AGENDA DATE: 7/3/2019
TITLE:
Title
Defense Affairs Committee (DAC) Position Pilot - funding recommendation. BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Seeking BOS endorsement to utilize the Economic Development Investment Pool for Albemarle County’s funding contribution towards the 2-year DAC pilot program.
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Henry, Kamptner, DeLoria, Johnson
PRESENTER (S): Roger Johnson, Trevor Henry
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeffrey B. Richardson
BACKGROUND:
In 2009, the Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce established a Chamber Defense Enterprise Round Table to better serve the region’s growing, job-producing business sector. Renamed, the Chamber Defense Affairs Committee (DAC), it has become the leading defense intelligence enterprise advocate within the region.
The mission of the Chamber Defense Affairs Committee is to foster economic vitality by further strengthening the alliance of relationships among the Chamber, the Chamber network, the Central Virginia community, the regional defense & intelligence community, and our veterans.
Fast forward nearly a decade, and the County’s Economic Strategic Plan, Project ENABLE <http://www.albemarle.org/navpages.asp?info=business> (Attachment A) was approved on 5 December, 2018. Project Enable identified multiple Goals, Objectives and Strategies to further Economic Development in the County. Goal 3 is to lead the County’s readiness to accommodate business community. The first Objective of this goal is to lead the growth of targeted industries, existing primary businesses, and emerging opportunities. One of the Strategies defined in support of this goal is to partner with the Chamber of Commerce through the Defense Affairs Committee on the retention and expansion of the targeted Defense industry. Noteworthy, the regional economic development partners do not identify the defense industry as targeted. Meaning, the defense industries located in Albemarle County do not have the same regional support of other targeted industries. Therefore, it is important that local government fill this gap in the support system to retain and grow the defense industry.
The purpose of this Board action is to review the recommendation to use one-time funding to support contracting a dedicated Chamber staff resource to support the DAC and its mission.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Economic Prosperity: Foster an environment that stimulates diversified job creation, capital investments, and tax revenues that support community goals
DISCUSSION:
The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) sponsors a Defense Affairs Committee (DAC). The DAC provides services to a unique network of academic, industry and government participants which position the region for growth in the defense and intelligence market. For local defense industry contractors, veterans, local government, and service providers with interest in the defense and intelligence community who desire visibility and access to local federal government agencies. The DAC is a unique conduit for the sharing of information and networking so the needs of the federal government, their employees, and veterans can be met locally.
It is estimated by the Chamber there are more than 2,500 federal workers employed by the National Ground Intelligence Center (NGIC), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) in the national government’s defense / intelligence enterprise at Rivanna Station. The Chamber estimates that private defense / intelligence enterprises in the region now employ approximately 2,000 people. In addition to this substantial defense intelligence enterprise, the greater Albemarle-Charlottesville community has more than 14,000 veterans who are an integral part of our community.
The activities associated with successful operation of the DAC have become more involved than can be supported by the current volunteer members of the DAC Leadership Committee (Chairperson and Subcommittee Chairs). For this reason, the highest priority for continued success of this critical Chamber Committee is to hire of a full-time Defense and Intelligence Affairs Program Coordinator. This position will initially be hired by the Chamber for the two-year pilot program with a matrixed reporting relationship to the DAC. The total salary and benefits for the position is estimated to be $85K-$100K. The job description for this is attached (Appendix B) which includes the position attributes, the performance goals and metrics for the first 12-18 months. The position will be located at UVA’s Research Park and funding is being requested from regional partners. If successful for the DAC and assisting with furthering Project ENABLE goals recurring funding may be requested at the end of the two-year trial period.
BUDGET IMPACT: $50k annually for a 2-year period, totaling $100K, would be allocated from the Economic Development Investment Pool funding a 2-year pilot.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
BOS endorsement to utilize $100K from the Economic Development Investment Pool for funding DAC’s 2-year pilot program and accomplish the strategies found in Goal 3 of Project ENABLE. Staff will provide a report on the status of hiring and a recurring 6-month update on overall performance.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Project ENABLE
B - Defense and Intelligence Affairs Program Coordinator Job Description