OCIE SBDC Specialty Center
Request for Proposals

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is being issued from the Orange County Inland Empire Small Business Development Center Program (OCIE SBDC). This RFP is intended to identify local partners to participate in the delivery of high quality services to small businesses and new entrepreneurs allowing them to start and grow businesses, create jobs, increase sales, and gain capital and investment.

Purpose

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is being issued from the Orange County Inland Empire Small Business Development Center Program (OCIE SBDC) hosted by California State University, Fullerton (CSUF-ASC) which, through a shared cooperative agreement with the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), serves as host to the Orange County Inland Empire Lead Center. The Orange County Inland Empire SBDC Network is seeking proposals from business development organizations that have the ability to create a focused specialty center on a key small business need. The OCIE SBDC will fund up to three centers that have a singular focus on one of the following key business areas: Debt Financing, Marketing, Spanish-language start-up/existing business services or Technology. Other key areas of service can be proposed but the need from the business community must be substantiated. Proposals should highlight the work your organization is already doing in these areas and/or how it can grow the SBDC program throughout the region.

Key Dates

RFP Issue Date: Monday, June 26, 2023
Bidders Conference: Monday, July 10, 2023 at 11 a.m.
Letter of Intent to Submit: Monday, July 17, 2023
Proposal Deadline: Friday, August 4, 2023
Notification of Winning Bidders/Notice Posted: Friday, September 1, 2023

OCIE SBDC – Specialty Center RFP

Mike Daniel is the network director of the Orange County Inland Empire SBDC Network, which assists aspiring entrepreneurs and current business owners throughout Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Mike was formerly the director of the SBDC office at Long Beach City College. As business owner and entrepreneur himself, he started his career as the owner of a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory location in Manhattan Beach and went on to open a second location in Long Beach in 2001. In 2007, Mike sold the Manhattan Beach store for an above-market offer then invested in several additional locations as a minority shareholder. Mike further expanded his candy empire with venture located in Shoreline Village in Long Beach called Sugar Daddies Sweet Shoppe, based on fill-it yourself candy options.

Mike has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from California State University, Fullerton.