Primary Department: Economic Equity and Opportunity
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Estella Gonzalez, Executive Director
Secondary Department: N/A
Secondary Department Head/Elected Official: N/A
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Financial Authorization
Project ID (if applicable): 21/0317
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): PFM Group Consulting, LLC.
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): 0%
MWBE Current Participation (if applicable): 0%
Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal: 0% - Minimal MWDBE Availability
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for approval of an order authorizing the expenditure of funds in the amount of $348,975 for a comprehensive program evaluation of the Harris County Opportunity Fund, as a subaward of the agreement with PFM Group Consulting, LLC., under Job No. 21/0317.
end
Background and Discussion:
In 2022, the Harris County Commissioners Court allocated $10.9 million in ARPA FLEX Funding to implement a revolving loan program - Harris County Opportunity Fund. On May 7, 2024, the Harris County Commissioners Court awarded PeopleFund a five-year award to provide lending services and technical assistance to eligible applicants. PeopleFund agreed to match $9 million to the program’s fund, totaling $17 million. The program will develop and expand small businesses by filling financial gaps when a business cannot secure capital in the traditional private market.
This subaward will allow for a neutral third-party evaluator to evaluate the program administrator, including monitoring their progress in meeting program goals from start to completion. Evaluation proposals were requested from vendors previously selected under Job No. 210317 and evaluated by a cross-functional selection committee. PFM Group Consulting, LLC submitted the top-ranked proposal meeting requirements and is recommended by the committee.
The budget for this subaward is funded through FLEX fund dollars as made available by ARPA funds. It was previously approved by the ARPA Steering Committee per the County’s ARPA approval process and no
additional funding is being requested.
Expected Impact:
The evaluation will generate critical insights to strengthen the design, delivery, and impact of the Harris County Opportunity Fund Program. By employing a mixed-methods approach, such as combining qualitative interviews, focus groups, survey assessments, and data analysis, the third-party evaluator will provide a comprehensive understanding of loan recipients' experiences and applicant outcomes. This effort will enable Harris County to assess the effectiveness of program implementation, measure the program’s impact on participating small businesses by capturing business growth, demographic reach, and long-term sustainability, and promote transparency and accountability through documented outcomes and lessons learned. Ultimately, the evaluation will provide actionable recommendations to maximize the Opportunity Fund’s ability to drive equitable economic growth across Harris County.
Alternative Options:
If a third-party evaluator is not selected, DEEO will have to complete a basic annual report using its own staff, and neutrality will be compromised. This pilot program will not have both quantitative and qualitative data for the Commissioners Court to evaluate the next steps for the County’s first-ever revolving loan program.
County Strategic Plan Goal: 3. Make our economy more inclusive.
County Strategic Plan Objective: M: Ensure that Harris County remains the best place in the region to start and grow a business, with a focus on equitable economic growth.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): N/A
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): N/A
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): J1: Address disparities in businesses’ access to capital through the Harris County Opportunity Fund.
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A
Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Court Action (if any):
|
Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
|
5/7/2024 |
213 |
Request for approval of an award on the basis of best proposal meeting requirements and that the County Judge execute an agreement with PeopleFund for the revolving loan fund program for the Department of Economic Equity and Opportunity for the period of May 7, 2024 ‐ May 6, 2029, and for the County Clerk to execute any applicable bonds to be received (230451), Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: 0% ‐ Minimal MWDBE Availability |
|
3/27/2025 |
386 |
Request for approval of a renewal option with American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences; Berkeley Research Group, LLC; Civis Analytics, Inc.; Elite Research, LLC; Ernst & Young, LLP; Guidehouse Inc.; January Advisors; KPMG LLP; Luminosity, Inc.; PFM Group Consulting LLC; Protiviti, Inc.; Raftelis Financial Consultants, Inc.; Rite Software Solutions & Services LLC; RSM US LLP; The Boston Consulting Group, Inc; and William Marsh Rice University for applied research and data analysis, strategic planning and management strategies and other services for Harris County for the period of April 1, 2025 - March 31, 2026, at a cost of $10,000,000 (210317). |
Location:
Address (if applicable): N/A
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
Program Planning & Innovation |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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1040 - FLEX Fund |
$ |
$348,975 |
$348,975 |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Existing Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form) |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Funding Sources |
$ |
$348,975 |
$348,975 |
$ |
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Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only) |
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Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item. |
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$ |
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Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total) |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
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Total Personnel |
- |
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Anticipated Court Date: 6/26/2025
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.N/A
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: COVID-19 related item
Contact(s) name, title, department:
Estella Gonzalez, Executive Director; Economic Equity & Opportunity;
Jie Wu, Director of Program Planning and Innovation Division, Economic Equity & Opportunity;
Bryonne Cummings, Assistant Director of Policy and Special Projects, Economic Equity & Opportunity.
Attachments (if applicable): Exhibit A, PFM Proposal, PFM Proposal-BAFO