 |
| Strategic plans |
|
- The role of OECDD in strategy development appears to have changed (i.e., the Department "shall guide Boards in the development of Investment Strategies"). Was this a Legislative change?
Yes. The Budget Notes included with the department's 2007-09 Budget include direction from the Legislature for the OECD Commission to "determine the role of the [Regional Investment Boards] in furthering the economic development goals in SB350." This direction is intended to connect the regional boards with the OECD Commission and align the regional boards' work with the work of the department. To reflect this direction, the OAR and the planning guide, Elements of a Regional Investment Strategy, have been changed.
- In what form should boards expect to receive this guidance?
The department has prepared a guidance document Elements of a Regional Investment Strategy to assist regional boards in developing a strategy which meets the requirements of the Regional Investment Program and the Budget Notes. In addition, the department's Business Development Officers and Regional Coordinators will assist the regional boards in developing strategies that take advantage of the region's opportunities and also align with the department's work in the region.
- Is a new strategy required or can we just update last biennium's strategy?
After an examination of the region's current economy and the identification of current economic development opportunities in the region, the board may determine that an update of the strategy is appropriate. The board also will need to review its existing strategy to ensure that the statutory and administrative rule requirements, as well as the direction in the Budget Notes, have been addressed. The Elements of a Regional Investment Strategy will assist in the identification of any missing or misaligned sections of the strategy.
- How are we supposed to prepare a six-year strategy and implementation plan if we don't know how much money we have?
The board's Strategy is a plan for economic development in the region and must include actions needed by others (federal, state, and local governments and the private sector). In determining what actions the begional board will take to implement its Strategy, the board should use its 2005-07 funding allocation as an estimate.
- Can we decide our own performance measures or are we limited to job creation?
As set forth in statute, priorities for the Regional Investment Program include the leverage of short- and long-term investments, the creation of jobs and the raising of real wages. In addition, the Budget Notes direct the boards to align its strategies with the department's strategic plan, which includes the following goals:
- Promote a favorable investment climate to strengthen businesses, create jobs and raise real wages;
- Assist Oregon's communities to build capacity to retain, expand and attract new businesses; and
- Improve national and global competitiveness of Oregon companies.
So there is consistency in reporting (a common set of reporting metrics), the regional board and the department will use the same measures to demonstrate performance for each priority/goal. Those performance measures are listed in the Evaluation Plan section of the Elements of a Regional Investment Strategy.
- Are we required to focus only on immediate, direct job creation or can we fund projects such as feasibility studies or capacity?
The projects and activities funded by the regional board must be consistent with the priorities in the regional board's strategy. If a study is needed as a first step to achieve the regional board's priorities, it would be an eligible activity. See Question #5 for information regarding performance measures.
- For this biennium, has the commission delegated authority for approval of the plans to Partnerships?
In order to address the Budget Notes, which require the commission to "determine the role of the Boards in furthering the statewide economic development goals in SB350," the commission will review, provide input and approve all strategies.
|
| Infrastructure inventory |
|
- Is this the new Needs and Issues?
No. As directed by the Legislature in the Budget Notes, this inventory is a list of priority infrastructure and other capital improvement needs in the state of Oregon; therefore, not all types of projects will be included. These projects are to be categorized into high, medium and low priorities according to criteria established by the OECD Commission. The criteria established by the commission is available from your Regional Coordinator.
The Governor’s Office of Rural Policy is currently developing a process for a new Needs and Issues process that will collect a broader, more comprehensive list of projectswhich are local priorities and establishing a protocol for the use of the information once it’s collected. The Infrastructure Inventory will be a subset of that process.
- What projects will be included in the Inventory?
All infrastructure and other capital improvement needs for organizations (public and private) in the state of Oregon. The types of projects to be included are on page 6 of the instruction book.
There are two exceptions to this:
- For large cities (populations greater than 40,000), the Inventory includes only those projects for which the city anticipates needing OECDD financing.
- Transportation projects—projects for roads/streets/highways which are federally- or state-owned will not be included in the Inventory, nor will projects for roads/streets/highways for general transportation purposes. The Inventory will only contain those transportation projects necessary for development of industrial/commercial sites (e.g., a road into an industrial park).
-
Do we only submit projects that we expect will be ready to construct within the next 6 years?
