← Back to Missou, LA

Document Missoula_doc_e816ee67ab

Full Text

Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Program Application Guidelines Montana Department of Commerce Appendix A, Page 1 2009 Category I – Economic Development APPENDIX A: APPLICATION FORM – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BIG SKY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRUST FUND (BSTF) CATEGORY I: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT This appendix should be the first item to appear in the application. Please reference the Application Guidelines for a complete explanation of required application information. Requirements: Submit 2 original copies (3-hole punched, including reference tabs and a table of contents, not spiral bound) and 1 electronic copy of the application. I. APPLICANT INFORMATION - LOCAL GOVERNMENT Name of Local Government Entity The City of Missoula Federal Tax ID Number Chief Elected Official (Full Name & Title) Mayor John Engen Contact Person (Full Name & Title) Cindy Wulfekuhle, Grants Manager Address 435 Ryman Street County Missoula Phone Number (406) 258-3795 Email Address [EMAIL REDACTED] Fax Number (406) 523-4843 II. ASSISTED BUSINESS INFORMATION Legal Name of Business to Receive Assistance Goomzee Corporation Address of Project Location 515 S. Reserve St. Suite 1, Missoula, MT Full Legal Description of Project Location Contact Person (Full Name & Title) Michael Sparr Address 515 S. Reserve St. Suite 1, Missoula, MT Phone Number 1-[PHONE REDACTED] Email Address [EMAIL REDACTED] Business NAICS or S.I.C. Code 544511 Business Federal EIN 20-3898219 Business Project Status (Startup, Expansion, Relocation, etc.) Expansion III. PROJECT SUMMARY INFORMATION Total Project Cost 240,000 Amount of BSTF Funds Requested 120,000 Total Matching Funds 120,000 Type of Project/Eligible Activity Job Creation Senate and House Districts Senate District 50; House District 91 Total Number of New Jobs to be Created 16 Total Number of New Eligible Jobs 16 IV. PARTNER ORGANIZATION(S) / SUB-RECIPIENTS (IF APPLICABLE) Economic development organizations may be involved in implementing and administering a project through a sub-recipient agreement, if the eligible applicant agrees to such an arrangement. If a sub-recipient organization is involved in the project, applicant must submit a draft sub-recipient agreement with the application. See Appendix B for a sample. ---PAGE BREAK--- Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Program Application Guidelines Montana Department of Commerce Appendix A, Page 2 2009 Category I – Economic Development Contact Person (Full Name & Title) Jessica Meyers, Economic Development Specialist Organization Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation Address 1121 E. Broadway, Suite 100, Missoula, MT 59802 Phone Number [PHONE REDACTED] Email Address [EMAIL REDACTED] Contact Person (Full Name & Title) Dick King, President/CEO Organization Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation Address 1121 E. Broadway, Suite 100, Missoula, MT 59802 Phone Number [PHONE REDACTED] Email Address [EMAIL REDACTED] V. BRIEF PROJECT SUMMARY Please provide a brief summary of this proposal which describes:  The nature of the proposed activity,  The proposed use of funds,  The nature of the assisted business,  What the BSTF financial assistance would be used for, and  Provide any relevant historical information on this project or the region it would support. Goomzee Corporation is a high-tech company specializing in mobile marketing. The company has patent-pending software and technologies that increase user- access to information via mobile devices like cell phones. This Montana-built company has been in operation since 2007. During its first three years of operations, Goomzee Corp has been building relationships with real estate brokers and associations, and is currently at a milestone by which increased capacity will allow the company to increase its Montana workforce by over 500%. Goomzee Corporation proposes to use Big Sky Trust Fund assistance as working capital during its ramp up for new accounts that are signing on daily. Infrastructure improvements, such as additional servers for added redundency, and the major costs associated with increasing employment will be the primary fiscal priorities for the company during this phase. Currently, Goomzee Corporation employes seven individuals. Focus of most of these employees are sales and technical support. The company is in need of technically-skilled employees such as software engineers, graphic artists and additional technical support agents to accommodate the growing demand for its services. The company's sales arm will also be expanded to provide superior customer service to new and existing clients. Goomzee Corporation has been very successful historically in securing private investor funding to keep research and development and other essential functions of the company operational. Many investors, however, are from the Silicon Valley, and ---PAGE BREAK--- Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Program Application Guidelines Montana Department of Commerce Appendix A, Page 3 2009 Category I – Economic Development have expressed interest in recruiting Goomzee to a location in California. Big Sky Trust Fund assistance for these 16 high-wage, high-skilled jobs will assist the State of Montana in retaining not only the 19 positions at the company, but also the muliple dozen additional employees the company projects needing within the next 5-7 years. SMS (text) messaging is the fastest growing form of commercial and personal communication. This form of communication has outpaced email as a use of fast- access business correspondence, and continues to expand. Goomzee Corporation is at the forefront of this emerging industry, and has the opportunity to not only apply its technology to the real estate field, but muliple additional markets as well. State assistance in the expansion of this high-tech business in the City of Missoula will support the State's objectives of attracting high-wage jobs and developing a diverse economy capable of supporting high-tech jobs. Business’ Current Employment Level in Montana 3 Business’ Current Employment Level at the Project Site 3 Employee Benefits: Please list benefits and eligibility requirements provided by the assisted business To better facilitate benefits for its employees, Goomzee Corporation outsources HR services to a US company called TriNet (www.trinet.com). Through this vehicle, Goomzee Corporation employees have access to group health insurance plans, and 401(K) plans. Goomzee Corp. pays $100 of each employee's health insurance premium, and also matches 401(K) contributions. VI. PROJECT ECONOMIC IMPACT STATEMENT Please provide a summary of the impact the project would have on the state, regional and community economy as well as any services or functions that the business provides to the community, region or state. More than 80% of Goomzee Corporation's sales are outside the State of Montana. After years of building networks and leads, this company's technology has emerged as the premeir product in the industry. While continually investing in research and development, Goomzee Corporation offers the most technologically advanced and user-friendly product in the mobile marketing field today. This company has the opportunity to increase its Montana employment by more than 200%; all positions qualify under the wage requirements of BSTF. These high-wage, high-skilled jobs will increase Montana's technological infrastructure, and workforce. Keeping companies such as Goomzee Corporation in Montana helps to build the tech industry state-wide. Please describe any negative impact of the project on the local, regional and/or state economy. There are no negative impacts foreseen related to this project. ---PAGE BREAK--- Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Program Application Guidelines Montana Department of Commerce Appendix A, Page 4 2009 Category I – Economic Development VII. TABLE OF CONTENTS Please attach the following information to your application. See Section V of the Guidelines Application Requirement: Page Number 1. Appendix A: Application Form 2. Appendix B: Draft Sub-recipient Agreement (if applicable) 3. Appendix C: Draft Management Plan 4. Appendix D: Draft Business Assistance Agreement 5. Appendix E: Confidentiality Agreement and Affidavit (optional) 6. Business Plan (see Section V, part K for Business Plan elements) Business Description Sales Generated Outside of Montana Management Resumes Business Market Appendix F: Sources and Uses of Funds Form Matching Funds Summary (Narrative) Financial Statements – 3 Most Recent Years of Operation Balance Sheet Profit and Loss Statement Cash Flow Statement Financial Projections – 2 years Projected Balance Sheet Projected Profit and Loss Statement Projected Cash Flow Debt Schedule Working Capital Needs Personal Financial Statements and Tax Returns (for owners with 20% or more ownership) Appendix G: Personal Credit Check Release Private and Public Sector Commitments for Funding (attach letters of commitment for each source of permanent and interim financing) ---PAGE BREAK--- Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Program Application Guidelines Montana Department of Commerce Appendix A, Page 5 2009 Category I – Economic Development Acquisition Narrative – Buy/Sell Agreement (if applicable) 7. Project Information (see Section V, part L for Project Information requirements) Project Description Appendix H: Project Budget Form Hiring and Training Plan Essential Services / Functions Project Timeline 8. Supporting Documentation: (Attach and Reference all additional Supporting Documentation) Map of Proposed Project Area Legal Counsel Name, Address, Phone Number Community Support (attach letters of support from organizations or other businesses in the community) (Description) (Description) (Description) 9. Workers’ Compensation - Local Government 10. Workers’ Compensation - Assisted Business ---PAGE BREAK--- Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Program Application Guidelines Montana Department of Commerce Appendix A, Page 6 2009 Category I – Economic Development VIII. CERTIFICATION BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS As the responsible authorized agents of Local Government Applicant: The City of Missoula, Sub-recipient: MAEDC and Applicant Business: Goomzee Corporation, we hereby submit this Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund Application. The information presented in this application is, to the best of our knowledge, true, complete and accurately represents the proposed project. We understand that additional information and documentation may be required. The Applicant designates Jessica Meyers, [PHONE REDACTED] (Name and Phone number) as the authorized contact for any additional Department requests for information regarding this application for BSTF funds. Local Government Applicant: The City of Missoula will accept responsibility for management of the project and compliance with Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund regulations. Applicant Sub-recipient: MAEDC will accept responsibility for compliance with applicable Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund regulations as specified in this application. Applicant Business: Goomzee Corporation will accept responsibility for compliance with applicable Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund regulations as specified in this application. Name (typed): John Engen Local Government Title (typed): Mayor Chief Elected Official Signature: X Date: Name (typed): Richard C. King Sub-recipient (if applicable) Title (typed): President/CEO Authorized Representative Signature: X Date: Name (typed): Michael Sparr Applicant Business Title (typed): President Authorized Representative Signature: X Date: