Title
Phoenix Sister Cities, Inc. Contract 154617 - Authorization to Amend (Ordinance S-52008) - Citywide
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to amend City Contract 154617 with Phoenix Sister Cities, Inc. (PSC) to increase funding. Further request to authorize the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. The additional expenditures will not exceed $150,000.
Report
Summary
PSC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1972. It exists to create people-to-people relationships between the residents of Phoenix and its Sister Cities through commercial, educational, cultural, and artistic exchange programs and events that create and sustain global, long-term, international partnerships, and business opportunities for Phoenix. The City has contracted with PSC since the mid-1980s. The organization is administered by a Board of Directors composed of PSC Commission members appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council, the chairpersons of the 11 Sister Cities committees, and the Disability Awareness Committee. Currently, four other community members serve as at-large Board members.
Beginning Fiscal Year 2023-24, PSC expanded beyond its traditional role and provided support to the City’s International Trade Strategy. To meet this expanded role and continue the work already undertaken, funding for PSC’s current contract included costs associated with the Phoenix Global Forum, an annual international economic development conference, in partnership with the International Economic Forum of the Americas. On May 2, 2024, PSC and the City hosted the first Phoenix Global Forum.
On April 8 and 9, 2025, PSC presented the second Phoenix Global Forum. With nearly 200 global attendees and more than 7,000 online impressions, including participants streaming the conference, the Forum brought together international corporate leadership in critical minerals, advanced air mobility, the sustainable grid, space innovation, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and healthcare. Numerous bilateral meetings and networking opportunities encouraged corporate leaders to explore collaborations, new investments and joint operations. PSC secured a number of pledges from sponsors totaling more than $675,000 for this event. Due to the significant international and national visibility of the Forum, as well as a commitment to international trade efforts, staff requests to increase the PSC contract by $150,000 for the additional costs of hosting the event.
Contract Term
The original contract term remains unchanged, ending on June 30, 2026.
Financial Impact
Upon approval of $150,000 in additional funds, the revised aggregate value of the contract will not exceed $2,025,000. Funding for the additional amount is available in the Downtown Community Reinvestment Fund.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The City Council authorized this contract on May 19, 2021, through Ordinance S-47575 and approved revisions to the term and spending authority on June 28, 2023, (S-49904 and S-49942) and May 29, 2024 (S-50938).
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager John Chan and the Community and Economic Development Department.