City of El Paso awarded $500,000 as EDA FY23 Recompete Pilot Program finalist

City of El Paso (Credit: KFOX14/CBS4)

4 News
by Drew Pittock
Wednesday, December 20, 2023

We are grateful to be given the opportunity to further advance our community’s transformation to make us globally competitive while keeping our talent in El Paso by creating high-paying jobs,” said Mayor Oscar Leeser. “This is only the first step in strengthening our long-term economic growth; but more importantly we know our community and our people deserve the opportunity to find good-paying jobs that transform their family’s trajectory and revolutionizes our community.

Authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act, the Recompete Pilot Program is a key part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda.

Recompete helps fulfill President Biden’s promise that no community in America will be left behind as we continue to grow our nation’s economy and invest in American workers,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These Recompete finalists and grant recipients have presented a wide range of inspiring solutions to create jobs, develop long-term economic growth, and realize the full potential in communities that for too long have been overlooked or counted out.

All told, Recompete will invest $200 million in economic and workforce development projects that connect workers to good jobs in "geographically diverse and persistently distressed communities" across the country, according to a statement from the Economic Development Administration (EDA).

Commensurate with its selection as a finalist for Phase 1, El Paso was awarded an initial $500,000.

In a statement, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar said,

I’m thrilled that the City of El Paso, in partnership with Workforce Solutions Borderplex, has been selected as one of 22 finalists for Phase 1 of the Economic Development Administration’s FY23 Recompete Pilot Program and awarded $500,000. The selection of the City of El Paso’s grant application amid over 500 other applicants was a testament to its strength, and I was proud to provide a letter of support earlier this year. As the city deservedly celebrates this award that will further enhance the development of the Borderplex Region Workforce Recompete Initiative, I look forward to continuing to assist in any way I can to ensure a competitive application for Phase 2.

El Paso state representative Claudia Ordaz also provided a statement,

I am proud to learn that the City of El Paso is the sole Texas finalist for Phase 1 of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration's (EDA) Recompete Pilot Program. Recompete will invest $200 million in economic and workforce development projects that connect workers to good jobs in geographically diverse and persistently distressed communities across the country.

El Paso is the beating heart of our state's international and statewide trade economy, and the finalist selection recognizes this important value. As Vice Chair of the Texas House's International Relations & Economic Development Committee, I have filed and passed multiple pieces of legislation to create, sustain, and reshore jobs to El Paso and statewide. Moreover, with the international supply chain struggles we have faced over the past few years, our community needs all the help we can get to continue to fortify our local economy.

I applaud the City of El Paso and Workforce Solutions Borderplex for advancing this far and I am committed to work with the state of Texas to help bring this proposal across the finish line.

Meanwhile, Andrea Hutchins, President & CEO of the El Paso Chamber, emphasized the critical significance of this initiative.

Our engagement in the Recompete Pilot Program is more than just a project; it's a commitment to the future of El Paso. By playing a crucial role in Strategy 5, we are not only addressing immediate workforce needs but also shaping the economic future of our community. This initiative is a prime example of how collaborative efforts can lead to substantial and lasting change.

According to the EDA, Recompete targets the hardest-hit and most economically distressed areas where prime-age employment, or those between the ages of 25 and 54, is significantly lower than the national average.

As such, Recompete's goal is to close this gap through flexible, locally-driven investments.

These outstanding Recompete finalists and strategy development grant recipients exemplify the focused employment and job creation strategies required to address the unique, long-standing needs of communities,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “We look forward to supporting these communities as they work to reduce the employment gap and establish models for long-term economic growth we can apply across America.

Together, the 22 Phase 1 Finalists represent nearly $800 million in preliminary funding requests that will be refined in their Phase 2 applications.

Phase 2 investments, meanwhile, will range from $20-$50 million and can be used to support a wide range of implementation activities across workforce development, business and entrepreneur development, infrastructure and additional planning, predevelopment or technical assistance.