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HomeMy WebLinkAboutContract2023 GRANT BENEFICIARY AGREEMENT WITH RENTON DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP LODGING TAX/TOURISM PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM THIS AGREEMENT, dated for reference purposes only as January 19, 2023, is by and between the City of Renton (the “City”), a Washington municipal corporation, and Main Street Renton dba Renton Downtown Partnership (“Beneficiary”), a Washington Nonprofit Corporation and sets forth the terms and conditions under which the City will provide a grant to Beneficiary under the Tourism Promotion Grant Program (“Program”), authorized by the Renton City Council on December 5, 2022. The Program is funded through the Renton Lodging Tax (RMC 5-18) as authorized by RCW 67.285. The City and the Beneficiary are referred to collectively in this Agreement as the “Parties.” Once fully executed by the Parties, this Agreement is effective as of the last date signed by both parties. RECITALS: WHEREAS, the State of Washington authorized for municipalities to collect excise tax on certain lodging businesses under Revised Washington Code (“RCW”) 67.28; and, WHEREAS, the City has authorized collection of a 1% (one percent) excise tax on certain lodging businesses in the City under Renton Municipal Code (“RMC”) 5-18, which is the “Lodging Tax”; referenced in the Agreement; and, WHEREAS, revenues from the Lodging Tax must be used for the purpose of tourism promotion and support; and WHEREAS, the City has established a Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (“LTAC”) to establish Application Criteria (Exhibit 1), review Applications (“Beneficiary’s Application” at Exhibit 2), and recommend expenditures from the Lodging Tax fund (“LTAC Recommendations” at Exhibit 3), each Exhibit is incorporated herein by reference; and WHEREAS, the City, through the LTAC, issued a Call for Application to entities seeking financial support for tourism related purposes, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 4 and incorporated by reference; and CAG-23-235 June 21, 2023 PAGE 2 OF 14 WHEREAS, the City, through LTAC, has reviewed the Application and determined that the Beneficiary is eligible for assistance under this Program and is promoting tourism related activities; and WHEREAS, the City Council on December 5, 2022, has approved a grant award to the Beneficiary. NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein, the Parties agree as follows: AGREEMENT 1.Grant Amount and Disbursement. a. Amount. The total amount to be awarded to Beneficiary under the program is up to seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000.00) as a reimbursement for eligible expenses. Except as specifically provided herein, the Beneficiary shall be solely responsible for payment of any taxes imposed as a result of this Agreement. b.Award Disbursement. i.Reimbursement Request. On a monthly, or no less than quarterly basis during any quarter in which tourism promotion or support is completed, Beneficiary shall submit a reimbursement request in a format acceptable to the City (Exhibit 5) with supporting documentation including, but not limited to, invoices or reports demonstrating expenses for which reimbursement is sought. ii.Payment. Payment shall be made by City within thirty (30) calendar days after receipt and approval by the appropriate City representative of the invoice. iii.No waiver. Payment for any reimbursement shall not constitute a waiver by the City of any remedies it may have for any breach of this Agreement by the Beneficiary. iv.Tax implications. Grant funds may be taxable. Please consult your financial advisor/tax professional for guidance. If it is required by the IRS, a 1099 form will be issued to the Beneficiary. 2.Final Report: Together with the final reimbursement request, and in a format acceptable to the City (Exhibit 6), Beneficiary shall submit a final report detailing outcomes related to budget, activities, objectives, and attendance as first described in the Beneficiary’s application for the Grant. 3.Scope of Eligible Expenditures: Grant funds disbursed under this Agreement shall only be used to pay or reimburse eligible expenses as described in the Criteria (Exhibit 1) and in the “Program Call for Applications” (Exhibit 4) PAGE 3 OF 14 a. Reimbursement Defined. “Reimbursement” means grant disbursement to Beneficiary upon receipt by the City of invoices and documentation demonstrating eligible expenses. b. No Duplication of Payment. No grant funds may be used to pay or reimburse costs for expenditures for which Beneficiary has received any other funding, whether state, federal or private in nature, for that same expense. 4. Beneficiary Responsibilities. a. False Statement. The Beneficiary understands and acknowledges that providing false information in the Application or on any documents submitted to the City or its designees as part of the Beneficiary’s participation in the Program may constitute fraud, justify termination of this Agreement, trigger the Beneficiary’s obligation to return funds, and may be subject to civil and/or criminal penalties and/or sanctions. b. No Employee Relationship. The Beneficiary understands and acknowledges that neither the Beneficiary nor any officer, employee or agent of the Beneficiary shall be considered to be an employee of the City, nor entitled to any benefits accorded City employees, by virtue of the services provided under this Agreement. The City shall not be responsible for assuming the duties of an employer with respect to the Beneficiary or any employee of the Beneficiary. c. Non-discrimination. During the performance of this Agreement, the Beneficiary shall comply with all federal and state nondiscrimination laws, including but not limited to, chapter 49.60 RCW, Washington’s Law Against Discrimination, and 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In the event of the Company’s noncompliance or refusal to comply with any nondiscrimination law, regulation, or policy, this Agreement may be rescinded, canceled, or terminated in whole or in part. d. Sole proprietorship or Individual. If the Beneficiary is a sole proprietorship or if this Agreement is with an individual, the Beneficiary agrees to notify the City and complete any required form if the Beneficiary retired under a State of Washington retirement system and agrees to indemnify any losses the City may sustain through the Beneficiary’s failure to do so. 5. Insurance: Beneficiary shall secure and maintain: a. Commercial general liability insurance in the minimum amounts of $1,000,000 for each occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate for the Term of this Agreement. b. In the event that Work delivered pursuant to this Agreement either directly or indirectly involve or require Professional Services, Professional Liability, Errors and Omissions coverage shall be provided with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence. "Professional