Application Acceptance Periods
Level 1 Cultivator Application — June 19, 2024–June 30, 2024
Make an appointment to drop off the app by calling (614) 387-5479, between Monday, May 22, 2024 and Friday June 2, 2024. Applications and Fees have to be hand delivered in person or by representative directly to the Ohio Department of Commerce Medical Marijuana Control Program.
The application will consist of two sections, Section 1 and Section 2. Attachments need to be included following cover pages. The application you submit needs to consist of the following:
- One copy of the applicant’s application must be submitted on standard 8.5 X 11 white paper.
- Two standard CD-R or DVD-R (Read Only and No Write), each of which must contain as separate files, a digital copy of Section 1 and a digital copy of Section 2 of the application in PDF form.
- The application fee.
APPLICATION FEES:
Level 1 fee is $20,000. Each 10(B) applicant will be required to pay $5,000 per license application. The fee is not refundable. There is no fee to apply for a dual-use license.
Forty Level III cultivator licenses and 50 dispensary licenses will be issued to applicants with a preference to participants of the Cannabis Social Equity and Jobs Program.
Disclosure of Application Information
Clearly mark every page that has trade secrets on it with the words “TRADE SECRET” and or “INFRASTRUCTURE RECORD” capitalized, underlined and bold in 20 point type. Include a statement that acknowledges that the State of Ohio does not assume liability for the use or disclosure of unmarked trade secret info.
Fill out “Trade Secret and Infrastructure Record Notification Form,” specifying the app pages that are to be restricted and justify why they are to be restricted.
Provide the Statute and Legal Precedent that backs up that the Trade Secret is in fact a trade secret. (HAVE YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL DO THIS). We must DEFEND anything we believe is a trade secret.
Identifiable Information
An application is PROHIBITED from including any identifiable info in Section 2. To assist with exclusion of info, the Division of Cannabis Control has provided 2 forms:
- Form 11 — Owners and Officers Roster
- Form 1P — Entity Identifier Legend to designate non-identifiable reference terms that will maintain anonymity of the applicant
In SECTION 2, points will be deducted for every instance of the following identifiable info that is found to be:
- Individual, entity, or university names
- Personal and/or business addresses, or individual components of an address, which includes numbers, cities, counties, municipalities, etc.
- Personal or entity identification numbers
- Contact info
- Company logos, trademarks, or other identifying marks
If ten points or more are deducted because of Section 2, your application will be thrown out. An applicant that exceeds five instances where identifiable info is included in Section 2, will be denied.
TAKEAWAY: Don’t include any identifiable info of any kind in Section 2 of the app. Include all identifiers in Section 1 using the IDENTIFIER LEGEND FORM and ENTITY IDENTIFIER LEGEND provided in Form 11 and Form 1P.
Elements of the Application Package
Section 1:
- Notarized Cover Sheet — Must be completed and notarized. It must state that “The applicant, other owners, and officers associated with the applicant understand that they WILL be responsible for the representations on the form.”
- Checklist — For use as a guide for the applicant
- 1A Business Entity and Contact Information Form — Includes key info that will be used for filing and tracking purposes.
- 1B Liquid Assets Form — Must be completed and notarized.
- 1C Financial Responsibility-Insurance — Must be completed and if insurance is available, insurance docs need to be attached.
- 1D Financial Responsibility-Escrow/Surety — Form must be completed. Escrow or Surety Bond must be obtained by the time the applicant is ready to receive approval for a Certificate of Operators License (initially you get a provisional license, as a probationary stage, then after 1–3 years, you get your official license, which is called the Certificate of Operators License.) This form is to certify the ability to obtain one of these financial securities.
- 1E Property Owner Approval of Use Form — Form must be completed. This form is to ensure that the applicant is either the owner of the proposed facility or has a lease agreement with the property owner.
- 1F if 500 Foot Compliance Page — Compliance with this cover page includes providing an attachment of a map which identifies the surrounding area around the facility and ensures the neighboring structures are not on the list of prohibited facilities, or if they are, then they are 500 feet or more away. A satellite image and/or street map is permissible, but must be clearly labeled and legible.
- 1G Notice of Proper Zoning Form — Form must be completed. The purpose of this form is to ensure the applicant has reviewed local zoning issues and has communicated with local zoning officials. Form must be signed by a local zoning representative.
- 1H Zoning Permit Cover Page — Compliance with this cover page includes providing an attached copy of any approved zoning permit.
- 1I Owners and Officers Roster Form — Must be completed. This form must list all owners, officers, and/or anyone with a financial interest in the operation. PLEASE NOTE: For each name on the list the application must include a corresponding copy of Form 1K.
- 1J Organizational Chart Cover Page — Compliance with this cover page includes providing an attached organizational chart. The chart needs to indicate positions of any officers identified in 1I and 1K.
- 1K Individual Background Information Form — Form must be completed for each person listed on 1I.
- 1L Business in Other Jurisdictions Form — Must be completed. Shows applications business history and certifies no owner or office has a revocation or suspension for anything anywhere anytime.
- 1M Copies of License From Business in Other Jurisdictions Cover Page — Must be completed. Attach respective licenses for any business identified in 1L.
- 1N Tax Payment Records Cover Page — Include tax summaries for the past three years for anyone associated with the company that has more than a 1% financial interest.
