BOONEVILLE - The TAP Alliance has selected Boyette Strategic Advisors of Little Rock, Ark., to help the three-county coalition develop a strategic plan.

The group's executive board reviewed proposals from five groups Friday, said TAP Alliance President Brandon Grissom of Tishomingo County.

"After scoring them based on the combination of services they had to offer, Boyette came out as the top proposal," Grissom said.

The consulting group is expected to move quickly, meeting soon with the TAP Alliance to answer questions and hear more suggestions from its members, said Gary Chandler, president of Alcorn County's economic development organization.

"We expect the plan will be complete in four to six months," Chandler said. "That's the goal (Del Boyette) has laid out in his proposal.

Aspects of the plan to be developed include:

* Identifying key stakeholders in Alcorn, Prentiss and Tishomingo counties.

* Identifying strengths of the three counties.

* Identifying challenges in meeting the goals.

* Making strategic recommendations that include business recruitment, education, existing industry support and retention, incentive marketing as a region, organizational structure, regionalism, targeted business sectors and work force development.

TAP Alliance will use a $37,300 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, along with $16,050 of its own funds, to pay the $48,500 consulting fee plus expenses capped at 10 percent of that fee, Chandler said.

"They will be engaged in our region and get us a final product pretty quick," Chandler said. "We expect that by Jan. 1, 2011, the TAP Alliance board will be ready to move forward with this plan as a blueprint."

Contact Lena Mitchell at (662) 287-9822 or lena.mitchell@djournal.com