Explanation
BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the Director of Development to modify the contract with Next Street Financial LLC for Professional Economic Development Consultancy Services and authorizes an expenditure up to $155,000.00.
The modification shall add $155,000.00 to the original contract and modifications number 1 & number 2 to amend the scope of work and extend the original contract completion date.
Original contract amount $130,000 Ord. 2947-2018, PO149715
Modification No. 1 amount $ 60,000 Ord. 0177-2019, PO158542
Modification No. 2 amount $175,800 Ord. 1525-2019, PO180871
Modification No. 3 amount $155,000
Total contract amount $365,800
During Phase 1, the Economic Development Division worked with Next Street, local entrepreneurs, small business owners, and Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) to conduct research to assess the local small business ecosystem. The work spanned three distinct tracks of services that included: 1) Strategic Alignment and Engagement with a multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee; 2) Small Business and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Analysis and Assessment; and 3) Capital Support Analysis. The Consultant provided baseline read-outs of each track thereby summarizing gaps, opportunities, insights, and observations gained from data analysis, interviews, and focus group meetings.
Phase 2 developed and finalized a formal “City-Sponsored” “Small Business Agenda, Framework, and Multi-Year Action and Implementation Plan” based on the findings and recommendations received from the Small Business Ecosystem Assessment in Phase 1.
During Phase 3, the Consultant, serving as a primary partner to the City of Columbus, will assist in implementing and executing on the Columbus Small Business Agenda via the Small Business Agenda Framework, strategy alignment and coordination, and other services. Additionally the Consultant, working with the City and its stakeholders, will assist in operationalizing the Small Business Agenda by executing on strategies and recommendation contained in the Agenda or those developed after the release of the Small Business Agenda.
The Consultant will also identify, evaluate, and recommend an online small business resource portal and navigation tool of the highest industry standards to be used by the City as an electronic one-stop searchable collection of local small business resources. The Consultant will advise the City in selecting and procuring portal services from a technical platform provider to be determined. The function of the electronic portal will be to provide existing and aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners with one-stop access and evaluation of small business resources available within the local small business ecosystem. The Consultant shall work with the City to stand up, operationalize, and launch the small business resource portal and work with the technical provider to provide training to stakeholders including ESOs and partner organizations.
Finally, the consultant will work with the City to develop and report on impact goals and evaluation metrics via an Excel-based Impact Measurement Framework.
This legislation will authorize Next Street to complete Phase 3 of the project and extend the original contract date to May 1, 2021.
Emergency action is requested in order to continue services without interruption.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this expenditure in an amount up to $155,000.00 are allocated in the Division of Economic Development’s 2020 General Fund budget.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: the vendor number is 027972 and expires 12/12/2020.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to modify the contract with Next Street Financial, LLC, for Professional Economic Development Consultancy Services and to authorize an expenditure up to $155,000.00 from the general fund; and to declare an emergency. ($155,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Director of Development has identified the need to modify the contract with Next Street to increase the scope of work and extend the original contract completion date to implement Phase 3 of the Small Business agenda; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to modify the contract with Next Street Financial, LLC. in order to continue program services without interruption, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Development be and is hereby authorized to modify the contract with Next Street Financial, LLC, for Professional Economic Development Consultancy services.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $155,000.00 or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept-Div 44-02 (Economic Development), in Object Class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. 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 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this Ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.