Understanding the importance of speed to market for companies looking at a new location, the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation (GFMEDC) backed by FOF, led the region’s first Document Ready Site Program. With several document-ready sites (also referred to as shovel-ready or certified-ready) in our region, businesses can get to work faster. 

The GFMEDC has worked with multiple partners to build the program and qualify sites across the region as document ready, which means that a significant amount of pre-work, identification and location of utilities, and technical reporting on the properties is complete. 

For example, to be deemed document ready, a site has completed a litany of technical work such as soil surveys, environmental assessments, wetlands mapping or endangered species assessment. The more technical reports completed, the higher the document ready certification – Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze. 

The GFMEDC worked with global site location consultant, Phil Schneider, Schneider Consulting, to develop this program. Schneider has reviewed and designated each site based on the appropriate level of data provided. 

The GFMEDC is continuing to work with regional partners to prepare additional. The region has two document ready sites covering more than 300 acres and six proposed sites.