REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 14, 2022
FROM
SHARON NEVINS, Director, Department of Aging and Adult Services
SUBJECT
Title
Contracts with Multipurpose Senior Services Program Providers
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve fee-for-service contracts with the following agencies to provide Multipurpose Senior Services Program services in an aggregate contract amount not to exceed $952,314, for the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2025:
1. Assured Independence, LLC
2. Connect America.com LLC dba Connect America West
3. Lifeline Systems Company
(Presenter: Sharon Nevins, Director, 891-3917)
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 does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Multipurpose Senior Services Program costs are on a fee-for-service basis, not expected to exceed $952,314 over the contract term, and are funded 50% by Federal ($476,157) and 50% by State ($476,157) sources. Adequate appropriation and revenue will be included in the Department of Aging and Adult Services’ (DAAS) 2022-23 recommended budget and in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since 1985, the California Department of Aging (CDA) has awarded funds to DAAS to operate the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP). MSSP is designed to prevent or delay the need for long-term institutional care for eligible seniors while continuing to foster independent living in the community. MSSP provides social and/or health-care case management services to Medi-Cal recipients age 65 or older, to delay or prevent them from being placed in a nursing facility. DAAS social workers are responsible for coordinating services through agencies to provide a variety of MSSP services including, chore, personal care, non-medical equipment/supplies, in-home and out-of-home respite care, transportation escort, transportation - one-way trip, and communication devices. These contracted agencies will provide a portion of the needed services and DAAS will continue to address finding additional service providers as needs arise throughout this contract term.
PROCUREMENT
On October 12, 2021, the County Administrative Office approved and authorized Human Services (HS) to release a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit applications from qualified agencies to provide MSSP services countywide. The RFP was advertised through the County’s Electronic Procurement Network (e-Pro) and through direct mailings. HS received three qualified applications from the following agencies in response to the RFP:
|
Applicant |
Proposed Service |
Area Served |
|
Assured Independence, LLC |
Communication Devices |
Countywide |
|
Connect America.com LLC dba Connect America West |
Communication Devices |
Countywide |
|
Lifeline Systems Company |
Communication Devices |
Countywide |
All three agencies submitted the required Letter of Intent and met all other minimum requirements of the RFP, therefore all three agencies are recommended for contract award to provide the services to seniors within the areas they proposed. All three agencies submitted proposals for communication devices only.
HS did not receive bids for chore, personal care, in-home and out-of-home respite care, transportation escort, or transportation - one-way trip. HS is in the process of an informal procurement for these services and plans to have contracts in place by August 2022.
The recommended contractors will provide MSSP Communication Device services to include rental/purchase of 24-hour emergency assistive services, or installation of a telephone to assist in communication for clients who are at risk of institutionalization due to physical conditions likely to result in a medical emergency for approximately 345 eligible clients monthly.
Contractor performance will be monitored by review of monthly invoices to ensure compliance with the administrative, program and fiscal terms and conditions of the contract. Contractors will cooperate with the County in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of these contracts and comply with any and all reporting requirements established by these contracts. Contractors’ charges must be for services provided to eligible beneficiaries under this funded program. The County reserves the right to request additional program and/or fiscal reports to facilitate this monthly review. The contracts may be terminated without cause by the County with 30 days written notice.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on April 8, 2022; County Counsel (Jacqueline Carey-Wilson, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 31, 2022; Purchasing (Leo Gomez, Purchasing Manager, 387-2063) on May 26, 2022; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0280) on May 26, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on May 31, 2022.