities
considered consolidation. While never acted upon, issues surrounding
effectiveness and efficiency persist, as does recognition that a different
organizational model may be needed to take the Oshkosh Community to the next
level. The Oshkosh Economic Development Study is the opportunity to devise the
optimal approach for cohesive service delivery and a strategy which stakeholders
can rally behind. The Prager Team is well qualified to take the Oshkosh
Community down this path, having formed or re-engineered many highly
successful organizational models operating today.
II. PROPOSED SCOPE OF WORK
The Prager Team's scope of work will consist of three core phases. It begins with a
review of economic development plans and an understanding of the economic
development stakeholders in the greater Oshkosh area; expands into a
determination of the best practices within the Oshkosh Community as well as
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Oshkosh Economic Development Study
exemplary practices elsewhere; and culminates with a strategic plan for a unified,
integrated and properly centralized organizational model.
The Prager Team envisions working closely with the Oshkosh City Manager's
team. This team will serve as the administrative conduit into the broader
community as well as the local project manager.
In addition to this group, the Prager Team proposes to interact with a less formal
Working Group comprised of a small number of individuals committed to unified,
collaborative economic development. The Working Group will serve as a reality
check and provide candid, yet supportive insight as the process evolves. Selection
of Working Group members will be decided upon following the project Kickoff
Meeting. It may be appropriate to add individuals as the project evolves. This
determination will be made jointly and subsequent to some of the initial interviews
with economic development stakeholders.
Phase One: Macro Strategy Compilation and Economic Development
Stakeholder Examination
The Oshkosh Community is comprised of many organizations committed to the
furtherance of economic development. The work of the Prager Team will
commence with discussions with these stakeholders to ascertain their economic
development plans and roles they play in the economic development process.
These entities may include: the City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, the Oshkosh
Area School District, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Fox Valley Technical
College, the Oshkosh Area Chamber of Commerce, the Oshkosh Area Economic
Development Corporation, Chamco the Oshkosh Industrial Development
Corporation, the Downtown Oshkosh Business Improvement District, the Oshkosh
Area Community Foundation, the Oshkosh Convention and Visitors Bureau, and
regional organizations (including WEDC and New North).
Information on these organizations will be gathered via phone conversations,
surveys or meetings with organization leaders as appropriate. We will seek to
ascertain: their economic development-oriented goals, objectives and aspirations;
activities they undertake on behalf of economic development; financial resources
and direct staff dedicated; their unique expertise and value added; and how they
go about assessing or measuring accomplishment.
The findings will be examined and aggregated in terms of the geographies they
serve and their economic development intent (i.e. that associated with business
attraction, retention and expansion). Matrices will be devised to show the services
and efforts of these individual entities, as well as where overlap or duplication
exists. In addition, where appropriate, the Prager Team will attempt to gather
information on their respective board structures and sources of funding, and where
these may overlap as well. A distinction will be made between direct service
delivery versus the brokering or collaboration of services from others.
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Oshkosh Economic Development Study
The Prager Team's organization examination will not be confined to the primary or
more traditional economic development providers. It will also involve other
essential service providers and where their expertise is seemingly being brought to
bear. This may include elected officials, real estate and developer community,
financial community, workforce providers, tourism entities, non-economic
development government departments, military entities, utilities, transportation
authorities, business associations, media and others.
To understand how key organizations interrelate and collaborate, the Prager Team
will engage certain stakeholders in a mock business attraction project. The intent
will be to gauge how the community responds to opportunities and challenges and
where gaps exist.
The Prager Team will create a proxy of a "typical," large, well-paying, job
generating (i.e. desirable) company. To the extent possible, we will select a known
industry target of Oshkosh or an emerging target industry cluster for this proxy. In a
fashion similar to that we use as site selection consultants, we will submit a
Request for Information (RFI) through normal channels. The organizations that
typically field these inquiries will be asked to respond accordingly. As with other
communities, proper response may require input from public, real estate, utility,
other private sector and not-for-profit entities.
So as to evaluate the community's coordination and response as it typically
unfolds, the Prager Team will not pre-ordain the players to be involved,
recommend sources of information, or a process for response. However, at the
conclusion, we will provide recommendations and share where the Oshkosh
approach differs from that elsewhere. The results will become part of the
foundation upon which the next phase is built. The Mock Drill will be no more time
consuming than an actual RFI from a real prospect.
