Level Up: Westfield Sports Innovation Hub Operator RFQ

CITY OF WESTFIELD | LEVEL UP | OPERATOR RFQ
LEVEL UP
WESTFIELD SPORTS INNOVATION HUB
Where sports, technology, and creative industries converge to commercialize ideas.
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
Innovation Hub Operator | Initial Solicitation
Purpose: Identify a shortlist of three to five qualified operator teams.
Stage One focuses on qualifications, relevant experience, team, local presence, and operating philosophy.
Detailed pricing, pro formas, and contract terms will be requested only from shortlisted respondents.
September 2026
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CITY OF WESTFIELD | LEVEL UP | OPERATOR RFQ
0. RFQ SNAPSHOT
Issuing Entity City of Westfield, Indiana
Downtown Westfield Community Development Corporation,
Contract Holder
or its subsidiary
Operator for Level Up: Westfield Sports Innovation Hub, an
Opportunity approximately 19,000 square foot commercialization and
growth platform.
Two-stage selection. This RFQ will identify three to five
Procurement Structure shortlisted respondents. Shortlisted respondents will receive
an RFP and structured interview invitation.
Qualifications, relevant experience, proposed team, local
presence, operating philosophy, and understanding of
RFQ Focus
Westfield's economic development vision and Level Up's
role in the broader ecosystem.
Not requested. Do not submit a detailed price proposal,
Pricing at RFQ Stage
operating budget, or financial pro forma.
Issue Date September 10, 2026
Submit all questions electronically by September 17, 2026
through Form Center * Level Up Westfield Sports Innovation
Questions
Hub Opera. No questions will be submitted through phone
calls or means outside of the form.
Issued no later than September 21, 2026
Addenda / Response to Questions All Addenda will be posted electronically to Request for
Proposals | Westfield, IN
Response Due Date September 29, 2026, Noon EST
Submit Statement of Qualification electronically through
Submission Form Center * Level Up: Westfield Sports Innovation Hub -
RF
1. OPPORTUNITY AND STRATEGIC INTENT
The City of Westfield is developing Level Up: Westfield Sports Innovation Hub as a commercial growth platform
and economic development asset. Level Up is designed to attract, accelerate, and retain growth-oriented
companies at the intersection of sports tech, health &human performance, consumer innovation, wearables,
apparel, product innovation, and the creative economy.
Level Up is not intended to operate as a conventional coworking facility or a broad, early-stage incubator. It will
support companies that have demonstrated traction and a credible path to scale, while connecting them to
customers, capital, talent, higher education, corporate partners, sponsors, mentors, and permanent commercial
space in Westfield.
The strategic goals and performance evaluation of the innovation hub will be set by the City of Westfield
economic development staff, under the guidance of an advisory committee selected by the City.
1.1 Role in Westfield's Ecosystem
* Commercialization platform. Help companies convert traction into revenue, scalable operations, capital
readiness, and durable growth.
* Economic development engine. Generate high-wage jobs, retain talent, increase commercial occupancy,
and move successful companies into permanent Westfield locations.
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* Industry convergence hub. Connect sports technology, sports business, health and human performance,
wearables, consumer products, and creative commercialization services.
* Welcoming front door. Create a professional, service-oriented environment for founders, members,
partners, visitors, and community stakeholders.
* Financially disciplined asset. Build multiple revenue streams, manage expenses and collections, optimize
occupancy, and establish a credible path to positive net operating income.
2. PROJECT STATUS AND ANTICIPATED OPERATOR ROLE
2.1 Facility Development Status
The City, has substantially completed space planning, furniture and equipment selections, and core building and
technology decisions. The Westfield Redevelopment Commission approved a construction contract award and
guaranteed maximum price. Construction will begin September 2026 and be completed in January 2027. These
dates are planning assumptions and may change at the City's sole discretion.
The selected operator will be expected to work within the substantially established physical design. The operator
may collaborate with the City on final operational details, including operating procedures, pricing, technology
integration, vendor procurement, staffing, pre-opening marketing, tenant onboarding, and launch preparation.
2.2 Work Already Underway
The City has begun tenant recruitment, partnership development, operating procedures, and pricing concepts.
City leadership has secured verbal commitments and is negotiating certain agreements with prospective
companies and ecosystem partners. The selected operator will coordinate with the Economic Development
Department to validate, organize, and advance this pipeline.
