EDA approves up to $15,000 to hire consultant for strategic plan implementation

The Albemarle County Economic Development Authority voted to appropriate up to $15,000 to engage a consultant to help implement the authority’s recently completed economic development strategic plan.

Staff said the scope will be limited and focused: two facilitated work sessions (one with staff and one with the EDA), a year‑one work plan, a five‑year roadmap with sequencing and prioritization of plan items, and an investment framework to guide future uses of EDA funds. The consultant identified in the proposal is Steven Pedego, operating as Civic Soul; staff described the technical lead on the strategic plan process as the same person working under a new business name.

The proposal for that limited scope arrived earlier in the week and was slightly under $10,000; the EDA motion authorized spending up to $15,000 to ensure coverage of the proposed work and any necessary minor adjustments. Staff said the work would be completed by the end of the calendar year.

A board member moved and the authority approved the appropriation by voice vote. Staff will use EDA funding to pay the consultant and return with deliverables that include the work plan, roadmap and investment framework.

Board members asked whether the work required a formal procurement process; staff said this is a limited scope of consulting work and the selected consultant had prior involvement in earlier stages of the strategic plan. The deliverables are intended to make the plan actionable and to provide criteria the EDA can use when evaluating requests to use its investment funds.