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LAFCO accepts $100,000 foundation grant for survey of on-demand workers; exec officer reports budget increase and RFQ for renewable-energy expert
Summary
San Francisco LAFCO authorized acceptance of a $100,000 grant to support a survey of on-demand workers and heard that the survey budget may rise to about $450,000 to secure a representative, in-person sample; the executive officer also reported an RFQ for a renewable-energy expert will post soon.
At its July 19 meeting the San Francisco Local Agency Formation Commission voted to accept a $100,000 grant from the San Francisco Foundation's Bay Area Workforce Funders Collaborative to support LAFCO's planned survey of on-demand workers.
Brian Goble, LAFCO executive officer, told the commission the grant will support the survey team's phase 2 data gathering and said, to his knowledge, it would be the first time San Francisco LAFCO accepts outside foundation funding. The resolution authorizing acceptance of the grant was moved and seconded and approved "without objection."
In the executive officer's report Goble said the survey team is revising its budget and that the project's cost could increase from a planned $300,000 to roughly $450,000. He described two survey options: a lower-cost online survey that cannot guarantee a representative sample, and a higher-cost approach that hires paid student administrators and pays participating workers for in-person interviews that would better secure a representative sampling of platform workers. Goble said the team will pretest the in-person approach and revert to an online survey if it proves ineffective.
Goble also reported he is fundraising to meet the higher budget and that the project has drawn interest from other cities and national media. He said the survey team planned to provide a substantive update at LAFCO's next meeting on September 20.
Separately, Goble said LAFCO is completing a request for qualifications (RFQ) to hire a renewable-energy expert to assist with local-buildout planning for Clean Power SF. He said the RFQ has taken longer than expected, that he is convening PUC staff and advocates to resolve language and scope, and that he expects to post the RFQ in the next two to three weeks; he also noted that while the commission does not usually approve RFQ language, any final contract would return to the commission for approval.
The commission approved the grant acceptance by motion and took no further action on the RFQ or budget increase at the meeting. Goble indicated he will return with more detailed budget and fundraising information in September.
Ending: The commission adjourned after noting a longer September agenda that will include intern presentations and local-buildout background materials.
