Nonprofit Legal Services for Finger Lakes ON-RAMP

Agency:	RochesterWorks
State:	New York
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541110 - Offices of Lawyers
Posted Date:	Oct 27, 2026
Due Date:	Nov 6, 2026
Original Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
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Description

ADDED: October 27, 2026

Request for Proposal | PDF

Questions or requests for clarification must be submitted no later than Wednesday, October 28th, 2026.

DUE: Friday, November 6th, 2026, no later than 12 PM.

Contact Jeanette Koncikowski

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ROCHESTERWORKS, INC.

Request for Proposal

Nonprofit Legal Services for Finger Lakes ON-RAMP (One Network for Regional

Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships)

Issued October 21, 2026

Procurement milestone

RFP released

Questions due

Proposals due

Staff recommendation to the Board

Anticipated award announcement

Anticipated contract execution

Service start

Date /time

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

Friday, November 6, 12:00 p.m. (noon)

Tuesday, December 1, 2026

Thursday, December 3, 2026

Tuesday, December 15, 2026

Thursday, December 17, 2026

PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE ABOVE.

Submit electronically to Jeanette Koncikowski, Project Management Consultant, at

jeanette@thrivecommunityconsulting.com

1. Background and Purpose

Background

RochesterWorks, Inc. (RWI), a nonprofit organization, is seeking proposals for legal

consultation for the startup and launch of a new 501(c)(3) connected to the Finger

Lakes One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (“FLX

ON-RAMP”) initiative. RWI is located at 100 College Ave., Suite 200, Rochester, New

York 14607. Additional information is available at https://rochesterworks.org.

Purpose

The One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Partnerships (“ON-RAMP”)

program is a $200 million investment to help fund and realize a network of four new

workforce development centers in strategic, high-impact locations in Upstate New York.

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The primary goal of ON-RAMP is to connect diverse and skilled New Yorkers with

careers in dynamic, high-growth advanced manufacturing industries.

With a flagship location in Syracuse, New York State is funding three additional

ON-RAMP initiatives. In February, 2025, the Finger Lakes Region (comprised of nine

counties in the Greater Rochester, NY, region) was awarded a planning development

grant from New York State Empire State Development (“ESD”). Throughout 2025, a

coalition led by Monroe Community College and RochesterWorks engaged in a

strategic planning effort to develop an FLX ON-RAMP Business Plan that was centered

on using the Finger Lakes Workforce Development Center (FWD Center) at Monroe

Community College’s (“MCC”) downtown campus as the region’s main training hub for

careers in advanced manufacturing, with RochesterWorks being responsible for

participant recruitment, career navigation, and supportive services. RochesterWorks

recently received an implementation award from ESD through the Office of Strategic

Workforce Development to support capital and operating activities associated with the

initiative.

The FLX ON-RAMP initiative will serve as a regional hub for advanced manufacturing

workforce development in the Finger Lakes region. The initiative intends to:

● Increase access to advanced manufacturing careers;

● Coordinate workforce training and supportive services;

● Build partnerships with employers and training providers;

● Support underrepresented populations entering manufacturing careers;

● Coordinate implementation of startup activities, facilities buildout, staffing,

branding, operations, and reporting;

● Establish a new independent FLX ON-RAMP 501(c)(3) organization to ultimately

govern and operate the initiative, with RochesterWorks and the MCC FWD

Center as primary partners.

The goal is for the new 501(c)(3) to file all necessary paperwork with the New York

State Charities Bureau and the Internal Revenue Service by the end of March 2027.

2. Organizational Structure and Mission

FLX ON-RAMP will fulfill its mission as a regional gateway to advanced manufacturing

career pathways by assessing job seekers' skills and needs and connecting them with

the opportunities and resources they need to succeed.

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To do this, FLX ON-RAMP will be governed by an independent 501(c)(3) organization,

led by a board of directors with industry, community, and workforce development

expertise. At least 50% of the board will be comprised of industry representatives.

RochesterWorks is currently the fiscal sponsor for FLX ON-RAMP until it establishes its

independent nonprofit and builds the necessary organizational infrastructure and

capacity to implement the Empire State Development grant award. A FLX ON-RAMP

advisory board currently exists and will transition some members to the 501(c)(3) board

when it is established. The advisory board will collaborate with the project management

team (comprised of RochesterWorks and MCC personnel and project consultants) and

the selected law firm to ensure all 501(c)(3) startup requirements are met, including

drafting and approving the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and meeting the filing

requirements for EIN and tax-exempt status promptly.

FLX ON-RAMP will hire a full-time Executive Director and additional staff (initially as

employees of RochesterWorks) to collaborate with workforce development partners as

well as industry and community representatives to ensure outreach, awareness, and

relevant offerings. The FWD Center will be the physical home of FLX ON-RAMP’s

training programs through a to-be-negotiated space and equipment sharing lease

agreement with MCC. The FWD Center will serve as the primary training partner, with

additional specialized courses and training supports provided by external partners.

