REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 1, 2022
FROM
LEONARD X. HERNANDEZ, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
American Rescue Plan Act - Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Contract Template
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve a standardized American Rescue Plan Act contract template to use when the County is awarding American Rescue Plan Act funding to a subrecipient for an eligible American Rescue Plan Act project in accordance with the Board of Supervisors approved Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Spending Plan.
2. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer to execute the American Rescue Plan Act contract template with subrecipients in accordance with the Board of Supervisors approved Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Spending Plan, and make any non-substantive changes on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Chief Executive Officer to bring all American Rescue Plan Act executed contracts with subrecipients back to the Board of Supervisors for ratification within 30 days of contract execution.
(Presenter: Leonard X. Hernandez, Chief Executive Officer, 387-5417)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
Focus on Recovery and Resiliency Following Major Emergency Responses such as the December 2, 2015 Terrorist Attack (SB Strong) and the Global COVID-19 Pandemic.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). San Bernardino County has received a direct allocation of $423.5 million under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) - Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund to bolster the County’s response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and its economic impact. The Board of Supervisors (Board) approved an expenditure plan for the use of these funds, known as the County Local Fiscal Recovery Spending Plan (Spending Plan), on June 8, 2021 (Item No. 121) and amended the plan on August 24, 2021 (Item No. 21).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On March 11, 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was signed into law and established the $350 billion Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund to distribute resources to state and local governments throughout the nation.
The County has established an ARPA Team who reviews all potential projects to determine if they are eligible for ARPA funding and determine if the project and use is in accordance with the Board approved Spending Plan. If projects are deemed eligible, then the ARPA Team will work with the subrecipients to determine if the subrecipient will comply with ARPA guidelines and enter into a contract with the County. If all ARPA requirements are met then the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will execute the standard ARPA contract template, if approved by the Board today, with the subrecipients. By approving a contract template and delegated authority it will allow ARPA contracts with subrecipients to be executed by the CEO and would ensure a more efficient process by eliminating the need to bring individual contracts before the Board for consideration. Monthly reporting will be provided to the Board detailing status of ARPA contracts. All ARPA contracts with subrecipients executed by the CEO will be brought back to the Board for ratification within 30 days of contract execution.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Julie Surber, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 24, 2022; Purchasing (Michelle Churchill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on February 24, 2022; Department of Risk Management (Victor Tordesillas, Director, 387-5564) on February 14, 2022; Finance (Guy Martinez, ARPA Compliance Analyst, 387-5428; and Joon Cho, Administrative Analyst, 387-5402) on February 24, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on February 24, 2022.