Tim Giuliani, President and CEO of Orlando Economic Partnership
What Does the Orlando Economic Partnership Do?
First off, let's look at the *new* things it will be doing as part of this new agreement that it wasn't doing in previous contracts:
- Provide the City with the opportunity to serve and participate on the Alliance for Regional Transportation and future initiative(s) to address the region’s talent pipeline.
- Form and lead Cluster Working Groups of existing industry for the purpose of building existing clusters, identifying appropriate business climate improvements and targeting economic development (recruitment and retention) efforts.
- Build an active foreign direct investment (FDI) recruitment program focused on targeted clusters.
Next, let's look at what the OEP will continue doing for the City that it's been doing in previous agreements:
- Promote the City as a location for business operations, economic development, branding and employment through its local, national and international marketing campaigns and report monthly to the City’s Department of Economic Development on activities specific to the City on this service.
- Serve as an information source and point of contact for realtors, developers, corporations, site-selection consultants, management consultants, entrepreneurs, and other representatives interested in economic development. Coordinate this service with the City’s Economic Development Department (or other City department or office as the City may designate from time to time).
- Provide the City with information regarding any matters that could adversely impact the City’s ability to attract or retain business on a timely basis.
- Maintain economic development data and serve as an information source for demographic, market real estate and property data and provide it to interested parties and the City’s Economic Development Department as requested.
- Promote the City to the motion picture and television industry as a location for production. The Partnership will coordinate permitting activity with the City staff so as to expedite the needs of producers and directors to the extent requested by a motion picture or television business.
- Monitor and assist in the retention and expansion of local business and report monthly to the City’s Economic Development Department on activities specific to the City on this service.
- Coordinate with City staff on an ongoing and regular basis, as well as with other businesses and trade groups, to achieve cooperation and communication on business and economic development matters.
- Provide monthly reports summarizing business recruitment activity.
- Manage the Regional Economic Developers (“RED”) Team, which shall include at least one representative from the City.
- Provide complimentary admission to Partnership events within the region for up to ten designated persons selected by the City, including but not limited to, the mayor, city commissioners, the city administrator/manager, deputy city administrator/manager, and one economic development staff representative. Partnership events include, but are not limited to, the Annual Meeting and Awards Program and the annual Barbeque on the Boulevard networking event.
- Assist the City with initiatives related to the economic development of the City and the region.
- Support the City’s business community through sponsorship of two missions within the fiscal year. The Mayor, or his designee, will authorize who will represent the City on the Partnership Leadership Mission and on a global business development mission that aligns with target industry sectors and markets as outlined in the Partnership’s strategic plan of work.
- Provide a standardized format that the City will utilize to respond to leads or prospects referred by the Partnership.
- Notify the City of any and all Enterprise Florida generated business attraction and retention leads within the City, in a professional and timely manner and provide ample time for response.
- Create professional photography and videography of the City’s key assets.
- Develop new collateral materials specific to the City of Orlando.
- Provide the City a dedicated landing page/section on the Partnership’s website.
What Must the City Do In Return As Part of This New Agreement?
- Recognize OEP as its officially designated regional economic development organization for regional marketing, business attraction and client handling.
- Employ and designate an economic development officer to act as a primary liaison to OEP and to serve as a representative on the RED Team.
- Advance economic development projects within the city limits in conjunction with OEP and support economic development initiatives important to the Central Florida region.
- Support OEP’s efforts by informing OEP of any City related economic development strategies or priorities as an input to the OEP’s annual planning process.
- Participate in the OEP and RED team planning process to help ensure that the OEP’s Regional Economic Development (RED) plan incorporates the City’s priorities.
- Have a representative from the City attend the OEP’s Board meetings.
- Work with OEP to improve the City’s competitiveness and market readiness to support growth and expansion of the targeted industries as identified for the City in Exhibit “B.”
Financials:
The new agreement gives the OEP, an independent contractor, $594,589 from the City. Private sector contributions will provide 72 % of OEP's funding for FY 2017-2018. It will receive funding ranging from $319,000 to $1.19 million from Orange, Seminole, Lake and Osceola Counties.
- The City's payment is an extra $100,000 above the $1.82 per capita fair share which is $494,589 and based upon the city’s current year’s population as determined by the University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research.
- $75,000 of the City's agreed upon payment will be allocated for "to be determined" special economic development projects and initiatives that benefit the City of Orlando and $25,000 will be allocated to support the work of the Foundation for Building Community.
Public Records:
Documents and records kept by OEP are not intended to be subject to the Florida Public Records Law except when it acts on behalf of the City.
Representation:
OEP will not be acting as the alter ego of the City and is not authorized to commit the City or its funds to any agreement.
History:
At the beginning of 2017, the Central Florida Partnership, Inc., which housed the Orlando Regional Chamber and the Foundation for Building Community, merged with and into the Economic Development Commission of Mid-Florida, Inc., creating a new entity, Orlando Economic Partnership, Inc.