REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
February 11, 2025
FROM
ARLENE MOLINA, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Contract with San Bernardino Community College District for Student Internship Programs
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve non-financial Contract with San Bernardino Community College District, including non-standard terms, for training and field experience of student interns provided by the Preschool Services Department, for the period of February 11, 2025, through January 31, 2030.
(Presenter: Arlene Molina, Director, 383-2078)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The recommended Contract is non-financial in nature and as such, does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Preschool Services Department (PSD) provides Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool programs that include comprehensive child development and family services comprised of education, health, nutrition, parent involvement, and psychological services for children ages zero to five and their families. Head Start and State Preschool programs have been operating in San Bernardino County (County) since 1965. Since 1999, PSD has provided these programs through a combination of direct and contracted services. The overall goal of these programs is to increase the health and school readiness of disadvantaged children and increase the self-sufficiency of low-income families.
PSD employs qualified professionals who will provide the needed tutelage and guidance to student interns participating in the various San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) programs, between the two colleges of San Bernardino Valley College, and Crafton Hills College. Interns will assist in providing hearing, vision and hemoglobin screenings to PSD enrolled children. The interns will also provide parent education classes in areas such as chronic health conditions and reducing the spread of communicable diseases. PSD's population of approximately 2,000 children ages zero to five throughout the county will provide SBCCD interns with required field experience and internship hours. The partnership will provide a mutually beneficial internship program offering the training and field experience SBCCD students need and a valuable means of maximizing PSD’s available public resources.
The Contract includes terms that differ from the standard County contract. The non-standard terms include:
1. The County is required to indemnify the Contractor for injury to persons and property arising out of any negligent act or omission of the County.
• The County standard contract does not include any indemnification or defense by the County of a contractor.
• Potential Impact: By agreeing to this indemnification, the County could be contractually waiving the protection of sovereign immunity. Claims that may otherwise be barred against the County, time limited, or expense limited could be brought against the indemnitees without such limitations and the County could be responsible to defend and reimburse the indemnitees for costs, expenses, and damages, which could exceed the total Contract amount.
2. The Contract does not require Contractor to meet the County’s insurance standards as required pursuant to County Policies, 11-05, 11-07 and 11-07SP.
• County policy requires contractors to carry appropriate insurance at limits and under conditions determined by the County’s Risk Management Department and as set forth in County policy and in the County standard contract.
• Potential Impact: The Contract does not include County standard insurance requirements. This means that the County has no assurance that the Contractor will be financially responsible for claims that may arise.
PSD recommends approval of the Contract, including the non-standard terms, to allow PSD to provide training and field experience to interns in various programs offered through the colleges of the SBCCD. Through the student internship program, PSD provides learning experiences that will help students receive the skills they need to prosper in the 21st century economy, which aligns with the Countywide Vision2Succeed initiative.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on November 25, 2024; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on January 6, 2025; Risk Management (Greg Ustaszewski, Staff Analyst II, 386-9008) on November 25, 2024; Finance (Allegra Pajot, Administrative Analyst, 386-0218) on January, 22, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on January 27, 2025.