Statewide Market Development Platform

The Vendor is required to provide maintain a statewide market development platform providing on-line support services and resources to innovators and communities working on waste prevention, reuse, repair, recycling, and organics management projects.
- Provide a Circular Accelerator Program offering networking, technical assistance, business development assistance, pitch development, and culminating a pitch competition. This programming is offered to innovative or expanding businesses and community projects involved in waste prevention, reuse, repair, recycling, and organics management.
- Provide grant support to provide assistance and lower barriers for statewide waste prevention, reuse, and recycling grants. 
- The support includes outreach about grant opportunities, assistance during the application period, and technical support to recipients of statewide grants to ensure effective and efficient use of grant funds. When funding is available, the Contactor will be responsible for developing strategies that provide equitable opportunities for businesses, communities, universities, and startups.
- This Statewide Market Development Platform will offer and manage the following:
•    A Statewide Market Development Platform providing on-line support services and resources to innovators and communities working on waste prevention, reuse, repair, recycling, and organics management projects.
•    Circular Accelerator Program offering networking, technical assistance, business development assistance, pitch development, and culminating a pitch competition. This programming is offered to innovative or expanding businesses and community projects involved in waste prevention, reuse, repair, recycling, and organics management. 
•    Grant Support programming (funding dependent) will establish a system to provide assistance and lower barriers for statewide waste prevention, reuse, and recycling grants. The support includes outreach about grant opportunities, assistance during the application period, and technical support to recipients of statewide grants to ensure effective and efficient use of grant funds. The Contactor will be responsible for developing strategies that provide equitable opportunities for businesses, communities, universities, and startups.
- Those materials will be available to trade organizations, non-profits, industry groups, businesses, community-based organizations, tribal organizations, universities, and research institutions. 
- This will also include expanding programing and partnerships directed at alumni of previous NextCycle state participants and other organizations involved in waste reduction. 
- Responsible for collecting existing information and resources as well as completing research efforts that support the platform and Circular Accelerator Program.
- Will manage the online Statewide Market Development Platform, including upgrades and improvements to the online platform, including: 
•    Ongoing website development and updates to content, including translation or transcreation requirements.
•    Working with the guidance committee on platform improvements and accessibility.
•    Staff will engage in annual strategic planning to evaluate community engagement efforts to date and develop strategies for continuous improvement and enhanced network coordination and support.