We are currently requesting qualifications and pricing from professional service providers to provide contracted legal, accounting, marketing, and human resource consulting services to small business owners as a part of the Small Business Initiative (SBI), in partnership with the City of Akron, Akron Urban League, and Western Reserve Community Fund.

This project is one arm of a recently announced collaborative effort that aims to strengthen and grow Akron’s small businesses through technical assistance, business and financial counseling, and access to affordable professional services. The Small Business Initiative launched in 2024, when Bounce, Akron Urban League, and Western Reserve Community Fund partnered to amplify existing support measures for small businesses, with particular emphasis on the needs of Black entrepreneurs, in an effort galvanized by a $750,000 contribution from the City of Akron.

For its role in SBI, Bounce provides administrative management to the process of providing small businesses served by partner organizations with access to free or significantly discounted professional services. To fulfill this responsibility, we seek professional service providers that satisfy the below requirements.

• Employ personnel that have acquired expertise, technical skills, and certification or professional licensure (if applicable) in legal, accounting, marketing, and human resource consulting services
• Have a strong commitment to providing high-quality services to all clients
• Utilize ethical pricing models for service delivery
• Have experience serving the unique needs of entrepreneurs
• Possess the cultural competence necessary to serve a diverse population
• Have a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy and/or deploy company-wide DEI initiatives

Qualified providers will have demonstrated experience, expertise, technical skill, and certification or professional licensure (if applicable) in the practice of legal, accounting, marketing, and human resource consulting. Response packets should include a detailed service delivery narrative and cost quotes on a per project and/or hourly basis. Furthermore, substantive confirmation of a commitment to DEI-aligned practices and initiatives, or adherence to a DEI policy, is required.

Deadline to submit applications is July 12, 2024 at 5:00 pm EST

Completed materials (or any questions) should be submitted to:

Emmanuel Hilton
ehilton@bouncehub.org