In order to provide the Legislature with information about the size and scope of infrastructure and other capital improvement needs and to develop a plan to address those needs, the inventory will contain infrastructure and other capital improvements needed in the next 20 years.
-
Does the inventory allow us to submit technical assistance projects?
Yes, a “project” in the Inventory includes both planning and construction.
-
Does a project need to be eligible for OECDD funds in order to be included in the Inventory?
A determination of eligibility for OECDD’s programs is not required in order for a project to be included in the Inventory. However, the types of projects to be included in the Inventory are those that are currently allowed under OECDD’s infrastructure programs. See #2 above.
-
Since we will be required to have a project on the list in order to apply for funding from OECDD during the current fiscal year, with the exception of immediate job creation opportunities and FEMA-designated disaster projects, will there be an opportunity to update the list?
We are anticipating that an update to the Inventory will be conducted; however, a major update will require additional funding which has not yet been allocated by the Legislature. After presenting the Inventory list to the Legislature in February 2008, we will develop a process to update the list on a periodic basis, subject to available funding.
-
Is there a place to show matching funds and from what source (such as Connect Oregon II)?
The inventory will contain the estimated cost of the project, the amount of funding that will be provided by the project proponent and the amount of financing needed. The source of the financing does not need to be identified in order to enter a project into the system.
-
How do we specify if we are interested in only grant? Only loan?
The Inventory will identify the amount of financing needed, but not the type of financing needed.
-
Why can’t our community determine the priorities instead of the computer assigning them?
The Budget Note requires the prioritization criteria to be determined by the commission. Once the projects have been categorized into high, medium and low priorities according to the approved criteria, the regional investment board will identify the top 10 high priority projects. The following criteria should be used by the board to select the top 10 projects:
- The project implements the board’s Strategy, as set forth in the board’s priorities.
- The degree to which the project will impact the region’s economy (or the reverse, the degree to which the region’s economy will be impacted if the project is not completed).
- If there are several projects that meet the above criteria, the following should be used to weigh the comparative advantage of each project:
- the economic impact of the project, relative to the community the project will benefit (i.e., the potential for 50 jobs in a labor market of 2500 would be less of an impact than 50 jobs in a labor market of 500);
- the project’s impact on diversifying the benefited community’s economy;
- the degree to which the project will increase capacity to undertake future economic development; and
- the likelihood that the project can be started and then completed within the identified period (Estimated Start Date and Date Needed By).
-
Is there a way for others without a password to view information in the database for accuracy and completeness?
Each region will be assigned a User Name and Password, which will allow the user to enter information for project located in that region’s counties. Regional investment board staff also will be assigned a User Name and Password which will allow staff to review and edit information for projects in their regions and to print reports for those projects.
-
Can OECDD input information in the system for projects that have been to a One-Stop, are already on the department’s concept list, or are listed on the SDW priority list?
We explored transferring data from the Concept Log to the Inventory system, but because very little data needed by the system was available in the Concept Log, we did not input any of the existing concepts.
-
What will the department do with the list once it is finalized?
The information provided by each region, including the top ten projects identified by the regional investment board, will be used by the commission to develop a funding request for the department’s infrastructure programs. The funding request will be submitted to the Legislature for consideration in the February 2008 Session.
In addition, the department will use the Infrastructure Inventory to guide funding from its infrastructure programs, which means that a project must be included in the Inventory to be considered for funding in the current biennium. There are two exceptions: projects arising from an immediate job creation opportunity and projects resulting from a FEMA-designated disaster.
-
How does the regional board’s Strategy connect to the Infrastructure Inventory?
The Strategy must contain a list of actions needed by the board and other partners to address the priorities and achieve the goals of the board, as described in the “Six-Year Strategy and Implementation Plan” section of the Elements of a Regional Investment Strategy. The Strategy indicates what needs to happen in the region for economic development to occur, which likely includes the installation of infrastructure or other capital improvements. See also Question #10 for the criteria that will be used to select the Top Ten projects.
-
The budget note also requires an Issues List, how is that going to be addressed and by whom?
The regional board will be identifying barriers to economic development in the region as it prepares its six-year Strategy. The top three barriers will be provided to your Regional Coordinator along with the Infrastructure Inventory report. The form for submitting the barriers is included on the CD in the regional investment notebook. The commission will then consolidate the issues into a statewide report and submit the report to the Legislature for its February 2008 Session.
|
|
|
|
|
