The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) has been advised by the Office...
Communty Benefits Plan: Local worker & SBE parntership proposal
1. Don Slocum, Neighborhood Leadership Institute
Johnathan M. Holifield, Trim Tab Advisors
Mark A. McClain, Neighborhood Leadership Institute
Neil A. Dick, Dick Group Consultants
August 11, 2010
Cuyahoga County-centric model
to assess ongoing business and employment opportunities
throughout the three phases of the project
Proposal to Create, Fund, Implement and Monitor
Local SBE Partnership
&
SBE Solutions
Program
Local Worker Partnership
&
Priority Source Hiring
Program
2. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 2
Table of Contents
Subject Page
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
INTRODUCTION 4
COMMUNITY BENEFITS OVERVIEW 5
TOTAL PUBLIC INVESTMENT AND PROJECTED ECONOMIC IMPACTS 11
A CALL TO UNPRECEDETED COLLABORATIVE ACTION 12
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION AGREEMENT 13
CREATE, FUND, IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR LOCAL SBE PARTNERSHIP 14
SBE SOLUTIONS PROGRAM 17
SBE SOLUTIONS: 21PROGRAM STRATEGIES, TACTICS & OVERSIGHT 18
PROPOSAL GUIDELINES & DELIVERABLES 25
PROPOSAL FORMAT 30
LOCAL SBE PARTNERSHIP & SBE SOLUTIONS PROGRAM MODEL 31
CREATE, FUND, IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR LOCAL WORKER PARTNERSHIP 32
PRIORITY SOURCE HIRING PROGRAM 36
PROPOSAL GUIDELINES 38
PROGRAM DELIVERABLES 40
PROPOSAL FORMAT 41
LOCAL WORKER PARTNERSHIP & PRIORITY SOURCE HIRING PROGRAM MODEL 42
ADDENDUM 43
ENDNOTES 45
3. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
These are tough economic times. Individuals, families,
businesses, and governments must ensure that every
investment dollar achieves the best possible outcome.
Recognizing the unique opportunities presented by the
Medical Mart Convention Center project, Cuyahoga
County has, for the first time, undertaken serious
efforts to develop a new and comprehensive approach
to ensuring the best possible community outcomes.
The Neighborhood Leadership Institute’s (NLI) Proposal
to Create, Fund, Implement, and Monitor Local SBE
Partnership & SBE Solutions and Local Worker
Partnership & Priority Source Hiring Program identifies
traditional concepts and pioneers new ideas to support
Cuyahoga County’s efforts.
Cuyahoga County has long struggled to ensure that
residents and businesses enjoy equitable and
widespread
benefits from
large-scale
and publicly
financed/subs
idized development projects. With $900 million of
public investment in the construction and operation of
the Medical Mart Convention Center, which will further
leverage one of our community’s greatest global
economic assets – world-class healthcare – we have
new opportunities to connect community aspirations to
real opportunities.
The recommendations, strategies, and tactics in this
proposal – which is intended to be a catalytic, thought-
provoking and actionable document – are neither
exhaustive nor exclusive. They are designed to be the
foundation of a new collaborative structure that
provides ongoing community benefits leadership. NLI
deems this an important first step to fulfilling the long-
standing goal of ensuring taxpayers equitably
participate in and benefit from the development
projects they fund.
Over the past decade, community benefits planning and
implementation has gained significant momentum
throughout America, as those benefits effectively fulfill
the goals of enlarging community prosperity through:
▪ Job Development: getting residents into well-
paying jobs.
▪ Small Business Development: ensuring fair and
accessible contracting opportunities.
Building on past successes in other communities, NLI’s
core community benefits elements include:
▪ Equitable and inclusive contracting and
financing for small businesses.
▪ Workforce development, including
employment, training, and education.
▪ Smart Collaboration program leadership.
NLI believes that, properly incorporated, these
components can create a Cuyahoga County-centric
model for community benefits that can be replicated
throughout our area.
Creating an environment that improves the lives of
residents is an important leadership goal for Cuyahoga
County. NLI notes that realizing meaningful community
benefits usually involves the local government agencies
as leading actors and implementers.
Ongoing support and encouragement from Cuyahoga
County, as the principal convener in this new
community benefits effort, will be vitally important in
attaining the full promise of the Medical Mart
Convention Center.
Ultimately, this effort is not about making a legally
enforceable contract. It’s about employing the dynamic
force of public policy to help the people and businesses
of Cuyahoga County – the guarantors and financiers of
the Medical Mart Convention Center – achieve fair and
equitable benefits from the project they are obligated
to fully underwrite.
. . . $900 million
public investment . . .
4. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 4
INTRODUCTION
Medical Mart Convention Center
In 2007, the Board of County Commissioners approved a
0.25% increase in the county’s sales tax, which currently
generates approximately $39 million annually1
. These
and other funds – a $9002
million public investment over
20 years – will be used to construct and operate a new
exhibition hall and Medical Mart Convention Center
(Medical Mart Project). The project is being jointly led by
the County of Cuyahoga, Ohio, MMPI Cleveland
Development LLC, and Merchandise Mart Properties Inc.
(collectively, the Development Team).
More Than a “Conventional” Convention Center
Unlike traditional convention centers with regular open-
ended missions to attract meetings and conventions, the
Medical Mart Project considerably strengthens standard
approaches by linking to perhaps the most promising
global economic sector in Cuyahoga County – world class
healthcare.
This
approach
not only
sets the
Medical Mart Project apart from “conventional”
convention centers, it also provides Cuyahoga County
something different in kind and degree from other large-
scale and publicly financed/subsidized projects such as
sports stadiums that have a more targeted economic
impact. Linking to and further leveraging our advantages
in healthcare and medical innovation means the Medical
Mart Project is a global industry play that creates terrific
economic multiplier opportunities. The need to connect
the people and business of Cuyahoga County to this
global opportunity heightens the relevance and
importance of community benefits planning and
implementation.
Neighborhood Leadership Institute
On June 1, 2010, NLI was retained by Cuyahoga County
to provide consulting services for the development of a
new approach to ensuring community benefits – a
comprehensive community benefits program (CBP) – in
connection with the Medical Mart Project. A key
component of NLI’s engagement is to create a CBP
model to assess ongoing business and employment
opportunities connected to the Medical Mart Project.
NLI is a not-for-profit community empowerment
organization that develops grassroots leadership that
will, in turn, work to rebuild and support community
bonds and improve the quality of life for residents
throughout Greater Cleveland. Essential to NLI’s mission
is connecting the aspirations of Greater Cleveland
communities to existing and emerging economic
opportunities.
NLI Goal Statement
To fulfill its
charge, NLI
recommends
bringing together
communities,
education
institutions, not-
for-profit organizations, government, and businesses to
foster meaningful collaboration and achieve enduring
economic inclusion and workforce development. The
initial step is to provide a “community merit hearing”
for the ideas and concepts contained herein. After
careful consideration and deliberation, accelerated
implementation of the best ideas should be undertaken
to ensure equitable benefits from the Medical Mart
Project to the people and businesses of Cuyahoga
County.
This CBP model – the first of its kind in Cleveland and
Cuyahoga County – is intended to lay the groundwork for
community engagement to achieve equitable and
widespread community benefits from large-scale and
publicly financed/subsidized development projects.
CBP elements include inclusive contracting and financing,
workforce opportunities, training, education, and
collaboration. By combining each of these components,
we can create, fund, implement, and monitor a truly
effective CBP. In addressing the initial needs and
opportunities of the Medical Mart Project, however,
NLI’s best hope is that this CBP serves as a model for
large-scale, publicly financed/subsidized development
projects throughout our area.
. . . Medical Mart Project is
a global industry play . . .
This CBP model –
the first of its kind in
Cleveland and
Cuyahoga County . . .
5. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 5
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
OVERVIEW
Community Benefits Agreements and Community
Benefits Programs
Note there are several key differences between the
more commonly known community benefits agreement
(CBA) and a CBP. Although both share the goal of
securing fair and far-reaching community benefits from
large-scale and publicly financed/subsidized
development projects, their chief differences include:
▪ CBAs are legally enforceable contracts, generally
signed by community groups and a developer.
▪ CBPs are policies adopted by a local government,
with support from the developer and community
organizations, and have the force of public policy.
▪ CBA processes occur prior to the signing of the
development agreement between the
governmental entity and the developer.
▪ CBP processes may occur after the development
agreement has been signed.
NLI has been retained by Cuyahoga County to provide
consulting services and create a new approach to
community benefits – a CBP for the Medical Mart
Project, not a CBA.
There are many advantages to a timely CBA process.
However, NLI believes that through creativity, flexibility,
and meaningful financial investment, several
components of the CBP for the Medical Mart Project can
yield significant community benefits to the people and
businesses of Cuyahoga County.
Why Community Benefits?
Throughout the U.S., community benefits planning and
implementation have proven to be effective tools for
enlarging community prosperity by ensuring equitable
and widespread benefits from large-scale and publicly
financed/subsidized development projects.
The following excerpt from national thought leaders
makes the most compelling case for community benefits3
:
Local government has played a central role
in the push for urban economic
development. As the federal government
has slashed its contribution to urban
budgets, and devolution has shifted
programs like workforce development and
housing construction away from federal and
state governments, responsibility for major
decision making on urban development is
landing in the laps of elected officials and
staff at the city and county level.
Unfortunately, the public-private
partnerships at the local level are being
driven for the most part by the private
sector. Although most city and county
governments have “planning components,”
these departments expend most of their
resources on the processing of permits and
other land use applications. Local
governments, eager to expand their tax
bases and presented with little meaningful
information about the costs and benefits of
their choices, often see their role as being
limited to facilitating the visions and plans
of developers – rather than facilitating a
public vision and plan developed with the
input of a wide range of stakeholders. They
often rely on the job creation projections of
the developer, but after construction they
have little information about actual jobs
created. Standards for assessing the costs
and benefits of development for
communities, if such standards exist, are
generally applied on an inconsistent and
piecemeal basis.
Readers are encouraged to review the chart detailing
distinctions and similarities between CBAs and CBPs
in the Addendum, pp. 43-44.
6. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 6
Therefore, while economic development
projects are often heavily subsidized by
taxpayer dollars, they produce decidedly
mixed results for city [and county] dwellers.
While many of these projects bring sorely
needed jobs and tax revenues back to areas
that have been disinvested, there is usually
no guarantee that the “ripple effects” of the
projects will benefit current residents.
Many new developments cause inner-city
gentrification, pushing out low-income
residents as housing prices raise.
Other projects create large numbers of
dead-end low-wage retail and service sector
jobs, leaving low income, families, mostly
people of color, mired in an endless cycle of
poverty. While some Smart Growth
proponents have advanced the notion that
development should be governed by the
“Three E’s” – the economy, the
environment, and equity – few if any
jurisdictions have pursued “growth with
equity” policies in a systematic way.
Consequently, even after investing billions
of dollars in economic development,
metropolitan regions continue to
experience spiraling poverty, sprawling,
unplanned growth, a crisis of affordable
housing, and declining quality of life for low
and middle-income communities.
Large-scale expenditures on economic
development therefore present a host of
questions for local government:
▪ What is the role of the public
sector in guiding urban growth?
▪ What information is needed for
local governments and community
stakeholders to make informed
choices about economic
development?
▪ How can communities take
advantage of nearly $50 billion in
annual investment in local
economies to address growing
inequality and urban poverty and
create a renaissance in urban areas
across the country?
▪ What conditions or performance
measures should be attached to
public subsidies and major and use
entitlements?
▪ What are the goals of economic
development?
▪ Is it desirable to maximize
democratic, civic participation in
the economic development process
and, if so, what is the best means
to do so?
▪ What new partnerships can be built
to avoid the fractured land use
politics of the past several
decades?
Taking into account these ideas, NLI believes that
through effective planning, funding, implementation,
and monitoring, real community benefits can be
conferred on people and businesses through:
▪ Workforce Development: getting residents into
well-paying jobs.
▪ Small Business Development: ensuring fair and
equitable contracting opportunities.
Community Benefits Gain Momentum Across
America
Over the past decade, local residents’ successful pursuit
of comprehensive community benefits has gained
substantial momentum. The chart below shows how
large-scale and, in some cases, publicly
financed/subsidized development projects are
accountable to the people who live in impacted areas
and/or help finance them.
7. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 7
Summary Descriptions of Community Benefits and Large-Scale Public/Private Projects
Cleveland
Medical Mart
Convention
Center
Columbia
University
Manhattanville
Expansion
Smilow Cancer
Hospital at Yale-
New Haven
Consol Energy
Center, multi-
purpose arena
(Pittsburgh)
Gateway Center at
Bronx Terminal
Market Mall
Project scale
and
characteristics
More than
500,000 square
feet of
showrooms,
exhibit space,
and conference
center
17 acres, adding
about 6.8 million
square feet to
the university,
including a new
business school
and science
facilities
14-story, 500,000
square feet
720,000 square-
foot hockey and
basketball arena
and concert venue
1 million square feet
of retail space and
2,600 parking spots
for a new mall that
will include national
“big box” retailers,
restaurants, local
businesses, and a
possible hotel
Public
subsidies and
other
financing
Cuyahoga County
funds a total of
$900 million,
with $425 million
for construction
No public
financing (City of
New York may
contribute to
housing fund)
Yale-New Haven
Hospital obtained
funds through
equity, bond
financing, and a
major fundraising
campaign
Funded by a $7.5
million annual
payment for 30
years from the
Pittsburgh casino,
$7.5 million a year
from a state
economic
development fund
backed by slot
machine
revenues, and $4
million a year
from the Penguins
Not available
Total project
cost
$425 million $6-7 billion $467 million $321 million $500 million
8. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 8
Summary Descriptions of Community Benefits and Large-Scale Public/Private Projects
Cleveland
Medical Mart
Convention
Center
Columbia
University
Manhattanville
Expansion
Smilow Cancer
Hospital at Yale-
New Haven
Consol Energy
Center, multi-
purpose arena
(Pittsburgh)
Gateway Center
at Bronx
Terminal
Market Mall
Overview of
projected
economic
impacts
Cuyahoga
County4
Construction
phase:
- 1,556 jobs
- $334 million in
local spending for
goods and
services
- $297.3 million in
estimated total
payroll
- $588 million
total economic
impact
Operation phase
(Annual):
- $124 million in
spending on
goods and
services
- $7 million in
total public tax
revenues
- $205 million
total economic
impact
- 14,000
construction
jobs
- Nearly 6,000
new university
jobs with
competitive
health,
educational,
and retirement
benefits
- An average of
1,200
construction-
related jobs per
year for the
next 25 years
- Created more
than 1,200 new,
permanent jobs
- 350 additional
jobs will be
created in other
companies in
the service
sector as a
direct result
- 2,067 total jobs
at its peak in
2008 (including
980
construction
jobs)
- Generates
nearly $5
million in
building permits
to the City of
New Haven
- $3-4 million in
payments in
lieu of annual
tax payments to
the City of New
Haven
Center and
ancillary
development:
- 5,000 new jobs
- Housing for
2,500
- $20 million in
additional tax
revenue
5,000 new
construction and
retail jobs
9. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 9
Summary Descriptions of Community Benefits and Large-Scale Public/Private Projects
Cleveland Medical
Mart Convention
Center
Columbia
University
Manhattanville
Expansion
Smilow Cancer
Hospital at Yale-
New Haven
Consol Energy
Center, multi-
purpose arena
(Pittsburgh)
Gateway Center
at Bronx Terminal
Market Mall
Build-out
period
2010 - 2012 Over the next 25
years
2006-2009 2008-2010 2006-2009
Overview of
community
benefits
MMPI and MMPI
Cleveland (the
developer) goals:
- Twenty-five
percent in value
of subcontracts
awarded to
SBEs certified
by the county
- Forty percent of
contractors’ and
subcontractors’
workforces hold
residency in
Cuyahoga
County
- Twenty percent
of contractors’
and
subcontractors’
workforce hold
residency in
Cleveland
Columbia
University will
provide:
- $76 million for a
flexible benefit
fund, allocated
across various
community
benefits
- $50 million for
in-kind services,
including $30
million toward a
K-8 school
- $20 million for
housing
- $4 million for
legal services to
help those
displaced by the
development
Yale-New Haven
Hospital will:
- Provide $1.2
million for
housing and
economic
development
- Hire 500 area
residents over a
five-year period
- Establish a
comprehensive
training
program that
includes at least
50 career ladder
opportunities
and provides
$300,000 in
funding per
year
- Contribute
$500,000 over
five years to the
city’s youth
initiative
- Provide
$700,000 over
five years to
fund two
outreach
positions
through the
city’s health
department
Urban
Redevelopment
Authority, City,
County, and
Pittsburgh
Penguins will:
- Fund a
professional
Master
Development
Plan
- Provide $2
million for a
grocery store
- Provide at least
$300,000 for
job-referral
programs
- Ensure
residents are
first referred for
new jobs
- Fund $500,000
per year for 6 -
12 years ($3-6
million) to
support
community and
economic
development,
education and
youth services,
and drug,
alcohol, and
mental health
services
Related Cos. (the
developer) will
provide $3 million
over five years to
fund:
- First-source job
referral and
hiring program
- Training and
apprenticeship
program
- Business
development
program for
MBE/WBEs
10. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 10
Economic Leakage vs.
Wealth Retention
CBPs are wealth-retention
tools. A local economy is like
a bucket of water, and one
of the worst liabilities a
community can have is a
leaky bucket – an economy
that loses wealth as fast as
it builds and attracts it.
Leveraging the Medical
Mart Project to incent the growth of SBEs and employ
local workers ultimately empowers communities to
better sustain themselves. As local development money
flows to SBEs and workers through CBP inclusion
initiatives, it is retained longer by local communities. This
wealth-retention strategy strengthens and revitalizes
commerce and creates new jobs. The economic
multiplier effects of local SBE and worker-inclusion
incentives will promote community wealth retention
throughout Cuyahoga County and enhance prosperity
throughout the region.
Critical Leadership
Role for Cuyahoga
County Government
For purposes of
government leadership,
it is important to note
that most CBAs in effect
in the United States in
June 2009 directly
involve local government
actors, and local
government agencies often help advocacy groups and
developers implement CBAs and support them
programmatically5
.
Experience has yielded powerful lessons that should not
be forgotten. Foremost among them is that the overall
projected economic impact of developments of this
scale and magnitude will not be achieved without
creating, funding, implementing, and monitoring a
program of comprehensive community benefits.
By undertaking this CBP process, Cuyahoga County
government has already taken the first important step
to ensuring that widespread, equitable community
benefits are provided to the people and businesses of
Cuyahoga County.
Time Is Of the Essence
To further leverage the
expected extraordinary
economic impact of the
Medical Mart Project,
NLI recommends that
accelerated positive
efforts be immediately undertaken by the Development
Team to use SBEs, including minority- and women-
owned businesses, and local workers as sources of
goods, services, and labor whenever possible. It is
imperative that the Development Team stipulate the
inclusion of local SBEs and workers as a term and
condition of contract and subcontract awards.
In light of the new relationships than can be formed and
the anticipated economic impact of the Medical Mart
Project, NLI further recommends that special programs
be created for local SBEs and workers to successfully
compete for business and employment opportunities
arising from the project. Local SBEs and workers,
governments, communities, unions, contractors, and
subcontractors all stand to benefit from new,
collaborative equity and inclusion efforts.
11. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 11
TOTAL PUBLIC INVESTENT
AND PROJECTED
ECONOMIC IMPACTS
Medical Mart Project’s $900 Million Total Public
Investment Means Considerable Economic
Impacts
As illustrated below, in addition to the public
investment of $900 million over 20 years, including
$425 million for construction, the Medical Mart Project
is expected to generate outstanding economic impact6
:
PROJECTED ECONOMIC IMPACT
MEDICAL MART PROJECT
City of Cleveland Cuyahoga County
Construction Phase
1,258 Jobs
- $255 million in local spending for goods and services
- $247.1 million in estimated total payroll
- $4.9 million total city payroll tax
Construction Phase
1,556 Jobs
- $334 million in local spending for goods and services
- $297.3 million in estimated total payroll
$468 million total City of Cleveland
economic impact
$588 million total Cuyahoga County
economic impact
Operation Phase – Per Convention
(based on 5,000 delegates/convention)
$4.2 million in spending on goods and services
$278,000 in total public tax revenues*
$6.7 million total economic impact - City of Cleveland
$8.2 million total economic impact – Cuyahoga County
Annual Economic Impact
(based on 25 conventions/year):
$124 million in spending on goods and services
$7 million in total public tax revenues7
$168 million total economic impact – City of Cleveland
$205 million total economic impact – Cuyahoga County
12. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 12
A CALL TO
UNPRECEDENTED
COLLABORATIVE ACTION
Aggregate Organize Leverage (A.O.L.)
The local SBE and worker inclusion planning and
implementation strategies and tactics that follow lay
the foundation for accountability
and results. However, planning
strategies and implementation
tactics alone are not enough.
They must lead to collaborative
action by community, business,
and government leaders. With apologies to America
OnLine, in the several components of the CBP, NLI
encourages the Development Team to lead the call to
A.O.L.:
▪ Aggregate essential civic, government, health, and
human services, as well as community, economic,
education, foundation, and business resources
▪ Organize the resources into useful and actionable
forms (partnerships and programs)
▪ Leverage the resources to the hilt, completing
collaborative, high-impact programs, projects, and
initiatives that further CAA and CBP goals
Unprecedented collaboration – employing the A.O.L.
model – will enable not merely singular, but rather
much-desired exponential results. With today’s high-
pressure global economy, there’s never been a better
moment to harness the unique power of a local place-
based development – the Medical Mart Project – to
renew our area by creating sustainable jobs and
educational, artistic, cultural, and other economic
opportunities for our residents.
Smart Collaboration
NLI further encourages the Development Team to
complement the A.O.L. model with Smart Collaboration
strategies, defined as interconnected groups of citizens,
institutions, organizations,
and businesses that achieve
targeted, high-impact
objectives. Smart
Collaboration will yield the
highest return from the Medical Mart Project for
Cuyahoga County.
Smart Collaboration is neither “ambiguous”
collaboration without sound reason and clear necessity,
nor “political,” where participants are determined by
biased or other misguided considerations. Smart
Collaboration focuses on who and what are needed for
positive community outcomes – nothing more, nothing
less.
Smart Collaboration must include government,
philanthropic, and not-for-profit organizations,
educational institutions, businesses and advocacy
organizations, and others whose cooperation is key to
strengthening such efforts.
The operational theory girding Smart Collaboration is
that, through high-leverage organizing – connecting the
market knowledge and expertise of citizens with the
talents and resources of government, business,
philanthropy, and education – large-scale, intelligent
collaboration can further empower Cuyahoga County
residents to take full advantage of opportunities
created by the Medical Mart Project.
Smart
Collaboration
Aggregate
Organize
Leverage
13. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 13
CONSTRUCTION
ADMINISTRATION
AGREEMENT
This proposal is designed to fulfill, and perhaps exceed,
the SBE and local worker inclusion goals and objectives
set forth in the Medical Mart Project Construction
Administration Agreement.
Overview
The Construction Administration Agreement (CAA), by
and between the Development Team, dated Jan. 7, 2010,
provides a roadmap for the design, construction,
furnishing, equipping, and operation of the Medical Mart
Project. It clarifies the general concepts that were set
forth in the Development Agreement of April 16, 2009,
and the Letter of Intent with the City of Cleveland, of
May 4, 2009, and creates processes and procedures for
the timely and cost-efficient completion of the Medical
Mart Project.
Important goals of the CAA promote local SBE and
worker inclusion by contractors and subcontractors.
Below are the local SBE and worker inclusion provisions
of the CAA:
ARTICLE 4, DESIGN OF THE FACILITY –
4.21 Local Business Participation.
4.21.1 Developer shall, to the extent practicable,
solicit services from local architects, engineers,
consultants, and other service providers in
connection with the planning and design of the
Facility. Developer understands and
acknowledges that the County is committed to
providing equal opportunities to [SBEs], and that
the County, in choosing Developer, expects
Developer to further the County's initiative by
considering, throughout the Project, potential
[SBE] contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers
that Developer can utilize to perform the Work.
4.21.2 The County shall provide Developer with
the written policies and procedures applicable to
each of the County programs referenced in this
Section 4.21 so that the same can be
implemented by Developer and included, as
applicable, in each contract or agreement entered
into in connection with Development, design,
construction, furnishing, or equipping of the
Facility (including the Architect Agreements and
the Construction Agreement).
ARTICLE 5, CONSTRUCTION OF THE FACILITY –
5.13 Local Business and Resident Participation.
5.13.1 Developer shall, to the extent practicable,
solicit services from local architects, engineers,
consultants, contractors, and other service
providers. Developer understands and
acknowledges that the County is committed to
providing equal opportunities to [SBEs], and that
the County, in choosing Developer, expects
Developer to further the County's initiative by
considering, on a per-Phase basis, potential [SBE],
contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers that
Developer can utilize to perform the Work. To
achieve this purpose, Developer shall use
commercially reasonable efforts to cause
contractor to comply with the SBE Program and to
use good faith efforts to achieve the following
goals:
5.13.1.1 Twenty-five percent (25%) in value of
Subcontracts shall be awarded to SBEs certified by
the County.
5.13.1.2 Forty percent (40%) of Contractor's and
Subcontractor's workforce shall hold residency in
Cuyahoga County, and twenty percent (20%) of
Contractor's and Subcontractor's workforce shall
hold residency in the city of Cleveland.
Definitions
"Contractor" shall mean a general contractor,
construction manager, or design-builder selected
and engaged by Developer to provide pre-
construction, construction, or design-build
services to one or more Phases.
"Subcontractor" shall mean any Person in privity
with Contractor or any other subcontractor at any
tier to perform a portion of the Work.
Subcontractors include suppliers of materials or
equipment.
14. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 14
CREATE, FUND,
IMPLEMENT, AND MONITOR
LOCAL SBE PARTNERSHIP
Through the CAA, the
Development Team has
expressed its commitment to
SBE opportunities.
Accordingly, these businesses
should be aggressively
solicited and encouraged to
participate in the
procurement activities of the
Medical Mart Project. Further, NLI recommends that
the Development Team encourage all contractors to
provide for the participation of SBEs through
partnerships, joint ventures, sub-awards, and other
contractual opportunities. To advance these goals, NLI
recommends the implementation of a Local SBE
Partnership.
Creating Local SBE Partnership
To fulfill and exceed the SBE inclusion goals and further
capitalize on long-term hospitality and tourism (H&T)
and health sciences business opportunities enabled by
the Medical Mart Project, NLI recommends the
Development Team enter into a memorandum of
understanding (MOU) with targeted community
partners to form a Local SBE Partnership. A Local SBE
Partnership is a network of large businesses; small,
minority- and women-owned businesses; advocacy
organizations; and service providers that accelerate SBE
competitiveness. By combining the market knowledge
and expertise of Cuyahoga County’s leading SBEs and
service providers with the talents and resources of the
Development Team, a Local SBE Partnership will better
prepare SBEs for business opportunities with the
Medical Mart Project.
Local SBE Partnership Guiding Principles
Four guiding principles are embedded in a Local SBE
Partnership:
1) Provide opportunities for SBEs
2) Achieve actual SBE participation
3) Minimize risk
4) Deliver results on-time, on schedule, and within
budget
Approaches such as matchmakers and traditional SBE
development programs effectively expose SBEs to new
contract opportunities. However, NLI recommends that
the Development Team and Local SBE Partnership take
the additional step of helping SBEs develop the
necessary capability to win a reasonable amount of
business contracts with the Medical Mart Project. The
Local SBE Partnership should be a productive option to
assist the Development Team in ensuring that SBEs have
real opportunities, bolstered by real capabilities, to
achieve positive outcomes.
Purpose of the Local SBE Partnership
The Local SBE Partnership should operate through all
three phases of the Medical Mart Project:
1) Design and Construction
2) Operation
3) Long-term H&T and Health Sciences
Entrepreneurship and Other Business
Opportunities
The purpose of the Local SBE Partnership is to assess
ongoing business and new entrepreneurship
opportunities throughout the three phases of the
project and to work with the Development Team to
implement strategies, programs, and initiatives that
further leverage the project to grow local SBEs. SBE
inclusion generates job opportunities for Cuyahoga
County residents and keeps money circulating within
the local economy to achieve a greater return of
community benefits from the development.
15. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 15
Local SBE Partnership efforts include:
▪ Establishing a program to create opportunities
for SBEs to benefit from the economic activity
generated by the Medical Mart Project,
including long-term H&T and health sciences
entrepreneurship and other business
opportunities.
▪ Coordinating with relevant businesses and
advocacy and assistance organizations to
initiate a program to increase participation in
the planning, construction, operation, and
maintenance of the Medical Mart Project and to
capitalize on long-term H&T and health sciences
entrepreneurship and other business
opportunities.
▪ Consulting with the Development Team at
regular intervals regarding the progress of SBE
inclusion.
Provisions of the Local SBE Partnership MOU
Provisions of the Local SBE Partnership MOU will
facilitate customized technical assistance, education,
and training of SBEs from the city of Cleveland and
Cuyahoga County, as set forth in the CAA, for business
opportunities with and enabled by the Medical Mart
Project.
The Local SBE Partnership MOU will include:
1) Technical assistance, education, and training
programs paid for with funds provided under
the CAA and performed by providers approved
by the Development Team and Local SBE
Partnership.
2) Consulting with the Development Team at
regular intervals regarding the progress of the
technical assistance, education, and training
provided under the CAA.
3) Ensuring that SBEs receive technical assistance,
education, and training to build capacity in the
precise areas requested by Medical Mart
Project contractors and subcontractors.
4) Assistance in gathering, organizing, and
reporting data to ensure effective monitoring
and measurement of efforts.
