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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: November 15, 2007 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: 2007-2008 Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) <br />Contract Renewal <br />DEPARTMENT: Economic Development PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />SBTDC Contract <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Willie Best, 245-2308 <br />Yvonne Scarlett, 245-2325 <br />PURPOSE: To consider renewal of a contract with SBTDC to continue support of <br />small business development services for Orange County, as stated in the Economic <br />Development Strategic Plan adopted May 14, 1996, and reaffirmed by the Economic <br />Development Commission in its new strategic plan, Investing in Innovation: 2005- <br />2010. <br />BACKGROUND: A primary goal of the Economic Development Commission since its <br />inception has been providing assistance to small businesses to enable them to grow <br />and prosper in Orange County. The Small Business and Technology Development <br />Center (SBTDC) provides significant services to local businesses and has operated <br />under contract with Orange County since 1990. The contract provides for $10,000 to <br />be paid on or about November 15, 2007. <br />As of October 22, 2007, the SBTDC had served 206 Orange County clients for a total <br />of 2,077 hours of counseling time with an additional 64 hours of #ravel time. Nearly 25 <br />percent of clients were non-white and nearly 31 percent were women-owned <br />businesses. Businesses were evenly split between existing businesses and those just <br />forming their enterprises, and 35 were home-based businesses (up from 10 the <br />previous year). <br />Additionally, the SBTDC helped 24 Orange County businesses secure $20.7 million in <br />capital (the majority of this from Small Business Administration technology grants to <br />small businesses doing innovative research). <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: The annual budget for the Economic Development Commission <br />approved for Fiscal Year 2007-08 includes $10,000 for professional contract services <br />for the renewal of this contract with the SBTDC. <br />RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board approve the <br />contract renewal and authorize the Manager and the Clerk to the Board to execute the <br />contract. <br />