Services", for the purpose of this section, shall mean any Work provided by a licensed professional or Work that requires a professional standard of care. PAGE 4 OF 14 c. Workers’ compensation coverage, as required by the Industrial Insurance laws of the State of Washington, shall also be secured. d. Commercial Automobile Liability for owned, leased, hired or non-owned, leased, hired or non-owned, with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence combined single limit, if there will be any use of Beneficiary’s vehicles on the City’s Premises by or on behalf of the City, beyond normal commutes. e. Beneficiary shall name the City as an Additional Insured on its commercial general liability policy on a non-contributory primary basis. The City’s insurance policies shall not be a source for payment of any Beneficiary liability, nor shall the maintenance of any insurance required by this Agreement be construed to limit the liability of Beneficiary to the coverage provided by such insurance or otherwise limit the City’s recourse to any remedy available at law or in equity. f. Subject to the City’s review and acceptance, a certificate of insurance showing the proper endorsements, shall be delivered to the City before performing the Work. g. Beneficiary shall provide the City with written notice of any policy cancellation, within two (2) business days of their receipt of such notice. 6. Records: Maintenance, Access, Disclosure. a. Records Maintained. Beneficiary shall maintain all records and accounts with respect to all matters covered by this Agreement, including personnel, property, financial, and programmatic records and documents. b. Retention Period. These records shall be maintained for as long as may be required by applicable Washington State records retention laws, but in any case for a period of six (6) years after all funds have been expended or returned to the City, whichever is later, to ensure proper accounting for all funds and compliance with the Agreement. c. Litigation or Audit. If any litigation, claim, or audit is started before the expiration of the six (6) year period provided in Section 4(b) above, the records shall be retained until all litigation, claims, or audit findings involving the records have been resolved. d. Right of Access. The City, or its authorized representatives, shall have the right of access to records (electronic and otherwise) of Beneficiary in order to conduct audits or other investigations. e. Subject to Disclosure. Beneficiary acknowledges that records may be subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act, Ch. 42.56 RCW. i. To the full extent the City determines necessary to comply with the Washington State Public Records Act, Beneficiary shall make a due diligent search of all records in its possession or control relating to this Agreement and the Work, including, but not limited to, e-mail, PAGE 5 OF 14 correspondence, notes, saved telephone messages, recordings, photos, or drawings and provide them to the City for production. ii. In the event Beneficiary believes said records need to be protected from disclosure, it may, at Beneficiary’s own expense, seek judicial protection. Beneficiary shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the City for all costs, including attorneys’ fees, attendant to any claim or litigation related to a Public Records Act request for which Beneficiary has responsive records and for which Beneficiary has withheld records or information contained therein, or not provided them to the City in a timely manner. iii. Beneficiary shall produce to the City for distribution any and all records responsive to the Public Records Act request in a timely manner, unless those records are protected by court order. The provisions of this section shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement. 5. Publications. Any publications produced with funds from this Agreement must display the following language: “This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by a grant from the City of Renton.” 6. Disclaimer by the City. The City expressly disclaims any and all responsibility or liability to Beneficiary or third persons for the actions of Beneficiary or third persons resulting in death, bodily injury, property damages, or any other losses resulting in any way from the performance of this Agreement or any other losses resulting in any way from the performance of the Agreement, or any subcontract thereto. This Agreement does not in any way establish an agency relationship between or among the City and/or Beneficiary. 7. Expenses Incurred in Excess of Program Award Funds. Beneficiary acknowledges that any expenses incurred in excess of Program Award Funds are the Beneficiary’s sole responsibility and will not be paid by the City. 8. Repayment of Funds. If any funds provided to Beneficiary were used in a manner that is not consistent or allowable as outlined in this Agreement, Beneficiary shall return funds to City in the amount determined to be ineligible. Beneficiary further agrees that it is financially responsible for and will repay the City any and all indicated amounts following an audit exception which occurs due to Beneficiary’s failure, for any reason, to comply with the terms of this Agreement. This duty to repay the City shall not be diminished or extinguished by the termination of the Agreement. 9. Termination. The City reserves the right to terminate this Agreement at any time, with or without cause by giving ten (10) calendar days’ notice to the Beneficiary in writing. In the event of such termination or suspension, Beneficiary waives any right to un-distributed portions of the award. PAGE 6 OF 14 10.Conflict of Interest. a. Beneficiary designees, agents, members, officers, employees, consultants, and any other public official who exercises or who has exercised any functions or responsibilities with respect to the Program during his or her tenure, or who is in a position to participate in a decision-making process or gain inside information with regard to the Program, are barred from any interest, direct or indirect, in any grant or proceeds of the Program, or benefit there from, which is part of this Agreement at any time during or after such person's tenure. b.The City’s Code of Ethics and Washington State law prohibit City employees from soliciting, accepting, or receiving any gift, gratuity or favor from any person, firm or corporation involved in a contract or transaction. To ensure compliance with the City’s Code of Ethics and state law, the Beneficiary shall not give a gift of any kind to City employees or officials. c.Beneficiary also confirms that Beneficiary does not have a business interest or a close family relationship with any City officer or employee who was, is, or will be involved in selecting the Beneficiary, negotiating, or administering this Agreement, or evaluating the Beneficiary’s performance of the Work. 11.Notices: Any notice required under this Agreement will be in writing, addressed to the appropriate party at the address which appears below (as modified in writing from time to time by such party), and given personally, by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, by facsimile or by nationally recognized overnight courier service. Time period for notices shall be deemed to have commenced upon the date of receipt, EXCEPT facsimile delivery will be deemed to have commenced on the first business day following transmission. Email and telephone may be used for purposes of administering the Agreement but should not be used to give any formal notice required by the Agreement. CITY OF RENTON Jessie Kotarski Economic Development Manager CED/City of Renton 1055 South Grady Way, 6th Floor Renton, WA 98057 Phone: (425) 430-7271 Email: jkotarski@rentonwa.gov BENEFICIARY Christian Switzer Executive Director Renton Downtown Partnership 241 Williams Ave S Renton, WA 98057 Phone: 971-599-1667 Email: Director@rentondowntown.com 12.Waiver/Conflict of Terms. a.Any waiver by the Beneficiary or the City of the breach of any provision of this Agreement by the other party will not operate, or be construed, as a waiver of any subsequent breach by either party or prevent either party from thereafter enforcing any such provisions. PAGE 7 OF 14 b. In the event of any inconsistencies between Beneficiary proposals and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail. Any exhibits/attachments to this Agreement are incorporated by reference only to the extent of the purpose for which they are referenced within this Agreement. To the extent a Beneficiary-prepared exhibit conflicts with the terms in the body of this Agreement or contains terms that are extraneous to the purpose for which it is referenced, the terms in the body of this Agreement shall prevail and the extraneous terms shall not be incorporated herein. 13. Modification. This Agreement may only be amended by written agreement signed by both Parties. 14. Severability. In the event any term or condition of this Agreement or application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other terms, conditions, or applications of this Agreement that can be given effect without the invalid term, condition, or application. To this end, the terms and conditions of the Agreement are declared severable. 15. Governing Laws. Any lawsuit or legal action brought by any party to enforce or interpret this Agreement or any of its terms or covenants shall be brought in the King City Superior Court for the State of Washington at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, King City, Washington, or its replacement or successor. Beneficiary hereby expressly consents to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction and venue of such court even if Beneficiary is a foreign corporation not registered with the State of Washington. 16. Indemnification. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Beneficiary shall, at its cost and expense, protect, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the City, its directors, officers, employees, and agents, from and against any and all demands, liabilities, causes of action, costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), claims, judgments, or awards of damages, arising out of or in any way resulting from the acts or omissions of Beneficiary, its directors, officers, employees, or agents, relating in any way to Beneficiary’s performance or non-performance under the Agreement. Beneficiary agrees that its obligations under this paragraph extend to any demands, liabilities, causes of action, or claims brought by, or on behalf of, any of its employees or agents. For this purpose, Beneficiary, by mutual negotiation, hereby waives, as respects the City only, any immunity that would otherwise be available against such claims under any industrial insurance act, including Title 51 RCW, other Worker’s Compensation act, disability benefit act, or other employee benefit act of any jurisdiction which would otherwise be applicable in the case of such claim. These indemnification obligations shall survive the termination of the Agreement. 17. Complete Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the complete expression of the agreement between the Parties, and any oral representations or understandings not incorporated herein are excluded. The Parties may execute this Agreement in any number of 6/21/2023 for PAGE 9 OF 14 EXHIBIT 1: LODGING TAX/TOURISM PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION CRITERIA APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 21, 2022 City of Renton 2023 Lodging Tax Grant Guidelines The City of Renton is soliciting project proposals that support and encourage tourism, cultural activities and tourism facilities in Renton, Washington. The funding source for projects awarded grant funds is the City’s share of taxes collected on overnight stays (hotel/motel/lodging) within the City of Renton. State law limits the use of lodging tax funds. All applications must be for one of the following uses: • Tourism marketing • Marketing and operations of special events and festivals • Operations of tourism-related facilities owned or operated by non-profit organizations • Operations and capital expenditures of tourism-related facilities owned by municipalities or public facilities districts only For grant funding year 2022, the Renton City Council approved $545,000 in grants funded by lodging taxes. As Lodging Tax funds vary from year to year, there is no guarantee of the total amount awarded or if any grant awards will be made. Grant Applications: We now only accept an online application that is available on the VisitRentonWA.com/LTAC. No paper forms will be accepted, and you must submit a separate application for each project/grant request. All Applications must include: • Estimates of how funding the activity will result in increases to people staying overnight, traveling 50 miles or more, or coming from another state or country. • How your project will o generate economic benefit through overnight lodging, sale of meals and goods, and/or construction of tourism-related facilities o increase recognition of Renton throughout the region as a destination for tourism o increase opportunities for tourism by developing new visitor activities If you request it from them, local hoteliers will work with your organization to track information for your event or project. If you need assistance, be sure to contact them prior to submission, as priority will be given to those projects which encourage and track overnight stays. Applications must be submitted online no later than 4:30 p.m. (Pacific time) on Friday, October 21, 2022. No applications will be accepted after this deadline. Any questions concerning the application process may be directed to Jessie Kotarski, Economic Development Specialist, at 425-430-7271 or jkotarski@rentonwa.gov. ~ Application Requirements & Instructions ~ City of Renton 2023 Lodging Tax Grant Guidelines General Information: • All applications will be reviewed by the City’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee for potential funding recommendations. • It is highly recommended that you present your proposal to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. We will have new LTAC members who may not be familiar with your event. Presentations will be November 8, 2022, beginning at 2pm via Zoom. Staff will reach out to schedule time slots. • Recommendations from the Committee will be presented for approval at the December 5, 2022 regularly scheduled City Council meeting (pending scheduling availability); grant recipients will be notified within 30 days. A Funding Agreement will be sent to you by the end of December. • You can upload any supporting materials online. Please limit your uploads to what is most relevant. • Funds will be paid on a reimbursement basis only. Organizations must first incur the expenses and then request reimbursement from the City on a specific reimbursement form that will be provided to you. If you received a grant in 2022 and your 2023 application is for the same event, you do not need to resubmit these items: o Your project summary o your IRS or State of Washington non-profit certification letters ALL Applicants must provide: • Proof of liability insurance including $1,000,000/occurrence and $2,000,000/general aggregate. The City reserves the right to waive this insurance requirement under certain circumstances. If your organization is awarded a grant, your insurance certificate must name the City of Renton as an “additional insured.” There are NO exceptions to this requirement. We expect organizations to renew their insurance prior to their project. • Active, non-expired City of Renton Business License. Information regarding acquiring a city business license can be found at rentonwa.gov/business. Email: licensing@rentonwa.gov or by phone 425-430-6851 SELECTION PROCESS When the application solicitation period opens, City will employ every opportunity to inform potentially eligible applicants of the funding process and its eligibility criteria. When the solicitation period closes, the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee Chair or his/her designee will review applications for completeness and eligibility. Applications will then be evaluated by the City’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, which will make funding recommendations to the City Council. The Council will make the final decision on project approval and funding levels. Staff will then consult with sponsors of approved projects to develop contracts and scopes of work. When the sponsors and Mayor sign the contracts, staff will notify sponsors to proceed. It is very important that applicants are aware of the following. • All contracts are reimbursement-based, i.e. the sponsor must expend funds on approved items and then seek reimbursement under terms of the governing contract. • Cost reimbursement will only be issued after the contract is signed by all parties (including the City). • The project approval process requires two key steps: a) The LTAC selection and recommendation for project approval; AND b) The Council’s approval of a spending plan. **Only eligible costs incurred after both steps of the approval process will be reimbursed for the project.** COMPETITIVE CRITERIA Because of the limited amount of funding available to support assistance requests, proposals will be evaluated on a competitive basis. Applications that meet the threshold criteria will be presented to the review panel for evaluation and scoring based on the following criteria. The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee may recommend full, partial or no funding for each project. The review panel will independently determine the level of funding for each project based on each project’s individual merit and components. A maximum of 100 points can be awarded in this area. 1. Project Impact. How will the City of Renton and/or the citizens be impacted by this project? 25 points 2. Clarity. Does the proposal clearly and concisely present a definite, well-described product for which the City’s assistance is being sought? If appropriate to do so, does the proposal describe how the City- supported product will be integrated into a larger effort (e.g., a brochure which promotes a cultural event: does the proposal describe the brochure as well as summarizing the purpose and scope of the event and the role the brochure will play in its success)? 20 points 3. Cost-effectiveness. Does the project propose an efficient, economical use of the City’s funds? 20 points 4. Degree of match. What is the proponent's percentage of matching resource? A match of at least 25% of the total project value (City funds plus sponsor’s share) is required; a higher rate will improve a project's stature accordingly. 10 points 5. Marketing. How will the proposed project be marketed and how will that marketing recognize the City’s participation? 10 points 6. Innovation. Does the project represent an unusual approach, or does it move the City’s Hotel/Motel program in a useful new direction? 10 points 7. Cooperative nature. What kind and degree of inter-organizational or inter-jurisdictional partnership does the project exhibit? 5 points BONUS POINTS The City has an interest in spreading the impacts of tourism more evenly over the entire year, expanding overnight stays, and in acting as a partner with other jurisdictions that collect their own Hotel/Motel funds. Bonus points will be accorded to proposals that can convince the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee that, if funded, the projects will advance these goals. A maximum of 20 additional points can be awarded in this area. 1. Off-season development. Will the project promote tourism development during the off-season (September 1 through June 30)? 10 points 2. Overnight visitorship. Has the project convincingly established that it will attract overnight visitorship? If so, does it quantify the anticipated stays and offer a credible method for corroborating the projections? 