Local SBE Partnership Development Targets
The Local SBE Partnership shall, to the extent permissible
by law, target support services and business opportunities
to:
▪ SBEs located in the city of Cleveland
▪ SBEs located in Cuyahoga County
Content of SBE Technical Assistance, Education,
and Training Programs
Local SBE Partnership technical assistance, education,
and training development programs funded under the
CAA may include:
1) Capability Assessment
2) Infrastructure Development
- People
- Process
- Technology
- Capital
3) Leadership Development
4) Access to Capital
5) Access to Bonding
6) Certification
7) Deal-Making
8) Growth Planning
9) Mentoring
10) Overall understanding of SBE strengths and
weaknesses and opportunities for development
Service providers who receive funds from the
Development Team and Local SBE Partnership must
consult both entities about the design and
implementation of all programs.
16. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 16
Actions and Timeline
The Development Team should ensure that the Local
SBE Partnership commences by September 2010.
Fiscal Oversight
The Development Team should provide fiscal oversight.
Facilitation, Management, and Monitoring
NLI brings together strong advocates from many
different organizations and disciplines and can provide
convening, facilitation, and management services to the
Local SBE Partnership and its programs. Facilitation and
management services include identifying and
recommending groups and stakeholders for
participation, as well as convening, establishing, and
providing ongoing staff support to the Local SBE
Partnership. Additionally, NLI can provide leadership for
monitoring and measuring performance and compliance
with CAA goals.
Funding
To fulfill and exceed
the SBE inclusion
terms of the CAA, and
to capitalize on long-
term H&T and health
sciences
entrepreneurship, and
other business
opportunities, NLI
recommends that the Development Team provide $5
million of seed funding over 10 years ($500,000 per
year, renewable annually based on meeting established
goals). Tools to measure the return on this community
investment of approximately 0.5% of the $900 million
total public investment will be developed and
implemented. Further, it is anticipated that the seed
investment will be supported by the Development Team
and Local SBE Partnership’s joint fundraising from other
public, private, and philanthropic sources.
Long-term funding is necessary to ensure that the
collaboration between the Development Team and the
Local SBE Partnership extends beyond the design and
construction phase, and into the operation and ongoing
H&T and health sciences entrepreneurship, and other
business opportunities phases.
Funds will be used to build the long-term momentum
necessary for SBEs to develop alongside the growth and
success of the Medical Mart Project and the new H&T
and health sciences business opportunities, and will pay
the costs of:
1) Conducting classes to prepare SBEs to become
more competitive candidates for Medical Mart
Project business opportunities and long-term
business opportunities resulting from the project.
2) Providing technical assistance, education, and
training support services for SBEs taking such
classes or for those SBEs identified by the Local
SBE Partnership as reasonably likely to be
competitive for the Medical Mart Project, and
long-term business opportunities, with the
assistance of such support services.
3) Convening, facilitating, and managing the Local
SBE Partnership and its programs, projects, and
initiatives.
4) Operating, managing, and monitoring the SBE
Solutions Program.
5) The Development Team should cooperate with
the Local SBE Partnership to obtain additional
funds from private, philanthropic, and
government sources to support SBE inclusion
programs.
6) At the conclusion of the term of the MOU, any
unused funds will revert to the Development
Team.
Initial Local SBE Partnership Program
▪ SBE Solutions Program
17. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 17
SBE SOLUTIONS
PROGRAM
Background and Vision
Healthy local businesses are a basic component of
strong, sustainable communities. They provide essential
amenities and generate job
opportunities for residents that
keep money circulating within the
community rather than draining it
outward as fast as it is attracted.
SBEs, including minority-owned
and women-owned enterprises,
face particularly daunting
challenges, including access to
capital, equitable contracting
prospects, and joint-venture and partnership
opportunities. Additionally, many local businesses are
often overlooked in major development projects in
favor of larger businesses from outside the area. Such
biases inhibit growth opportunities and stifle
community development. SBE Solutions overcome
those challenges and biases by leveraging the Medical
Mart Project to achieve equitable SBE inclusion.
SBE Solutions – Creation
To meet and exceed the SBE inclusion goals set forth in
the CAA and to capitalize on long-term H&T and health
sciences entrepreneurship, and other business
opportunities, NLI recommends that the Development
Team and Local SBE Partnership establish SBE Solutions.
SBE Solutions – Purpose
The purpose of SBE Solutions is to leverage the Medical
Mart Project to considerably accelerate SBE growth and
development, including minority- and women-owned
business enterprises, through comprehensive,
construction-related, H&T and health sciences business,
technical assistance, education, and training.
Additionally, SBE Solutions creates new
entrepreneurship, business development, and
contracting opportunities and facilitates capital
formation and investment to fuel SBE growth.
The successful implementation of SBE Solutions
advances each of these purposes.
SBE Solutions – Development
NLI recommends that the Development Team ensure
that all contractors and subcontractors have access to
SBE Solutions, as the program should provide a pool of
competitive SBEs for available
business opportunities with the
Medical Mart Project. Contractors
and subcontractors should receive
prompt, cost-free referrals of
qualified SBEs.
Strategies that increase SBE access
to and capacity for contracts are
one way of building additional
community benefits into large-scale
public developments, such as the Medical Mart Project.
SBE contracting programs, such as SBE Solutions, reflect
a nationwide community benefits movement.
Communities are organizing around large-scale and
publicly financed/subsidized development projects to
achieve equitable benefits, such as business
opportunities for local SBEs. The economic activity
generated by the Medical Mart Project, which should
lead to new H&T and health sciences entrepreneurship,
and other business opportunities, can support SBE
growth and serve as a critical job-creating engine.
18. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 18
SBE SOLUTIONS:
21 PROGRAM STRATEGIES,
TACTICS, AND OVERSIGHT
To create SBE Solutions, the following strategies and
tactics should be considered and further refined, and
the best ideas should be adopted and implemented:
1) SBE Development as a Regional Economic
Development Priority. As a matter of government
policy, NLI recommends that Cuyahoga County
express the strategic regional economic
development case for SBE development, leveraging
supplier inclusion achievements to create a lasting
positive economic impact on the county. Below are
compelling illustrations of Ohio and Cuyahoga
County’s SBE characteristics that present
overwhelming job creation and other demographic
realities of the strategic importance of SBE
development.
2) Establishing Goals. Setting quantifiable goals for
making purchases from SBEs is critical to the
success of any supplier-inclusion program. Goals set
the necessary performance standards. They are
established by customer requirements,
benchmarking, and historic best-performance
standards. SBE goals should be tailored to the local
community and blended into overall Development
Team goals. SBE Solutions’ inclusion goals should
focus on :
a. Construction: Ensuring that all bid
specifications related to construction activity
include SBE procurement goals. Compliance and
verification would be key issues, since
corruption and misrepresentation are rampant
in this industry.
b. General Procurement: Ensuring that all bid
specifications related to general procurement
include SBE goals, including a historical review
for basic goods and services that are and are
not competitively bid, to uncover overlooked
opportunities.
c. Professional Services: Ensuring that
professional services contracting include SBE
participation. Professional services providers
include attorneys, law firms, doctors, architects,
engineers, accountants, actuaries, insurers,
staffing firms, nurses, IT experts, financial
services professionals, and many more. They
provide significant new opportunities for SBE
inclusion.
3) New Business Classifications. SBE Solutions
should not use race-based classifications, as they
can be legally problematic. However, economic-
based classifications are without legal risk. The
Development Team and Local SBE Partnership
should explore employing the tools of Equitable
Competition
TM
to create new business classifications
based on size and revenue. Equitable Competition
TM
tools create an environment of fair and reasonable
competition. They retain the vital competitive
tension in the contracting process that is necessary
to keep contracting prices in check by requiring
similarly situated businesses to compete against
one another:
a. SBEs compete against other SBEs
b. Larger businesses compete against other
larger businesses
c. SBEs do not compete against larger
businesses
d. Larger businesses do not compete against
SBEs
Economic-based contracting programs could
include:
a. Set-aside classifications for contracts, where
only a certain class of businesses would be
eligible to bid on certain contracts.
b. Subcontracting economic inclusion criteria
for defining and determining the lowest and
most responsive bid for larger contracts.
19. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 19
To ensure the new classifications reflect local market
realities, the Development Team and Local SBE
Partnership should consider the following Ohio and
Cuyahoga County SBE statistics:
SBA Office of Advocacy: SBE Profile – OHIO
8, 9
Ohio Small Businesses Market Characteristics
2006 Ohio SBEs, total number 923,021
(SBA: An SBE is defined as fewer than 500 employees)
2007 Ohio SBEs, without employees 718,986
2006 Ohio SBEs, with employees 204,035
2006 Ohio SBEs, percent of total employers 98.2% of Ohio’s employers are SBEs
2006 Ohio SBEs, percent of private-sector
employment
48.6% of Ohio’s private-sector employment is from SBEs
2006 Ohio SBEs, total income (non-farm
income)
$26.9 billion
2006 Ohio SBEs, average income (non-farm
income)
$29,150 per SBEΏ
Ohio SBEs, new jobs created SBEs created all of the state's net new jobs from 2004 to 2005
Ώ
Ohio SBE total income (non-farm) divided by total number of Ohio SBEs.
Cuyahoga County SBE Profile10
Cuyahoga County SBEs Market Characteristics
2007 Cuyahoga County SBEs, total number 35,934
2007 Cuyahoga County SBEs, less than 50
employees
33,583 (93%+ of total SBEs)
2007 Cuyahoga County SBEs, less than 20
employees
30,125 (83%+ of total SBEs)
20. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 20
New Entrepreneurial/Small Business Enterprise
TM
Classifications
Based on Ohio and Cuyahoga County SBE market
characteristics – especially considering that:
a. there are nearly 36,000 SBEs in the county,
b. the average income for Ohio SBEs is about
$29,150, and
c. more than 83% of county SBEs have less than 20
employees, yet, statewide, SBEs are creating
the overwhelming majority of net new jobs
– the Development Team and the Local SBE
Partnership should explore developing new business
classifications for the Medical Mart Project that better
reflect the local SBE market.
