Virginia Economic Development Partnership (310)

Authority: Title 2.2, Chapter 22, Article 4 and Chapter 51; and § 15.2-941, Code of Virginia.

A. Upon authorization of the Governor, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership may transfer funds appropriated to it by this act to a nonstock corporation.

B. Prior to July 1 of each fiscal year, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership shall provide to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget a report of its operating plan. Prior to September 1 of each fiscal year, the Partnership shall provide to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget a detailed expenditure report and a listing of the salaries and bonuses for all partnership employees for the prior fiscal year. All three reports shall be prepared in the formats as previously approved by the Department of Planning and Budget.

C. In developing the criteria for any pay for performance plan, the board shall include, but not be limited to, these variables: 1) the number of economic development prospects committed to move to or expand operations in Virginia; 2) dollar investment made in Virginia for land acquisition, construction, buildings, and equipment; 3) number of full-time jobs directly related to an economic development project; and 4) location of the project. To that end, the pay for performance plan shall be weighted to recognize and reward employees who successfully recruit new economic development prospects or cause existing prospects to expand operations in localities with fiscal stress greater than the statewide average. Fiscal Stress shall be based on the Index published by the Commission on Local Government. If a prospect is physically located in more than one contiguous locality, the highest Fiscal Stress Index of the participating localities will be used.

D.1. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership shall report before the General Assembly convenes in January of each year on the status of the implementation of the state's comprehensive economic development strategy, and shall recommend legislative actions related to the implementation of the comprehensive economic development strategy. The report shall be submitted to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees, and shall include the number of site visits made by employees of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership with potential economic development prospects.

2. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership shall identify and target industries suited for location in the southside and southwest regions of the state.

E. The State Comptroller shall disburse the first and second year appropriations in twelve equal monthly installments. The Director, Department of Planning and Budget may authorize an increase in disbursements for any month, not to exceed the total appropriation for the fiscal year, if such an advance is necessary to meet payment obligations.

F. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership shall provide administrative and support services for the Virginia Tourism Authority as prescribed in the Memorandum of Agreement until July 1, 2014, or until the authority is able to provide such services.

G. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership shall report one month after the close of each quarter to the Chairmen of the Senate Finance and House Appropriations Committees on the Governor's Development Opportunity Fund. The report shall include, but not be limited to, total appropriations made or transferred to the fund, total grants awarded, cash balances, and balances available for future commitments.

H. The Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority is authorized to spend funds provided by Chapters 91 and 1066 of the Acts of Assembly of 2000, which extended the coalfield employment enhancement tax credit, for workforce development and training.

I. Prior to purchasing airline and hotel accommodations related to overseas trade shows, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership shall provide an itemized list of projected costs for review by the Secretary of Commerce and Trade.

J. The amounts for Economic Development Services include $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the second year from the general fund to market distressed areas of the Commonwealth.

K. Out of the amounts for Economic Development Services shall be provided $215,000 the first year and $215,000 the second year from the general fund to assist small manufacturers with the export of advanced manufacturing products.

L. Out of the amounts for economic development services shall be provided $500,000 the first year and $500,000 the second year from the general fund for an expanded international and domestic marketing campaign to market Virginia to attract additional businesses to the Commonwealth.

M. Out of this appropriation, $195,000 in the second year from the general fund shall be provided to assist in the establishment of a Center for Manufacturing in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia.  Of this amount, $150,000 shall be used to fund the costs of a director and administrative assistant for the Center and $45,000 shall be used for operating expenses.  Additional funding to support this effort shall be provided by private and local government entities participating in this consortium.

N. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership shall investigate additional ways in which it might encourage the export of products and services from the Commonwealth to international markets, including researching potential methods through which to support broader availability of bridge loans and shipment insurance for Virginia exporters.

O. The Department of Business Assistance (DBA), the Innovative and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority (IEIA), the Virginia Tourism Authority (VTA), and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) shall cooperatively develop a marketing campaign to attract and recognize entrepreneurs, small businesses, and emerging industry businesses. This campaign shall include developing (i) a welcome program to facilitate speedy completion of necessary business start-up functions, including licensing, facilities location, employee relocation guides, and business support services; (ii) a recruitment campaign to target industry segments for pursuit, to identify potential incentives for the establishment, location, or relocation of these companies, and to showcase assets such as economic incentives and regional living condition profiles and asset profiles, including universities, technology councils, venture firms, and research institutes; and (iii) an operational plan and schedule to carry out such a campaign. The DBA, IEIA, VTA, and VEDP shall report to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees by November 1, 2013 on any recommendations to implement such a program and enumerate any impediments or costs associated with these activities.

P. Out of this appropriation, $481,500 the second year from the general fund shall be provided to promote international trade among defense companies located in the Commonwealth.