TITLE
Recommendation to receive and file a report on the development and launch of BizPort, the City’s new online application to reduce the cost, confusion, and time to start and grow a business in the City of Long Beach. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
On December 15, 2014, the City was awarded $3,000,000 in funding from the Bloomberg Philanthropies to develop and implement a City Innovation Team (i-team). The first challenge of the i-team was to investigate and develop solutions that improve local economic development. After a period of extensive investigation, which included meetings and interviews with multiple City departments, industry experts and research partners, the i-team recommended a package of initiatives to strengthen the ecosystem of resources available to entrepreneurs and local small businesses.
On August 11, 2015, the City Council approved the agreement with Code for America, a civic technology non-profit, to develop a web-based application that will help entrepreneurs easily navigate the steps to start, manage, and grow a business. The City’s new online application, named BizPort, reduces the cost and confusion of starting a business by simplifying the application process, and linking entrepreneurs to business support resources across multiple government agencies. This dynamic new tool also provides a login feature so that entrepreneurs may track their progress, a search function to identify funding opportunities, a chat feature to interact with City staff, creative internet videos to explain procedures in multiple languages, and a live dashboard to monitor user experience.
On October 6, 2016, in conjunction with the Civic Innovation Summit and the kickoff to the 2nd Annual City of Long Beach Innovation Week, the City launched BizPort to the public. The new website can be accessed at: bizport.longbeach.gov <http://bizport.longbeach.gov/>. BizPort was funded with $220,000 from the Code for America Fellowship, $50,000 from the Small Business Administration prize, and $170,000 from the Innovation Initiative funds established by the City Council to satisfy the Bloomberg Philanthropies grant match.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy R. Webber on September 22, 2016 and by Revenue Management Officer Julissa José-Murray on September 21, 2016.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is not time critical.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal or local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER