REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 19, 2024
FROM
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Grant Agreement from the United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance, for the Fiscal Year 2022 Formula DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 22-1079 with the United States Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance for the Fiscal Year 2022 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program (Federal Award No. 15PBJA-22-GG-01614-DNAX), to extend by one year for the total contract period of October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2025.
2. Approve the purchase of the following unbudgeted fixed assets to assist with evidence sample extractions:
a. Two Crime-Lite Spectral Lights - $23,880
b. Two Vacufuge Concentrators - $40,000
c. One Hamilton Star Instrument - $180,000
3. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post adjustments to the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator’s 2024-25 budget, as detailed in the Financial Impact Section (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Kelly Welty, Chief Deputy Director, 387-3760)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Improve County Government Operations.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The recommended amendment to the grant award will extend the performance period for the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator’s (Department) Fiscal Year 2022 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program, by one year, through September 30, 2025, with no change to the previously awarded amount of $768,976.
The Department’s proposed grant agreement budgetary changes include shifting funding between approved categories and the addition of new equipment budget items, based on an assessment of the Department’s current needs.
The unit cost for two currently budgeted fixed assets will be increased due to rising costs since initial grant approval on September 26, 2022. The Qiagen Connect FX line item will be increased by $12,000 from $67,000 to $79,000 and the Qiagen Qiacube Connect line item will be increased by $7,000 from $29,000 to $36,000.
New unbudgeted fixed assets, outlined in Recommendation No. 2, are requested to be added to the grant budget. Two Crime-Lite spectral lights with a total value of $23,880, and two vacufuge concentrators with a total value of $40,000, will be funded by a reduction in Services and Supplies within the Sheriff Operation’s budget (4438001000), resulting in no net impact to the overall budget. One Hamilton Star instrument valued at $180,000 will be funded by the deletion of the following fixed assets: One HID Nimbus Presto budgeted at $135,000 and one HID 7500 Real-Time laptop budgeted at $59,960, resulting in no net impact to the overall budget.
Actual grant revenue received for 2023-24 expenditures were higher than estimates developed during the preparation of the Department’s 2024-25 budget resulting in the need to reduce budgeted revenue by $32,343.
The Department requests the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post the following adjustments to the 2024-25 budget:
|
Fund Center |
Commitment Item |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
|
4438001000 |
51001035 |
Overtime |
Increase |
$1,909 |
|
4438001000 |
52002135 |
Special Departmental Expense |
Decrease |
$91,930 |
|
4438001000 |
52942941 |
Conference/Training/Seminar Fee |
Decrease |
$3,742 |
|
4438001000 |
54404040 |
Equipment |
Increase |
$67,920 |
|
4438001000 |
54904095 |
Purchased Software |
Decrease |
$6,500 |
|
4438001000 |
40509094 |
Federal - Grants |
Decrease |
$32,343 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On June 28, 2022 (Item No. 88), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the submission of a grant application to the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) in the amount of $431,920. The Department’s grant application was accepted by the BJA, and funding was awarded on September 26, 2022, in the amount of $768,976, for the period of October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2024. The grant award was accepted by the Board on October 25, 2022 (Item No. 87).
The Department has received funding under the DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program in the past, which has been used for salaries, replacement of outdated equipment, supply purchases, and training. The current grant award funds a DNA Criminalist position (created and originally funded under the FY 2019 DNA Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction Program), overtime costs, training, travel, services and supplies, external audit fees, and replacement of aging computers and equipment.
On April 24, 2024, the Department submitted a request to BJA for a one-year extension, changes in equipment to be purchased, and a reduction in services and supplies; approval was received on August 23, 2024. Due to an administrative error, there were some delays in the internal approval process. The amendment documents are being submitted to the Board for approval at the earliest available meeting, after all the required internal, legal and financial reviews were completed. Approval of the amendment will enhance the Department’s ability to effectively analyze backlogged forensic DNA casework samples and improve DNA laboratory infrastructure and analysis capacity to enable forensic DNA samples to be processed more efficiently and cost effectively. The Department can submit claims for reimbursement retroactively to October 1, 2024.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Grace B. Parsons, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 28, 2024; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Charlene Huang, Manager Controller Division, 382-7022) on October 28, 2024; Finance (Erika Rodarte, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on November 1, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on November 4, 2024.