RFP-Impact Assessment of Tourism Attraction and Destination Grant Program

Background
The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation is seeking qualified firms to conduct a comprehensive impact and effectiveness assessment of the New Attraction & Destinations Grant Program. This initiative aims to evaluate recently awarded grants and related tourism development initiatives across the state, particularly in light of a $10.6 million Economic Development Administration grant received in 2021 to enhance the tourism economy post-COVID-19.

Work Details
The scope of work includes:

1. Economic Impact Measurement: Analyze direct visitor spending, calculate indirect impacts, measure induced impacts, develop Rhode Island-specific economic multipliers, and produce geographic heat maps of spending.

2. Visitor Spending Analysis: Track daily visitor spending by category, compare day-trippers vs. overnight guests, analyze domestic vs. international expenditures, use credit card data for trends, and measure impacts on local business revenue.

3. Employment Impact Assessment: Calculate full-time equivalent positions created, assess indirect job creation, track wages and benefits for new jobs, analyze seasonal vs. permanent employment, document workforce skills development, and assess workforce participation rates.

4. Shoulder/Off-Season Analysis: Compare visitor numbers and spending between peak and off-seasons, evaluate winter-specific attractions/events, analyze hotel occupancy/rate changes by season, measure year-round business sustainability effects, and calculate cost-benefit of off-season programming.

5. Return on Investment (ROI) Analysis: Calculate direct ROI for federal dollars invested, measure state/local tax revenue generated, analyze cost per visitor acquisition, and assess long-term economic sustainability of funded projects.

6. Comparative Analysis: Benchmark against similar initiatives in New England states and compare performance with national tourism averages.

Period of Performance
The contract is expected to begin upon approval and be completed within 90 days; all work must be finalized by October 15, 2025.

Place of Performance
The assessment will be conducted across various locations in Rhode Island where the funded projects are implemented.

Bidder Requirements
Proposers must demonstrate organizational capability including relevant experience and qualifications of personnel involved in similar projects. They are required to submit a detailed methodology for their approach along with a budget not exceeding $100,000 that outlines costs associated with specific tasks from the scope of work.