REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 22, 2026
FROM
AMY COUGHLIN, Director, Department of Child Support Services
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with Team Legal, Inc. for Service of Process Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 25-70 with Team Legal, Inc. for Service of Process services on a fee-for-service basis, to add updated language pertaining to the scope of work pursuant to Assembly Bill 747, with no change to the contract amount of $1,800,000, or the contract period of January 28, 2025 through January 31, 2028.
(Presenter: Amy Coughlin, Director, 478-7471)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Foster Sustainable Development Through Strategic Partnerships.
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 Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) as the recommended amendment is non-financial in nature.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) is required by federal regulation to attempt to establish and enforce child support orders by legal processes and show the Service of Process (SoP) has been made on the defendant in accordance with state law. SoP is the procedure by which a party gives an appropriate notice of legal action to another party to enable that party to respond to the proceeding before the court. In this instance, SoP is the personal delivery of State Superior Court notice(s) to all prospective parents of dependent children that a lawsuit has been initiated against them or there is other pending legal action. Team Legal, Inc. (Team Legal) currently provides SoP services for these child support cases.
Assembly Bill 747 amends several provisions of California law, including California Code of Civil Procedure section 417.10. These amendments will take effect on January 1, 2027. The new law requires additional steps for process servers to effectuate proper service. The bill enhances transparency and accountability of process servers in the performance of their job. Specifically, the amendments to the law will require the contractor to use only process servers registered in the county where service is effected, make a minimum of three attempts at service on three different days within the timeframe specified in the new law, and include a photograph of the site of service that will include the door of the dwelling/place of business and Global Positioning System coordinates. This amendment ensures the process servers are prepared to comply with the new legislation. The legislation aims to minimize improper service, strengthen the evidentiary standards for proof of service, and increase protection for parties in cases involving potentially defective service.
DCSS determines paternity, establishes and enforces child support orders, and secures payments to assist families in meeting the financial and medical needs of their children. DCSS has a caseload that includes over 86,000 cases in which legal documents or proposed court actions are necessary for the establishment and enforcement of a child support order. Team Legal will be paid based on the geographic location of the SoP services provided. These services have been provided through contracted vendors since 1999.
On January 28, 2025 (Item No. 23), as a result of a competitive procurement, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract No. 25-70 with Team Legal for SoP services on a fee-for-service basis, in an amount not to exceed $1,800,000, for the period of January 28, 2025 through January 31, 2028.
Approval of the requested amendment will allow updated language to be added to the scope of work, further clarifying the duties and responsibilities for the contractor and expectations of the process servers performing services.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services (Lisa Rivas-Ordaz, Contracts Manager, 388-0222) on August 3, 2026; County Counsel (John Tubbs II, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 10, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Allegra Pajot, Administrative Analyst, 388-0218) on September 1, 2026.