2.1 Project Initiation: The Project Initiation Phase includes conducting a kickoff meeting with ECIA leadership and key stakeholders to confirm project objectives, deliverables, and timeline. The consultant will collaborate with the executive team, including the Executive Director, Special Programs Director, Transportation Director, and board chairperson, to establish a key stakeholder committee. 2.2 Data Collection and Analysis: Conduct a review of existing documents, reports, and data relevant to the ECIA’s operations and regional context. The consultant will also conduct interviews, focus groups, and surveys with COG staff, member jurisdiction representatives, and other stakeholders to gather insights. a. The consultant will work with the executive team to receive the necessary material to review. b. The consultant will provide questionaries to the executive team to conduct surveys for various member groups, including cities under 3,000, cities between 3,000 and 20,000, cities above 20,000, counties, and ECIA staff. c. The executive team will collaborate with the consultant to collect the information, analyze the data, and create the report. 2.3 SWOT Analysis: Perform a comprehensive analysis of the ECIA’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the context of the region’s current and future landscape. The analysis should look at internal and regional factors and consider broader external trends, such as economic, technological, and policy changes that could impact the ECIA. 2.4 Vision and Mission Development: The consultant needs to facilitate discussions with the stakeholder committee to refine or develop the ECIA’s vision, mission, and core values. 2.5 Strategic Priority Setting: Identify key strategic priorities and objectives that align with the ECIA’s vision and mission and ensure these priorities reflect the needs and aspirations of member jurisdictions. These priorities and objectives should be prioritized based on their impact, feasibility, resource alignment, and urgency.
