TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement, and any related documents or amendments, to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Coding it Forward, a not-for-profit organization established under the laws of the State of Massachusetts, for the purpose of achieving the various aims and objectives relating to the 2022 Civic Innovation Corps program, at no cost to the City, for a ten-week long internship. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into a MOU with Coding it Forward for the purpose of achieving the various aims and objectives relating to the 2022 Civic Innovation Corps program.
The Civic Innovation Corps Program, created by Coding It Forward, empowers the next generation of technology leaders to work at the intersection of technology and public service in local, State, and federal government organizations across the United States. Civic Innovation Corps Fellows (Fellows) must be current students or recent graduates of a bootcamp or certificate, undergraduate, or graduate degree program. Previous Fellows come from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. Sixty-three (63) percent of Fellows identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color and fifty-five (55) percent of Fellows identify as women or non-binary. Fellows are given an opportunity to learn about public interest technology and career opportunities with government host offices to develop solutions in service of the public over the course of a ten-week internship. The City of Long Beach (City) seeks to participate as a Host Office in the 2022 Civic Innovation Corps program.
Under the MOU, Coding It Forward will provide compensation for the Fellows as W-2 employees, who will support a variety of high priority technology projects for the City during the ten-week internship period. Fellows will provide the City with expertise in software engineering, data analysis, service design, and product management. The City will be responsible for providing Fellows with guidance, supervision, and necessary materials required for successful completion of several high-impact technology and innovation projects from June to August 2022. There is no additional cost to the City. The City is one of twelve (12) participating State and local government Host Offices in the 2022 Civic Innovation Corps program.
The goal of this engagement with Coding it Forward is to improve and advance the City's ability to treat data as a strategic asset, leveraging it more effectively for reliable insights and more efficient service provision, and deliver results by strengthening its performance analytics systems and processes. This engagement will further promote a culture of using data, user-centered design, and industry-best software development practices to create City programs and services and build upon existing foundational City efforts including the Open Data Policy, Office of Civic Innovation, and Smart City Initiative.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Erin Weesner-McKinley on April 7, 2022 and by Budget Operations and Development Officer Rhutu Amin Gharib on April 15, 2022.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on May 10, 2022, to allow for expeditious execution of the MOU.
FISCAL IMPACT
This recommendation has no fiscal impact. The City of Long Beach will participate in a ten-week internship, created by Coding it Forward, a not-for-profit organization at no cost to the City. This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
LEA D. ERIKSEN
DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER