TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute all documents necessary to enter into an agreement with Code for America, a not-for-profit corporation of New York, NY, to participate in the Code for America Fellowship Program, for the period of September 28, 2015 to November 16, 2016, in an amount not to exceed $220,000. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach was recently selected as a 2016 Code for America Fellowship (Fellowship) Partner City. The Fellowship sends teams of technologists, designers, and project managers (the Fellows), into local governments across the country to work full-time for a year in partnership with government officials. The Fellows help cities to develop innovative digital approaches to delivering key public services across health, economic development, and safety and justice. For Long Beach, selection as a Partner City also means that 50 percent of Fellowship costs are covered by Code for America funding partners.
Under direction of the City’s Innovation Team (i-team) in the Office of the City Manager, the Fellows will work with City departments to immerse themselves in the community, research user needs, and meet with new and existing businesses, to build an online portal to accelerate the business start-up and growth process. While the product of the Fellowship is an online tool to aide economic development, the process will act as a vehicle for driving cultural and structural change inside the City, encouraging innovation and increasing the organization's capacity for transparency and engagement.
The i-team has been selected to work the Technology & Innovation Department and with Code for America staff to carry out the scope of the Agreement, attend the Code for America Summit, ensure the success of the residency, support Fellows throughout the project, and participate in team meetings, trainings and other meetings, as needed. The City’s cost for participation in the Fellowship program is $220,000, and will be funded from the City’s Bloomberg Innovation Team Grant matching requirement. Bloomberg Philanthropies has approved the use of funds for this purpose.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy Webber on July 20, 2015 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on July 23, 2015.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on August 11, 2015 to allow Code for America and the City to begin collaboration on recruitment of the Fellows, and the creation of the project specifications. Code for America requires all documents to be executed before August 15, 2015 to secure funding for the 2016 Fellowship Program.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City’s cost of $220,000 is budgeted in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the City Manager Department (CM). This amount will be drawn from the City’s $1 million cash match requirement for the Bloomberg Innovation Team grant approved by the City Council on February 3, 2015. Approval of this recommendation will provide continued support to the local economy.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
BRYAN SASTOKAS
DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER