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Associate Development Organization CertificationlDesig nation Form
(For use by County officials)
Grant County
(Name of County)
affirms/ designates the Grant County Ecomonic Development Council
(Name of ADO)
as the Associate Development Organization to coordinate economic development services for
the county under contract with the VVaqhington State Department of Commerce, Consistent
with statutory requirements:
The prospective ADO is a non-profit organization.
OR
fl A public entity that has formed an authority or committee with full
operating authority to carry out the duties of the ADO. It is important to
recognize that this group would have its own authority and budget., not dust
the power to recommend actions/plans/expenses.
2. Economic developm;Emt is the primary mission of the prospective ADO,
and not just a secondary activity, This can be demonstrated with a written
mission statement in a brochure, web -page, newsletter, etc, It may also be
documented in the organization's by-laws,
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For economic interests in the county, this organization serves as a
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networking tool and resource hub for business retention, expansion, and
relocation in Washington,
4. This organization has/will have the capacity during the period under
contract with Commerce to cairryout, work activities as detailed in RCW
43,330.080
This designation is effective on the date signed below, and shall remain in effect for the 2023-
2025 biennium (07/0,1/2023-06/30112025). Please provide documentation of the County
executive or governing body's action designating the above -identified organization as
the ADO.
Signeifu_
Chair, Board of County Commisioners
Title
Rob Jones
MINEW-110
Date
PLEASE SUBMIT THIS FORM AND DOCUMENTATION TO:
Diana Divens, ADO Program Manager at: 2 diana.divensacommerce.wa.gov
Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness
Washington State Department of Commerce
Post Office Box 42525
Olympia, WA 98504-2525
Cell-. (564) 999-3279
Revised (03/06/1
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STATE OF WASHINGTON
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
1011 Plum Street SE • PO Box 42525 •Olympia, Washington 98504-2525. 360-725-4000
www.commerce.wa.gov
March 3, 2023
The Honorable Rob Jones, Chair
Grant County Board of Commissioners
PO Box 37
Ephrata, WA 98823
Dear Commissioner Jones:
Every two years, the Department of Commerce begins the process of contracting with Associate
Development Organizations (ADOs) by sending a letter to the Board of County Commissioners or
County Executive in each county requesting designation of an ADO.
Commerce is directed by RCW 43.330.080 to contract with county -designated ADOs to increase the
support for and coordination of community and economic development services in communities or
regional areas.
As part of the contracting process, please complete the enclosed ADO Certification/Designation Form for
the 2023-2025 Biennium, returning to Commerce by April 15, 2023. Your county can choose to re-
designate the current ADO or make a new designation. Please see the enclosed Eligibility and
Designation Guidelines.
Thank you for your consideration in helping to move the contracting process forward in a quick manner.
I look forward to working with our ADO partners during the next biennium.
Sincerely,
Chris Green
Assistant Director
Enclosures
cc w/enclosures: Grant County Economic Development Council
RECEIVED
R
A-
- 9.023
GRA 'T COUNTY CO MM ISSI NTRS
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\A/ashington, State
Department of
Commere
Associate Development Organ'izati'ons
Eligibility & Designation
Guidelines
March 2023
2023-2025 biennium (07/01/2023-06/30/2025)
Overview
Washington's Department of Commerce (Commerce) maintains a contracted partnership with 34 Associate
Development Organizations (ADOs), serving 39 counties, through both technical assistance and funding for
local econ * omic development activities. Each county in the state has designated an organization. as their ADO
to partner with Commerce and serve as the lead on local economic development activities in their county.
This guide is provided to assist county leaders in the process of designating the most effective organization to
serve as the ADO for their county. The criteria that Commerce uses to approve and negotiate a contract with a
county -designated ADO is also covered.
Th I e origins of ADOs date back to Governor Booth Gardner's Team Washington strategy that was initiated in
1985 to develop public-private, and state -local partnerships across the state. At first the Local Economic
Development Assistance Program (LEDA) provided administrative grants to 33 ADOs that served the state's
39 counties. ADOs were to become the principal contact for the department and all county economic
development elements (chambers, towns, ports, businesses, etc.) would, coordinate their efforts through their
local ADO.
Expectations of ADOs
The broad role of an Associate Development Organization is that of advocacy and leadership, serving as the
point of contact for local economic activities, recruiting/hosting new businesses, and coordinating business
retention and expansion efforts within its service area. The ADO serves as the principal contact for Commerce
regarding economic activity in their area. ADOs help Commerce gather data about community profiles,
industrial sites, plans for business development and retention, reports on business activities, and proposals for
other economic activities in their service areas.
ADOs are described in more detail in RCW 43.330.080, and a copy of that code is provided in the reference
section of this guide.
Specific expectations of the ADO, as assessed by Commerce for contracting purposes include:
1) Partner with .Commerce: The designated ADO organizations shall partner with Commerce as the lead
local economic development organization in their service area to deliver economic development
services at the local. level. Through a contracted partnership, Commerce determines the scope of
services delivered under the ADO grant/contract in collaboration with the ADO. The ADO works closely
with Commerce to develop and carry out strategies and show potential for, long-term sustainable
g rowth.
2) Contracting Organizations (ADOs) in each Community or Regional Area Must Be "broadly
representative of community and economic interests... capable of identifying key problems... and
mobilizing broad support for recommended initiatives.
The code lists key players as:
* local governments
0 chambers of commerce
0 workforce development councils
• port districts
0 labor groups
0 institutions of higher education
0 community action programs
• other appropriate private, public, or nonprofit community and economic development groups.
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3) Best Practice Sharing: ADOs must meet and share best practices with other ADOs at least two times a
year.
4) Resources and Services Provided to Local Businesses: ADOs shall provide direct assistance,
including business planning, to companies throughout the county who need support to stay in business,
expand, o ' r relocate to Washington from out of state or other countries. Assistance must comply with
business recruitment and retention protocols established in RCW 43.330.062.
5) Regional Planning: Support for regional economic research and regional planning efforts to implement
target industry sector strategies and other economic development strategies including cluster -based
strategies.,
6) Reports to Commerce: ADOs report quarterly on activity outcomes; i.e., Business Retention and
Expansion assistance; Business Recruitment, Entrepreneurial Business Start-ups, etc. They also
provide information on how they coordinate and collaborate with other organizations and jurisdictions in
their counties, as well as other significant accomplishments. Timelines for reporting are in each
grant/contract.
7) Formal de ' signation by County: The County's Board of Commissioners must formally designate an
organization to serve as its ADO, providing Commerce with a signed statement of designation along
with a certification of eligibility.
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References
RCW 43.330,080
Coordination of community and economic development services — Contracts with county -
designated associate development organizations —Scope of services — Business services
training.
(1)(a) The department must contract with county -designated associate development organizations to increase
the support for and coordination of co ' mm' -unity and economic development services in communities or regional
areas. The contracting organizations in each community or regional area must:
(i) Be broadly representative of community and economic interests;
(ii) Be capable of identifying key economic and community development problems, developing appropriate
solutions, and mobilizing broad support for recommended initiatives;
(iii) Work closely with the department to carry out state -identified economic . development priorities;
I (iv) Work with and include local governments, local chambers of commerce, workforce development
councils, port districts, labor groups, institutions of higher education, community action programs, and other
appropriate private, public, or nonprofit community and economic development groups; and
(v) Meet and share best practices with other associate development organizations at least two times each
year.
(b) The scope of services delivered under the contracts required in (a) of this subsection must. include two
broad areas of work:
(i) Direct. assistance, including business planning, to companies throughout the county who need.support to
stay in business, expand, or relocate to Washington from out of state or other countries. Assistance must
comply with business recruitment and retention protocols established in RCW.43.,330.062, and includes:
(A) Working with the appropriate partners throughout the county including, but not limited to, local
governments, workforce development councils, port districts, community and technical colleges and higher
education institutions, export assistance providers, impact Washington, the Washington state quality award
council, small business assistance programs, innovation partnership zones, and other federal, state, and local
programs to facilitate the alignment of planning efforts and the seamless delivery of business support services
within the entire county;
(B) Providing information on state and local permitting processes, tax issues, export assistance, and other
essential information for operating, expanding, or locating a business in Washington;
(C) Marketing Washington and local areas as excellent locations to expand or relocate a business and
positioning Washington as a globally competitive place to grow business, which may . include developing and
executing regional plans to attract companies from out of state;
(D) Working with businesses on site location and selection assistance;
(E) Providing business retention and expansion services throughout the county. Such services must
include, but are not limited to, business outreach and monitoring efforts to identify and address challenges and
opportunities faced by businesses, assistance to trade impacted businesses in applying for grants from the
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federal trade adjustment assistance for firms program, and the provision of information to businesses on:
(I) Resources available for microenterprise development;
(II) Resources available on the revitalization of commercial districts; and
(III) The opportunity to maintain jobs through shared work programs authorized under chapter 50.60 RCW;
(F) Participating in economic development system -wide discussions regarding gaps in business start-up
assistance in Washington;
(G) Providing or facilitating the provision of export assistance through workshops or one-on-one assistance;
and
(H) Using a web -based information system to track data on business recruitment, retention, expansion, and
trade; and
(ii) Support for regional economic research and regional planning efforts to implement target industry sector
strategies and other economic development strategies, including cluster -based strategies. Research and
planning efforts should support increased living standards and increased foreign direct investment, and be
aligned with the statewide economic development strategy. Regional associate development organizations
retain their independence to address local concerns and goals. Activities include:
(A) Participating in regional planning efforts with workforce development councils involving coordinated
strategies around workforce development and economic development policies and programs. Coordinated
planning efforts must include, but not be limited to, assistance to industry clusters in the region;
(B) Participating with the state board for community and technical colleges as created in RCW 2813.50.050,
and any community and technical colleges in the coordination of the job skills training program and the
customized training program within its region;
(C) Collecting and reporting data as specified by the contract with the department for statewide systemic
analysis. In cooperation with other local, regional, and state planning efforts, contracting organizations may
provide insight into the needs of target industry clusters, business expansion plans, early detection of potential
relocations or layoffs, training needs, and other appropriate economic information;
(D) In conjunction with other governmental jurisdictions and institutions, participating in the development of
a countywide economic development plan.
(2) The department must provide business services training to the contracting organizations, including but
not limited to:
(a) Training in the fundamentals of export assistance and the services available from private and public
export assistance providers in the state; and
(b) Training in the provision of business retention and expansion services as required by subsection
(1)(b)(i)(E) of this section.
[2014c 112 § 111; 2012 c 195 § 1; 2011 c286 §2; 2009 c151 § 10; 2007c249§2; 1997c60§ 1; 1993 c 280 § 11.]
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Notes:
Findings -- Intent -- 2007 c 249: "The legislature finds that economic development success requires
coordinated state and local efforts. The legislature further finds that economic development happens at the
local level. County -designated associate development organizations serve as a networking tool and
resource hub for business retention, expansion, and relocation in Washington. Economic development
success requires an adequately funded and coordinated state effort and an adequately funded and
coordinated local effort. The legislature intends to bolster the partnership between state and local economic
development efforts, provide increased funding for local economic development services, and increase local
economic development service effectiveness, efficiency, and outcomes." [2007 c 249 § 1.] -
RCW 43.330,082
Contracting associate development organizations Performance measures and summary of
best practices — Remediation plans — Report
1)(a) Contracting associate development organizations must provide the department with measures of their
performance and a summary of best practices shared and implemented by the contracting organizations.
Annual reports must- include the following information to show the contracting organization's impact on
employment and overall changes in employment: Current employment and economic information for the
community or regional area produced by the employment security department; the net change from the
previous year's employment and economic information using data produced by the employment security
department; other relevant information on the community or regional area; the amount of funds received.by the
contracting organization through its contract with the department;. the amount.of funds received by the
contracting organization through all sources; and the contracting organization's impact on employment through
all funding sources. Annual reports may include the impact of the contracting organization on wages, exports,
tax revenue, small business creation, foreign direct investment, business relocations, expansions,
terminations, and capital investment. Data must be input into a common web -based business information
system managed by the department. Specific measures, data standards, .and data definitions must be.
developed in the contracting process between the department and the contracting organization every two
years. Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, performance measures should be consistent across regions
to allow for statewide evaluation.
(b) In addition to the measures required in (a) of this subsection, contracting 'associate development
organizations in counties with a population greater than one million five hundred thousand persons must
include the following measures in reports to the department:
(i) The number of small businesses that received retention and expansion services, and the outcome of
those services;
(ii) The number r of businesses located outside of the boundaries of the largest city with -in the contracting
associate development organization's -region that received recruitment, retention, and expansion services, and
the outcome of those services.
(2)(a) The department and contracting associate development organizations must agree upon specific
target levels for the performance measures in subsection (1) of this section. Comparison of agreed thresholds
and actual performance must occur annually.
(b) Contracting organizations that fail to achieve the agreed performance targets in more than one-half of
the agreed measures must develop remediation plans to address performance gaps. The remediation plans
on
must include revised performance thresholds specifically chosen to provide evidence of progress in making the
identified service changes.
(c) Contracts and state funding must be terminated for one year for organizations that fail to achieve the
agreed upon progress toward improved performance defined under (b) of this subsection. During the year in
which termination for nonperformance is in effect, organizations must review alternative delivery strategies to
include reorganization of the contracting organization, merging of previous efforts with existing regional
partners, and other specific steps toward improved performance. At the end of the period of termination, the
department may contract with the associate development organization or its successor as it deems
appropriate.
(3) The department must submit a final report to the legislature by December 31st of each even -numbered
year on the performance results of the contracts with associate development organizations.
[2014 c 112 § 112; 2012 c 195 § 2; 2011 c 286 § 3; 2009 c 518 § 15; 2007 c 249 § 3.]
Notes:
Findings -- Intent -- 2007 c 249: See note following RCW 43.330.080.
Revised (03/06/2023)
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