International Landing Zone

The MEDC is seeking proposals from one or more bidders to provide assistance in establishing regional International Landing Zone sites within Michigan, for the purpose of providing tenant-ready locations, programs, and resources for the purpose of attracting international defense and aerospace companies into the State of Michigan.


Background

ODAI’s mission is to catalyze growth across Michigan’s defense and aerospace sectors by advancing industrial capacity, innovation, and research. Its strategy is organized around three core lines of effort (LOE): 

  • LOE 1: Foster Business Growth: Drive attraction and retention of high-impact companies and projects.
  • LOE 2: Amplify Michigan’s Unique Advantages: Integrate, activate and expand the state’s unique capabilities, assets and resources.
  • LOE 3: Set Conditions to Advance Innovation: Increase the state’s capacity to accelerate applied R&D, innovation, and technology commercialization.

As a part of this mission, the International Landing Zone program is an initiative that aligns with LOE 1 as the goal of the International Landing Zone program is to drive business attraction of high-impact, international companies into the State of Michigan. An International Landing Zone site is a location where an internationally based defense and/or aerospace business may obtain a temporary, short-term (up to six (6) months) operating office for the purposes of exploring market fit within Michigan enabling connectivity with key defense and aerospace stakeholders and the broader ecosystem within Michigan. This arrangement supports a given internationally based company’s ability to unlock business development support resources within the State and further supports a given company’s ability to develop a more informed business plan, model, and decision regarding additional operations establishment and growth within Michigan.

It is the MEDC/ODAI’s intent to identify and make one or more grant awards to LEDO(s) that will be able to develop and execute programming focused on establishing and operating International Landing Zone site(s) within Michigan.

Timeline:

  • May 5, 2026 – RFP release
  • May 19, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. – Questions from potential bidders are due via email to [email protected]. Please note: The MEDC will not respond to questions that are not received by the above date and time. In addition, questions that are phoned, faxed or sent through regular mail will not be accepted.
  • June 2, 2026, by close of business – Responses to all qualifying questions will be posted on this webpage.
  • June 12, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.: – Electronic versions sent separately of each of your Technical Proposal and Price Proposal due to the MEDC via email to [email protected]. Proposals will not be accepted via U.S. Mail or any other delivery method.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Questions regarding the RFP should be sent to: [email protected].

RFP Section

Click here to view the full details of the RFP.