10 points PAGE 10 OF 14 EXHIBIT 2: LODGING TAX/TOURISM PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM BENEFICIARY’S APPLICATION CAUTION: This email originated from outside the City of Renton. Do not click links, reply or open attachments unless you know the content is safe. From:noreply@yourwpsite.email on behalf of Renton Downtown Partnership To:Jessie Kotarski Subject:New submission from 2023 Lodging Tax Grant Application Date:Friday, October 21, 2022 4:30:44 PM Attachments:City-of-Renton_Community-Currency_10.20.2022.pdf Today's Date 10/21/2022 Project or Event Title Tourism Incentive Program-Renton Downtown Partnership Name of your Organization Renton Downtown Partnership Contact Person and Title Christian Switzer Contact person email address director@rentondowntown.com Phone (971) 599-1667 Organization Address 241 Williams Ave S Renton, Washington 98057 United States Map It Type of Organization Non-Profit Has your organization previously received a Lodging Tax Grant from the City of Renton? Yes Which type of category your project falls under per RCW 67.28.1816? Tourism marketing/development Funding Amount 82,430 Project Summary Renton Downtown Partnership is focused on bringing visitors and activating the historic downtown. This partnership with Bullseye Creative, a proven and effective firm, that will market the downtown with direct incentives to spend at the small businesses that make our community a unique and distinct destination. Project scope of work $75,000 funded Our goal for this project is to incentivize visitors to spend their Renton dollars in downtown, staying the night, shopping, and dining. Building additional foot traffic will help with our overarching mission as an organization in our quest to maximize our occupancy in downtown Renton. List the beginning and ending date of your project year-long What's your plan to encourage more overnight stays in Renton hotels to replenish the hotel/motel lodging tax fund? How specifically will you measure if people travel more than 50 miles or stay overnight? In the attached proposal, we have a full timeline laid out for working with the hoteliers and incentivizing visitors to stay in Renton. This will be run and managed by Bullseye, with record keeping and information available to be submitted at the completion. Which Renton Hotels will you be working with? Best Western Plus Renton Inn Clarion Hotel Renton-Seattle Hampton Inn & Suites Seattle/Renton Hilton Garden Inn Seattle/Renton Hyatt Regency Lake Washington Larkspur Landing OYO Renton Renton Inn Residence Inn Seattle South/Renton Attendance What is your predicted overall attendance? Of your total attendance, how many do you predict will travel over 50 miles? Of your overall attendance, how many do you predict will be from out of state OR out of country? Of your overall attendance, how many will pay for overnight lodging? Of your overall attendance, how many will NOT pay for overnight lodging? NA NA NA NA NA Budget City-of-Renton_Community-Currency_10.20.2022.pdf Application Certification I agree to the privacy policy. I understand the City of Renton and Washington state limitations placed on use of Lodging Tax funds and certify that the requested funds will be used only for the purposes described in this application or as approved by the City Council. I understand use of funds is subject to audit by the State of Washington. I have read and understand the criteria by which our application will be evaluated and understand that if our application is selected for funding, we will be required to enter into a binding agreement with the City to ensure completion of the project Name Christian Switzer Certification I certify that my statements are true and have approval from my board/agency to apply for this grant. I have read and understand the City of Renton Grant Guidelines and will provide all documentation requested by the City in support of this application. I consent to having this website store my submitted information to process this grant application. Renton Downtown Partnership Community Currency Tourism Incentive Presented by Bullseye Creative • October 20, 2022 City of Renton Downtown Partnership & Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, Bullseye Creative proudly presents our proposal for the City of Renton’s Community Currency Tourism Incentive Program. We are delighted to deliver the following presentation, which includes a description of our qualifications, an outline of the project work plan, examples of relevant project experience, and several professional references. We have direct experience managing a Tourism Incentive Program, establishing a similar Community Currency multiple times (Bullseye Creative developed the “You Stay We Pay” tourism promotion for the City of Redmond, creating the “Geek Out Gold” Community Currency program, and we also created a similar program for the City of Kirkland in the form of “Kirkland Ca$h”). Bullseye Creative is a family-owned agency, founded 26 years ago, and we are hyper-focused on creating local economic impact with our support of a diverse collection of regional client partners. Working with Bullseye means you work directly with the founding family (we don’t have a “B” team here – every one of us are on the “A” team!). As co-founder of the company, I will also serve as your primary point of contact, and I am accessible via email, phone, in-person meetings, and/or video meetings. We are collaborative and customer-centric, and we consider our clients as part of our “family.” Our mission states: “We put family first, and we succeed through the success of our clients and each other.” We value relationships with our clients, our community, and the world around us. We invest in work we believe in—pouring our passion into every project—and we dedicate ourselves to causes that inspire us. We look forward to investing our passions into the City of Renton’s Community Currency Tourism Incentive Project. Peter Klauser, Account Warrior Bullseye Creative, Inc. (206) 315-2740 peterk@bullseyecreative.com 317 N 148th St, Shoreline WA 98133 Bullseye Creative Bullseye Creative is a high-energy, high-impact creative agency born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1996 by brothers, James and Peter Klauser, our company has grown to a small but powerful team of creative superheroes. We are careful about our growth and selective about our client list, working only with people and organizations who we are passionate about. At Bullseye Creative, we are laser-focused on the success of our clients, our company, and each other. PETER KLAUSER Account Warrior Co-founder of Bullseye Creative, Peter has more than 30 years of Project Management experience. Peter’s attention to detail impacts every project Bullseye Creative executes. Peter’s leadership and creative-direction is instrumental in the implementation of effective campaigns tailored to each client’s needs. Peter is a master of communication, working closely with clients, vendors, and our creative team to ensure that all parties are on the same track, driving toward the same goal. JAMES KLAUSER Creative Guru Co-founder of Bullseye Creative — with more than 30 years of branding, design, art direction, and consumer behavior experience — James’s creative vision combines form with function. James has design experience in a wide variety of areas including print, brand, web, media campaigns, and more. James’s marketing sensibilities, creative direction and high-impact creative skills have continued to underscore Bullseye Creative as one of Seattle’s premier creative marketing agencies. SETH PILLERS Director of Pixels Seth brings client stories to life through creative design and content cultivation. His impeccable attention to detail shines through in his work. Seth has a keen fascination of user behavior, and