RochesterWorks will be co-located on-site beginning in 2027. They will work with FLX

ON-RAMP to create recruitment pathways and coordinate social and supportive

services for FLX ON-RAMP program participants from training through career success.

3. Scope of Services

The selected law firm will work closely with RochesterWorks leadership, their project

management consultants, MCC, Empire State Development, and other stakeholders to

support the establishment of the FLX ON-RAMP 501(c)(3) as a New York State

nonprofit organization.

Services may include, but are not limited to:

● Entity formation: Drafting, reviewing, amending, and ultimately filing the

organization’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. RochesterWorks and its

project management team, along with the FLX ON-RAMP advisory board, will be

consulted and will collaborate to complete all required paperwork.

● Compliance and registration: State charitable solicitation registration, state tax

exemptions, and initial business licensing.

● Tax-exempt status: Prepare and file IRS Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ (if counsel

can document eligibility for the streamlined form) for establishment of 501(c)(3)

status.

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● Startup governance consultation: Provide consultation as requested to the initial

board of directors or project management team on required NYS charitable

policies to ensure they meet all legal requirements and best practice standards

(e.g., conflict of interest policy, whistleblower policy, sexual harassment policy,

etc.)

● Fiscal Sponsorship/Pass through agreement: Consulting with the FLX ON-RAMP

board of directors and RochesterWorks, Inc. staff and leadership and drafting

and revising, as needed, a fiscal sponsorship/pass through agreement that

outlines the working relationship of the parties and the timeline/conditions

needed for a change of status to a fully independent 501(c)(3). These terms and

conditions may include direction and/or approval from Empire State Development

as the initiative’s primary funding source.

4. Contractor Responsibilities, Deliverables, and Desired Qualifications

Contractor Responsibilities

In addition to the contracted services, the selected contractor will be required to:

● Maintain internal procedures that ensure budget control, prompt billing, and

quality control, including but not limited to auditing invoices.

● Provide regular status reports as agreed upon to provide timely updates

regarding the progress on all projects.

Deliverables

Expected deliverables include:

● Preparing and filing Articles of Incorporation.

● Preparation of bylaws for adoption by the authorized governing body.

● Preparing and filing IRS Form 1023 or Form 1023-EZ (if counsel can document

eligibility for the streamlined form) for 501(c)(3) status.

● Preparing and filing state charitable solicitation registration, state tax exemptions,

and initial business licensing.

● Obtaining an EIN.

● Post-filing support for up to six months, built into the cost proposal at an hourly

rate.

● Reviewing initial organizational policies including but not limited to Conflict of

Interest, Whistleblower Policy, Nepotism, and Non-Discrimination and

Anti-Harassment Policy.

● Preparing a fiscal sponsorship/ pass though agreement between

RochesterWorks, Inc. and FLX ON-RAMP.

Desired Qualifications

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The ideal law firm will demonstrate experience in:

● Nonprofit and/or startup launch development, including strong working

knowledge of federal and state tax codes governing 501(c)(3) organizations.

● Expertise in drafting bylaws, managing board conflicts of interest, establishing

fiduciary duties, and organizing appropriate legal structures.

● Knowledge of state charitable solicitation registration laws, commercial

co-ventures, and federal or private grant compliance.

● Employment and labor law, discrimination protections, risk management, and

volunteer liability.

● Familiarity with the Finger Lakes nonprofit sector and/or workforce development

systems.

RochesterWorks is committed to promoting economic growth through the inclusion and

utilization of diverse businesses. We strongly encourage proposals from certified

Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) and Service-Disabled

Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOBs). Each respondent must submit an

MWBE/SDVOB Participation Plan identifying its own applicable New York State

certifications and each proposed certified subcontractor or supplier. For each

participating firm, identify its certification number, proposed scope, dollar amount,

percentage of the proposed award, and evidence of its agreement to participate.

Separately identify M/WBE and SDVOB participation and distinguish prime-contractor

self-performance from subcontracted work and third-party purchases.

Participation credit is subject to ESD verification and applicable counting requirements.

The selected contractor’s approved commitments will be incorporated into the contract.

The contractor must provide monthly participation and payment information, supporting

documentation, and advance notice of proposed substitutions or reductions in

committed participation.

5. Contract Term, Budgets, Procurement Schedule, and RFP Conditions

Contract Term

The initial contract term is expected to run from December 15, 2026 through September

30, 2027. A separate contract for up to four one-year renewals for ongoing legal

services may be released later. It will be based on funding availability, satisfactory

contractor performance, and successful negotiation of contract terms. An award does

not guarantee a minimum expenditure amount.

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This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

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Nonprofit Legal Services for Finger Lakes ON-RAMP

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