Cecil County Five-Year Economic Competitiveness Strategy

The Cecil County Office of Economic Development (OED) is seeking proposals from qualified consulting firms to develop a comprehensive 2027–2032 Economic Development Strategic Plan. This plan will serve as a forward-looking roadmap for how Cecil County will strengthen its economic position, support business growth, and enhance quality of life over the next five years.

Working in partnership with OED, the Cecil County Economic Development Commission, business leaders, and community stakeholders, the selected consultant will:

• Assess current economic conditions, trends, and opportunities;
• Identify strategies for business attraction, retention, expansion, and entrepreneurship;
• Evaluate workforce needs and talent development pipelines;
• Analyze key sectors including manufacturing, logistics, life sciences, healthcare, tourism, agriculture, and technology;
• Develop an economic competitiveness strategy that strengthens Cecil County’s position within the region and supports long-term growth;
• Recommend policies and programs to support inclusive, sustainable economic growth; and
• Develop a five-year, measurable implementation framework.

Cecil County places a strong emphasis on expanding economic mobility and opportunities for all residents. The plan should evaluate how proposed strategies, target industries, workforce initiatives, and development priorities can create pathways to upward mobility, improve family stability, narrow opportunity gaps, and increase long-term prosperity.

The final plan should be data-driven, action-oriented, visually compelling, and accessible to a wide audience.

Cecil County is strategically located along the I-95 corridor between Baltimore and Philadelphia, offering access to more than 50 million consumers within a short drive. The County is home to a diverse industry mix including advanced manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, agribusiness, tourism, and professional services. Manufacturing remains a cornerstone of the County’s economic identity, with major employers such as Northrop Grumman, Terumo, Amazon, WL Gore, and numerous precision fabrication, chemical, and materials firms anchoring the industrial base.

In addition to its established strengths, Cecil County is intentionally cultivating growth opportunities in technology and life sciences, leveraging proximity to Aberdeen Proving Ground, regional research universities, and a growing ecosystem of cybersecurity, biotech, and R&D‑adjacent firms in the region. These aspirational industry sectors represent long‑term opportunities for high‑wage job creation, innovation, and diversification.

IDENTITY & MARKET POSITION CHALLENGE

Cecil County occupies a unique and complex place within the Mid-Atlantic region. Geographically and economically, the County sits at the intersection of multiple identities—connected to the Baltimore–Washington corridor, the Philadelphia metro area, the Delaware Valley, and the Eastern Shore, yet not fully belonging to any of them. This ambiguity creates both challenges and opportunities for economic development, industry targeting, and talent attraction.

Cecil County recently completed a marketing assessment that evaluated competitive positioning, branding opportunities, and target audience alignment. The selected consultant will review this assessment during the kickoff phase and integrate key insights into the economic development strategic plan. The full marketing assessment will be provided upon contract award to ensure consistency in interpretation.

The selected firm will work with stakeholders to strengthen the momentum of economic investment in Cecil County and facilitate an integrated planning process that incorporates custom research and analysis, stakeholder engagement, a comprehensive market study and sector-specific insights that will position the county for sustained, reasonable, growth by:

• Defining its economic identity and competitive positioning.
• Clarifying where the County fits within the regional and national economy.
• Identifying its most viable and aspirational industry sectors.
• Developing a compelling, evidence-based narrative that communicates the County’s strengths and future direction.
• Recommending strategies that are innovative, customized, and reflective of Cecil County’s unique context.

For Brief Economic Facts on Cecil County, please click here .