- 1O Disadvantaged Group Applicant — Certifies whether the applicant comes from a disadvantaged group.
- 1p Entity Identifier Legend — Complete this form to assign a non-identifiable term to an otherwise identifiable entity in SECTION 2. Applicants must use these terms when referring to these entities in SECTION 2.
- 1Q Trade Secrets and Infrastructure Record Notification — Specifies pages of app that are to be restricted and also must include justification of the trade secret designation for each item
Section 2:
Section 2 includes the following. All elements of this section MUST BE ANSWERED WITHOUT THE USE OF ANY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION:
- 2A Business Plan — Maximum of 15 pages. Must include the following:
- Applicant’s experience in any type of business environment
- Establish the Business Model for the cultivation facility
- Demonstrate the ability to operate the facility, which includes steps taken with local authorities
- 2B Operations Plan — Maximum 30 pages. Must include the following:
- Experience in agriculture/cultivation
- Proposed cultivation methods and techniques
- Product timeline and production schedule
- Marijuana cultivation area layout and environment
- Proposed strains to be cultivated
- Standard operating procedures and staffing models
- EVERY subsection in 2B must be noted by the applicant
- 2C Quality Assurance Plan — Maximum 30 pages. Must include the following:
- Plan for packaging and labeling that will comply with Division 3796
- Propose the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other production control factors
- Submit an inventory control plan
- Establish disposal and destruction procedures for BOTH medical marijuana and non medical marijuana waste
- Prepare for the handling of adverse events and recall procedures
- Develop a plan for recordkeeping regulatory compliance
- 2D Security Plan — Maximum of 30 pages. Must include the following:
- Establish methods that will be used for security across the proposed facility and during operations, including:
- Surveillance Technology
- Security Measures around the entire structure
- Plot plan and map of entire facility that includes pits of ingress and egress and other restricted areas
- Emergency notification procedures
- Transportation guidelines and policies
- Establish methods that will be used for security across the proposed facility and during operations, including:
- 2E Financial Plan — Maximum of 10 pages. Must include the following:
- Establish the applicant’s ability to meet financial responsibility requirements and to provide a cost breakdown that has been performed as part of a financial plan.
- Breakdown must be clear and well presented.
Mandatory Qualification Criteria
Division of Cannabis Control will only review and score apps that:
- Are submitted during the designated time and with the app fee
- Fully Respond to all mandatory items in SECTION 1
- Do not contain significant inconsistencies or inaccuracies
- Do not contain more than five instances where identifiable info had to be redacted from SECTION 2.
- Include the appropriate number of copies
- Contain ALL required signatures
Evaluation Criteria
- Max score of 100 points
- Minimum score of 60 points, or disqualified.
- Upon tallying of scores and selecting the successful applications, the Division of Cannabis Control shall notify all applicants of their status in writing.
Part 2A Business Plan — Instructions For Formatting
- Part 1 — Experience in Business. Generic, non-specific info on business licenses held by any person associated with the applicant.
- Part 2 —Business Model, 15 pages
Proposed business model demonstrating likelihood of success, sufficient business ability, and applicant experience.
OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT — Provide a plan for generating Ohio-based Jobs and Economic Development Plan (3796: 2-1-03 (C)(1)(b)
Part 2B — Operations Plan, 30 pages
Experience in Agriculture/Cultivation
Demonstration of experience with cultivation of medical marijuana or agricultural/horticultural product, operations experience in the industry, or in horticultural businesses.
Cultivation Methods and Proposed Strains
- Cultivation Techniques
- Documentation of cultivation methods, standards, that will provide steady supply of uninterrupted cannabis
- List of Strains with estimated cannabinoid profiles, including high CBD ones.
- OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT — Write up a detailed proposal for scientific research.
Production Timeline and Schedule
- Indicate estimated timeline and production schedule
- Describe how raw materials will proceed from assignment of plant identifier to shipment to dispensary or processor. All steps in SOP’s
- Indicate estimated time elapsed for each area of production and each process involved at that stage of production in SOP form preferably.
Marijuana Cultivation Area Layout and Environment
- Facility Specs including cultivation environment, layout of marijuana cultivation area (grow tables, etc.)
Standard Operating Procedures — SOP’s and guidelines for:
- Cultivating
- Propagating
- Vegetating
- Flowering
- Harvesting
- Include safety protocols and equipment
- OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT — Environmental plan to go green
Staffing and Training
- Staffing and Training Guidelines
- Facility Staffing and Employment Matters
- Employee Training
- Employee Compliance
- OPTIONAL EXTRA CREDIT — Plan of Action to inform, hire, and educate minorities, women, veteran, disabled persons, and Ohio residents
2C Quality Assurance Manual, 30 Pages
Part 1 Packaging and Labeling
Part 2 Production Control
Part 3 Inventory Control
Part 4 Disposal and Waste Removal
Part 5 Adverse Event and Recall Procedures
Part 6 Record Keeping and Regulatory Compliance
2d Security Plan, 30 Pages
Part 1 Surveillance Technology and Physical Security
Part 2 Security and Transportation Policies and Procedure
Part 3 Facility Plot Plans and Specifications
Part 4 Emergency Notification Procedures
2E Financial Plan, 10 Pages
Part 1 Funding Analysis- Breakdown of the applicants actual and anticipated sources of funding
Part 2 Operating Expenses Breakdown-Capex