2.3 Anticipated Scope
Priority Primary Responsibility Why it Matters
Recruit, select, and grow high-potential
1 This is the economic development mission.
companies
Partners, mentors, investors, universities, corporate
2 Build and manage the innovation ecosystem
relationships.
Operate the facility as a financially sustainable
3 Occupancy, leasing, NOI, budgeting, contracts.
business
Deliver programming and entrepreneur Cohorts, education, events, mentorship,
4
services commercialization.
5 Measure outcomes and report KPIs Accountability to the City and continuous improvement.
3. MINIMUM AND PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
3.1 Minimum Qualifications: Pass or Fail
A respondent, or a clearly integrated respondent team, must demonstrate successful experience in each area
below. The City may reject a response that does not provide sufficient evidence of all four minimum
qualifications.
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Minimum Qualification Required Evidence
Evidence of successfully operating an accelerator,
incubator, innovation hub, coworking community,
entrepreneurship program, commercialization initiative, or
1. Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program Experience
similar organization serving growth-oriented businesses.
Include organization name(s), dates of operation,
description of services provided, and client references.
Evidence of measurable outcomes achieved within the
past five years, including examples such as companies
recruited or served, jobs created or retained, revenue
2. Demonstrated Economic Development Outcomes
growth, capital raised, commercialization successes,
business expansions, or business retention. Provide
quantitative results and client or owner references.
Evidence of successful management of a multi-tenant
commercial, innovation, coworking, or mixed-use facility,
3. Facility, Financial, and Operational Management including responsibility for budgeting, financial reporting,
Experience occupancy or leasing, vendor management, contracts, and
facility operations. Include facility size, annual operating
budget, occupancy rates, and years managed.
Evidence of establishing and managing partnerships with
corporations, universities, investors, entrepreneurial
support organizations, public agencies, sponsors, or other
4. Partnership and Ecosystem Development Experience
strategic partners that directly supported business growth
or innovation programming. Include representative
partnerships and measurable outcomes.
Documentation demonstrating the respondent has the
organizational capacity to perform the contract, including
5. Organizational Capacity and Financial Stability organizational structure, key personnel, audited financial
statements (or equivalent financial documentation), proof
of insurance, and ability to enter into public contracts.
Certification that the respondent is authorized to conduct
business in Indiana (or will obtain authorization prior to
contract execution), is in good standing, has no
6. Legal and Regulatory Compliance
unresolved legal actions that would materially affect
contract performance, and can obtain all required
insurance and licenses.
3.2 Preferred Qualifications
* Evidence of successfully operating under contractual performance measures or organizational KPIs related
to business growth, occupancy, financial sustainability, customer satisfaction, economic development
outcomes, or similar metrics. Include sample KPIs and documented performance results.
* Evidence of successfully recruiting, evaluating, and selecting companies or entrepreneurs for participation in
an accelerator, incubator, innovation hub, or similar program. Include the number of applicants evaluated,
companies admitted, selection criteria used, and outcomes achieved by participating companies.
* Experience in sports tech human performance, technology, consumer products, or creative-industry
ecosystems.
* Experience in economic development, business attraction, business retention, talent development, and
company relocation or expansion.
* An established local or regional presence, or a commitment to maintain a dedicated on-site leadership team
in Westfield.
* Experience launching a new facility, integrating pre-existing commitments, and building operating systems
during construction and pre-opening.
* Experience collaborating with municipal government, public agencies, nonprofit entities, or public-private
partnerships.
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4. STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENTS
Responses should be concise, directly responsive, and organized in the order below. The City recommends a
maximum of 12 pages, excluding the cover, resumes, references, and required forms. Respondents may use
appendices sparingly. Marketing brochures may be included only when directly relevant.
Section Required Content
Identify the lead respondent, authorized representative, legal
structure, and any proposed partners or subcontractors.
1. Cover Letter
Confirm acceptance of the RFQ/P process and response
validity for at least 120 days.
Confirm understanding of Westfield's vision, Level Up's target
2. Understanding of Vision companies, and the facility's role in the overall success of the
ecosystem. Identify the most important conditions for success.
Describe the respondent and team, years in operation,
ownership, office locations, financial capacity, and the division
of responsibilities among team members, including brief
3. Firm and Team Qualifications resumes. Provide sufficient evidence to support minimum
qualifications as well as approach to establishing a dedicated
Westfield presence. Respondents must clearly identify the lead
entity and the responsibilities of each team member.
