Harnessing the City’s purchasing power to help start, grow, and increase the competitiveness of businesses.
During our initial research, we discovered that the process of becoming a City vendor was too confusing and costly for local small businesses and entrepreneurs, resulting in outsourcing solutions, which negatively effects our main goal of economic development.In July of last year, The City of Long Beach was awarded a grant from the Knight Foundation and the Long Beach Community Foundation to support a partnership with Citymart. The New York-based firm connects cities with new ideas through “open challenges” that help the city focus on the problems that need to be solved instead of the products they need to buy. By issuing challenges in lieu of requests for proposals and specifications, cities receive proven, innovative solutions.
Not only was our intention to change the procurement process, through this initiative, we are also streamlining and better explaining the process of becoming a City vendor.
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OUR UNIQUE PROCESS
CHALLENGE FOCUSED
By creating open challenges instead of requests for proposals, we shift the focus to the problem instead of the product that needs to be purchased.
CROWD-SOURCING SOLUTIONS
By shifting the focus to the problem, we open up the opportunity for more participants in finding solutions, replacing the traditional process of procurement.
LEVERAGING PARTNERS
For 18 months, Citymart played a consulting role, helping the City and community define the challenges, envision outcomes, conduct research, etc.
