07 - Laserfiche WebLink

BACKGROUND The City's Economic Vitality Committee (EVC) is tasked with advising the City Council on trends and issues related to the City's business community. In recent years, the EVC has developed several priority items based on the strategies identified in the City's Economic Development Strategic Plan and intended to provide ongoing enhancement of Pleasanton's commercial environment and support for local companies. Among the EVC's priority items currently being implemented is a survey of Pleasanton companies to develop a better understanding of how the City can support and retain local businesses as well as augment the City's efforts to attract new firms. This project was shared with the City Council and included in the Council's 2011-2012 Work Plan. DISCUSSION To assist in the development and implementation of the survey, and to ensure the survey would produce statistically valid results, JD Franz Research, Inc. was engaged to work with staff and the EVC to execute the project. Through initial discussions, it was determined that the most valuable approach would be to conduct focus groups with representatives of local companies and then to build the survey based on the input received by the focus group participants as well as the EVC members. As such, the original agreement with JD Franz Research covered the focus group phase of the project, at a cost of$16,950. The feedback from the focus groups is now being used as a basis for development and execution of the survey instruments as the second phase of the project. The survey will be conducted via telephone and electronic formats with careful attention to reaching desired response rates as well as maintaining statistical validity. The expenditure for the second phase of this project is $18,500 and is included in the Economic Development Department budget. When the survey process is complete, JD Franz Research, Inc. will prepare a report detailing the results. That report will assist Economic Development staff, the EVC, and local business organizations such as the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, the Pleasanton Downtown Association and Hacienda Owners Association in defining and developing business support programs and projects to further position Pleasanton as an excellent location in which to do business. It is further intended that this survey creates a baseline of data points, and that periodic future surveys will be conducted to identify new and changing trends in the Pleasanton business community. As well, Economic Development staff will share the results with the City Council. As the total cost of the combined phases exceeds $25,000 the City Council is asked to approve the City Manager's execution of this first amendment to the original agreement. Page 2 of 3