Please review and respond to the following Request for Proposal from the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development. This RFP can be shared with interested parties. A copy of this RFP may be downloaded here: Agricultural Survey and Enterprise Inventory Request for Proposals

Purpose 

The intent of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is for the County of Loudoun, Virginia to obtain firm fixed price proposals from qualified firms with specialized expertise in agricultural economic analysis and survey research. The selected firm will design and implement a comprehensive agricultural property survey and enterprise inventory of Loudoun County’s agricultural and equine sectors for the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development (“DED” or the “Department”). 

Background Information 

Overview of the Solicitation 

The County of Loudoun, Virginia (the “County”) is soliciting quotes from qualified offerors to provide the County with a comprehensive agricultural survey and enterprise inventory of Loudoun County’s agricultural and equine sectors. This project will provide granular, up-to-date data beyond the USDA Agricultural Census, offering a more localized and detailed understanding of working lands utilization within Loudoun County’s rural policy area. The study will establish a baseline for measurement, inform strategic initiatives, and strengthen the county’s commitment to preserving its rural heritage while supporting agricultural and agritourism business growth. 

Overview of the Economy of Loudoun County 

Loudoun County maintains a unique dual identity as both a technology hub and a significant agricultural region. The county’s rural western areas preserve a rich agricultural and equine heritage that contributes substantially to the local economy through direct production, agritourism, and ancillary businesses. The agricultural and equine sectors face ongoing pressures from development, changing market conditions, and evolving consumer preferences. However, these sectors remain vital to Loudoun’s economic diversity, quality of life, and cultural identity. The county’s proximity to the Washington, DC metropolitan area provides unique market opportunities for agricultural products, agritourism, and equine activities. It is a high priority for the County to support business retention and expansion in the agricultural sector while preserving farmland and elevating the county’s agricultural and equine heritage. 

Scope of Services 

All proposals must be made on the basis of, and either meet or exceed, the requirements contained herein. All contractors must be able to provide at a minimum, but not be limited to, the following: 

Project Timeline 

The timeline to complete the overall project with final deliverables is approximately seven months from the effective date of Agreement for Service. The expected timeline is outlined below: 

Phase	Timeline	Deliverable
Contract Award & Kickoff	October 14, 2026	Kickoff meeting completed
Stakeholder Identification and Instrument Design	November 2026	Survey Instruments designed, stakeholders and outreach channels identified
Stakeholder Outreach & Communication	November 2026 – December 2026	Engage with stakeholder organizations to communicate survey plan and importance
Individual Outreach and Data Collection	January 2027 – March 2027	Survey instruments deployed, data collected
Data Analysis	March 2027 – April 2026	Integrated dataset and preliminary analysis
Draft Report & Presentation	May 1, 2027	Draft report submitted to DED
Project Completion	May 28, 2027	Final report and all deliverables

General Requirements and Tasks 

The contractor will prepare a comprehensive report providing the Department of Economic Development with a detailed survey and enterprise inventory of Loudoun County’s agricultural and equine sectors. The selected contractor should thoroughly explain their survey and inventory methods while being creative with their data collection strategies to maximize participation and data quality. The contractor shall integrate existing local datasets with their work. The scope includes identifying and resolving gaps in agricultural operation classification, validating mapped parcels through aerial imagery and local outreach, and producing deliverables that support future census and outreach efforts. All work shall be documented, with both raw and clean datasets provided, and processes designed for repeatability and cost efficiency. 

During the course of completing the project, the Contractor shall: 

1. Review relevant prior work related to agricultural economic development and previous studies provided by DED. 

2. Review contextual information about government policy and programs at the local, state and national level.  

3. Conduct stakeholder outreach with county staff, agricultural businesses, advisory boards, trade associations, and individual farm operators to ensure comprehensive participation and data collection. 

4. Design and implement survey instruments tailored for small, medium, and large agricultural and equine operations, utilizing digital, physical, and interview-based collection methods. 

