20-094 - Regional Business Relief Fund Program

El Paso County (County) is seeking written “best value” bids from qualified, experienced contractors to furnish all labor and resources necessary to provide application evaluation and administration of the Regional Business Relief Program. The El Paso County Economic Development Department (Department) does not have the staff necessary to perform the required tasks.
 
The CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act established the Coronavirus Relief Fund and appropriated funding to the fund for State and Local Government Relief.  The County received a direct allocation of federal funds from the CARES Act Relief Fund in order to cover necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The County has chosen to open a competitive grant application process for small businesses, to assist them with their business-related costs incurred due to the COVID-19 economic disruption such as: Rent/Mortgage/Utility Payments; Employee Payroll; Accounts Payable and Other Fixed Debt Costs; and Personal Protection Equipment.
 
Under the CARES Act, the federal funds may only be used to cover costs that are necessary economic recovery expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); and were incurred no earlier than March 1, 2020.