Currently, to become eligible for the Cuyahoga County
SBE Program, a business must demonstrate it has been
in continuous operation in the category or the related
category for which it is requesting certification for one
year, and that its annual gross revenues or its total
workforce are at or less than the SBE Program standards
established by the U.S. Small Business Administration
set forth below.
To ensure access to meaningful business contracting
opportunities, using the principles of Equitable
Competition
TM
, NLI recommends that the Development
Team and Local SBE Partnership establish new
Entrepreneurial/Small Business Enterprise
TM
(E/SBE)
classifications, to more accurately reflect the realities of
Cuyahoga County. The current SBE classifications and
proposed E/SBE classifications are set forth below.
Current SBE Classifications and
Proposed New E/SBE Classifications
Category
Current SBE
Gross Revenues or
Total Workforce
Proposed E/SBE
Gross Revenues or
Total Workforce
Percentage
Change
(Approx.)
Most manufacturing 500 employees 50 employees - 90%
All wholesale trade industries 100 employees 25 employees - 75%
Most retail & service industries $6 million $1.8million - 70%
Most general & heavy
construction industries
$28.5 million $5.7 million - 80%
All special trade contractors $12 million $2.4 million - 80%
Architectural/engineering $4 million $1.6 million - 60%
Law firms $6 million $1.8 million - 70%
Consultants $6 million $1.8 million - 70%
21. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 21
4) Contract Financing. Through SBE Solutions,
the Development Team could consider offering
lines of credit to qualified SBEs to finance
Medical Mart Project contracts, wherein the
borrowing SBE assigns payments due from
performance of a contract to the Development
Team. Advances can be made under a line of
credit based on invoices billed for completed
work. As invoices are paid, additional advances
can be made. Contract financing programs
authorize lines of credit for up to one year and
provide advances on receivables for as much as
90% of billed receivables. The basic objective of
the contract financing tool is to guarantee loans
or make loans to SBEs for working capital,
machinery, or equipment to execute contracts,
thus further enabling SBEs to seek, win, and
fulfill such contracts.
5) SBE Growth Program, Fund, and
Authority11
Cuyahoga County could investigate legislation
to create the SBE Growth Program, Fund, and
Authority as a component of SBE Solutions. The
SBE Growth Program, Fund, and Authority
would allow the formation of a $25 million
private investment fund to provide Cuyahoga
County-based SBEs the capital they need to
build capacity, grow, and create new jobs and
wealth in the county.
.
The following describes how the SBE Growth
Program, Fund, and Authority possibly could be
structured:
a. Program
The SBE Growth Program could create a
haven, i.e. an “advantaged environment,”
for SBEs by incenting the creation and
increasing the flow of private investment
dollars to such companies through the SBE
Growth Fund. These dollars could be backed
by Cuyahoga County and administered by
an SBE Growth Authority, whose members
would be appointed by Cuyahoga County.
b. Fund
The SBE Growth Fund could be secured by
Cuyahoga County up to a specified
maximum loss, first through program
revenues or, if insufficient, through
proceeds from the sale of transferable tax
credits that may be claimed against the
county property tax (on real estate) and
Commercial Activity Tax.
c. Authority
The SBE Growth Authority would be
responsible for establishing guidelines and
setting criteria for the awarding of
investment dollars from the SBE Growth
Fund, thereby giving a boost to SBEs in
Cuyahoga County at no direct cost to
taxpayers.
d. Legislation would:
I. Establish the SBE Growth Program
(Program) to make loans to and invest in
Cuyahoga County-based SBEs.
II. Establish the SBE Growth Authority
(Authority) to oversee the Program.
III. Direct the Authority to create the SBE
Growth Fund (Fund) and associated
lending and investment policy.
IV. To carry out the Program’s objective,
permit the Fund to designate one private,
for-profit investment fund manager to
serve as the administrative entity.
V. Provide for the one-time issuance from
Cuyahoga County to the Authority a total
of $25 million in non-refundable tax credits
for 20 years against the county property
tax (on real estate) and Commercial
Activity Tax that the Authority may then
sell to provide security against potential
losses incurred under the Program.
VI. Permit the original purchaser of such tax
credit to sell or transfer it.
22. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 22
VII. No more than a total of $1.25 million in tax
credits could be claimed in any one fiscal
year.
VIII. Prohibit the Authority from selling a credit
that may be claimed after 20 years from
the creation and issuance of the credit.
IX. Specify that the transfer of tax credits to,
or use of the proceeds received from, the
sale of tax credits by the Authority does
not constitute an obligation of Cuyahoga
County.
6) B2B Incentive. Cuyahoga County should
explore working with the State of Ohio to create
a pilot program to reduce dollar-for-dollar the
amount of taxable income under the
Commercial Activity Tax for companies doing
business with SBEs located in the county. For
example, if Company X conducts $2 million in
business with an SBE located in Cuyahoga
County, Company X’s taxable income under the
Commercial Activity Tax is reduced by $2
million, an appreciable tax savings. The income
earned by the SBE through this program would
be fully taxable, as prescribed under the
Commercial Activity Tax.
Consequently, Cuyahoga County realizes the
Commercial Activity Tax revenue from the SBE,
which it lost from Company X. In theory, this
approach is a tax-shifting tool, not a tax-
elimination tool.
This measure would incent companies to do
business with SBEs in Cuyahoga County, and is
not intended to eliminate or undermine tax
revenue to Cuyahoga County or the State of
Ohio.
7) Accelerated Certification. Only SBEs that
have been certified by an accredited third-party
agency should be eligible for participation in
SBE Solutions. Use of certified suppliers helps
prevent the use of “front” companies. It is
imperative that the certification process be
accelerated to ensure that SBEs have fast and
fair opportunities to compete for Medical Mart
Project business through all three phases of the
project.
8) Accountability. The Development Team
should be accountable for reaching SBE goals.
The best organizations include this in
performance appraisals, along with cost savings,
product/service quality, and reduced
procurement cycle times. What gets measured
gets done.
23. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 23
9) Strategic Sourcing. Correctly packaging bids to
take advantage of local SBE availability, as well
as providing these suppliers with equitable
procurement opportunities, must be an ongoing
and proactive process for the Development
Team. Forecasting purchasing requirements and
matching those requirements to local SBEs
saves time, mitigates risk, and also ensures a
wider range of suppliers. Strategic sourcing is
part of effective supply chain management and
helps ensure that SBE suppliers get a fair
opportunity to compete. The Internet is an
excellent tool to help locate and learn about
prospective suppliers by reviewing their
websites. To ensure success, strategic sourcing
lists should be included in the sourcing plans
used by the Development Team’s purchasing
and contracting teams. Strategic sourcing helps
avoid the “we can’t find anybody” syndrome.
10) Subcontracting. SBE Solutions should include
a subcontracting component. Contractors
invoice the general contractor, and
subcontractors invoice contractors.
Subcontracting is essential, since many of its
procurement dollars are typically spent with
SBE suppliers.
11) Prompt Payment Provisions. The
Development Team could consider requiring
contractors and subcontractors to incorporate
prompt-payment clauses in every contract that
obligate them to pay SBEs within a given
number of days after receiving payment from
the general contractor. Prompt payment should
be required only for satisfactory completion of
work.
12) Offer Advance Payments. Lack of up-front
capital prohibits many SBEs from bidding on public
contracts. One way to increase access to public
contracts is to offer advance payments to
competent SBEs that are unable to begin work
without initial financial assistance. The
Development Team could consider providing
advance payments of 10-15% of the total contract
value, with a maximum advance payment cap,
which would significantly increase prospects for
SBE success.
13) Break Up Large Contracts. The Development
Team can increase SBE access to Medical Mart
Project opportunities by breaking up large
contracts into smaller opportunities. This allows
competent SBEs with lower capacities to bid on
such contracts.
14) Technical Support. To mitigate risk and build
capability, both of which help SBEs fulfill their
contracted responsibilities, SBE Solutions should
provide comprehensive training. This could
include bidding assistance and advice, and
resources such as lending entities, public- and
private-sector financing, workforce assistance,
business consultants, and more.
15) Education. The Development Team,
contractors, and subcontractors should be
educated on how to successfully work with SBE
Solutions. The best programs include ongoing
education in marketing, technology adoption,
and business alliances.
16) Mentorship Programs. Mentoring
opportunities for large, well-established
businesses to coach aspiring SBEs should be a
component of SBE Solutions. A mentor-protégé
relationship helps SBEs by providing basic
support and technical assistance, as well as by
developing a relationship that can be the source
of future business opportunities. It also brings
in large firms as partners and allies in the
movement to grow and develop SBEs. Mentor-
protégé relationships may also grow into future
business alliances.
17) Awards Program. Development Team
employees who extend extra effort to make SBE
Solutions a success should be widely recognized
and celebrated to reward them and encourage
others to provide their best efforts.
24. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 24
18) Annual Report. Over the course of the
Medical Mart Project, the Development Team
and the Local SBE Partnership should publish an
annual report highlighting each contractor’s and
subcontractor‘s successful efforts to include
SBEs in contracting opportunities.
19) E-Commerce. An
effective SBE
Solutions e-
procurement
system ensures
transparent,
accurate tracking of
procurement and
includes an online
vendor directory
and registration
system, electronic
notification of
procurement opportunities, e-business
education and mentoring opportunities for
suppliers, and SBE e-commerce participation
goals.
20) Marketing. SBE Solutions should provide
networking among contractors, subcontractors,
SBEs, and procurement staff and serve as an
information source for all bidding news and
updates. The marketing function would publish
an electronic newsletter, as well as other
collateral for all potential and actual bidders.
21) Benchmarking. The Development Team and Local
SBE Partnership should benchmark SBE Solutions,
both internally and externally. Benchmarking
outside of the program is a good way to get
breakthrough results. A good source from which to
obtain benchmarks is an industry group.
Benchmarking must be
conducted periodically to
keep SBE Solutions current.
SBE Solutions – Oversight
NLI recommends that SBE
Solutions be jointly overseen
by the Development Team
and Local SBE Partnership,
which would assist with
program design, fundraising,
and outcome monitoring. In
the event of a change in the
organization that operates and manages SBE Solutions,
the Development Team and Local SBE Partnership
should jointly recommend and retain a replacement.
25. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 25
PROPOSAL GUIDELINES
AND DELIVERABLES
SBE Solutions – Operation and Management
Proposals
The Development Team and Local SBE Partnership should
seek proposals from qualified SBEs, business counselors,
and service providers (Providers) to operate and manage
SBE Solutions. Proposals should build on local SBE assets,
respond to the needs of SBEs and larger businesses, and
commit to the goals outlined in the CAA and above.
Proposals should also describe clear strategies and
programs for outreach and support to local SBEs.
The Development Team and Local SBE Partnership
should strongly encourage collaborations that enhance
overall program success.
Scope of SBE Solutions
▪ Part I Foundation Services
▪ Part II. Outreach
▪ Part III. Capability/Development Services
Part I.
SBE Solutions Foundation Services
Foundational elements in SBE Solutions include
marketing, recruitment, and registration. These
functions are critical for an effective program, and the
Providers should have the experience and capacity to
perform in these key areas:
Foundation Services
Marketing
1) Create website with FAQ on SBE Solutions
2) Link website to collaboration partners
3) Promote SBE Solutions in partner newsletters,
e-mail blasts, and meetings
Recruitment
1) Develop a list of potential SBE recruits from
collaborating partners
2) Identify recruits through referral network
3) Convert recruits to registered SBEs
Registration
1) Create an SBE registration repository with
pertinent information
2) Sort and stratify SBEs by industry group, size,
service offerings, etc.
3) Create capability to match and align SBEs with
Medical Mart Project opportunities
Part II.
SBE Solutions Outreach
The Providers should ensure the performance of
outreach services necessary for SBE Solutions at all stages
of its planning, construction, and operation. Such
outreach efforts are necessary to:
▪ Inform Cuyahoga County taxpayers, SBEs,
contractors, subcontractors, and SBE advocacy
organizations and service providers of SBE
Solutions, as well as provide program updates
▪ Foster local community involvement in SBE
Solutions to assist in developing and
continuously improving SBE Solutions
▪ Expand the contractor and subcontractor
database to provide greater opportunities
The Providers should ensure collaboration with local
community organizations and SBE and economic
development organizations to perform the outreach
services.
Outreach to SBEs
A proactive program is needed to reach out to SBEs.
This involves attending trade fairs, launching a website,
advertising, etc. Outreach is essential to learning,
leveraging, and growing the capabilities of SBE
suppliers. The following outreach solutions and
strategies would encourage SBE participation:
1) Work with SBE-focused groups whose missions
support inclusion.
2) Emphasize the importance of soliciting certified
SBEs for subcontracting opportunities at pre-bid
conferences and in the bid documents. Strongly
encourage and/or require contractors and
subcontractors to solicit bids for subcontracts
from SBEs.
26. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 26
3) Hold meetings to share detailed information
with contractors and subcontractors concerning
the bidding and good-faith-efforts
requirements.
4) Assess the effectiveness of SBE Solutions and
identify opportunities to enhance it by
evaluating SBE participation and compliance, as
well as by reviewing the good-faith efforts of
contractors and subcontractors, as required in
bid packages.
5) Develop contracting and subcontracting
opportunities unique to each phase of the
Medical Mart Project based on local SBE
availability, and target them for SBE Solutions
opportunities. Develop these opportunities and
contact interested SBEs no later than 10
working days prior to the bid opening to
provide a list of contractors and subcontractors
that plan to participate.
6) Build new and strengthen existing business
relationships through networking. Continue
communicating with other Northeast Ohio
governments and public agencies and the
private sector to find out how their SBE
outreach programs work and to share best
practices and ideas to improve programs.
7) Enhance the Medical Mart Project website by
including the outreach plan and guidelines,
listing good-faith efforts, creating links to SBE
resources, and creating awareness of specific
subcontracting opportunities.
8) Make available to SBE-focused organizations
and agencies a list of subcontracting
opportunities when identified, no later than 10
working days prior to bid openings, and a list of
contractor and subcontractor bidders that SBEs
may wish to contact for subcontracting
consideration.
9) Maintain a database specifically for SBEs,
contractors, and subcontractors to ensure those
firms have access to up-to-date information.
10) Advertise upcoming bid opportunities in SBE,
minority-, and women-focused local media.
Outreach to Development Team
The Providers should work with the Development Team
to:
1) Attend the scheduled pre-bid conference to
explain SBE requirements to prospective
bidders.
2) Identify and notify prospective contractors,
subcontractors, and SBEs of potential
contracting opportunities.
3) Maintain documentation of any contacts,
correspondence, or conversation with SBEs in
an attempt to meet SBE Solutions goals.
4) Jointly review all requirements of SBE Solutions
prior to an award recommendation for any
contract.
5) During the construction phase, review
documentation for contract payments for
compliance with SBE use commitments and
other requirements.
Outreach to Contractors and Subcontractors
The Providers should work with contractors and
subcontractors to:
1) Attend scheduled pre-bid conferences.
2) Identify or determine work areas of a
subcontract where SBEs may have an interest in
performing work.
3) Ensure that SBE goals are listed in the request
for proposal.
4) Identify on bid documents the SBEs that would
be used on the project, with corresponding
total dollar values of the bid and an affidavit
listing the value of the SBEs’ services and good
faith outreach efforts.
5) Document evidence of outreach to SBEs for
review by the Development Team and Local SBE
Partnership.
6) Ensure that contractors and subcontractors
provide one of the following, upon being named
the apparent successful bidder:
27. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 27
a. An affidavit that includes a description
of the portion of work to be executed
by SBEs, expressed as a percentage of
the total contract price, which is equal
to or more than the applicable goal; or
b. Documentation of all good-faith efforts
to meet the goal if the percentage is not
equal to the SBE inclusion goal. The
documentation should include evidence
of all good-faith efforts, including any
advertisements, solicitations, and
evidence of other specific actions
demonstrating recruitment and
selection of SBEs for participation in the
contract.
Failure to comply with these requirements is
grounds for rejection of the bid and awarding it
to the next lowest and most responsive bidder.
7) Ensure that, at any time, if it becomes
necessary to replace an SBE subcontractor, the
Development Team and Local SBE Partnership
are immediately advised in writing of the
circumstances. Contractors and subcontractors
must be required to make good-faith efforts to
replace SBE subcontractors with other SBE
subcontractors.
8) Ensure that if additional subcontracting
opportunities become available, contractors
and subcontractors make good-faith efforts to
solicit bids from SBEs.
Part III.
SBE Solutions
Capability/Development Services
This involves the Providers’ performance and/or
provision of comprehensive services and technical
assistance to SBEs enrolled in SBE Solutions. The
Providers help SBEs further develop the skills,
knowledge, and overall capability to succeed.
Capability/Development services and technical
assistance may include:
1) Developing literature and/or providing training
or workshops on:
a. how to become a certified SBE with the
Development Team
b. how to obtain financing and bonding
c. how to properly complete necessary
paperwork
d. how to bid on or propose a project
2) Matching contractors and subcontractors with
SBEs
3) Obtaining feedback from contractors,
subcontractors, and SBEs regarding the
successes and challenges of the project
4) Assisting in gathering, organizing, and reporting
data
Capability/Development Service Deliverables12
The Providers should have the experience and capacity
to provide and/or ensure the provision of
comprehensive capability/development services and
technical assistance, such as:
Training and Development
1) People Training—addresses interpersonal soft
skills (customer service, quality, timely
performance, etc.)
2) Financial Training—addresses the financial
aspects of a business (financial planning, money
management, banking, etc.)
3) Business Training—addresses the “ins and outs”
of business (entrepreneurship, business
planning, marketing, etc.)
28. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 28
4) Technical Training—addresses technical aspects
of business (computer systems, engineering,
technology, etc.)
5) Construction Training—addresses skills specific
to the construction industry (bidding, blueprint
reading, estimating, etc.)
6) Specialty Skills Training—addresses specialty
skills on an as-needed basis
SBE Delivery Capabilities
1) Infrastructure Development—enhance delivery
capabilities for SBEs around people, processes,
and technology to support the execution of
business opportunities
2) Leadership Development—enhance leadership
skills of C-level executives through executive
coaching
3) SBE Certification
a. Accelerate the certification process
b. Support SBEs in acquiring certification
c. Make certification as simple as possible
4) Bonding
a. Determine instances when bonding
should not be required
b. Support SBEs in acquiring bonding
c. Identify strategic business partner(s) to
serve as primary suppliers of SBE
bonding
5) Capital Access
a. Support SBEs in acquiring capital
b. Provide SBE access to existing capital
pools
c. Define creative capital alternatives
6) Deal Making
a. Support SBEs in developing win-win
business deals with larger Medical Mart
Project contractors and subcontractors
7) Growth and Development
a. Support SBEs in defining and executing
a growth strategy. Address people,
processes, technology, leadership,
capital, and certification needs using a
pool of skilled/specialty resources.
Contractor and Subcontractor Services
1) SBE Solutions Registration
a. Create an SBE repository with pertinent
information
b. Create the capability to match and align
SBEs with contractors and
subcontractors
2) Supplier Diversity Spend
a. Support contractors and subcontractors
in making supplier diversity more
robust
b. Support the creation of formal
accountability for supplier diversity
c. Support metrics and measures around
supplier diversity
3) SBE Mentoring Support
a. Mentor/Protégé
b. Project Financing
c. Bonding Support
Construction-Specific SBE Capability/Development
Service Deliverables13
The Providers should have the experience and capacity
to provide construction-specific capability/development
services and technical assistance, such as:
1) Construction blueprint reading, accounting,
estimating, documents, specs, and
management courses
2) Supervisory training programs, including
leadership and motivation
3) Seminars and programs, such as building-
information modeling and workers’ comp
seminars
29. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 29
4) Trade association meetings to meet peers and
possibly join, pending becoming a union
signatory contractor
5) Information on construction apprenticeship
programs
6) Opportunity to use Green Sheet services and
job-placement opportunities
7) Legislative programs and committee meetings
to learn about legislative issues affecting
contractors
8) Opportunity to be listed on the Providers’
website to market their company
9) Opportunity to network at special events
10) Labor relations matters
11) Wage rate information
12) Fringe benefit administration
13) Immigration assistance
14) Solicitation guidance – Information and
guidance to help SBEs distinguish among
worthy, legitimate organizations and dubious,
illegal solicitations.
