Plan Sought To Bring Oneida County Natives Back Home

What keeps you here, in the Mohawk Valley? If you'd moved away, what would bring you back?

Oneida County is planning to launch a marketing campaign that would bring home some who've left the area looking for better opportunities. Specifically, their target is those who've found work, but who can work 'remotely.'  In many cases, that means they can work from home and aren't required to report to a physical location. If successful, county officials hope the program dubbed RECONNECT will be a thin silver lining from the devastation caused by COVID-19.

“As this important initiative progresses, we are looking for a dynamic marketing plan that will target those Oneida County natives who have left the area and have the ability to work remotely, so that they can come back home,” Picente said. “While this pandemic has drastically impacted our lives in many negative ways, this will serve as a positive opportunity to reunite former residents with their family and friends and strengthen our local economy.”

The county is seeking RFP's from marketing firms for a six-month campaign that would launch next month. RFP's must be received by the Oneida County Department of Planning by 2 p.m. on Sept. 25, 2020. Specifications can be requested by calling 315-798-5710, or requests can be mailed to the Planning Department at 123 Main Street, Utica, NY 13501.

A release from Oneida County also noted:

Oneida County is also partnering with the Mohawk Valley Community College thINCubator, the AFRL-Information Directorate and the Griffiss Institute to utilize hand-picked hometown ambassadors who will work with potential applicants to connect them with the area’s growing intellectual and high tech assets, assist in relocation services, identify possible financial incentives and engage them with desirable co-working space that will enable them to link up with like-minded individuals.

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