Explanation
Background: The Department of Development seeks to enter into a contract with Columbus Compact Corporation in an amount not to exceed $150,000.00 to administer advising services for the Downtown Commercial Marketplace Program targeting small businesses.
The City of Columbus will launch a Downtown Commercial Marketplace Program to support up to ten existing businesses relocating or expanding to downtown Columbus to stimulate downtown commercial activity. The business advisor will assist the selected business in achieving financial success, measured through profit and loss statements through planning, counseling, and connecting businesses with other business development resources. The advisor will also be responsible for reaching out to neighboring small businesses to offer business counseling and to offer to connect the businesses to business development resources.
The Department utilized the Request for Proposals (RFP) process in accordance with City procurements standards to solicit proposals. Proposals were submitted in response to RFQ024861 in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Codes.
After careful review, the Proposal Evaluation Committee selected Columbus Compact Corporation to administer advising services to small businesses participating in the Downtown Commercial Marketplace Program.
Columbus Compact aims to support businesses and economic development by creating assets. Currently, by providing small business development services for local business owners; and supporting central city revitalization by investing in the stabilization of real estate. Our overall objective is to assist in the capacity of Small Businesses (DBE/MBE/FBE/LMI); and empower them to achieve quantifiable and potentially sustainable growth.
As a non-profit, since 1995, the Columbus Compact dba Columbus Empowerment has a history of working with small businesses in general, a portion of which have been in the retail industry and a portion of which have been located downtown. Restructured in 2019, the Organization has continued to be an ESO providing direct services to small businesses throughout the City of Columbus, Franklin County, and contiguous counties through 1-1 advisement, including assessment, plan of action development, and workshops for starting, scaling, obtaining sustainability and expansion. Services include but are not limited to strategic business planning, obtaining financial resources, relocation, and private and public sector market expansion.
Fiscal Impact: Funding of $150,000.00 is available within the Jobs Growth subfund.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 032010; and expires 8/31/2024.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to enter into a contract with Columbus Compact Corporation, a non-profit organization, for business advising services for the Downtown Commercial Marketplace Program, to authorize an appropriation and expenditure of up to $150,000.00 within the Jobs Growth subfund. ($150,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is launching a Downtown Commercial Marketplace Program to support up to ten existing businesses to stimulate downtown commercial activity; and
WHEREAS, the Director of Development seeks to enter into a contract for a business advisor to administer advising services to businesses participating in the Downtown Commercial Marketplace Program; and
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus, utilized a Request for Proposals (RFP) process to identify and assess qualified firms; and
WHEREAS, proposals were submitted in response to RFQ024861 in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Code, and Columbus Compact Corporation received the highest overall score from the RFP committee; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with Columbus Compact Corporation, a non-profit corporation, to administer business advising services for the Downtown Commercial Marketplace Program in the amount up to $150,000.00 for a term of approximately eighteen months, expiring March 30, 2025 with the option to renew one (1) additional year.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor be and is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $150,000,00 in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Subfund 100015 (Jobs Growth Subfund), Dept-Div 4402 (Economic Development), in Object Class 03 (Services), per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of up to $150,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept-Div 44-02 (Economic Development Division), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the funds are hereby deemed appropriated to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.