Rhode Island Commerce Issues RFP to Assist Small Business Districts Most Vulnerable to Floods

Published on Thursday, December 05, 2024

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Rhode Island Commerce Corporation has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking a qualified firm to assist in the development of assessments and remediation plans for small business commercial districts (Main Streets) in Rhode Island most vulnerable to severe weather events, coastal erosion, and floods.

In August, Rhode Island Commerce announced the new statewide initiative, called Ready, Set, Rhody, had been awarded federal funding. The selected firm will work with Rhode Island Commerce and the Rhode Island Division of Statewide Planning to provide targeted infrastructure vulnerability assessments, including information for municipalities on specific “hot spots” and ways to increase resilience for those areas.

“In Rhode Island, we’ve seen the devastating impact that floods and extreme weather can have on small businesses and local economies,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Ready, Set, Rhody is about taking action to protect jobs, businesses, and the communities that depend on them.”

“With Ready, Set, Rhody, we’re working to ensure that the state’s most vulnerable business districts are able to adapt to increased severe weather events associated with climate change,” said Secretary of Commerce Liz Tanner. “These remediation plans will be instrumental to the long-term economic resilience and success of our communities.”

“With 400 miles of coastline and almost 1,400 miles of river, climate resiliency is essential for every community in Rhode Island,” said Meredith Brady, Associate Director of Statewide Planning for the State of Rhode Island. “Programs like Ready, Set, Rhody provide a lifeline to our commercial districts by helping our small businesses withstand the force of extreme weather.”

In 2019, the Division of Statewide Planning published the Risk Reduction For Small Business Resiliency in Rhode Island report, which created tailored risk prevention guides and vulnerability checklists for small businesses. The Ready, Set, Rhody project builds on this effort to provide municipal infrastructure assessments and recommendations to further support small business resilience.

Based on number of businesses in the coastal or inland flood plain in a municipality’s defined Main Street business district, this RFP will target the following vulnerable Main Street districts:

  • Newport (Thames Street)
  • Westerly (Downtown)
  • Warren (Water Street)
  • North Kingstown (Wickford)
  • Providence (Olneyville & Valley)
  • Bristol (Thames Street)
  • Warwick (Apponaug)
  • Block Island/ New Shoreham (Downtown)
  • West Warwick (Arctic)
  • South Kingstown (Peacedale)
  • Portsmouth (Island Park)
  • Smithfield (Esmond/Smith)

Proposals will be accepted through January 6, 2025. For more information on RFP-2344 (Ready, Set, Rhody Vulnerability Assessments), click here.

Ready, Set, Rhody is funded by the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, the State of Rhode Island and competitive grant funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration.

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