Building Your
Response Team
AND GUIDING THEM TOWARD A SUCCESSFUL SITE VISIT
To get to the
site visit … first
comes the RFI
Consider this a site’s resume
that you are putting together.
You want to highlight the site
and your community in the
best way possible.
Be prepared

SelectKentucky.com

Very tight timeframes

Be organized
To get to the
site visit … first
comes the RFI
Know your sites

Distances to highways, rail, airports
and river ports

Utility providers, capacity and rates

Permitting process and potential
restrictions

Engineering or environmental
reports
To get to the
site visit … first
comes the RFI
Documentation

Photos – aerial, street level

Maps – utilities, topographical,
FEMA floodplain

Property plat and/or site layout

Spec building drawings

Site analysis
To get to the
site visit … first
comes the RFI
Responding to the RFI

Use reliable data sources

Be consistent

Be honest

Answer all the questions

Provide all requested documents
Who Belongs
On The
Response
Team?
Truly, any EXPERT that will be
able to assist with professional
information which addresses
the prospect’s concerns
and/or questions regarding
the location of their business in
your community.
Consider it from a “needs
assessment” point of view.

Site/Building

Workforce Training

Education

Trusted Advisors

Existing Industry – your best
sales people

Local Government &
Departments
Response Team:

The group of community leaders who work together to
assist their professional economic developer while
working a project.
WHY?

To validate your sales pitch.
Workforce Training
Education
Trusted Advisors

Technical College

Post-Secondary

Finance/Banking

WIB

Primary

Accounting

Successful User


Insurance

Josh Benton 
Specialized
Education

Attorney
Local Government
Existing Industry
Site/Building

Judge Executive

CEO/Plant Managers

Engineering

Mayor

Human Resources

Construction

Permits/Licensing

Suppliers

Ownership

Inspection Dept.

Customers

Utilities
Utilities

Utility Partners need to be prepared well in advance

It is important that each provider know the location, sizes, and capacities
of their facilities available for this specific site

The following items should be prepared well in advance

Map illustrating location of facilities

Letter of commitment from provider

The cost and time to serve must be included

The prospect needs will determine which utility partners will need to be
present during a visit

Also note that Energy providers typically have a robust array of ED
resources
Utility Provider
Letter of
Commitment
The water system currently has the capacity to serve the property with at least 300,000 gallons per day (gpd), with
an estimated maximum of 1,000,000 gpd with no infrastructure improvements. Seneca Light and Water
A 12 Inch Ductile Iron Water
Water Utility Provider Example
no water improvements are required to serve
BEST PRACTICES:

Do the job ahead of time.
Absolutely NO first-time meetings in front of the prospect!!!!!!!!!

Meet regularly with your “Response Team.”

Ensure your message is consistent.

Tell the Truth
… but make sure Joe from the water department doesn’t
mention that one time…..
A final request from the Cabinet

If your community is hosting a site visit organized by the
Cabinet, please remember that we are your partner in
this opportunity.

Maintain confidentiality

Stick to the schedule

Discuss incentives before the visit