15) Safety Training
a. OSHA 10-hour and 30-hour
b. OSHA 500
c. First-aid/CPR training
d. Classes such as fall protection, scaffold,
trenching, confined space, etc.
16) Safety training at Construction Safety Council
17) Opportunity to be ally with OSHA and create
possible future partnership with OSHA
18) Operation Safe Site
a. Job inspections available upon request
and scheduling
b. On-site safety meetings conducted by a
safety professional
c. Assistance with OSHA citations and
informal conferences
d. Telephonic assistance with interpreting
OSHA regulations and job-site safety
requirements
e. All-in-one posters, start-up kits, OSHA
code books, and additional safety
information
19) Online services
a. Tips for toolbox safety meetings available
for download with sign-in sheet for
meeting documentation
b. OSHA training
c. Posting of new developments to reach
construction industry
30. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 30
PROPOSAL FORMAT
Proposals should outline the following:
1) Summary of program goals, objectives, and
expected results (maximum one page)
a. Brief statement of your organization’s
mission, history, and population served
b. Goal(s) should correspond to the
Development Team and Local SBE
Partnership goals outlined above,
adjusted to reflect organizational
capacity.
c. Objectives that are specific and
measureable, along with time-limited
statements that answer the questions,
“What steps will you take to achieve the
goal, and in what timeframe will they
be achieved?” Objectives should
respond to the program deliverables
outlined above.
2) Program narrative (maximum five pages). This
section should detail the information
summarized in the first section and should
include descriptions of:
a. The city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga
County SBE markets
b. The organization’s history and track
record in providing SBE services,
including the above-described
foundation services, outreach,
capability/development services, and
technical assistance
c. The specific activities and services that
will be offered, along with a timeline
detailing when each service/activity will
be implemented
d. Proposed partners
e. How progress toward goals and
objectives will be measured and
evaluated
3) Program budget (maximum one page).
4) A list of grants received by the organization in
the last 12 months for SBE development
programming (sources and amounts) and a list
of any expected additional support.
5) A list of the organization’s current Board of
Directors, including each member’s name, title,
and organizational affiliation.
Eligible Organizations
NLI recommends that the Development Team and Local
SBE Partnership give preference to SBEs and
community-based SBE service providers and advocacy
organizations with a track record of providing
meaningful services to local SBEs.
Members of the Development Team and Local SBE
Partnership associated with any organization submitting
proposals to operate SBE Solutions should disqualify
themselves from the review and selection process.
Timeline and Process for Proposal Submission,
Review, and Approval
1) The deadline for proposal submissions will be
____________________, 2010.
2) The proposals will be reviewed by the
Development Team and Local SBE Partnership
and approved, or provisionally approved subject
to revisions, by ____________________, 2010.
3) After provisional approval, the proposals will be
reviewed by the Development Team and Local
SBE Partnership for final approval by
_____________________, 2010.
31. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 31
The Development Team:
Cuyahoga County
MMPI
MMPI Cleveland
Local SBE Partnership:
Large businesses and small,
minority- and women-owned
businesses, advocacy
organizations, and service
providers
Business Opportunities and Contracts for
Cleveland and Cuyahoga County
Small Businesses
SBE Solutions
Program
Medical Mart Convention Center Project
Local SBE Partnership and SBE Solutions Program Model
32. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 32
CREATE, FUND, IMPLEMENT,
AND MONITOR LOCAL
WORKER PARTNERSHIP
Creating a Local Worker
Partnership
To meet and exceed the local
workforce inclusion goals set
forth in the CAA, and further
capitalize on long-term H&T,
health sciences, and
construction-related
employment opportunities enabled by the Medical
Mart Project, NLI recommends that the Development
Team enter into an MOU with targeted community
partners to form a Local Worker Partnership. A Local
Worker Partnership is a network of workforce-
development organizations and social and human
services providers that unite to improve local-worker
competitiveness. By combining the market knowledge
and expertise of Cuyahoga County’s leading provider
organizations with the talents and resources of the
Development Team, the Local Worker Partnership will
better prepare local workers for employment
opportunities with the Medical Mart Project and long-
term H&T and health sciences opportunities enabled by
the project.
Local Worker Opportunities
Because of the scale of the public investment – $900
million – and the direct link to the region’s growing H&T
and flourishing health sciences industries, the
construction and operation of the Medical Mart Project
can:
1) Help Cuyahoga County better compete in state,
national, and global markets to attract
healthcare innovations, research dollars,
patients, and specialists.
2) Create more than 1,200 jobs in Cleveland and
1,500 jobs in Cuyahoga County during
construction.
3) Help the H&T sector reach critical mass by
activating a set of multipliers to create long-
term jobs for local workers, and help develop
opportunities for local-worker education and
training in H&T and health sciences.
Purpose of the Local Worker Partnership
The Local Worker Partnership operates through all
three phases of the Medical Mart Project:
1) Design and construction
2) Ongoing operation
3) Long-term employment opportunities in H&T,
health sciences, and construction-related fields
The purpose of the Local Worker Partnership is to assess
ongoing employment opportunities (including current
and future workforce, education, literacy, and training
needs) throughout the three phases of the Medical Mart
Project, and to work with the Development Team to
implement strategies, programs, and initiatives that
leverage the Medical Mart Project by addressing long-
term unemployment among local workers. These efforts
include:
1) Establishing targeted job-readiness and worker
training programs in construction, H&T, and
health sciences
2) Hiring and referral initiatives for pre-
construction, construction, and permanent H&T
and health sciences jobs
3) Developing a continuum of workforce-
development services for unemployed persons,
including life-skills development, construction,
health sciences, H&T career ladder/pathway
programs, and incumbent worker training
4) Ensuring that Zero Tolerance policies are
incorporated into all workforce, education,
literacy, and training initiatives
5) Working collaboratively with community
organizations, including labor unions,
contractors, subcontractors, and SBEs, including
minority- and women-owned companies, to
increase workforce diversity
6) Gathering, organizing, and reporting data for
effecting monitoring and measurement
33. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 33
Provisions of the Local Worker Partnership MOU
Provisions of the Local Worker Partnership MOU
facilitate customized training and employment of job
applicants and prospective job applicants from the city
of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County, as set forth in the
CAA, in the Medical Mart Project and in long-term H&T,
health sciences, and construction-related opportunities
enabled by the project.
The Local Worker Partnership MOU will include:
1) Job training programs paid with funds provided
under the CAA and delivered by providers
approved by the Development Team and Local
Worker Partnership.
2) Consulting with the Development Team at
regular intervals regarding the progress of job
training and employment provided under the
CAA.
3) Ensuring that job applicants, including residents
who are participants in a rehabilitated ex-
offender job training program, receive job
training in the precise skills requested by
Medical Mart Project contractors and
subcontractors and demanded by H&T and
health sciences employers.
4) Securing H&T training in the management,
marketing, and operations of restaurants and
other foodservices, lodging, attractions,
recreation events, and travel-related services,
as well as the health sciences, to take
advantage of long-term job opportunities
enabled by the project.
5) Conducting the following assessments and
competencies:
a. Workforce, education, literacy, and
training situational needs assessment
b. Partner program and service delivery
capabilities
c. Partner resource capacity and
availability
Construction,
H&T, and
Health
sciences Work
Experience
Programs
The
Development
Team and
Local Worker Partnership will ensure that prospective
employees who participate in training programs under
the CAA are afforded construction work experience jobs
in the Medical Mart Project and long-term H&T and
health sciences employment opportunities. To the
extent permissible by law, and consistent with local
workforce-inclusion provisions set forth in the CAA,
residents in the city of Cleveland and Cuyahoga County
will be targeted for work-experience program
placement opportunities.
Local Worker Partnership Development Targets
To the extent permissible by law, and consistent with
local workforce-inclusion provisions set forth in the
CAA, enrollment opportunities in all workforce
development, education, literacy, and training programs
will be made available to:
1) Low-income individuals living in the city of
Cleveland, defined as up to 80% of Cleveland’s
median household income
2) Low-income individuals residing in Cuyahoga
County, defined as up to 80% of Cuyahoga
County’s median household income
3) Moderate-income individuals living in the city of
Cleveland, defined as up to 120% of Cleveland’s
median household income
4) Moderate-income individuals living in Cuyahoga
County, defined as up to 120% of Cuyahoga
County’s median household income
5) Individuals residing in the city of Cleveland and
Cuyahoga County currently working in
construction-related, H&T, and health sciences
jobs and eligible for incumbent-worker training
34. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 34
Content of Workforce, Education, Literacy, and
Training Programs
Workforce development, education, literacy, and
training programs funded under the CAA may include
literacy enhancement, job-readiness, life-skill
development, rehabilitated ex-offender re-entry,
construction-related subject matter, long-term H&T and
health sciences career ladder/pathways, incumbent-
worker training, and other programs as approved by the
Development Team and Local Worker Partnership.
Service providers that receive funds from the
Development Team and Local Worker Partnership must
consult both entities about the design and
implementation of all programs.
Special Note on
H&T Jobs and
Sustainable H&T
Development14
With the Medical
Mart Project, the
people of Cuyahoga County are investing heavily to
strengthen the H&T sector of our local economy.
Leaders in the community benefits field have noted that
the increasing importance of the H&T economy and the
gradual, unyielding shift from heavy manufacturing
presents new challenges to our economic well-being.
Most notable is the quality of many of the jobs in the
H&T industry.
Progressive communities have learned that H&T jobs
need not be low-paying, dead-end positions. Cuyahoga
County, along with other local governments,
communities, and H&T industry leaders should work
together to develop and implement policies and
strategies that create pathways to the middle class. In
short, NLI recommends that Cuyahoga County support
principles of sustainable H&T development.
