6571 - Management Services of the Stoke Denton Entrepreneur Center, 3.Statement of Work/ Specifications
SECTION I
General Information and Instructions
The scope of work shall be finalized upon the selection of the Firm. The respondent’s submission shall have accurately described your understanding of the objectives and scope of the
requested products and services and provided an outline of your process to implement the requirements of the Scope of Work and Services. It is anticipated that the scope of work will
include, at a minimum, the following:
The City of Denton (City) is requesting proposals from qualified vendors to provide management/operation of its existing co-working space, Stoke Denton (Stoke). Stoke supports entrepreneurs
and startups with an emphasis on tech and tech-enabled companies.
The City has finished out and leased approximately 9,000 square feet of commercial space at 608 E. Hickory St., Suite 128, until February 28, 2021, to accommodate Stoke. Stoke has seven
offices, 24 co-working desks, 30 dedicated desks, three meeting rooms, and a configurable event space with a stage. See Exhibit 4 for a map of the facility and an inventory of furniture,
fixtures, and equipment. Open hours for drop-in and co-working members are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; office and dedicated desk members have 24/7 access via keycard. It
opened on August 1, 2016, and has about 45 members as of September 1, 2017. Currently, the City covers rent, utilities, triple net, and other capital costs associated with Stoke. See
Exhibit 4 for a summary of the City’s revenues and expenditures for Stoke.
The current management/operations are handled by a third-party provider that employs a full-time director for Stoke; that position is funded by the City. The current provider retains
90% of the membership fees generated by Stoke and is responsible for the daily operations of Stoke, including marketing and recruitment, programming and events, and member amenities
and benefits. The management agreement with the current provider will end on Sept. 30, 2017, at which time the City will take responsibility for daily operations until a different business
model and/or provider can be identified.
SECTION II
Background and Philosophy
Background
Denton is a community of opportunities – we’re welcoming, innovative, creative, and authentic. We are characterized by our strategic location, two thriving state universities, our friendly,
small-
town feel paired with big-city dynamism, and our vision for business investment and smart growth. Denton offers a favorable business climate, exceptional livability, and a diversity
of choices in employment, lifestyle, and neighborhoods.
With a 15.6% increase in population between 2010 and 2015, Denton is now home to 131,000 residents. Dentonites are young – the median age is 28 – and highly educated, with 35.8% of residents
having a bachelor’s degree or higher. The city is recognized for its music and arts scene and is the home of the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University.
While the higher education sector is Denton’s largest employer, the community also has a strong manufacturing and logistics/distribution base. Peterbilt Motors Company, Victor Technologies,
and Tetra Pak have manufacturing headquarters in Denton, and Target, Aldi, and WinCo Foods have regional distribution centers here.
One of the City’s economic development goals is to further diversify Denton’s economy by supporting entrepreneurs as they start, build, and grow their businesses. The City has a particular
interest in fostering early-stage tech and tech-enabled businesses as a way to create knowledge-based, high-paying jobs and developing a startup ecosystem that supports and expands
the tax base. Stoke was created as a tangible way for the City to further that goal by offering entrepreneurs a professional space to work and meet, relevant educational programming,
access to mentors, and a supportive peer community .
Philosophy
The City wants to drive new business creation and job growth by fostering Denton’s startup ecosystem. We want to support a sustainable startup community of entrepreneurs who can harness
each other’s talent and creativity to start, build, and grow their businesses in Denton. We want our startup community to be uniquely Denton: innovative, inclusive, creative, engaged,
and gritty.
We seek a vendor that knows the existing Denton startup community and has a vision for its future; has experience in the management and operations of co-working spaces; and has the financial
capacity to perform according to agreed-upon terms.
SECTION III
City-Provided Goods and Services
Stoke Denton location
608 E. Hickory St., Suite 128
Denton, TX 76205
Exiting furniture, fixtures, and equipment at the location*
Rent, utilities, triple net, and other capital and operational costs (to be further defined during negotiations) associated with Stoke*
*Dependent upon the ultimate business model/vendor selected and whether the lease is a sublet or assigned
SECTION IV
Proposal Guidelines for Stoke Denton Management Services
The City will accept proposals from private companies or individuals, industry groups, or non-profit organizations.
General proposals may include all or a portion of the services below:
Daily Co-working Space Management
This includes, but is not limited to, providing staffing, member onboarding/exits, and member support/customer service
Programming and Events
This includes, but is not limited to, providing educational and networking opportunities and events for members and the public
Member Recruitment and Marketing
This includes, but is not limited to, marketing the space to potential members via the stokedenton.com website, social media, and other promotional and outreach activities
Mentor/Advisor Network
This includes, but is not limited to, securing a diverse roster of mentors and advisors and making them available to members for advising and networking
Funding/Investor Network
This includes, but is not limited to, offering members access to capital investment by developing a funding/investor network
Community Partnerships
This includes, but is not limited to, developing relationships with entities in Denton’s startup, business, education, nonprofit, and governmental communities to provide value to members
and identify opportunities for collaboration