REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 26, 2023
FROM
JACQUELYN GREENE, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amendments to Contracts with Agencies to Provide Early Head Start and Head Start Program Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve the following Amendments to contracts with the agencies, effective July 1, 2023, to provide Early Head Start and Head Start Program services, increasing the total combined contract amount by $6,808,730, from $21,856,285 to $28,665,015, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2024:
1. Amendment No. 5 to Contract No. 20-494 with Colton Joint Unified School District, increasing the contract amount by $1,114,394, from $3,622,976 to $4,737,370.
2. Amendment No. 7 to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals Southern California, Inc., increasing the contract amount by $4,873,171, from $15,663,904 to $20,537,075.
3. Amendment No. 5 to Contract No. 20-496 with Fontana Unified School District, increasing the contract amount by $394,800, from $1,208,864 to $1,603,664.
4. Amendment No. 5 to Contract No. 20-497 with Needles Unified School District, increasing the contract amount by $426,365, from $1,360,541 to $1,786,906.
(Presenter: Jacquelyn Greene, Director, 383-2005)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The recommended amendments will not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The increase of $ 6,808,730 is 100% funded through the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF). There is no non-federal match required for this funding. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Preschool Services Department (PSD) 2023-24 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
PSD operates the Early Head Start, Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership, Head Start, State General Child Care and Development and State Preschool programs serving approximately 3,095 children in locations throughout the San Bernardino County (County). Head Start and State Preschool programs have been operating in the County since 1965. In 1999, PSD began providing these programs through a combination of direct and contracted services.
There are currently four contract agencies in the County providing Early Head Start and Head Start Program services to approximately 640 eligible children and their families. The agencies are Easter Seals Southern California, Inc. (Easter Seals), Colton Joint Unified School District (CJUSD), Fontana Unified School District (FUSD), and Needles Unified School District (NUSD). PSD serves all areas not covered by the agencies countywide. The Ontario-Montclair School District (OSMD), which had provided services to 32 children, did not renew its contract for 2023-24; as a result, amendments discussed below subsequent to July 1, 2023 omit OMSD values.
On June 23, 2020 (Item No. 56), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved contracts with CJUSD (Contract No, 20-494) in the amount of $3,229,260, Easter Seals (Contract No. 20-495) in the amount of $13,730,472, FUSD (Contract No. 20-496), in the amount of $1,121,607, NUSD (Contract No. 20-497), in the amount of $1,243,224, and OMSD (Contract No. 20-498) in the amount of $590,877, to provide Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool Program services, in the combined total of $19,915,440, for the contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
On October 6, 2020 (Item No. 23), the Board approved Amendment No. 1, to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals to provide Head Start and Early Head Start Program services. This amendment increased the total contract amount by $619,813, from $13,730,472 to $14,350,285, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023. This amendment provided for a 2% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding for COVID-19 related costs.
On October 27, 2020 (Item No. 56), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to contracts with CJUSD (Contract No. 20-494), increasing the contract amount by $119,725; FUSD (Contract No. 20-496), increasing the contract amount by $23,803; NUSD (Contract No. 20-497), increasing the contract amount by $35,373; and OMSD (Contract No. 20-498), increasing the contract by $21,768; for an overall increase of $200,669, from $6,184,968 to $6,385,637, with no change to the total contract period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023. These amendments provided for a 2% COLA and CARES Act funding for COVID-19 related costs.
On June 22, 2021 (Item No. 52), the Board approved Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals, to provide Head Start and Early Head Start Program services, increasing the amount by $70,000, from $14,350,285 to $14,420,285, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023. This amendment provided for CARES Act funding for COVID-19 related costs.
On September 14, 2021 (Item No. 27), the Board approved Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals, increasing the contract by $1,136,154. The Board also approved Amendment No. 2 to contracts with CJUSD (Contract No. 20-494), increasing the contract amount by $249,149; FUSD (Contract No. 20-496), increasing the contract by $54,653; NUSD (Contract No. 20-497), increasing the contract amount by $74,122; and OMSD (Contract No. 20-498), increasing the contract amount by $612,645; to provide Early Head Start and Head Start Program services, increasing the total combined contract amounts by $1,559,408, from $20,805,922 to $22,365,330, with no change to the total contract period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023. These amendments provided for a 1.22% COLA, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act funding, and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
On May 24, 2022 (Item No. 63), the Board approved Amendment No. 4 to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals, revising the budget to carryover the unexpended funds in the amount of $99,414 from 2020-21 to 2021-22, with no change to the total contract amount of $15,556,439, or the contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
On January 24, 2023 (Item No. 23), the Board approved Amendment No. 5 to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals, increasing the contract amount by $107,465, and Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. 20-498 with OMSD, increasing the contract amount by $4,545, to provide Early Head Start and Head Start Program services, increasing the total contract amount of these contracts by $112,010 from $16,214,414 to $16,326,424, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023. These amendments provided for a 2.28% COLA.
On February 28, 2023 (Item No. 36), the Board approved Amendment No. 3 to contracts with CJUSD (Contract No. 20-494), increasing the contract amount by $24,842, FUSD (Contract No. 20-496),increasing the contract amount by $8,801, and NUSD (Contract No. 20-497), increasing the contract amount by $7,822, to provide Early Head Start and Head Start Program services, increasing the total combined contract amount by $41,465, from $6,150,916 to $6,192,381, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023. These amendments provided for a 2.28% COLA.
On June 27, 2023 (Item No. 76), the Board approved Amendment No. 6 to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals, and Amendment No. 4 to contracts with CJUSD (Contract No. 20-494), FUSD (Contract No. 20-496), and NUSD (Contract No. 20-497), to provide Early Head Start and Head Start Program services, updating Easter Seals education curriculum requirements and updating County budget status notification period for all the contracts, and extending the contracts an additional year, for a total contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2024, with no change to the total combined contract amount of $21,856,285.
The recommended amendments will increase the contract amounts to provide for the 2023-24 supplies and services. The recommended amendments are being presented to the Board at this time, as PSD received the funding notices from ACF on June 27, 2023. This is the first date available for presentation of these amendments following the required operational, fiscal, and legal reviews. Approval by the Board at this time will have no impact on PSD’s Head Start and Early Head Start Programs services and activities.
The contractors’ performance will continue to be monitored by review of monthly reports to ensure compliance with the administrative, fiscal, and program requirements of the contracts. The contracts may be terminated without cause by the County with 30 days written notice.
PROCUREMENT
The contracts with the agencies were the result of a competitive procurement and approved by the Board on June 23, 2020 (Item No. 56).
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on July 28, 2023; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 4, 2023; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on September 7, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on September 11, 2023.