his award-winning designs ensure a superb final product. HUSO PACO Social Samurai As content and media specialist, Huso works closely with clients to solve their unique goals with diligence and creativity. His commitment to understanding each client’s mission stands out through his passion and drive for making an impact through marketing and media. MEGAN FERLAND Code Whisperer Megan is truly the Queen of problem-solving in the most unique ways imaginable. She offers a visionary approach to her database development services and will produce pixel-to-pixel perfection in everything she and her team builds. LANCE RUSH Digital Shepherd Lance is a wizard with pixels, wielding his powers over pixels and dazzling the masses with this front-end innovation. Lance is also a renowned specialist in digital marketing strategies and data analysis. EXTENDED TEAM OF PARTNERS Bullseye Creative boasts 26 years worth of valuable vendor relationships, with an extended network of photographers, animators, media agencies, public relations firms, and many other creative collaborators. Our Partnership Approach means Bullseye’s extended team includes thousands of supporting players. Should it become necessary to collaborate with one of our partners on this project, we’ll be delighted to introduce you to them. They all ROCK, just like we do. THE BULLSEYE TEAM Our Clients Bullseye Creative works with a well-rounded list of notable clients in the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. Our industry experience includes tourism, event promotion, real estate, government, consumer, commercial, non-profit, technology, gaming & entertainment, and many more. Case Study City of Redmond “You Stay We Pay” In the Spring of 2021, Bullseye Creative produced a tourism stimulation plan for the City of Redmond, establishing the “Geek Out Gold” community currency, and advertising a “You Stay We Pay” incentive promotion. The City’s $50,000 incentive investment attracted 530 new hotel guests, booking 1550 new room nights. At an average of 2.9 nights per booking, and average rates of $125 per night, the investment returned $193,750 in new revenue to Redmond hotels. In addition, the $50,000 of distributed community currency was redeemed at participating Redmond businesses, with customers spending an average of 1.5x the certificate’s face value. This generates an additional $75,000 of economic impact to the small business community. In total, the incentive brought $268,750 in cumulative economic impact to the City of Redmond’s local economy. Case Study City of Kirkland Community Currency Inspired by the success of Redmond’s community currency program, in Spring/Summer 2022, Bullseye Creative produced a tourism stimulation plan for the City of Kirkland, establishing the “Kirkland Ca$h” community currency, and advertising a “You Stay We Pay” incentive promotion. In partnership with Redmond, the two cities promoted a regionalism approach, messaging “Stay Eastside” and directing visitors to hotels and small businesses from both cities. Kirkland’s program distributed nearly $18,000 to guests of hotels, generating 300 new room nights. The program generated nearly $100,000 in local economic impact, and established a foundation for future generations of the program’s promotional potential (we’re currently working on a “phase II” of the promotion for the upcoming shoulder season). Case Study Emerald City Comic Con When the show was still fairly new, Emerald City Comicon (ECCC)—the Seattle-based comic book & pop culture event—asked Bullseye Creative to help them grow past the 9000 attendee mark. That year, we increased their attendance from 9000 to 20,000!! In our second year as Agency Of Record, we helped the Con grow to 32,000 attendees. Over the following years, we continued to grow ECCC attendance, and the show now hosts more than 100,000 guests!! Each year, the show adds space capacity, and still sells out quickly. Emerald City Comic Con is now one of the top five comic and pop culture conventions in the world. Case Study The Seattle Boat Show For the past several years, Bullseye Creative has managed all advertising creative duties for NMTA and the Big Seattle Boat Show. In 2012 we developed an award-winning viral marketing campaign coinciding with the national election, which we called, "Get Out And Boat." The guerrilla marketing campaign included nautical/political yard signs, "protest" banners hung from the freeway overpass, and "exit polling" at area marinas where we asked, “Who did you boat for today?” To this day, Bullseye continues to lead the event to increases in attendance, exhibitor registrations, and (most importantly) boat sales. In addition, we have helped the show achieve a primary goal of successfully targeting new markets and lowering the average age of the attendee. ACTIVATE RENTON’S COMMUNITY CURRENCY & MANAGE TOURISM STIMULATION PROMOTION Bullseye Creative will apply our unique experience and creative capabilities to stand up a community currency for the City of Renton, and then develop and manage a promotional campaign with the intention of driving tourism traffic to the city’s participating hotels. We will utilize the currency management system, Conpoto to facilitate and track the incentive vouchers. DISCOVERY & PROGRAM ACTIVATION Bullseye Creative will start with a brief activation period to assess the City of Renton’s current state, establish timelines & measurable goals, and assist the client with the set up of the Conpoto profile. CURRENT STATE ASSESSMENT Bullseye will conduct three to four client meeting and stakeholder interviews to learn more about the City of Renton’s tourism programs, identify program goals, present direction decisions (i.e. - whether to let vouchers expire, or not), and map out final strategic plans for the promotional program. Based on fifteen (15) hours of creative and management time SET UP CONPOTO PROFILE Bullseye will assist the client, and the client’s selected fiscal agent (client responsibility) with the set up of the Conpoto profile. This system will then be used for the client’s registration of participating merchants and hotel partners (recruiting also a client responsibility), and the management of the tourism incentive voucher certificates. The client’s fiscal agent will then use the Conpoto system to pull weekly redemption reports and process payments of the client’s incentive budget as reimbursement to the merchants where the certificates were redeemed. Based on fifteen (15) hours of management time, and a one-time activation expense of $1500. The Conpoto system also requires a hosting expense of $960 per year. Once the plan is in place, and the Conpoto profile is set up, Bullseye Creative will be ready to build the tourism incentive promotional campaign. BRANDING, MESSAGING & GRAPHIC DESIGN In consultation with City of Renton staff, Bullseye Creative will brand the city’s community currency program with a Renton-centric name, develop initial design assets for the Conpoto