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of a large marketing campaign as both the City and Redevelopment Agency budget have been hit hard by the great recession and State takes. However, important work can be done now to identify and create the San Leandro brand, which is the foundation of a successful marketing campaign. Specifically, using the City's Economic Development Strategy and Work Program as a starting point and gaining input from a group of individuals who represent the various and diverse business sectors in our community, we plan to assess the City's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats, review and update the vision, prioritize messages and identify the important elements of San Leandro's brand and the audiences to target. Working with a local marketing firm that specializes in marketing places such as cities, a Branding Strategy will be • developed. Staff has spoken with numerous marketing firms and received proposals from two firms for phase I of a San Leandro Branding and Marketing campaign. Staff recommends that The Placemaking Group be retained to facilitate a business working group's involvement in the development of a Branding Blueprint and Marketing Communications Plan for the City of San Leandro. The timeline for the project is approximately three months and the tasks and budget follow: Facilitation of Business Working Group — Three half day meetings $ 2,500 Surveys of consumers, businesses, brokers and visitors to further add to brand development $ 1,000 Creation of a Marketing Communications Plan $ 6.500 Total 510,000 Based upon our past experience working with groups, as well as input from the consultants we spoke to about the project, we will be working with the Chamber of Commerce to put together a working group of 15 -20 members who represent the various business interests, such as: the Chamber, Bayfair, manufacturers, the downtown, the Shoreline, and small business owners, as well as individuals who represent diverse cultures and ages with varying degrees of expertise in marketing and communication. • The Marketing Communications Plan will assist the City in identifying the appropriate • message(s) for the targeted audience(s). The Plan should be completed by late April, early May in time to allow inclusion of funding for a marketing campaign in the Fiscal Year 2011 -12 budget should funds allow. Funding for the project is available in the FY 2010- 11'Budget and will be paid by the Redevelopment Agency. Although funding for implementation of a marketing campaign has yet to be identified, a Branding Strategy is an important foundation that the City, Chamber and business community can build on to be more effective in on -going outreach efforts. Conclusion Staff requests the Business and Housing Development's approval for the City Manager to enter into a Consulting Services Agreement with -The Placemaking Group at a cost not -to- exceed $10,000 for facilitation of a business working group and the development of a Branding Strategy to promote San Leandro as a great place to do business. •