The site selection process is unique for every business. Perhaps you’ve heard about North Carolina from a customer or supplier who is already located in the state, or you’ve seen one of our advertisements or trade show exhibits.
No matter how your project originates, in our experience the site selection process usually involves the following steps:
- Project assignment –Most companies designate a core project startup team with members from personnel, finance, operations, and sales and administration. This team develops a timeline and defines the type of location to consider.
- Develop a business plan – This crucial step many times goes overlooked. A good business plan serves not only as a road map for success, but turns your vision into a working model.
- Initial contact with the N.C. Department of Commerce – Contact one of our economic developers for confidential site selection assistance. We’ll listen to your needs, do a comparative analysis, and help you weigh important factors including:
- Follow-up response – Based on your unique specifications, we prepare a customized plan including proposed locations with the qualities you are seeking and provide a statewide perspective of resources available.
- Site visits – We build a network and work together with you as a team to help coordinate all aspects of your visit to the state. This service includes having local developers, allies and partners on hand to answer your questions and maximize your time as you visit selected locations.
- Making the cut – We help narrow your alternatives by scheduling repeat visits if necessary and bringing the appropriate local consultants into the process to draw up your “short list” of options.
- Final negotiations – We assist with final issues from permits to financing to research partnerships by coordinating all the appropriate resources within the selected community.
- Post-Decision support– Our job continues even after the deal is closed. Our ongoing support can help with labor force issues, including recruiting, screening and training services, infrastructure issues and other needs in your community as you grow and expand.