Explanation
BACKGROUND:
Over the past year, City Council created a Jobs and Economic Development Committee devoted to job creation and economic growth. Council also set aside a $2 million Job Growth Initiatives Fund in the 2005 budget with the purpose of actively seeking key job creation investment opportunities that employ Columbus workers and strengthen the City's income tax revenues to pay for critical city services.
The Greater Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce has developed an economic development related website to serve as a regional information resource. Simultaneously, it is developing a prospect and contact management tool referred to as the Development Management System (DMA). The next step is to develop a specialized landing page that integrates the Website and the DMS. This is a critical step because the site selection process has changed dramatically over the last 5 years. A significant amount of research is performed by site selection consultants online without ever communicating directly with a State, Region, or City representative. If a consultant visiting the website is unable to quickly find the information they require or cannot easily identify an individual that can provide the information, they may remove the area from their list of possible locations. The landing page will be a one stop page designed to service the site selection professional.
This venture, funded by both public and private dollars, is deemed an appropriate use of the Jobs Growth Fund by City Council.
Emergency action is requested so that the contract with the Greater Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce can be executed immediately and continue its work to facilitate job growth in Columbus.
Contract Compliance #: 31-4152950 (non profit)
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funding for this contract will come from the $2 million Job Growth Initiatives Fund.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $10,000 to the Development Department within the Jobs Growt...
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