To: Board of Supervisors
From: John Kopchik, Director, Conservation and Development
Report Title: Contract with UC Berkeley Labor Center to Support the Green Empowerment Zone of Contra Costa County
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Conservation and Development Director, or designee, to execute an interagency contract with the Regents of the University of California, on behalf of its UC Berkeley Institute of Research on Labor and Employment, in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000, to provide research, stakeholder engagement, technical assistance and policy recommendations to the Green Empowerment Zone to support high road clean energy manufacturing growth and jobs, for the period from August 6, 2024 through August 5, 2027, as recommended by the Green Empowerment Zone Board of Directors (100% Green Empowerment Zone funds).
FISCAL IMPACT:
This contract will be funded by State revenues received by the County to fund the activities of the Green Empowerment Zone. There will be no impact to the County General Fund.
BACKGROUND:
On September 12, 2023, the Board of Supervisors authorized an agreement with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) for the County to receive revenue in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000 to provide administrative and other support services for the Green Empowerment Zone for the Northern Waterfront Area of Contra Costa County (GEZ) consistent with the State legislation AB 179, the Budget Act of 2022. The GEZ Board of Directors had its first meeting on December 7, 2023. The County Department of Conservation and Development provides staff support to the GEZ.
At its meeting on December 7, 2023, the GEZ Board of Directors received a presentation from the UC Berkeley Institute of Research on Labor and Employment, also referred to as the UC Berkeley Labor Center, on its proposal of research to inform planning for the GEZ. Pursuant to the GEZ’s authorizing legislation, AB844 (Grayson), the duties of the GEZ include partnering with the University of California, the California State University, community colleges, and the state’s other research and educational institutions, as well as private foundations, to provide guidance, advice, and encouragement in support of studies of particular interest and importance to the energy industry in the Northern Waterfront area of the County of Contra Costa. The UC Berkeley Labor Center has refined its proposed concept to focus on developing a high road strategy for the clean energy manufacturing sector within the GEZ.
On February 16, 2024, the Green Empowerment Zone Board of Directors provided direction to staff to invite the UC Berkeley Labor Center to develop a detailed proposal and to bring a full proposal back to the Green Empowerment Zone Governing Board for consideration.
At its meeting on April 19, 2024, the GEZ Board of Directors received a presentation on the full and detailed proposal from the UC Berkeley Labor Center to provide the County and the GEZ with the following services:
1. Foundational research to shape clean energy manufacturing priorities and high road growth strategies.
2. Stakeholder engagement and technical assistance to identify opportunities to support high road clean energy manufacturing growth and identify barriers to growth.
3. Policy recommendations to support additional high road clean energy manufacturing growth in the GEZ.
The GEZ Board of Directors directed County staff to negotiate a contract with the University for this scope of services and seek approval from the Board of Supervisors to execute the contract.
The contract provides that the University will own any reports and materials prepared by the University through its work under the contract, and the County will have an irrevocable, free, but non-exclusive right to use and disseminate the reports and materials. The contract also provides for mutual indemnification whereby each party would indemnify and hold harmless the other for claims arising from their own negligence or intentional acts.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the recommended action in not approved, the GEZ will not have access to services from the UC Berkeley Labor Center to conduct foundational research, support stakeholder engagement and technical assistance, and to make policy recommendations to further high road clean energy manufacturing growth and jobs within the GEZ.