REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
April 23, 2024
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Contract with The PAW Mission for Mobile Spay and Neuter Veterinary Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve contract with The PAW Mission, in an amount not to exceed $100,000, to provide mobile veterinary services for the period of April 23, 2024 through April 22, 2025, with an option to extend four additional one year periods.
2. Authorize the Director of the Department of Public Health to execute and submit any subsequent non-substantive amendments and documents for this contract on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of the Department of Public Health to transmit all non-substantive amendments for this contract to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Joshua Dugas, Director, 387-9146)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The contract cost will not exceed $100,000 and is on a fee-for-service basis for mobile veterinary services. Based on availability, services will be funded using budgeted Discretionary General Funding. Adequate appropriation was included in the 2023-24 budget and will be included in the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) 2024-25 Recommended Budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The DPH Animal Care Division provides animal care services for residents in the unincorporated areas throughout San Bernardino County. The recommended contract with The PAW Mission will provide spaying/neutering of cats and dogs owned by residents within the unincorporated areas, and spaying/neutering and vaccination of community cats.
Community cats are described as free-roaming cats who may be cared for by residents of the immediate area. They consist of a mixture of feral cats, semi-socialized cats, and occasionally abandoned pets. In a community cat colony, one unspayed female cat can have approximately 3 litters of kittens each year. When these cats are spayed/neutered and vaccinated, it improves their health by reducing unwanted litters, fighting, and the incidence of disease. The PAW Mission will be partnering as one of the Contractors providing services for the County’s new Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return program (Program).
The Program works to reduce the incidence of healthy community cats being euthanized at the County shelters. Once spayed or neutered and vaccinated, the community cat will be identifiable by an ear notch indicating that they can no longer reproduce and has been vaccinated. Community members will make an appointment, at no cost, with The PAW Mission to have a healthy community cat spayed/neutered and vaccinated, then return it to its outdoor home.
Lastly, the Program for owned pets will offer a crucial solution to combat overpopulation by preventing unplanned litters. By providing this service at no cost to residents, these services encourage responsible pet ownership and reduce the strain on County animal shelters.
The contract with The PAW Mission includes terms that differ from the standard County contract. The non-standard terms are as follows:
1. The PAW Mission contract does not include the County standard auto insurance requirements.
• The County standard contract requires the contractor to have automobile liability insurance policy with a combined single limit of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) for bodily injury and property damage, per occurrence. If the contractor is transporting one or more non-employee passengers in performance of contract services, the automobile liability policy shall have a combined single limit of two million dollars ($2,000,000) for bodily injury and property damage per occurrence. The contract with The PAW Mission only provides for a single limit of not less than three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) for bodily injury and property damage per occurrence and if transporting one or more non-employee passenger in performance of contract service, the policy has a combined single limit of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for bodily injury and property damage per occurrence.
• Potential Impact: The County has no assurance that in the event of an automobile accident that The PAW Mission will be financially responsible for claims that may arise from third parties. If the County needs to seek indemnification from the contractor, they may not have sufficient funds to adequately cover all damages.
2. The PAW Mission contract does not contain an umbrella policy.
• The County standard contract requires the contractor to have an umbrella insurance policy (over primary) or excess policy that may be used to comply with limits or other primary coverage requirements which shall apply to bodily injury/property damage, personal injury/advertising injury and shall include a “dropdown” provision providing primary coverage for any liability not covered by the primary policy. The coverage shall also apply to automobile liability. The PAW Mission has no such policy.
• Potential Impact: The contract does not include the County standard insurance requirements. This means that the County has no assurance that in the event of an accident that The PAW Mission will be financially responsible for claims that may arise from third parties. If the County needs to seek indemnification from the contractor, they may not have sufficient funds to adequately cover all damages.
PROCUREMENT
During the last three years, the County has faced challenges with competitively procuring mobile veterinary services, having received no proposal submissions for previously released procurements. On September 18, 2023, an informal Request for Applications (RFA) was released to professional agencies to conduct a Program, including mobile veterinary services. No responses were received. On October 16, 2023, a second RFA for the same services was released, with no responses received.
On December 1, 2023, a formal Request for Proposals (No. DPHE24-ACC-5182) for the same services was released but did not result in any bids for mobile veterinary services.
Due to lack of responses with past procurements for mobile veterinary services, DPH contacted The PAW Mission (a non-profit organization), who is willing to provide mobile veterinary services and support the Program for community cats. The Purchasing Department supports the non-competitive procurement.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Daniel Pasek, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 26, 2024; Risk Management (Victor Tordesillas, Deputy Executive Officer, 386-8623) on February 28, 2024; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on April 1, 2024; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5404) on April 8, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on April 8, 2024.