Title
Adopt a Resolution to Approve and Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Consulting Services Agreement with the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce for $62,500 to Support New and Ongoing Economic Development Services
Staffreport
COUNCIL PRIORITY
• COVID Recovery (ARPA Spending Plan)
• Community & Business Development
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached Resolution that would approve and authorize the City Manager to execute a consulting services agreement between the City of San Leandro and the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce for $62,500 to support new and ongoing Economic Development services.
BACKGROUND
The City of San Leandro is continually exploring opportunities to leverage resources in the private sector to advance economic development goals and initiatives. With its membership of San Leandro businesses, the Chamber of Commerce is particularly well-positioned to assist with events and activities that require outreach to the San Leandro business community. With limited staff in the Economic Development Division and a wide range of duties and business needs to address, the Chamber’s assistance is particularly helpful. The proposed Consulting Services Agreement provides for the performance of specific tasks that help to advance San Leandro’s economic development goals during Fiscal Year 2022-2023.
Analysis
Based on discussions between City staff and the Chamber, the parties concur on the following scope of services for the proposed Agreement.
1. Workforce Development
The Chamber champions local people finding employment within multiple industries in San Leandro. Two job fairs will be held throughout the year, providing the opportunity for businesses and organizations (including the City) to promote available jobs and resources, for job seekers to make connections with employers, and apply for and obtain jobs in their community. The Chamber will also attend surrounding university career fairs to promote San Leandro businesses, increase awareness of the different types of industries and available jobs in San Leandro, and to gain access to a larger number of candidates for City businesses.
2. Destination San Leandro
The Chamber will promote San Leandro’s arts, culture, recreation, shopping, and food aimed at inviting the community and visitors to enjoy the city.
• Promotion of San Leandro Restaurants - The Chamber will develop a “restaurant week” to celebrate the flavors of San Leandro’s unique and diverse restaurants, utilizing scavenger hunt technology, QR codes, social media check-ins, and more.
3. Business Retention
The Chamber will coordinate and convene forums, presentations, and meet-up events to educate, inform, and connect businesses to collaborate around common interests to maintain and further develop the business ecosystem.
• National Small Business Week 2023 - The Chamber will provide the platform and planning for business seminars on several different topics, format and topics to be determined.
• San Leandro by Design - Summer 2023 - San Leandro By Design is a signature program focused on bringing San Leandro toward its fullest potential. Programs are designed around relevant topics, bringing diverse interests and stakeholders together in the form of lectures, presentations, and walking tours of plans for development, updates from economic development organizations, and inspirational storytelling of successful cities. Topics to be determined.
• National Manufacturing Week - October 2023 - This event is a celebration of San Leandro’s large and impressive manufacturing business sector. The Chamber will provide the platform, marketing, and promotion for tours of local companies on National Manufacturing Day and host a Manufacturers’ Appreciation Event at the close of the week. The Chamber will feature manufacturing businesses on its website, in its newsletter, and on social media channels for the month of October.
The proposed amount of the current contract is higher than previous years (from $50,000 to $62,500) in order to reflect the addition of a new event to the scope - a restaurant week - and to reflect the real impact of inflation on the cost of doing business and acquiring staffing, supplies and consultants. Available funds are from the City Manager's Community Investment Fund, which is the annual source for the contract, with additional funds from the budgeted and City Council approved FY22-23 Economic Development Division budget.
Previous Actions
The previous Agreement with the Chamber of Commerce was approved by City Council on March 7, 2021 (Resolution 2022-039), with a term covering Fiscal Year 2021-2022.
Legal Analysis
This Agreement was reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form. The consultant has agreed to the terms of the contract.
Financial Impacts
Sufficient funds are included in the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 General Fund budget for Ongoing Economic Development Support services:
• General Fund,, Account 010-14-010: $50,000 - Non-Departmental Community Investment
• General Fund, Account 010-41-003-5120 (Consulting): $12,500 - Economic Development Consulting
This Council action will not impact fund balance because there are funds available in the FY2022-2023 adopted budget.
ATTACHMENTS
• Attachment A: Resolution of the City of San Leandro City Council to Approve and Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Consulting Services Agreement with the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce for $62,500 to Support New and Ongoing Economic Development Services
Exhibit A - : Consulting Services Agreement between the City of San Leandro and the San Leandro Chamber of Commerce for Ongoing Economic Development Support Services
PREPARED BY: Lars Halle, Development Specialist I, Community Development