Oneida County seeks marketing proposals for Reconnect Oneida County initiative

UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. on Monday announced that the county is now accepting marketing-plan proposals for the Reconnect Oneida County initiative.

The project seeks to draw remote workers to relocate to the area.

Oneida County is seeking a marketing firm to develop a six-month campaign scheduled to launch in October. It will target former residents and individuals with ties to the region and develop a website-landing page and intake form that will utilize creative content developed by the county.

“As this important initiative progresses, we are looking for a dynamic marketing plan that will target those Oneida County natives who have left the area and have the ability to work remotely, so that they can come back home,” Picente said. “While this pandemic has drastically impacted our lives in many negative ways, this will serve as a positive opportunity to reunite former residents with their family and friends and strengthen our local economy.”

Picente unveiled the Reconnect Oneida County program in late August, with the goal of making Oneida County a “premiere destination” for remote workers by “leveraging the area’s assets and showcasing its high tech opportunities and its outstanding and affordable quality of life,” per a county news release.

The request-for-proposal (RFP) document must be received by the Oneida County Department of Planning by 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25. The RFP can be viewed here.

Oneida County is also partnering with the Mohawk Valley Community College’s thINCubator; the AFRL-Information Directorate; and the Griffiss Institute to use hand-picked, hometown ambassadors who will work with potential applicants to connect them with the area’s “growing” intellectual and high tech assets; assist in relocation services; identify possible financial incentives; and engage them with desirable co-working space that will enable them to link up with like-minded individuals, Oneida County said.

The next phase of Reconnect Oneida County will target workers from high-growth industry clusters found in other states — which are also growing in the Mohawk Valley — and recruit those who have the ability to work remotely to move to the region.