Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Warren Slocum, District 4
Subject: Agreement with Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center to Support Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs Impacted by COVID-19 in North Fair Oaks and South County
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing and directing the President of the Board to enter into an agreement with Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center for an amount not to exceed $750,000 and a term of 20 months, from January 31, 2023, through September 30, 2024, to provide services to small businesses and entrepreneurs through the North Fair Oaks City Economic Advancement Center.
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BACKGROUND:
Over the past two-plus years, the Board has taken extensive steps to assist households and small businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency and its negative economic consequences.
One of those steps was contributing $200,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds toward development of the South San Francisco Economic Advancement Center (SSF EAC). The SSF EAC is a one-stop shop that provides a range of technical assistance to job seekers, small business owners, and local entrepreneurs adversely impacted by the pandemic. After conducting a competitive recruitment, South San Francisco selected Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center (REN) to provide coaching, training, and classes for small business owners and entrepreneurs at the SSF EAC.
REN began offering virtual and in-person coaching, training and classes to North County small businesses, and entrepreneurs in July 2021 and their client list has continued to grow. In the most recent quarter for which data is available, the third quarter of 2022, REN served 93 North County residents, and offered 27 classes and workshops, with 17 conducted in English, nine in Spanish, and one in Cantonese. REN events during the quarter included SPARK, an ongoing Women’s Empowerment Program, and Comida y Comunidad, a monthly convening for Latinx community members and business owners. REN also assisted five business owners with website development or enhancement and organized two pop-up events for local vendors, one for Daly City Latino Heritage Month and one at the South San Francisco Concert in the Park.
Due to the success of the SSF EAC, on September 13, 2022, the Board authorized an allocation of $5,000,000 in ARPA funds for the development and operation of new Economic Advancement Centers in Half Moon Bay ($2,500,000) and North Fair Oaks ($2,500,000). Additional funding for the North Fair Oaks Economic Advancement Center (NFO EAC) was also approved on September 13, 2022, when the Board accepted a $500,000 grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) made through the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. With that grant, a total of $3,000,000 in start-up and initial operating funds are available for the NFO EAC.
DISCUSSION:
To identify qualified service providers for the NFO EAC, staff conducted a competitive procurement process in October of last year and received three proposals: two for job seeker services and one for small business and entrepreneur support services. A group that included representatives from Supervisor Slocum’s staff, the County Office of Community Affairs, the County Executive’s Office, and the City of South San Francisco (“Review Committee”) reviewed the proposals. The Review Committee met in early December and selected REN to provide local small business and entrepreneur support at the NFO EAC. A copy of the RFP matrix is included as an exhibit to this memorandum.
The proposed agreement between the County and REN would provide services for local small businesses and entrepreneurs at the NFO EAC for an amount not to exceed $750,000 over a 20-month term, from January 31, 2023 through September 30, 2024. The term includes an 18- month pilot period, during which REN would test the concept of the NFO EAC, plus one month at the start of the term for initial project planning and one month at end of the term for preparation of a final report consisting of detailed performance data, client demographics, client stories, lessons learned, and a final expenditure statement.
The NFO EAC project can begin as soon as the proposed agreement with REN is signed. Until space for the NFO EAC can be leased and furnished, the REN team will share space with the Office of Community Affairs at Casa Circulo.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the proposed agreement with REN as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The County’s agreement with REN for $750,000 will be funded with the $500,000 grant from CZI plus ARPA funds to the extent available and eligible. However, to the extent appropriate, the total agreement for $750,000 may ultimately be covered by reimbursement from funds provided through other state and/or federal funds that may be made available in connection with the County's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.