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Chief Administrative Office recommending the Board adopt the following;
1) Award the Promotions Program RFP's as follows: El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce Film Commission in the amount of $113,601; El Dorado Arts Council in the amount of $108,750; El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce Visitor's Authority Council in the amount of $202,973; El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce in the amount of $84,405 (full funding award contingent upon securing California Welcome Center designation); and the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce in the amount of $90,272;
2) Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or designee, to establish agreements with the above organizations in the amounts specified, noting that the contracts with the El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce for Film and Visitor's Authority, El Dorado Arts Council, El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce, and the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce will all be retroactive to October 1, 2009; and
3) Authorize the Chairman to sign the agreements subject to review, minor revisions and approval by County Counsel. (Non-General Fund)
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Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost: The amount of $600,000 has been budgeted in the 2009-10 Promotions account.
Background:
El Dorado County first enacted a hotel/motel tax in 1965.
On April 20, 2004, the Board approved a process for the distribution of promotional funds for the purpose of marketing and advertising to visitors the attraction of El Dorado County. The Board agreed to continue the practice of allocating approximately 50% of the Hotel/Motel Tax Revenue to the County's Promotion Program but with some of the funding earmarked for contractual services provided by non-profit agencies.
On July 19, 2004, the Board adopted the General Plan within which includes the Economic Development Policy 10.1.6.4.
The majority of transient occupancy tax (TOT) generated revenue shall be directed toward the promotion of tourism, entertainment, business, and leisure travel in El Dorado County.
Since April 2007, Chief Administrative Officer's Economic Development staff has been refining the annual Promotions Program RFP awards process. These refinements have included: a bifurcated review panel composed of EDAC members who were free of conflict of interest issues and issue area and industry experts from outside El Dorado County; incorporating nationally recognized awards process metrics and scoring "Best Practices"; and finally bringing transparency and impartiality to the annual Promotions Program RFP awards process.
Today the Promotions Program is designed to create a self-sustaining, long-term marketing and advertising Promotion Program on behalf of Arts, and Culture, Agri-Tourism, Business, Film and Tourism industries, using innovative and comprehensive strategies developed and implemented by partnerships among private, public, and non-profit entities throughout the County. The promotion strategy identifies four key principles:
-Sustainable marketing of the County's business and tourism amenities;
-Promotion of the County's culture and environment t through the arts and film;
-Community-based partnerships that will leverage County revenues, thereby enhancing greater program outcomes; and
-Strategic vision for long-term promotional programming.
Reason for Recommendation: On July 28, 2009, the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors reaffirmed the 2009-10 Promotions Program. Its award cycle process will initiate the continuation of collaborative marketing and promotions programs on behalf of business in El Dorado County.
The Final FY 2009-10 Budget appropriates $600,000 to be awarded through the RFP process. Procurement and Contracts issued the RFP and collected the responses. The proposal responses were then mailed to reviewers for outside evaluation and returned to Office of Economic Development for tabulation and development of recommendations to be brought before the Board. Applications were reviewed based upon the following Evaluation Criteria:
1. Responsiveness to El Dorado County, Office of Economic Development's stated objectives.
2. Integration of proposed promotional program with applicant's marketing plan.
3. Facilitation of collaborative approach (Collaborative approach is defined as three or more organizations that, through a combined effort, encourage, develop and foster economic growth.)
4. Description of the anticipated results of the project and how results will be measured and evaluated.
5. Financial capacity to carry out the proposed project in a credible manner.
6. Leveraging of other dollars demonstrated by letters of commitment from other entities of their support through matching dollars to the marketing plan of program of work.
7. Submittal of proposal on appropriate forms using appropriate format.
8. Bonus Points shall be awarded to organizations that can demonstrate previous successful program implementation and ROI to the county.
9. Bonus Points shall be awarded for past performance of organizations that can demonstrate county-wide economic impacts. Suggestion, use either industry association recognized ROI models or SRRI IMPLAN econometric modeling.
A summary of the organizations and programs recommended to be funded is as follows:
El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce Film Commission - $113,601 to fund the continuation of the marketing and promotion of El Dorado County as a destination for commercial and independent film production.
El Dorado Arts Council - $108,750 to fund the continuation of the "Art's Alive! Program," including but not limited to the Summer Concert Series, Coloma Blues Live, and an Evening in Art.
El Dorado County Chamber of Commerce Visitor's Authority Council - $202,973 to fund the continuation of Countywide marketing programs aimed at increasing tourism and recreation attraction to El Dorado County.
El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce - $27,757 to fund the Annual "The Art Affair," held at the El Dorado Hills Town Center, featuring fine art, entertainment, and wine tasting and $56,648, contingent upon receiving designation from the California Travel and Tourism Commission, towards a California Welcome Center in the El Dorado Hills Towne Center.
Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce - $90,272 to fund the "Geotourism Exploration and Discovery Days in El Dorado County" Program designed to promote and attract visitors to El Dorado County cultural, historical, and local experiences attractions.
Approval will strengthen El Dorado County's strategy for growing our economy through targeted and proactive investments in organizations that promote Arts and Culture, Agri-Tourism, Business, Film and Tourism businesses located in El Dorado County. Sam Driggers, Economic Development Coordinator for El Dorado County is charged with programmatic administration and monitoring of the Promotion Program contracts.
Action to be taken following Board approval: The Procurement and Contracts Division will prepare contracts, with input and guidance from the CAO's Office of Economic Development regarding final development of each awardees programmatic reporting metrics, with the awarded entities for execution by the Chair.
Contact: Ron Grassi, ACAO, (530) 621-5569 or Sam Driggers, Economic Development Coordinator, (530) 621-5595.