Phase Two: Identification and Recommendation of Best Practices
Prager Team members have served more than 300 economic development
organizations in the U.S. and overseas, have engaged far more on corporate site
selection projects, and have created comprehensive training programs for
economic developers nationally. We will call upon our extensive insights to frame
the "typical" and the more advanced roles played. Based on this, we will identify
the Oshkosh Community's economic development service providers deemed to be
most adept and proficient in each key area and where the community may be
falling short. We will seek to uncover best practices in the community overall and
those attributed to specific organizations -- the entities perhaps best equipped to
shoulder major responsibilities moving forward. We will examine functions
associated with: Research and Information Maintenance, Opportunity
Identification, Business Retention and Expansion, Domestic Business Attraction
and International Development.
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Oshkosh Economic Development Study
The Prager Team will use its national reach to share exemplary practices
elsewhere and how they may enhance the community's existing efforts. This
insight will supplement that performed locally with distinction and help fill service
delivery gaps which exist.
Phase Three: Design of the Optimal Organizational Model and Strategy
The Oshkosh Community has given considerable thought to different economic
development organizational models and seeks the one which achieves the
greatest success as efficiently and effectively as possible. This includes a variety
of options, such as a centralized city-centric approach, an entity in close affiliation
with the Chamber of Commerce, a county-wide or area-wide agency, service
delivery via an association of public, private and not-for-profit entities, an entirely
independent entity, or a hybrid connecting many stakeholder groups. This phase
will be dedicated to arriving at the optimal economic development structure for the
Oshkosh Community.
Prager Team members have developed or advanced scores of highly respected
economic development organizations, including many different operating models.
We will begin this phase by outlining different models and conveying the more
common pros and cons of each. We will share not just their operating
characteristics, but issues associated with creating them. Taking into account the
community's economic development goals, the compelling and most effective
activities currently underway, the known core competencies and limitations of the
Region's economic development stakeholders, the resources that currently exist,
and other factors, we will recommend the optimal economic development structure
for the Oshkosh Community. The model ultimately recommended will take into
account the known preferences, desires and limitations of the stakeholders, but will
be guided by the Prager Team's organizational knowledge and understanding of
that which will work best and be most sustainable in the Oshkosh Community.
The Prager Team will outline key facets of the optimal organizational model. This
includes Board/Leadership Make-Up and Authority, Core Partnerships, Strategies
in Essential Areas, Accountability Measures and Means for Communication and
Transparency. The Prager Team will recommend responsibilities for various
economic development stakeholders, including justification for their involvement
(particular expertise, leverage, etc.) and means to encourage their participation.
Based on analyses performed within the broader community, the Prager Team will
recommend current resources to use to achieve the economic development goals
of this organization and its stakeholders. This will be supplemented by the Prager
Team's knowledge of other funding mechanisms and cost-effective in-kind
assistance. The intent will be to leverage that which may be available, while
eliminating existing inefficiencies or over-burdening those already contributing via
direct or indirect support. In addition to the design and strategy for the optimal
economic development organization, the Prager Team will outline steps which may
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Oshkosh Economic Development Study
be necessary to transition the existing structure and economic development efforts
into this more collaborative, integrated, efficient and effective model. The intent will
be to avoid unnecessary disruption or upheaval, and ensure commitment and
continued involvement of essential public, private and not-for-profit economic
development partners.
Time permitted, the Prager Team will review findings from the ongoing marketing
planning effort as well as the pending target cluster study (assuming it is not
performed by the Prager Team). Appropriate findings will be incorporated into the
Prager Team's recommendations provided schedules of these other efforts align
with the Prager Team's engagement.
The process undertaken by the Prager Team will be an engaging one. Throughout,
the Prager Team will be informing those involved as to the importance of
undertaking economic development in a highly professional and systematic way.
Insight imparted during these conversations will help to justify eventual
recommendations.
In addition to this less formal process for imparting insight and justification, the
Prager Team will assemble and lead a roundtable discussion once draft
recommendations are developed. The roundtable will be with various economic
development professionals.
Subsequent to these sessions, the Prager Team will finalize its recommendations
for delivery to the Oshkosh Common Council. Should it be necessary and
appropriate, the Prager Team will provide an interview with media in consultation
with the City.
