Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Peggy Jensen, Assistant County Executive
Subject: Amendment to Agreement with SAMCEDA for Economic Recovery Support
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing a sixth amendment to the agreement with the San Mateo County Economic Development Association to increase the maximum amount authorized to be expended thereunder by $180,000 for a new maximum amount not to exceed $744,810 and extend the term of the agreement through September 30, 2022, for support and assistance with implementation of the economic recovery components of the San Mateo County Recovery Initiative, including project management, user outreach and business enrollment in the Choose Local San Mateo County application.
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BACKGROUND:
At the start of the pandemic, the County contracted with the San Mateo County Economic Development Association (SAMCEDA) to provide support and assistance with the Pandemic Recovery Initiative. We did not know, at that time, how long the pandemic would last. Over the past two years, the agreement between the County and SAMCEDA has been amended five times to continue and expand SAMCEDA’s support for San Mateo County pandemic economic recovery initiatives.
Under this contract, SAMCEDA has organized and hosted webinars for businesses on health guidance and provided daily updates to the business community on resources to help them come through the pandemic successfully. SAMCEDA staff were key partners in the development, promotion and implementation of the multiple small business grant programs approved by your Board. SAMCEDA also engaged the Peninsula Chinese Business Association (PCBA) to conduct door-to-door outreach to assist Asian business owners with grant applications and to share information about COVID testing and vaccine events. Most recently, SAMCEDA has co-led the development, marketing and launch of the Choose Local San Mateo County app.
DISCUSSION:
Through five amendments, the total amount authorized to be expended under the agreement with SAMCEDA is $564,810. The ongoing economic recovery work done by SAMCEDA accounts for $225,000 of the current amended agreement amount. SAMCEDA was paid $12,500 a month from June through December of 2020 for their services. The monthly payment was increased to $15,000 a month in January of 2021. The fifth amendment to contract continued the monthly $15,000 payments through March of 2022. The balance of the fifth amendment, $264,810, funded a subcontract with the Peninsula Chinese Business Association to do grant program outreach, which has been completed.
The initial agreement and the first four amendments were executed pursuant to authority granted by the Board of Supervisors to the Director of Emergency Services/Emergency Operations Center to enter into agreements for up to $500,000 in support of the County’s COVID-19 response efforts. The fifth amendment increased the contract with SAMCEDA to $564,810 and was approved by the Board on November 16, 2021.
The sixth amendment will extend the end of the term of the agreement for six months, from March 31, 2022 through September 30,2022. Under this amendment, SAMCEDA will continue to support the County’s economic recovery initiatives at a rate of $15,000 per month for a total of $90,000 for the six-month term. The scope of work for this term includes, but will not be limited to, ongoing daily communication with the business community around recovery grants, small business support programs, and other recovery-related issues; ongoing participation in the economic recovery workgroup; and webinars, outreach, and support as needed for economic recovery initiatives.
The sixth amendment also includes an additional $15,000 per month for SAMCEDA to take on full project management of the Choose Local San Mateo County application (Choose Local SMC), which promotes shopping at locally owned small businesses. Currently, 2,524 people have downloaded Choose Local SMC and 661 businesses are enrolled since the app was launched in November of 2021.
Since Choose Local SMC debuted at the start of that last COVID surge, uptake has been slower than expected. During this six-month agreement, SAMCEDA will meet regularly with the application developer to track progress on metrics and discuss application upgrades, work with all 11 cities currently participating in the Choose Local program to increase the number of businesses included in the app, meet with Chambers and other local business groups to promote the application and train them on how to recruit and enroll businesses and conduct events and other activities to increase the number of Choose Local SMC users. Choose Local performance targets are being developed for the next six months and it is expected that both users and enrolled businesses will significantly increase.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The additional cost of the sixth amendment to the SAMCEDA contract for economic recovery assistance is $180,000. Funding for this amendment will come from American Rescue Plan Act funds, or other funds as determined by the County Executive.