system, and develop a series of marketing messages/tagline(s) to promote the campaign. Bullseye will present up to three initial creative concepts, provide up to two rounds of revisions, and then prepare/deliver final digital assets. Based on twenty-five (25) hours of creative time. PROPOSED SERVICES HOTELIER & MERCHANT ONBOARDING & TRAINING Bullseye Creative will provide guidance, training, onboarding materials and documentation to hotelier and merchant partners who have been recruited by the client (client responsibility). Bullseye will create a portal for registration of participants, and provide recruitment collateral for the client’s recruitment of hotels and businesses to the program. The onboarding of registered participants will be delivered by Bullseye in the form of two (2) to three (3) webinars, delivery of instructional documentation, and—where necessary—one-on-one meetings with select hotel partners. Bullseye will create hotel and business recruitment collateral and report on the onboarding activities during the onboarding process. Based on fifty (50) hours of creative and management time. CLIENT TRAINING AND EDUCATION Bullseye Creative will provide training to City of Renton staff (on-site and/or remote, based on client’s preference and availability) for management of the Conpoto dashboard. This also includes Bullseye’s consulting time to help the city’s selected fiscal partner learn how to manage and maintain the renumeration of the campaign incentive budget to those merchants who have redeemed the promotional vouchers. The selection of a fiscal agent is the City of Renton’s responsibility, and this partner will manage the city’s determined incentive give-away budget (amount not included in this proposal, as that fund is not managed by Bullseye Creative). We recommend that the City of Renton allocate a budget of $20,000 to $50,000 of incentive give-away, which will be fully managed by the City’s own fiscal agent. Bullseye and Conpoto will train and support the fiscal agent in the management of that budget, and the process for reimbursing merchants who have accepted the reward vouchers as payment for their goods or services. Based on ten (10) hours of management time in Year One. WEBSITE DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT, HOSTING Bullseye Creative will design and develop a promotional website hub, using the “GeekOutInRedmond.com" or “KirklandCash.com" sites as a template, updated with the Renton program specifics (hotel booking links, program details, available merchants for voucher redemption, and other local attractions & activities). This includes links to each hotel’s provided program-specific booking landing page, a complete list of all participating merchant partners where community currently can be redeemed (displaying logos/photos for each), Program FAQ, and other general Renton links for localized attractions and activities. Based on fifty (50) hours of creative time. Bullseye Creative will also manage hosting of the website through our host provider partners at an expense of $59.95 per month (billed annually). PROPOSED SERVICES (CONT.) ADVERTISING & MARKETING CREATIVE AND MANAGEMENT Bullseye Creative will develop, document, and present for client approval a creative strategy and timeline for promoting the tourism incentive program to an audience of visitors (both inside and outside of a 50-mile radius from Renton). This will include but may not be limited to the following media: social media, search/display, banner advertising, paid advertising, re-targeting, geo-targeting and other marketing methods. Once the client approve the proposed marketing strategy, Bullseye will develop the creative assets necessary to support the campaign, and manage the campaign execution for a two month advertising period (Bullseye will require access to the tourism social media channels for advertising management). The campaign will also lean heavily on partnerships with city partners (City of Renton, Renton Chamber, LTAC, other PR partners, etc) with the creation of partnership promotional assets, and the encouragement of all partners to participate in the marketing efforts. Bullseye will provide a summary report of activities and results at the end of each one month period. Based on twenty (20) hours of creative and management time per month, for an expected period of two months. Media expense budget budgeted at $9000 per month, for an expected period of two months. MONTHLY MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING Bullseye Creative will manage the Tourism Incentive and Community Currency campaign for two months in the first calendar year. Campaign management includes client meetings, customer engagement and response, marketing and program promotion, platform management and troubleshooting, and monthly reports of metrics, budget and activities. Based on twenty (20) hours of creative and management time per month, for an expected period of two months. PROPOSED SERVICES (CONT.) PROJECT SCHEDULE SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES Bullseye Creative works closely with the client to establish reasonable timelines and deliverables. Bullseye has a tremendous amount of experience with tight timelines and short timeframes. We always find a way to produce high impact results, even when the deadlines are tight (see all previous case studies in this presentation). With that said, we can always produce more effective results when the timelines are more strategically planned. Below is an ideal timeline for the deliverables outlined in this proposal. PROJECT PHASE SCHEDULE Current State Assessment Month One Manage Conpoto Set Up and Upgrades Month One Conpoto Set Up Month One Branding, Messaging, Graphic Design Month Two Hotelier & Merchant Onboarding & Training Month Two Client Training and Education Month Two Website Design & Development Month Two Advertising & Marketing Creative, Management Months Three & Four Monthly Management & Reporting Months Three & Four PROJECT BUDGET / INVESTMENTS PROJECT INVESTMENTS We are in the investment business. We invest our heart and soul into our clients, and we strive to develop long-term deep, meaningful relationships with people who value us and our work. Of course, we are also paid for our work, and we recognize that these fees are simply investments in the future returns for our client’s growth. PHASES OF WORK & EXPENSES*BUDGET Current State Assessment $3750 Manage Conpoto Profile Set Up $3750 Conpoto Set Up Expense $1500 Conpoto Hosting Expense $960 Branding, Messaging, Graphic Design $6250 Hotelier & Merchant Onboarding & Training $12,500 Client Training and Education $2500 Website Design & Development $12,500 Website Hosting Expense $720 Advertising & Marketing Creative, Management (2 months)$10,000 Advertising Media Expense (2 months - $9000 per month)$18,000 Monthly Management & Reporting (2 months)$10,000 TOTAL INVESTMENTS $82,430 * Creative & Expenses totals does not include the tourism incentive