Title
American Rescue Plan Act Phoenix Resilient Food System Programs - Enter into Agreement for Agri-Food Technology Innovation Grant - Lehr Innovations, LLC (Ordinance S-50304)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to enter into an individual agreement with Lehr Innovations, LLC (Lehr) to disburse funds for the Agri-Food Technology Innovation Grant program. Further request to authorize the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. Funding is available through the City’s allocation of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funding and is in the Phoenix Resilient Food System category of the strategic plan. There is no impact to the General Fund. The additional aggregate expenditures included will not exceed $10,872.
Report
Summary
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Environmental Programs (OEP) developed a food assistance plan to address the food needs of vulnerable populations and communities impacted by COVID-19.
Economic Development and Innovation
Agri-Food Technology Innovation Grant Program
The Agri-Food Technology Innovation Grant program is designed to encourage existing entrepreneurs, businesses, non-profits, educational institutions and sustainable food cooperatives across the entire food system to address challenges associated with climate change by adopting or expanding the use of agri-food technology. Agri-food technology are innovative tools and solutions created within the food supply chain to improve the food and agriculture industry.
Lehr was previously awarded a $99,000 grant June 15, 2022, and expended $88,128 during the original grant period of Aug. 31, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2023. Due to the extreme summer heat experienced from June through August 2023, the entire scope of work was not completed by the original contract end date. Therefore, OEP is requesting approval to enter into this Agreement to provide the remaining balance of $10,872 to Lehr to complete the grant scope of work. Lehr will use the remaining funds to complete the project, which includes continued food production and measurement of the differences in water usage, soil carbon sequestration, costs, and productivity between its existing Linking Ecosystem and Hardware for Regeneration (LEHR) Gardens and traditional in-ground farming methods. The construction of a small urban farm demonstration and testing site was developed under the original grant agreement referenced above.
Procurement Information
Services may be procured, as needed, in accordance with Administrative Regulation 3.10, to implement and administer programs intended to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Contract Term
The term of the agreement will begin on or about Nov. 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024. Agreements may be extended based on continuous need and available funding, which may be exercised by the City Manager, or his designee.
Financial Impact
There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding is available through the City’s allocation of federal ARPA funding and is in the Phoenix Resilient Food System category of the ARPA Strategic Plan approved by Mayor and Council.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
Council approved the Agri-Food Technology Innovation Grants (Ordinance S-48802) and award to Lehr on June 15, 2022.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Alan Stephenson and the Office of Environmental Programs.