REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
April 21, 2026
FROM
STEPHENIE SHEA, Acting Director, Purchasing Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with Phamatech, Inc. for Drug and Alcohol Testing Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. 24-786 with Phamatech, Inc. for drug and alcohol services, to update contract language to include testing turnaround timeframes for urine and oral fluids testing, with no changes to the contract term of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2029.
(Presenter: Stephenie Shea, Acting Director, 387-2073)
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). Departments that require drug and alcohol testing services are responsible for ensuring there is adequate funding in their current and future recommended budgets. The proposed rates are included in the contracted Fee Schedule (Attachment A). The County’s annual average expense, over the past three years, for these services is approximately $855,000.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Drug and alcohol testing services are essential to support patient care, substance use disorder treatment, public safety, and clinical operations throughout the County. These services are necessary to support clinic patients, ensure compliance with court-ordered requirements, and provide random testing for offenders and clients.
Children and Family Services (CFS) is responsible for protecting endangered children, preserving and strengthening families, and developing alternative family settings. In accordance with applicable laws and regulations, services are provided in the least intrusive manner with a family-centered approach. CFS administers programs to address child abuse and neglect within the County, which include assisting families in managing and overcoming substance abuse issues and supporting the health and social service needs of County residents.
The Probation Department (Probation) is responsible for housing youth detained pending Juvenile Court action and ensuring they are provided with a safe and healthy environment while in custody. Probation also supervises adult and juvenile probationers and operates multiple facilities that house an average of 300 minors daily. In fulfilling its mission to build stronger families and safer communities, Probation improves the lives of those it serves through comprehensive assessment, treatment, rehabilitative services, and enforcement of court-mandated terms and supervision requirements. As part of case management and supervision requirements, adult and juvenile probationers must submit to random drug and alcohol testing to ensure compliance with court orders and support rehabilitation efforts.
The Department of Behavioral Health provides mental health and substance use disorder services to residents through a continuum of care delivered by County-operated clinics and contracted service providers. Drug and alcohol testing is an integral component of service delivery for clients served throughout the County.
The Department of Human Resources (HR) supports all County departments by managing the employee life cycle, including recruitment, hiring, pre-placement physical examinations, onboarding, training, and benefits administration. County policy requires pre-placement drug testing for new employees in designated classifications. HR’s Center for Employee Health and Wellness conducts pre-placement examinations, including drug testing through contracted service providers. HR also administers the County’s reasonable suspicion policy, which requires employees to submit to drug and/or alcohol testing when warranted, and supports testing requirements mandated by the California Department of Transportation.
On August 20, 2024 (Item No. 73), as the result of a successful competitive procurement, the Board of Supervisors approved multiple contracts, including Contract No. 24-786 with Phamatech, Inc., to provide Drug and Alcohol Testing Services on an as-needed, fee-for-service basis at the item pricing listed in Attachment A, for the contract term of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2029.
On October 18, 2024, Purchasing issued Amendment No. 1, under delegated authority, to execute a side letter adding Fentanyl Screen and Fentanyl Confirmation testing to Attachment A - Fee for Service Schedule for Contract No. 24-786, with no other changes.
On October 25, 2024, Purchasing issued Amendment No. 2, under delegated authority, to execute a side letter adding additional service items to Attachment A - Fee for Service Schedule for Contract No. 24-786, including Single Panel Dipstick Fentanyl Screen, 10-Panel Oral Fluid Cup, and ETG/EtS Lab Confirmation, with no other changes.
Approval of Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. 24-786 with Phamatech, Inc. for drug and alcohol testing services will update contract language to include testing turnaround timeframes for urine and oral fluid testing for HR. This amendment will enable County departments to continue providing critical public safety services and meeting the health and social service needs of County residents.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-4229 on March 27, 2026; Behavioral Health (Rafael Villa, Program Manager I, 387-0812) on February 17, 2026; Probation (Iveth Herrera Zavala, Administrative Supervisor I, 387-5984) on February 17, 2026; Human Resources (Silas Molino, Human Resources Manager, 580-1431) on February 13, 2026; Children and Family Services (Jessica Cuthbert, Deputy Director, 658-1703) on February 17, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Kathleen Gonzalez, Administrative Analyst, 387-5412) on April 1, 2026.