give-away budget. We recommend this amount at $20,000 to $50,000 These People Love Us (and you will, too) Kristina Hudson, Executive Director; OneRedmond kristinah@oneredmond.org (206) 409-4737 Jim Demonakos, Founder; Emerald City Comic Con jimdemonakos@gmail.com (425) 268-1084 Martha Chaudhry, Special Projects Coordinator, City of Kirkland mchaudhry@kirklandwa.gov (425) 587-3266 P 206 315 2740 | BullseyeCreative.com Let’s work together. PAGE 11 OF 14 EXHIBIT 3: LODGING TAX/TOURISM PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM LTAC RECOMMENDATIONS PAGE 12 OF 14 EXHIBIT 4: LODGING TAX/TOURISM PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM CALL FOR APPLICATIONS 1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057 | 425-430-6400 | rentonwa.gov | CITY OF RENTON FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 17, 2022 City of Renton Contacts Jessie Kotarski, Economic Development Manager, 425-430-7271 Kristi Rowland, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, 425-430-6947 City of Renton accepting applications for 2023 Tourism Promotion Grants Deadline for applications is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 21, 2022 RENTON, WA – The City of Renton has opened the application process for 2023 tourism promotion grants. Non-profit organizations operating events or installations designed to attract tourism to Renton are encouraged to apply. Events need not occur within the Renton city limits. However, they must show measurable drive-in tourism within the city limits. Organizations may apply for multiple events. Capital expenditures are not eligible for funding. The Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) reviews applications and forwards funding recommendations to Renton City Council, which makes the final determination. LTAC encourages applications involving multiday events, including athletics and events promoting diversity and inclusivity. Additionally, the committee seriously considers projects with a proven record of attracting overnight visitors. The application deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 21, 2022, and finalists will present to LTAC on November 8 via Zoom. The committee will make its final recommendations in December. Interested parties can find the application and more information online. Questions concerning the application process may be directed to Jessie Kotarski, Economic Development Manager, at 425-430-7271 or via email at jkotarski@rentonwa.gov. Washington state's Hotel-Motel Tax, collected on all in-city lodging stays of less than 30 days, funds Tourism Promotion Grants. About the City of Renton The City of Renton, Washington, with a population of 107,500 (2022), is located on the southeast shore of Lake Washington, just south of Seattle. Renton's strong economic base, diverse marketplace, and favorable business climate have attracted nationally recognized companies wishing to provide employees and their families with an 1055 South Grady Way, Renton, WA 98057 | 425-430-6400 | rentonwa.gov | outstanding quality of life. Renton is the home of Boeing, PACCAR, IKEA, Super Bowl Champion (2014) Seattle Seahawks, two-time (2016 & 2019) MLS champion and CONCACAF Champion (2022) Seattle Sounders FC (in 2024), and the eternal resting place of rock icon Jimi Hendrix. More information is on our website, in news releases, or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Nextdoor. PAGE 13 OF 14 EXHIBIT 5: LODGING TAX/TOURISM PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST FORM 2 Exhibit 5 Lodging Tax/Tourism Promotion Grant Program Reimbursement Request Form RECIPIENT NAME: MAILING ADDRESS: CONTRACT NO: CHECKLIST FOR REIMBURSEMENT Evaluation Report  Final Report Form (for final requests only)  Copy of marketing/promotional materials illustrating use of the VisitRentonWA logo  Revenue/Expense report for event/project  Invoices with proof/documentation of paid status  Attached IRS Form W9 Date Invoice # Description Advertising Promotional Event Misc. Total $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ Totals $ $ $ $ $ As grantee, I certify to the best of knowledge and belief the billed costs of disbursements are in accordance with the terms of the project and that the reimbursement represents the Hotel/Motel Tax specifications under Senate House Bill 5647 and which have not previously been requested . Authorized Agent Signature Date FOR CITY USE ONLY  Supporting documentation for expenses are determined to be eligible for reimbursement under the Lodging Tax Fund program.  Expenditures were incurred between the eligible dates of the contract agreement.  An IRS W-9 form has been reviewed.  Reimbursement submitted to the City no later than December 31, 2023. PAGE 14 OF 14 EXHIBIT 6: LODGING TAX/TOURISM PROMOTION GRANT PROGRAM FINAL REPORT FORM Special Event/Festival Marketing/Tourism Promotion Facility Organization: Submitted By: Contract No: Activity Name: Activity Type: Activity Start Date: Activity End Date: Total Activity Cost: $ Total amount of Renton lodging tax funds requested: $ Total amount of Renton lodging tax funds approved: $ DEFINITION OF METHODOLOGY FOR QUESTIONS BELOW: This methodology is defined by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee and is used for reporting to the Legislature about the use of lodging tax for each jurisdiction. •Direct Count: Actual count of visitors using methods such as paid admissions or registrations, clicker counts at entry points, vehicle counts or number of chairs filled. A direct count may also include information collected directly from businesses, such as hotels, restaurants or tour guides likely to be affected by an event. •Indirect Count: Estimate based on information related to the number of visitors such as raffle tickets sold, redeemed discount certificates, brochures handed out, police requirements for crowd control or visual estimates. •Representative Survey: Information collected directly from individual visitors / participants. A representative survey is a highly structured data collection tool, based on a defined random sample of participants, and the results can be reliably projected to the entire population attending an event and includes margin of error and confidence level. •Informal Survey: Information collected directly from individual visitors or participants in a non-random manner that is not representative of all visitors or participants. Informal survey results cannot be projected to the entire visitor population and provide a limited indicator of attendance because not all participants had an equal chance of being included in the survey. •Structured Estimate: Estimate produced by computing known information related to the event or location. For example, one jurisdiction estimated attendance by dividing the square footage of the event area by the international building code allowance for persons (3 sq. ft.). •Other: (please describe) Exhibit 6 Lodging Tax/Tourism Promotion Grant Program Final Report Form