Provide three to five relevant engagements. For each, describe
scope, facility type and size, startup support model, leasing and
4. Relevant Experience revenue responsibilities, outcomes, client contact, and the
respondent's precise role. All preferred qualifications from
section 3 should be addressed here.
In no more than three pages, explain your proposd model and
how the respondent integrates commercialization support,
5. Operating Philosophy
hospitality, leasing, facility operations, partnerships, and
financial sustainability.
Describe relevant corporate, university, sponsor, donor, grant,
6. Partnerships and Networks lender, angel, venture capital, mentor, workforce, and service-
provider networks.
Provide evidence of occupancy, revenue, NOI, retention,
company growth, jobs, capital, partnerships, or other
7. Performance Record
measurable outcomes. Aggregate or anonymized results are
acceptable.
Provide at least three client references. Disclose material
8. References and Disclosures litigation, contract terminations, conflicts of interest, or other
matters relevant to the City's assessment.
Do not submit detailed pricing, a management fee, a five-year pro forma, or proposed contract
terms in the RFQ response. These items will be requested from shortlisted respondents.
5. EVALUATION AND SHORTLISTING
5.1 Initial Responsiveness Review
The city will first determine whether each response is timely, complete, and responsive and whether the
respondent demonstrates all minimum qualifications. The city may request clarification, verify references, or
waive minor irregularities when permitted and in the City's interest.
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5.2 Scored Evaluation
Evaluation Factor Points
Innovation & Entrepreneurship Experience 30
Economic Development Impact 25
Facility & Financial Operations 20
Partnership & Ecosystem Development 15
Organizational Capacity & Compliance 10
Total 100
6. ANTICIPATED TWO-STAGE SCHEDULE
Milestone Anticipated Timing
RFQ issued September 10, 2026
Statements of Qualifications due September 29, 2026
Shortlist announced & RFP Issued to Shortlisted
October 9 or after
Respondents
At least five business days before each scheduled
Written proposals due
presentation and interview
Interviews Weeks of October 26 or November 2
Operator selection and approval (contract execution to
Targeted by the end of November 2026
follow approval)
All dates are tentative. The City may change, extend, suspend, cancel, or reissue any part of the process at its
sole discretion and without liability to respondents.
7. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS AND CITY RESERVATIONS
7.1 Submission
* The City welcomes responses from experienced innovation hub operators, accelerators, coworking and
mixed-use operators, economic development organizations, higher education or corporate innovation
entities, and qualified joint ventures.
* Submit one searchable PDF by the deadline and method stated in the final RFQ.
* Use the file name: [Respondent Name]_Level Up_Operator RFQ.pdf.
* Direct all questions to the sole authorized City contact identified in the final RFQ.
* Do not contact evaluators, elected officials, design or construction team members, prospective tenants, or
partners to influence the selection process.
* Respondents are responsible for monitoring the designated posting location for addenda and changes.
*
7.2 Public Records
The City is a public agency subject to Indiana public records requirements. Respondents should avoid
unnecessary confidential information. Any claimed trade secret or confidential commercial information must be
clearly marked and supported by the specific legal basis for the claim. The City will determine disclosure
obligations under applicable law.
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7.3 City Rights
* Reject any or all responses, in whole or in part, with or without cause.
* Waive informalities or minor irregularities when permitted by law.
* Request clarification, supplemental information, references, interviews, or site visits.
* Verify qualifications, financial capacity, past performance, and disclosures.
* Shortlist more or fewer than three to five respondents.
* Modify, postpone, suspend, cancel, or reissue the RFQ or subsequent RFP.
* Negotiate with one or more shortlisted respondents and decline to make an award.
* Proposals may not be amended after the submittal date unless permitted by the City.
* Respondents bear all costs associated with preparing a response, participating in clarification, and pursuing
this opportunity. This RFQ does not constitute an offer or create any obligation to award a contract.
8. DRAFT RESPONDENT CERTIFICATION
By signing below, the respondent certifies that the information submitted is accurate to the best of its knowledge,
the signer is authorized to bind the respondent, and the respondent has disclosed known conflicts and material
matters that could affect its ability to perform.
Authorized Representative Title
Signature Date
Legal Name of Respondent Primary Contact
Email Telephone
Address City, State, ZIP
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