5. Create an inventory of businesses including suppliers, service providers, equine facilities, contractors, and other ancillary agricultural businesses. 

The final deliverables shall provide the following components: 

1. A comprehensive report with survey results: 

1. Survey data capturing land use including forestry, farm operations, crop/livestock/equine production, employment, revenues, and services across Loudoun County.
 

2. Cross-sector integration of agricultural and equine data providing a holistic picture of the rural economy. 

3. GIS mapping to identify geographic clusters, land-use trends, and spatial patterns of agricultural activity.
 

4. Comparison of results against prior studies and regional/national benchmarks to identify patterns and opportunities. 

5. The deliverables will include extensive data within the report’s content and appendix, and in separate data files where possible. 

2. An executive briefing and stakeholder presentation designed to communicate key findings to Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, DED leadership, the Economic Development Authority (EDA), the Rural Economic Development Council (REDC), and other stakeholders. 

3. Public-facing materials including a summary document suitable for distribution and marketing that highlights the economic importance of Loudoun’s agricultural and equine sectors. 

Request for Proposals 

Please respond with a proposal having up to twenty pages, including: 

1. Description of project plan and proposed deliverables. Please describe the approach the contractor intends to follow to design survey instruments, conduct outreach, collect data, perform enterprise inventory, and deliver a comprehensive report. Include methodology for maximizing survey participation across diverse agricultural operations. 

2. Description of the firm’s experience and capabilities in conducting agricultural surveys, enterprise inventory studies, and survey research, particularly in rural/agricultural contexts. Please include 1-3 case studies about projects completed by the contractor having comparable scope and scale to this proposed project. While the details of such projects may be confidential, the case studies should provide enough content to be illustrative of the contractor’s methodology and analytical capabilities. 

3. Timeline to complete the project, including key milestones and deliverables aligned with the project timeline above. 

4. Approach to responding to feedback and requested edits from DED to ensure final deliverables are truly complete. 

5. Project team member(s) and credentials, including relevant experience in agricultural economics, survey research, and GIS analysis. 

6. An all-inclusive fixed price, to include all deliverables, data collection activities, analysis, and meetings with Loudoun County staff. The proposed project price shall represent the complete and final total for the entirety of the work product. The maximum budget for the project is $95,000.00 

Evaluation Criteria 

The following criteria will be used to evaluate which of the responding proposals presents the best value: 

Criterion	Weight	Description
Technical Approach & Methodology	25%	Quality and feasibility of survey design, data collection methods, and economic analysis approach
Experience & Qualifications	25%	Demonstrated expertise in agricultural survey work, economic analysis, and relevant project experience
Project Management & Timeline	20%	Proposed timeline, project management approach, and ability to meet deadlines
Cost Effectiveness	20%	Total project cost and value proposition relative to scope of work
References & Past Performance	10%	Quality of references and demonstrated success on similar projects

Submission Requirements 

Project Manager 

Please send questions and responses via email to Chris Blosser, Business Development Officer for Agriculture and Business Services of Loudoun Economic Development, at chris.blosser@loudoun.gov. 

Proposal Timeline 

Milestone	Date
RFP Released	September 2, 2026
Deadline for Questions	September 14, 2026
Deadline for Proposals	September 21, 2026
Selection/Contract Award	October 7, 2026

Other 

1. Please include in all responses any terms, conditions or standard contracts/agreements that are required for your services. 

2. Your response must also include a current, signed W9 so that your company can be processed as an approved vendor of Loudoun County. This project will be paid using a purchase order issued through Loudoun County. 

Next Steps 

After receiving responses, the Department will narrow the selection to at least three respondents, who will attend separate introductory meetings (virtual or in person at Loudoun Economic Development’s offices) for questions, clarification, and familiarity before further internal discussions and a final decision. All decisions and final timelines are subject to the purchasing and procurement rules of Loudoun County, but the Department’s goal is to have a purchase order in place to begin work in November, 2026.