Cuyahoga County should consider several approaches to
ensure sustainable H&T development15
1) Conduct a full audit of hotel leases and
redevelopment agreements that enjoy public
subsidy. Residents deserve to know the full
:
story behind the agreements upon which our
H&T industry is built.
2) Hold public hearings on the costs and benefits
of the H&T industry to Cuyahoga County
residents and discuss the costs and benefits of
subsidizing and investing in the H&T industry.
3) Future Cuyahoga County agreements to assist in
hotel and other H&T development should
require a Community Benefits Impact Study to
examine the impact of development, subsidies,
job creation, and compensation on workers and
residents.
4) Explore government policy options for raising
standards at hotels and other H&T amenities, as
workers and residents deserve to benefit from
the taxpayer largesse provided to our H&T
industry.
These and other efforts can help ensure that the H&T
industry, which Cuyahoga County taxpayers will heavily
subsidize, yields the kind of quality jobs and other
opportunities that the citizens expect and demand.
Actions and Timeline
NLI recommends the Development Team ensure that
the Local Worker Partnership commences by
September 2010.
Fiscal Oversight
The Development Team should provide fiscal oversight.
Facilitation, Management, and Monitoring
NLI can bring together strong advocates from many
different organizations and disciplines and provide
convening, facilitation, and management services to the
Local Worker Partnership and its programs. Facilitation
and management services include identifying and
recommending groups and stakeholders for
participation and convening, as well as establishing and
providing ongoing support to the Local Worker
Partnership. Additionally, NLI can provide leadership for
monitoring and measuring performance and compliance
with CAA goals.
. . . H&T jobs do not
need to be low-
paying, dead-end
positions.
35. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 35
Funding
To fulfill and
exceed the local
worker
inclusion terms
of the CAA and
capitalize on
long-term H&T
and health
sciences
employment
opportunities enabled by the Medical Mart Project, NLI
recommends that the Development Team provide seed
funding in the amount of $5 million over 10 years
($500,000 per year, renewable annually based on
meeting established goals). Tools to measure the return
on this community investment of approximately 0.5% of
the $900 million total public investment will be
developed and implemented. Further, it is anticipated
that the seed investment will be supported by the
Development Team and Local Worker Partnership’s
joint fundraising from other public, private, and
philanthropic sources.
Long-term funding is necessary to ensure that
collaboration between the Development Team and the
Local Worker Partnership extends beyond the design
and construction phase and into the operation and
ongoing employment opportunities in H&T, health
sciences, and construction-related fields.
Funds will be used to build the long-term momentum
that is vital for local workers to develop concurrently
with the growth and success of the Medical Mart and
new H&T and health sciences employment
opportunities, and to pay the costs of:
1) Conducting classes to prepare targeted applicants
to become pre-apprentices in the construction
trades and long-term workers in H&T and health
sciences.
2) Providing social and human support services for
local workers taking such classes, or who are
identified by the Local Worker Partnership or
the Priority Source Local Worker Referral
System as people who are, with the assistance
of such support services, reasonably likely to be
employable within the Medical Mart Project or
within long-term H&T, health sciences, and
construction-related opportunities.
3) Convening, facilitating, and managing the Local
Worker Partnership and its programs, projects,
and initiatives.
4) Operating, managing, and monitoring the
Priority Source Program.
5) At the conclusion of the term of the MOU, any
unused funds will revert to the Development
Team.
Initial Local Worker Partnership Program
▪ Priority Source Hiring Program
36. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 36
PRIORITY SOURCE
HIRING PROGRAM
Background and Vision
The CAA provides an excellent opportunity to ensure
that local residents share in the benefits of constructing
and operating the Medical Mart Project. It creates
opportunities for new collaborative relationships among
community-based organizations, government,
contractors, subcontractors, unions, and businesses
connected with the project. These new relationships
create special opportunities for targeted local workers
to apply for building trades apprenticeships and develop
a diverse group of qualified local candidates for other
long-term H&T, health sciences, and construction-
related employment opportunities resulting from the
project.
Priority Source Program
To meet and exceed local workforce inclusion goals set
forth in the CAA and capitalize on long-term H&T and
health sciences employment opportunities, NLI
recommends that the Development Team and the Local
Worker Partnership establish the Priority Source Hiring
Program (Priority Source Program).
Priority Source Program – Purpose
The purpose of the Priority Source Program is to
combine both job training and preparation and referral
services to create an innovative program that:
1) Provides or ensures the provision of job
preparation, counseling, education, training,
and social and human supportive services,
thereby increasing the overall competitiveness
of job applicants
2) Serves as the priority, or first, source for direct
job referrals and placement of qualified city of
Cleveland and Cuyahoga County residents and
for enrollment in pre-apprenticeship training
programs
3) Provides training in the management,
marketing, and operations of restaurants and
other foodservices, lodging, attractions,
recreation events, and travel-related services to
take advantage of long-term H&T jobs enabled
by the project
4) Serves as a direct job-referral service for long-
term health sciences job training and
employment
Priority Source Program – Development
NLI recommends that the Development Team ensure
that the Priority Source Program is a material provision
in all contractor and subcontractor agreements. The
program should provide early access to targeted
applicants for available jobs, and contractors and
subcontractors should receive prompt, cost-free
referrals of qualified, trained, and ready-to-work
applicants.
Approval of the CAA, with local workforce inclusion
goals, should represent a meaningful first step in
collaboration
between the
Development
Team and
community-
based
organizations.
However, this
opportunity will
only be fully realized when the strategic and tactical
steps needed to complement the construction phase of
the Medical Mart Project, along with long-term H&T
and health sciences employment opportunities for local
workers, are identified and established.
Throughout the country, innovative programs
demonstrate how new local workers can successfully
enter the building and construction trades and realize
new career ladder/pathways opportunities in other
promising sectors, positioning themselves for greater
economic prosperity. These programs measure success
by the job placement and retention of their
participants, and frequently include creative approaches
to recruitment, pre-apprenticeship training, case
management, support services, job readiness, and
mentoring.
37. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 37
Priority Source Program – Concentration16
1) Construction-Related: Careers in designing,
planning, managing, building, and maintaining
the built environment.
2) Health Sciences: Planning, managing, and
providing therapeutic services, diagnostic
services, health informatics, support services,
and biotechnology research and development.
3) Hospitality and Tourism: Encompassing the
management, marketing, and operations of
restaurants and other foodservices, lodging,
gaming, attractions, recreation events, and
travel-related services.
Priority Source Program – Construction Phase
Requirements
Through the Priority Source Program, Medical Mart
contractors and subcontractors agree to hire first from
this local source, which helps them reduce recruitment
and training costs. To establish the Priority Source
Program, the following steps should be taken:
1) Agree to Participate. The Development Team
should require and/or encourage contractors
and subcontractors to participate in the Priority
Source Program. It is preferable to include
language about the program in any project
labor agreements.
2) Provide Seed and Operating Money. The
Development Team should provide seed and
operating investment to set up the Priority
Source Program, including provision of “wrap-
around” social and human support services.
3) Provide Space. The Development Team should
provide space for an office in which to run the
Priority Source Program at job sites. This brings
the program closer to contractors and
subcontractors at the site, thereby better
serving their needs.
Priority Source Program – Oversight
The Priority Source Program should be jointly overseen
by the Development Team and the Local Worker
Partnership, which would assist with program design,
fundraising, and monitoring outcomes. In the event of a
change in the organization that operates and manages
the Priority Source Program, the Development Team
and Local Worker Partnership should jointly
recommend and retain a replacement entity.
Conflicts with Collective
Bargaining Agreements
Contractors and
subcontractors who are
subject to collective
bargaining agreements
that may conflict with the
terms of the Priority
Source Program are not
required to participate in
the program but may elect
to voluntarily participate.
Security
Applicants hired under the Priority Source Program
should be required to meet any applicable industry
security requirements and standards.
38. Local SBE Partnership & Local Worker Partnership Neighborhood Leadership Institute 38
PROPOSAL GUIDELINES
Priority Source Program – Operation and Management
Proposals
The Development Team and Local Worker Partnership
should seek proposals from qualified workforce
development, job training,
and social and human
services providers
(Providers) to operate and
manage the Priority
Source Program.
Proposals should build on
local workforce assets and
respond to the needs of
contractors,
subcontractors, and H&T
and health sciences
employers, as well as
those of local workers.
Proposals should
demonstrate a commitment to the goals outlined in the
CAA and above. The proposals should also outline clear
strategies, programs, and initiatives for outreach to the
local workers.
The Development Team and Local Worker Partnership
should strongly encourage collaborations that enhance
overall program success.
Scope of Work
The Priority Source Program will provide and/or ensure
provision and coordination of services, including:
1) Pre-Apprenticeship Training. Improving basic
skills and preparing local workers for an
apprenticeship program. Such programs help
potential entrants to the building trades and
construction apprenticeship system develop their
job skills and trade readiness so that they are
prepared to gain employment as apprentices or in
related occupations. The Providers should design
and implement an effective pre-apprenticeship
training program that could include an overview
of the construction trades and offer exposure to
the workplace culture through visits and training
at actual construction sites. It could also teach
basic applied math and terminology used in
construction, provide health and safety
instruction, train workers in the use of basic tools,
and offer daily physical conditioning exercises.
2) Support Services. Many local workers do not
currently meet the requirements for the
construction and building trades’ pre-
apprenticeship training courses or for placement
in an apprenticeship program. These local
workers could be excluded from Medical Mart
Project and other job opportunities unless
targeted efforts are made to provide them with
effective social and human support services. The
Providers should design and implement social and
human support services that should include
culturally competent intake, assessments, and
determination of
eligibility for social
and health support
services;
individualized case
planning and
management;
mentoring; access to
reliable
transportation;
information and
referral to local
training providers;
creation of and
support for learning community cohorts; direct
employment services aimed at building work
histories; work readiness and soft-skills training;
and individualized follow-up and retention
services.
3) Job Opportunities and Applicant Pool. The
Providers should design and implement specific
outreach systems to effectively develop and
match the pool of priority job applicants with
available positions offered by contractors and
subcontractors.