A. It shall be the duty of the Authority to encourage, stimulate, and support the development and expansion of the economy of the Commonwealth. The Authority is charged with the following duties and responsibilities to:
1. See that there are prepared and carried out effective economic development marketing and promotional programs;
2. Make available, in conjunction and cooperation with localities, chambers of commerce, industrial authorities, and other public and private groups, to prospective new businesses basic information and pertinent factors of interest and concern to such businesses;
3. Formulate, promulgate, and advance programs throughout the Commonwealth for encouraging the location of new businesses in the Commonwealth and the retention and growth of existing businesses;
4. Encourage and solicit private sector involvement, support, and funding for economic development in the Commonwealth;
5. Encourage the coordination of the economic development efforts of public institutions, regions, communities, and private industry and collect and maintain data on the development and utilization of economic development capabilities;
6. Establish such offices within and without the Commonwealth that are necessary to the expansion and development of industries and trade;
7. Encourage the export of products and services from the Commonwealth to international markets;
8. Advise, upon request, the State Board for Community Colleges in designating technical training programs in Virginia’s comprehensive community colleges for the Community College Incentive Scholarship Program pursuant to former § 23-220.4;
9. Offer a program for the issuance of export documentation for companies located in Virginia exporting goods and services if no federal agency or other regulatory body or issuing entity will provide export documentation in a form deemed necessary for international commerce; and
10. Establish an Office of Education and Labor Market Alignment (the Office) to coordinate data analysis on workforce and higher education alignment and translate data to partners. The Office shall provide a unified, consistent and impartial source of information or analysis for policy development and implementation related to education, the labor market, and workforce development. The Office shall partner with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, institutions of higher education, the Virginia Department of Education, the Virginia Employment Commission, the Virginia Growth and Opportunity Board, the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, and other relevant entities to offer resources and expertise related to education, workforce development, and labor market alignment. The Office shall communicate relevant information in a clear and concise manner to enable policy and decision makers to navigate the complex connections between education, workforce development, and labor market alignment.
B. The Authority may develop a site and building assessment program to identify and assess the Commonwealth’s industrial sites of at least 100 acres. In developing such a program, the Authority shall establish assessment guidelines and procedures for identification of industrial sites, resource requirements, and development oversight. The Authority shall invite participation by regional and industry stakeholders to assess potential sites, identify product shortfalls, and make recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly for marketing such sites, in alignment with the goals outlined in the Governor’s economic development plan.
C. The Authority may encourage the import of products and services from international markets to the Commonwealth.