ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: December 17, 2025 AGENDA CATEGORY: Consent - Agreements TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Jennifer M. Byers, Economic & Community Development Director DATE: November 24, 2025
SUBJECT: Termination of Agreement No. 2023-067 with Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce
The agreement was to perform services under the Entrepreneurship Technical Assistance and Grant Program.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends termination of the agreement.
BACKGROUND:
In November 2022, the city released a Notice of Funding Availability for City of Bakersfield’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Technical Assistance and Grant Program. The objective of the program was to provide technical assistance to entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses, with unique and innovative projects to support a thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem through the City’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Technical Assistance Program.
On March 22, 2023, the city entered into Agreement No. 2023-067, with the Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce in the amount of $55,150 dollars to implement the City’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Technical Assistance and Grant Program. Section 6 of the Agreement provided that either party may terminate this agreement after giving the other party written notice ten days before the termination is effective. Kern County Black Chamber of Commerce notified the city that it can no longer continue with grant activities and will forfeit the remainder of the funds ($19,275.70). Therefore, staff provided a letter of termination (attached) and requests that City Council terminate Agreement No. 2023-067.
As an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) program, the funding is already obligated per the approved ARPA framework and must go to another vender to perform the same scope of work. Terminated funds may not be moved to the General Fund nor other projects. Terminated funds would therefore be reprogrammed to another eligible ARPA Entrepreneurship Program.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The action for this program is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act, therefore no impact to the City General Fund.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Economic Opportunity for All
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Termination Notice Letter
2. Agreement 2023-067