REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 27, 2023
FROM
JACQUELYN GREENE, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Contract with First Student, Inc. for Transportation Services for Head Start and State Preschool Programs
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve contract with First Student, Inc. to provide transportation services for children enrolled in the Head Start and State Preschool programs, in the amount of $1,242,265, for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026.
(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
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The contract amount of $1,242,265 is 90% ($1,118,039) federally funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families and 10% ($124,226) funded by California Department of Education. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Preschool Services Department’s (PSD) 2023-24 recommended budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
PSD operates the Early Head Start, Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership, Head Start, General Child Care and Development, and State Preschool programs. These programs provide education, health, nutrition, cognitive, social/emotional, physical growth and development, and parent involvement services for children ages 0 to 5 with the goal of increasing family engagement and the school readiness of young children in economically disadvantaged families. Head Start and State Preschool programs have been operating in the county since 1965. Since 1999, PSD has provided these programs through a combination of direct and contracted services.
PSD provides transportation services to eligible children enrolled in the Head Start and State Preschool programs through contracted bus companies in locations where lack of transportation has been a main barrier to the programs’ enrollment and regular attendance. The recommended contract will allow PSD to provide transportation services to approximately 80 children in Twentynine Palms, Upland, and Victorville. Based on parents’ transportation need survey focusing on enrollment and attendance, Twentynine Palms, Upland, and High Desert (for children living in Victorville and enrolled in Northgate Head Start) were identified as areas that bus services are highly needed. PSD will continue monitoring attendance in these locations to compare pre-transportation and post-transportation performance.
First Student, Inc. (First Student) performance will be monitored by review of monthly reports to ensure compliance with the administrative, fiscal, and program requirements of the contract. First Student will cooperate with the County in the monitoring and evaluation of these contracts and comply with all established reporting requirements. PSD will review invoices, and all requested supporting documentation remitted by the contractor prior to payment. The contract may be terminated without cause by the County with 30 days written notice.
PROCUREMENT
On January 3, 2023, the County Administrative Office approved and authorized the release of a Request for Proposal (RFP) No. PSSD23-ADMIN-4791 to solicit agencies to provide transportation services for children enrolled in the County’s Head Start and State Preschool programs for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026. The RFP was posted on the San Bernardino County Electronic Procurement Network (ePro) and mailed directly to 15 transportation services agencies.
One proposal was received in response to the RFP, from First Student. The First Student proposal met the minimum requirements and was evaluated by a panel of evaluators from PSD and the Human Services Program Development Division. Based on the evaluation of experience and qualification, technical review, cost, and reference check, First Student was recommended for the contract award.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on May 24, 2023; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 24, 2023; Purchasing (Michelle Churchill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on June 5, 2023; Finance (Yvette Calimlim, Administrative Analyst, 388-0253) on June 1, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on June 6, 2023.