Optional Phase Four: Direct Implementation Assistance
The Prager Team is exceedingly well versed in the formation and launch of
economic development organizations. This expertise and hands-on implementation
support frequently sets us apart. Should it be necessary and desired, the Prager
Team is prepared to provide direct implementation assistance to the City of
Oshkosh, working closely with all essential players to assemble and launch the
optimal, well-embraced structure and processes.
Our hands-on work serves multiple purposes. First and foremost, it helps bring
community and regional stakeholders, allies and contributors together in a
disarming fashion not easily accomplished without impartial, expert assistance.
Our efforts seamlessly transition from plan to action so that momentum is not lost
and interest does not erode. In addition to our partner development and
organizational melding efforts, we spend considerable time developing the tools
and mechanisms necessary to perform effectively and in a fashion that instills
confidence and lasting support.
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Oshkosh Economic Development Study
It is premature to scope the actual implementation role of the Prager Team.
However, provided below is a partial list of task-specific services we frequently are
asked to perform in an interactive, partner-engaged fashion:
• Draft detailed rules of engagement for information sharing, lead management
and other interactive processes
• Develop project management processes and tools
• Develop communication tools and actual messages to be conveyed to the
varying audiences
• Create service agreements and MOUs to ensure accountability
• Develop clear, agreed upon performance metrics and processes for evaluating
both output (effort) and outcome (results)
• Craft a line item budget for all economic development initiatives
• Devise source-specific funding and fundraising approaches specific to the line
items
• Advise on proper financial tool and incentive utilization, alignment, monitoring
and measurement
• Develop customized transition strategies for each organization where change
may be required
• Deliver customized training for economic development professionals
• Facilitate other mock site selection drills to educate economic development
professionals on the process and priorities, and to examine responsiveness
• Provide detailed orientation to elected leaders to ensure funding commitment
and continued support
• Form and launch effective, function-specific working committees to engage
leadership in meaningful, valuable, albeit not overly time-consuming, ways
• Help forge well working public-private partnerships beyond those in place
• Perform objective, impartial satisfaction surveys (post-organization change) to
stakeholders, existing businesses, external investors served, elected leaders
and others
• Monitor the evolution of the organizational transformation at key (often three to
six month) intervals and provide guidance and support as needed
Should it be deemed necessary to form a new organization, the Prager Team is
prepared to lend direct support here as well. Examples of the Team's value-added
services include:
• Craft by-laws and/or other enabling legislation for the new entity
• Lead all necessary incorporation or legal formation matters
• Determine the optimal Board of Directors structure, and guiding the selection
process
• Determine processes for task delegation and management
• Develop clear, definitive job descriptions for all individuals involved in the
economic development process
• Lead executive recruitment and/or senior management recruitment and hiring
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Oshkosh Economic Development Study
Ill. TIMING, COMMUNITY INTERACTION AND DELIVERABLES
This project is expected to commence in late July 2012 and conclude no later than
December 2012, with a preferred completion November 2012. This assumes all
meetings are scheduled expediently on the Prager Team's behalf, requested
information is provided quickly, and no delays are caused beyond the control of the
Prager Team. Should Prager Team involvement be sought beyond December
2012, or should additional meetings or presentations be required during the core
project months, an agreed upon fee-for-service will be negotiated.
In addition to essential interviews, the Prager Team commits to four meetings
during this project. They are: 1) initial project kickoff meeting, 2) economic
development practitioner roundtable, 3) presentation to the Oshkosh Common
Council, and 4) presentation of final report to key stakeholders. In addition, the
Prager Team will provide regular status updates to the Oshkosh City Manager's
team and update the Working Group as appropriate.
At project conclusion, the Prager Team will submit its report detailing the
organizational model and strategies recommended, along with supporting
materials including identification of data collected and best practice
recommendations. Three copies will be provided -- one bound, one unbound and
one electronic. Provided below is an estimated project timeline. The timing
provided is for illustration purposes only as actual timing is subject to change.
• Phase One: Macro Strategy Compilation and Stakeholder Evaluation
(Months One & Two)
• Phase Two: Identification and Recommendation of Best Practices
(Month Three)
• Phase Three: Design of the Optimal Organizational Model and Strategy
(Months Three & Four)
It is anticipated that preliminary findings will be discussed in Month Two, the
Economic Development Practitioner Roundtable will be performed in Month Three,
and a presentation to the Oshkosh Common Council will be given in Month Four
with the final plan delivered soon thereafter.
IV. PRAGER TEAM QUALIFICATIONS
Prager Company, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank and Schneider Consulting
routinely address the sorts of issues confronting the Oshkosh Community. We
marry economic development know-how, business strategy, process improvement
and site selection with years of organizational development and re-engineering on
behalf of Government, the private sector, and public-private partnerships. The
results speak for themselves, not merely in the plans and partnerships we devise
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Oshkosh Economic Development Study
and facilitate, but in the thousands of jobs, millions in investment and other major
economic benefits they have generated.
Regional Organizational Development
Prager Team members have created or enhanced some of the Nation's most
effective regional collaboratives. We routinely harness the inherent strengths of
communities and their service providers by creating unified, well-partnered
economic development. While we work nationally, among our most impactful work
is in the Midwest, particularly in manufacturing-oriented communities. The
formation of World Business Chicago in Metro Chicago and the Economic
Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana in the Evansville area are two such
examples. With our strategic and organizational guidance, both required
consolidation and evolved from poorly aligned regions into integrated, job and
investment-generating economic development stalwarts. Recent work by NGKF to
build a public-private coalition in an attempt to avert the Janesville GM plant
closure and spearheading of Be Bold Wisconsin demonstrate our application of
organizational know-how into results in challenging environments. The Prager
Team's organizational development approach is customized, hands-on, process
driven and founded on benchmarking, intelligence and analytics. Developing
effective collaboratives is the norm. Because even the best strategies can be
short-lived without the right assurances, the Prager Team is expert in developing
tools and tactics for accountability and transparency. Because effective economic
development is a shared accomplishment, we devise strategies for shared credit.
And we routinely uncover financial and atypical resources which alleviate undue
pressure on traditional sources. In addition to that stated, Prager Team members
have performed regional work centered around: Muncie, IN; Fort Leonard Wood,
MO; Montgomery, AL; Pittsburgh, PA; Ann Arbor, MI; St. Paul, MN; Cleveland, OH;
Northeastern WI; and many more.
Corporate Site Selection and Business Strategy
The Prager Team is steeped in site selection experience and business strategy,
having guided investment decisions of hundreds of corporations in dozens of
economic sectors throughout the U.S. and around the world. Prager Team
members are often called upon to use their corporate lens to position economic
development entities for business attraction, retention and expansion success.
Investment decisions are not merely predicated on physical attributes, but on the
conduct, collaboration and service quality of those attempting to influence them.
Prager Team members work to address this. Past corporate initiatives of Prager
Team members include AK Steel, AM General, Best Buy, Disney, Gap, 3M,
McDonnell Douglas, Nabisco, Sherwin Williams, ThyssenKrupp AG, TWA, United
Airlines, United Telecom, Wausau Insurance, and rapid response in an attempt to
avert closure of GM in Janesville.
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Oshkosh Economic Development Study
Integrated Public-Private Partnership
The Prager Team knows economic development is a team sport, with each player
embracing his role and delivering on it. We begin by thoroughly understanding the
needs of existing and prospective businesses, then work to ensure that the
structure, strategies, tools, processes and means for accountability are in place to
address them. On many occasions, this requires that focus or responsibilities
realign to achieve desired results, rather than shifting priorities to avoid adjusting
pre-existing structures or tactics. Our team is not only adept at defining the optimal
roles of the professional economic development organizations, but also harnessing
the value of government departments, workforce providers, utilities, transportation
entities, K-12 educational institutions, higher education, business associations, the
financial sector, real estate providers, public libraries, philanthropy and others
essential but often overlooked or undervalued.
Wisconsin Experience and Reputation
The Prager Team is well versed in economic development in Wisconsin. NGKF
recently completed a sweeping competitiveness study of Wisconsin's economic
development and organizational structure, capabilities and opportunities for
advancement. This evolved into hard-hitting strategies for service delivery, policy,
programming, partnership and collaboration. This effort, known as Be Bold
Wisconsin, is deemed a defining piece of work which may elevate economic
development across industry sectors and throughout the State. In addition, team
members are completing a Global Trade
Strategy in NE Wisconsin and have
performed location analyses and strategic EXPERTISE
plans in cities and counties around the Organizational Analysis
State. When including our dozens of site Business Process Improvement
selection and corporate strategy Turnkey Organizational Creation
engagements, few can claim the
Public-Private Partnership
Wisconsin knowledge and experience of Cutting Edge Strategic Planning
the Prager Team.
Regional Alignment
V. PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS Creative Financing Solutions
Community Capacity Building
Adam Prager, President of Prager Corporate Site Selection
Company, will serve as project manager Incentive and Program Development
and primary client contact. Mr. Prager will
spearhead development of all Consensus and Ownership Building
recommendations and the majority of
interaction with key stakeholders. Phil Schneider, President of Schneider
Consulting, will lead examination of the location's organizational responsiveness
from a business need and site selection perspective, facilitate mock site selection
drills, and provide market-perspective justification for the ultimate organizational
structure recommended. Cathy Katona (and Mike Kirchhoff if needed), Prager
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Oshkosh Economic Development Study
Company Associates, will perform key outreach and research, exemplary U.S.
organization information gathering, and support of the organizational and strategic
analyses. Bob Hess, Executive Managing Director for Consulting at Newmark
Grubb Knight Frank, will provide insights and input regarding essential core
competencies based on vast site selection and corporate experience in Wisconsin
as well as throughout the Nation.
Prager Team members have worked together for years, commencing with the
collaboration on dozens of economic development and corporate clients while at
Fantus Consulting and later Deloitte and Touche. Prager Team members average
over 15 years of economic development and site selection experience. They have
formed award-winning organizations, served as senior-level practitioners, trained
the Nation's economic developers, and know Wisconsin quite well. Bios can be
found in the Appendix.
VI. PROJECT COST AND AUTHORIZATION
The fixed project cost, inclusive of professional fees and project expenses
(incurred at the Prager Team's discretion), will be $74,700. Invoices will be
submitted to the City of Oshkosh in four payments as follows: $20,700 at project
authorization, $18,000 at month two, $18,000 at month three, and $18,000 at
project conclusion. Invoices are to be paid upon receipt.
The proposed scope of work and corresponding timing represent the Prager
Team's attempt to address the needs of the City of Oshkosh. Please contact
Adam Prager of Prager Company at (847) 475-1045 if modifications to this
proposal are needed.
This proposal serves as a contract for the services described. To authorize this
work, please countersign, scan and return this proposal electronically. Thank you
for this exciting opportunity. We look forward to working with the City of Oshkosh
Sincerely,
i/44( oteji*
Adam J. Prager
PRAGER COMPANY
Acknowledged and agreed to this h day of v 2012.
CITY OF OSHKOSH
By: .V,/,y� . f
Prager Team Page 10
APPENDIX
A. SAMPLING OF PROJECTS
B. TEAM MEMBER BIOS
APPENDIX A: SAMPLING OF PROJECTS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Client Consulting Effort and Organization Accomplishments
o . - ►N Created Metro Chicago's internationally recognized, awardwinning organization
:. —iN Landed the corporate headquarters of Boeing, Miller Coors,Groupon,generated
-` -,. more than 100,000 jobs,spearheaded logistics for recent NATO Summit
Rt> ,s, 001 Formed four-county regional collaborative,today considered perhaps Indiana's best
„ .' € w Evolved into a highly successful job creating,fundraising machine benefiting every
county in the Region
; 1, , .P� . g """ , ON Designed investment-generating Industrial Corridors and creative financing
4!°" ' ■N Became this distressed Region's economic catalyst, added jobs, membership and
s : funding exponentially,and the unified voice for regional transformation
x
" —►N Implemented governmentbusiness collaboration and a targeted incentive program
- -►N Led to major automotive industry expansions in Thailand's Eastern Seaboard
�� and elsewhere
"a' — ►N Led strategic/organizational enhancement
= �� --)+ Streamlined processes with efficient programmatic utilization
—►N Via creative funding,formed EDC in economicallychallenged region. Recruited
heavy-hitting President
—►N Restored community excitement and genuine public/private/not-for-profit linkage
`,. —i* Turned struggling entity into a highly successful, force for regional development
t 3Y T317 231
� - 3 t- , ' �1 ." - - -►►I Saved Continental Tire's thousands of jobs. Expanded Magnum Steel plant,
�s � developing an industrial park
4 '° IN Created GAGE,a downtown development corporation and technology incubator
,1 , , 1 I 1,1 Spearheading downtown rebirth, revitalizing retail, attracting major events via this
f,' `" multi-purpose entity
_. ,, —�N Instilled western marketing culture and incentives into a traditional regional
a� organization in Japan's Hyogo.Prefecture
> ,£. , , —►N Restored corporate confidence and attracted considerable postearthquake
investment and jobs
Developed cutting edge strategies founded on public-private collaboration
` ; '42,',',....„.., �, i ►N Became award-winning rural, regional entity recognized nationally
` ,� I Turnkey creation of a public-private entity leveraging State and philanthropic dollars
� t, �` and Defense installation commitment
4 ^,� {� �tl 1 ►►I Became the portal for defense based economic development, provider of first ever
�"a" regional impact funding,and umbrella entity for regional-state-federal programs
ADDITIONAL PROJECTS
Service Client
• Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission (WI)
• Greater Cleveland Industrial.Trade Alliance (OH)
• Vision 2000 (Evansville Area, IN)
• City of Denver Mayor's Office (CO)
• Be Bold Wisconsin, State of Wisconsin
• Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce (AL)
Strategic Planning • Navajo Nation Economic Development Department
• Indiana Economic Development Corporation
• Metro East Development Council (St. Paul, MN)
• Penn Southwest(Pittsburgh, PA)
• Metro Augusta Chamber of Commerce (GA)
• San Antonio Economic Development Foundation (TX)
• Savannah Economic Development Authority (GA)
• Eastmoor Village Redevelop Corporation (Columbus, OH)
• Mayor's Office, City of Chicago (IL)
• Maryland Dept. of Economic & Employment Development
• Illinois Department of Economic Opportunity
• Martin County Alliance for Economic Growth (IN)
Organizational • Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville (IN)
Development • Tulsa Chamber of Commerce (OK)
• Greater Evansville Chamber of Commerce (IN)
• Rhode Island Department of Commerce
• Oklahoma Gas and Electric
• Radius ! Indiana (South Central Indiana)
• Washtenaw Development Council (Ann Arbor, MI)
• Norton Air Force Base (San Bernardino, CA)
• Fort Leonard Wood Region (MO)
Defense-Related • Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center Region (S. Indiana)
Economic Development • New London Submarine Base (New London, CT)
• Badger Army Ammunition Plant(Baraboo, WI)
• Naval Air Warfare Center(Indianapolis, IN)
• Riverbank Army Ammunition Plant (Riverbank, CA)
• AK Steel
• AM General
• Andersen Windows
• Circuit City
• Nabisco
• Janesville GM
•Corporate Site Selection BOC Group/Ohmeda Medical
and Strategy • Capital Group
• Sprint/United Telecom
• United Feather and Down
• TWA
• Nestle
• Rhode & Schwarz Electronics
• Matrixx Marketing
• ThyssenKrupp AG
APPENDIX B: TEAM MEMBER BIOS
Adam Prager, President, Prager Company
Adam Prager is the founder and President of Prager Company. He will serve as
Project Manager and will be integrally involved in all facets of this engagement. Mr.
Prager has over 25 years of experience in economic development as adviser to
leading organizations and a State Government practitioner. He has considerable
experience in facility site selection, previously as a member of Fantus Consulting,
the nation's oldest corporate site selection firm (now a part of Deloitte Consulting).
Government and economic development entities, particularly those committed to
regionalism, have recognized Mr. Prager's work publicly for its ability to coalesce
those of differing viewpoints and enact change where needed the most. Since
1998, Mr. Prager has managed Prager Company and delivered lasting value to
clients on hundreds of projects. Organizations formed by Prager today are
recognized models for stellar economic development. Prior to launching Prager
Company, Mr. Prager was a leader of Deloitte & Touche Fantus Consulting's
Economic Development Services. He joined Deloitte to create the firm's first-ever
economic development practice and led activities in the Midwestern U.S. and Asia.
Mr. Prager has advised many national, state, regional, county, city, utility and real
estate organizations on myriad strategic economic development issues including:
organization formation and improvement, creative financing, business climate
enhancement, business attraction planning and implementation, business retention
and expansion, workforce development, industrial park development and
promotion, industry clustering, market intelligence and data mining, investment
incentive utilization, international expansion, entrepreneurship, economic impact
and cost-benefit analysis, and policy development. Mr. Prager has provided
economic development consultation to government and private sector entities in
North America, Europe and Asia. He has led a wide variety of assignments in
Canada, Denmark, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Portugal, Sri Lanka and
Thailand including those for the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.
And he has served on corporate site selection teams in regions throughout the
United States. Prior to entering private consulting, Mr. Prager was head of
Marketing Resources for the Maryland Department of Economic and Employment
Development where he co-managed investment attraction.
