The PA Wilds Center for Entrepreneurship seeks proposals for the front-end design and launch of a managed retail Marketplace service solution.

The ideal Marketplace proposal will be a hosted platform that is a SaaS customized for one url specific to the PA Wilds Center’s brand needs, a commission-based model and feature robust Marketplace functionality.

Timeline: RFP Sent: February 28, 2020
Responses Due: March 30, 2020 (COB)
Work to start: late April 2020
Goal for site launch: April 2021 (to include maker onboarding and site testing)

Please download the full RFP here to review project scope, goals, budget, requirements, how to apply, and background information.

About This Project

As identified in the PA Wilds Center’s 2018-2020 Strategic Plan, the long term goal of the Center is to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem tied to the region’s lifestyle brand and public lands that moves $4million annually in local products and services and helps rural businesses and communities to thrive.

We are excited to be launching an online maker marketplace to support this growing ecosystem. 

The selected vendor will be responsible for building a robust maker marketplace tied to the Pennsylvania Wilds brand where makers can manage and sell from their own “shop”.  Allowing each maker to upload their own product images and descriptions, sell quantities based on their available stock, and drop ship from their locations. The system will be set up so that the PA Wilds Center will earn a small commission on each sale; however, the makers control product selection, quality, and shipping. 

This platform will be working in tandem with other projects to help our entrepreneurial ecosystem grow,  including our professional development cohort – PA Wilds PACE, the opening of the PA Wilds Media Lab and expansion of our brick-and-mortar presence with a new location at Leonard Harrison State Park. 

PA Wilds Center is seeking a vendor that is willing to build a relationship around our marketplace with a shared vision of building local wealth, investing in underserved communities, and helping to strengthen market opportunities for rural entrepreneurs. 

This project is supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) to accelerate the growth of the Pennsylvania Wilds entrepreneurial ecosystem.