The first of two groups seeking a bid to provide economic development services for Cole County made its pitch Tuesday to the County Commission.
Officials with Victory Enterprises and Strategic Capital Consulting spent about half an hour explaining how they feel they could help the county.
The Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce will make its presentation next Tuesday.
Victory Enterprises is a political and corporate consulting communications firm based in Davenport, Iowa, whose clients include U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt; Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft; and Locke Thompson, who won the Aug. 7 Republican primary to run for Cole County prosecuting attorney. It also represents corporate clients including Mediacom and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. Strategic Capitol Consulting represents large companies, professional associations and municipally owned utilities.
In its proposal, Victory/Strategic said they would analyze the county's existing policies, infrastructure and amenities, and how they relate to business attraction and retention, then develop and execute an "exhaustive public relations, messaging and media delivery plan to better tell Cole County's story on why businesses should locate here."
They also stated they would work to develop and locate a river port in the Algoa area and support research to extend JeffTran bus service to current and potential employers in the Algoa area.
"Let's think differently," said Matt Alsager, director of agriculture advocacy at Victory Enterprises. "USDA figures show between 2010-17, the population growth for Boone County was 9.6 percent, Callaway County was 1.6 percent, and in Cole County, it was 1 percent.
"Now, I realize the counties have different makeups, but at the same time, we feel there is a huge opportunity that we can work with the assets we currently have in Cole County and use them to a better advantage."
If chosen, Strategic would serve as the registered lobbyist for the county on state matters.
"There's no county in the state that could use a lobbyist more than Cole County," Strategic Capitol Consulting founder and former Missouri House Speaker Steven Tilley said. " I think being aggressive with the Office of Administration makes sense because there are hundreds of contracts that they deal with and Cole County could do a better job of getting those with a lobbyist. We could make sure they and other large employers we deal with are aware of Cole County and what benefits they could see if they chose to come here."
If the county opts to go with Victory/Strategic, the cost would be $10,000 a month - $120,000 a year for the annual contract.
Commissioners approved putting out requests for proposals for economic development services in June after discussing for several years whether the county needed to look at more ways to attract economic development.
The commission has contracted with the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce for those services for more than 20 years. In April, the commission approved another contract with the chamber for $150,000, the amount the county has been paying for several years.
Presiding Commission Sam Bushman said it was too early to say whether a new economic development contract would replace or be in addition to the existing relationship with the local Chamber of Commerce.
Commissioners emphasized they do not want to stop working with the chamber on economic development even though they are considering proposals, noting the county is already involved with the chamber on many economic development projects, such as a proposed Missouri River port.
The commissioners are seeking a firm "capable of providing consulting for the commission in the attraction and retention of businesses and the promotion of the county before the Missouri General Assembly and other State of Missouri governmental bodies," according to the commission's request for proposal.
Some specific items in the proposals include developing a community relations plan for the county to work with Jefferson City, the Chamber of Commerce and "key influencer group officials to execute county priorities."
The winning group will write and submit grants on behalf of the county for state and federal opportunities as they arise and would participate in industrial relations, business development activities, and community support and development.