In April of 2023, Charlotte City Council approved funding from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund for small business and entrepreneurship support. The City of Charlotte’s Economic Development Department is seeking an experienced and knowledgeable consulting firm to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the small business ecosystem in Charlotte to help increase equitable opportunities and address challenges/gaps in resources. The City of Charlotte is committed to supporting the growth and success of local small, minority, and women-owned businesses and is eager to gain insights into the current landscape to inform our future initiatives. This assessment is to provide an in-depth understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and key factors affecting small businesses in Charlotte. The findings will help us develop targeted strategies, programs, and resources to empower and strengthen the local entrepreneurial community.
Alternatives to Violence Program
In 2019, more than 100 homicides occurred in Charlotte — an 80 percent increase over the previous year and the city’s highest number of homicides since the early 1990s — and hospital emergency departments treated more than 4,000 Mecklenburg County residents for assault-related injuries.
In response to the increase in violence, the City, County and partners have adopted a new public health approach to prevent violent crime.
To help address this problem, the Office of Equity, Mobility and Immigrant Integration seeks one community organization to act as the Lead Agency and implement Cure Violence Global’s violence interruption model in the priority geography of Beatties Ford Rd and Lasalle St.
Non-Profit Support Administrator Services
The City of Charlotte received federal stimulus funding under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State & Local Fiscal Recovery Fund program enacted in 2021. The City has designated up to $3.5 million of ARPA funding to support the local non-profit community. The City is seeking a small number of community partners to serve as Administrators who will serve as the primary representatives for the program and perform all required administrative duties necessary for program implementation, recipient identification, eligibility, and funds distribution related to the program.
Legal, Demography, and GIS Services for Election Redistricting
The City is seeking a service provider to assist with its decennial redistricting process. The City envisions that the service provider will provide legal, demography, and GIS (Geographic Information System) services. It is expected that more than one firm may work together jointly on a single Proposal. It is strongly preferred that the lead company or prime contractor for any Proposal be a law firm with attorneys licensed to practice in the state of North Carolina. While the City is flexible with respect to certain elements of the Project, the City has specific requirements and preferences for the Services.
Charlotte has a council-manager form of government with a mayor and 11 council members elected every two years in November. The mayor and four council members are elected at-large by a city-wide vote. Seven council members are elected from districts by voters who reside in each district. Elections typically occur in odd-numbered years (e.g., 2017, 2019), and the City was due to have Council elections in November of 2021.
The City generally engages in the redistricting process for the seven districts after the release of the decennial census conducted by the U.S. government. However, the census data for 2020 has been delayed, making the redistricting process impracticable. As a result, the state legislature enacted legislation, S.L. 2021-56, to delay the regular November 2021 elections until April 2022. The 2020 Census data is expected to be provided by the U.S. Census Bureau in September 2021. Per S.L. 2021-56, the City is required to complete redistricting by November 12, 2021, and if this date cannot be met, then by December 17, 2021. Candidates must file for elections shortly after the redistricting is complete, with primary elections scheduled for March 8, 2022.
Professional Consulting Services – CANCELLED
The City of Charlotte (“City”) will be seeking professional consulting services for strategic planning, research, analysis, and development to advance more streamlined and effective local government operations.
The Consultant(s) shall be established, qualified, and experienced consulting firms capable of providing versatile strategic planning resources, support, and consultation in the local government arena.
The Consultant(s) must be capable of performing various tasks, up to and including, but not limited to:
- Providing strategic planning for various City departments, programs, services, initiatives, and activities;
- Providing expert- and research-based advice on strategic development, capacity building, business strategies, and process improvement;
- Conducting operational analyses, assessments, and audits in an effort to ascertain organizational effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement. Analyses and assessments may involve such areas as operational effectiveness and accountability, organizational structure and performance, resource management and alignment, change management, workforce needs and development, succession planning, and management practices;
- Analyzing, developing, and implementing management strategies, to include but not be limited to, crisis management, protection of the City brand, and reinforcing City relationships;
- Conducting surveys regarding the City’s reputation and perception by residents, employees, customers, local business partners, regional partners, and other stakeholders;
- Conducting market research based on current market trends and best practices among peer cities, at a minimum;
- Facilitating and/or conducting strategic mapping initiatives, to include benchmarking metrics;
- Assisting City staff in testing and implementing strategy map recommendations;
- Facilitating and supporting strategic conversations, meetings, trainings, focus groups, and retreats with internal and external stakeholders; and
- Providing appropriate support as requested for special projects as assigned by the City Manager or designee.
The City is interested in Consultants who have experience in any of the following service areas, at a minimum: diversity and inclusion, economic development, human resources, information technology, public safety, social justice, sustainability and resiliency, and workforce needs and development.
Violence Interruption: Cure Violence Charlotte Implementation
In 2019, more than 100 homicides occurred in Charlotte — an 80 percent increase over the previous year and the city’s highest number of homicides since the early 1990s — and hospital emergency departments treated more than 4,000 Mecklenburg County residents for assault-related injuries.
In response to the increase in violence, the City, County and partners have adopted a new public health approach to prevent violent crime.
To help address this problem, the Office of Equity, Mobility and Immigrant Integration seeks one community organization to act as the Lead Agency and implement Cure Violence Global’s violence interruption model in the priority geography of Beatties Ford Rd and Lasalle St.
SAFE Charlotte Professional Consulting Services – Recommendation 6 – Recruitment/Residency
The city is seeking services to apply a behavioral science approach to the city’s officer recruitment process and residency incentives. The service provider should have experience applying behavioral science in the public safety, specifically the law enforcement sector and demonstrated impact. This work will address Recommendation 6 – Recruitment and Residency, as adopted in the SAFE Charlotte report by Charlotte City Council on October 26, 2020.
Disparity Study Services
The Disparity Study requested by this RFP will be used to aid the City in evaluating and improving its current programs. The results and recommendations will serve as a reference document in the creation of directives, standards and practices. The City wishes to undertake all necessary and affirmative steps to ensure that Historically Underutilized Businesses (“HUB”) are afforded opportunities to participate in City contracts.