DATE: October 5, 2026
TO: Council Economic Development Committee
FROM: Chief Economic Development Officer
SUBJECT
Title
Hayward Amplified 2.0 Program Framework and Request for Proposals Development (Oral Report Only)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the City Council Economic Development Committee reviews and provides feedback on the proposed framework and scope of work for the next phase of the Hayward Amplified Program.
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SUMMARY
Building on the experience and lessons learned from the first year of Hayward Amplified, Economic Development staff is developing Hayward Amplified 2.0 to expand the City’s approach to small business and commercial corridor activation.
The first iteration of Hayward Amplified centered on providing grants and technical assistance directly to businesses to develop and host their own events. Hayward Amplified 2.0 builds on that foundation by introducing a more coordinated, full-service approach to event planning and production. Under the proposed model, the City will retain a consultant to work directly with Economic Development staff, local businesses, and community partners to plan, market, coordinate, and produce a series of events and activations throughout Hayward.
This approach allows the City to provide businesses with more direct support while creating opportunities to coordinate events across commercial areas, strengthen partnerships among neighboring businesses, and deliver consistent, high-quality experiences for the community. Local businesses will remain central to the program, while the City and its consultant take a more active role in managing the planning and production needed to bring each activation to life.
Staff is developing a Request for Proposals (RFP) that outlines the proposed framework, consultant responsibilities, and services needed to implement Hayward Amplified 2.0. Staff is seeking Committee feedback on the scope of work, the overall approach...
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