Fremont, Calif., has tapped San Jose-based The Hoffman Agency to mount a PR strategy to burnish its image as a “first-class, business-friendly Silicon Valley city.”

The contract, approved Oct. 2, outlines a $195K budget for the first year with three year-long options at $120K each. Its main two tenets are PR and digital push to create a standalone website on the city’s business proposition.

The city, the San Francisco Bay Area’s largest suburb and which sees itself as a “strong player” in Silicon Valley, said in a June RFP that it wanted to “communicate a positive impression” and position Freemont as part of the Valley. That includes connecting officials to “the fabric of Silicon Valley,” according to its contract.

Seven firms pitched and Hoffman emerged from a group of four finalists.

Freemont was the home of the bankrupt solar panel maker Solyndra. Its factory in the city was purchased by Seagate in August.