Mr. Prager has published articles for the International City Management
Association, the World Bank, Area Development magazine, Corporate Facilities
magazine and Economic Development Review. He has been quoted in numerous
publications, including: Area Development Magazine, Charlotte Observer, Crain's
Chicago Business, Midwest Real Estate News, Plants, Sites & Parks Magazine,
Tampa Tribune and the Washington Post. He has written a book chapter for the
International City and County Management Association, penned "how to" guides
for location marketing and development, and been a guest speaker for the World
Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and many U.S. and overseas development
organizations. He holds a Masters Degree in City and Regional Planning and a
Masters Degree in Public Management both from Ohio State University, and holds
a BS in Environmental Science from the University of Delaware.
Phil Schneider, President, Schneider Consulting
Phil Schneider has over 25 years of management consulting experience in
corporate global location strategy, site selection, incentives negotiation and
economic development strategy. He spent seven years with Fantus Consulting,
followed by 18 years with Deloitte Consulting's Strategy & Operations practice.
As a Director with Fantus Consulting and as a Partner with Deloitte Consulting,
where he led its Location Strategy and Global Expansion Optimization groups, Mr.
Schneider conducted nearly 400 engagements for clients in heavy manufacturing,
high technology, headquarters, R&D, call center and shared services. He
developed corporate location strategy and selection decision processes; screened
and analyzed countries, states, and cities; developed operating costs and business
condition benchmarking models; and led corporate negotiations for government
incentives and real estate acquisition. Some of Mr. Schneider's past clients are
Amgen, Apple Computer, Bosch, Bridgestone, Caterpillar, Concentrix Solar,
Elkhem Solar, Gap, Genentech, HP, Hyundai, John Deere, Johnson & Johnson,
Kellogg, Kimberly-Clark, Land's End, Mattel, Michelin, Morgan Stanley, Nestle,
nVidia, Pratt & Whitney, Q-Cells Solar, Raflatac, Renewable Energy Corporation,
Republic Steel, Soitec Semiconductor, Synthes, ThyssenKrupp and Toyota.
Mr. Schneider has worked throughout the U.S. and much of the world. He has
examined locations and business costs and conditions of nearly all industrialized
countries and his on-the-ground analyses and incentives and grants negotiations
includes that in: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Czech
Republic, Denmark, England, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea,
Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, South
Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Wales.
In addition to his corporate work, Mr. Schneider has created economic
development strategies on behalf of the States of Michigan and Wisconsin; many
U.S. cities including Colorado Springs, Fort Worth, Milwaukee, New Orleans and
Tulsa; and a number of utilities. He is exceedingly well versed in international
economic development, having advised the Investment Support and Promotion
Agency of Turkey, Ministry of Economic Development Italy, Cadilla Special
Economic Zone (India), Invest Northern Ireland, Invest Hong Kong, Invest in
Denmark, Japanese External Trade Organization, Enterprise Cape Breton Nova
Scotia, Enterprise Saint John New Brunswick, the Greater Halifax Partnership and
the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. Mr. Schneider has
authored numerous articles and white papers on corporate location strategy, site
selection and foreign direct investment. He regularly speaks at conferences and
facilitates round table discussions on these topics, is frequently interviewed by
newspapers and business publications for his expertise in these areas, and has
advised the White House on the Federal Government's role in attracting foreign
direct investment. Mr. Schneider earned both his BA and Masters degrees from the
University of Wisconsin after serving six years in the U.S. Navy.
Bob Hess, Executive Managing Director, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank
Mr. Hess leads the Consulting Group at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank Global
Corporate Services and is responsible for strategy development, quality assurance
and leading business development activities on a global basis. Prior to joining
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, Mr. Hess was a Leading Partner in Cushman &
Wakefield's Global Business Consulting Group based in Chicago and Founder of
the firm's Global Supply Chain Solutions consulting practice. Other past
experience includes his role as a Lead Partner with Deloitte & Touche for 18 years
in their Fantus Locations Strategies service line, a specialty consulting practice
known for industry leading strategic facility planning, location strategy, site
selection and corporate real estate advisory services. Other strategy and
operations experience includes distribution network optimization, manufacturing
rationalization and consolidation, relocation feasibility, strategic cost reduction,
large capital investment program management, commercial and industrial site
evaluation and due diligence methods, detailed labor market/workforce analysis,
and complex financial incentive negotiations.
Select occupier clients include A.K. Steel, American Tool, Andersen Windows,
AMWAY/ABG, Best Buy, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Circuit City, Copperweld/LTV,
Dillards, Disney, Enbridge, Entergy, Gander Mountain, Gap Inc., Georgia Power,
Johns Manville, Kikkoman Foods, Kmart/Sears, Leedsworld, 3M, McDonnell
Douglas, Nestle Nutrition, Nestle Prepared Foods, Novartis Biotech, Novartis
Pharmaceuticals, Office Depot, Pechiney, Radio Flyer, Sherwin Williams,
ThyssenKrupp AG, TriZetto, Urban Science and Wausau Insurance.
Mr. Hess earned his BA in Economic Geography/Urban and Regional Planning,
cum laude from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and an MBA in Marketing
Management from DePaul University in Chicago. He attended Northwestern
University in Chicago completing Executive Development Programs in Global
Supply Chain Management and Factory Physics/Lean Manufacturing and recently
MIT for Creative Problem Solving/System Dynamics. Mr. Hess is also a Dale
Carnegie University Effective Speaking Graduate and has conducted over 100
public speaking engagements on Foreign Direct Investment, Investment and
Location Selection Trends and Sales/Marketing Tools and Techniques for
Business Development. Mr. Hess is a member of CSCMP, IAMC, CORENET and
a Board Member of Area Development Magazine.
Michael Kirchhoff, Associate, Prager Company
Mike Kirchhoff has over 20 years of economic development experience in strategic
planning and organizational reengineering and management. He has served in
many capacities at the county, state and regional levels. His economic
development background includes positions with Illinois State Government, Illinois
Power Company, the Indianapolis Partnership, Jacksonville and Tuscola, Illinois,
and with the city of Kansas City, Missouri. In Indianapolis and Kansas City, Mr.
Kirchhoff served as Vice President overseeing critical areas of location promotion,
business development and organizational change. While he has considerable
urban experience, Mr. Kirchhoff is a recognized expert in the economic
development consulting of rural areas.
Mr. Kirchhoff specializes in strategic planning, targeted business attraction,
business retention, program funding, community coalition building and
organizational development. He is a frequent public speaker on these topics and is
the author of articles, handbooks and related literature. Mr. Kirchhoff is a seasoned
economic development leader, having served as Executive Director for two
economic development corporations in Illinois. As Executive Director of the
Jacksonville Economic Development Corporation, Mr. Kirchhoff revolutionized the
way this regional organization performed economic development, formed creative
financing tools, and received national awards from IEDC in the areas of marketing
and business attraction. Mr. Kirchhoff serves in a leadership capacity for several
economic development associations and is a Certified Economic Developer with a
BA in Economics and a BS in Business, both from Eastern Illinois University.
Catherine Katona, Associate, Prager Company
Cathy Katona has 15 years of experience providing program design, project
implementation and training to non-profit, governmental and institutional entities.
Ms. Katona focuses on bridging the gap between planning and implementation of
strategy by working with clients in capacity assessment, organization building, best
practice benchmarking, and providing group training and one-on-one mentoring.
Ms. Katona's area of expertise is community and regional economic development;
establishing creative approaches to empower geographies.
Ms. Katona has led consulting engagements in many U.S. cities and overseas,
including Europe, Africa and New Zealand. She has worked closely with local and
regional leaders of public-private organizations and government to implement
business, community and economic strategies. Ms. Katona has worked extensively
with associations in organizational development and program design. She has
assisted civic groups at all levels, from start-ups to long-established state-level
chambers. By calling upon exemplary models of success, she guides organizations
through processes to strengthen programs and delivery systems. Her work spans
that for the Washington D.C. Chamber of Commerce to economically-challenged
neighborhoods of urban Chicago to country-level support in African nations. Prior
to consulting, Ms. Katona served as Vice President and Senior Director of
Professional Development at the International Economic Development
Council. There she designed and managed the professional training and
certification programs currently used as the benchmark for regional and local
practitioners throughout the U.S. and beyond. Within the first four years of
establishing the IEDC education program, over 2,500 professionals attended at
least one of the ten courses developed and managed by Ms. Katona. She holds a
Masters of Arts in Brain and Behavior Neuroscience from Michigan State
University and a BA in Music from Smith College.