TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement, and any necessary documents including subsequent amendments, with the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab, on behalf of What Works Cities, for the potential placement of two fellows, in the total amount not to exceed $150,000, for a one-year period. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to enter into an agreement with the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab (GPL), for technical assistance improving the City’s procurement processes and achieving better contracting outcomes for historically marginalized populations, under the What Works Cities Initiatives (WWC).
The GPL hires and trains full-time fellows, embedding them in government agencies to lead 12 to 36-month intensive reform projects, and has identified the City of Long Beach (City) for the potential placement of two GPL fellows for the coming period of August 2021 to July 2022. On June 23, 2020, the City Council approved an agreement for the placement of one GPL fellow, who has focused on diagnosing challenges and making the procurement process more efficient. In recognition of the valuable partnership the City offers, WWC has proposed extending and enhancing its engagement with the City for another 12 months. In collaboration with WWC, the GPL fellows will assist the City with improving accessibility to procurement opportunities for diverse businesses, improving vendor outreach and engagement, building the capacity of local diverse and small businesses, and managing contracts with a lens toward reducing inequities.
Through its continued engagement with WWC since 2017, the City has launched numerous data-informed projects, including the City’s open data platform, DataLB; an online business development resource hub, Bizport; and the establishment of the Office of Civic Innovation, which has facilitated other initiatives focused on public safety and economic development. ...
Click here for full text