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
Amendment to Contracts with Agencies to Provide Early Head Start and Head Start Program Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Amendment No. 6 to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals Southern California, Inc., to provide Early Head Start and Head Start Program services, updating the contractor’s education curriculum requirements and County budget status notification period, and extending the contract an additional year, for a total contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2024, with no change to the contract amount of $15,663,904.
2. Approve Amendment No. 4 to contracts with the following agencies to provide Early Head Start and Head Start Program services, updating the County budget status notification period, extending the contract 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 $6,192,381:
a. Colton Joint Unified School District, Contract No. 20-494, in the amount of $3,622,976.
b. Fontana Unified School District, Contract No. 20-496, in the amount of $1,208,864.
c. Needles Unified School District, Contract No. 20-497, in the amount of $1,360,541.
(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 total combined contract amount of $21,856,285 is 100% federally funded through the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Adequate appropriation and revenue will be included in the Preschool Services Department (PSD) 2023-24 recommended 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 3,220 children in locations throughout the County. 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.
There are currently four contract agencies providing Early Head Start and Head Start Program services to approximately 755 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) providing services to 485, 180, 25 and 65 children respectively. Ontario-Montclair School District (OMSD) that previously served 32 children will not be renewing their contract because they plan to streamline and only provide State Preschool services.
Under the terms of the recommended amendments extending the contract an additional year, PSD will continue to provide services through contract agencies for Early Head Start and Head Start programs. The recommended amendments will update the County budget status notification period from the 15th day of the month to the 20th day of the month for all the contracts. In addition, the education curriculum requirements for Easter Seals will be changed to use Creative curriculum for Center Based programs and Parents as Teachers curriculum for Home Based programs for program year July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. PSD will present amendments to increase the amounts of the contracts for 2023-24 services to the Board of Supervisors (Board) upon receipt of funding notices from ACF.
On June 23, 2020 (Item No. 56), the Board approved contracts with CJUSD (Contract No, 20-494), Easter Seals (Contract No. 20-495), FUSD (Contract No. 20-496), NUSD (Contract No. 20-497), and OMSD (Contract No. 20-498), respectively, to provide Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool Program services, in the combined total of $19,915,460, 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, effective July 1, 2020, 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), FUSD (Contract No. 20-496), NUSD (Contract No. 20-497), and OMSD (Contract No. 20-498), respectively, increasing the total contract amount of these contracts by $200,699, 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, and Amendment No. 2 to contracts with CJUSD (Contract No. 20-494), FUSD (Contract No. 20-496), NUSD (Contract No. 20-497), and OMSD (Contract No. 20-498), respectively, to provide Early Head Start and Head Start Program services, increasing the total contract amount of these contracts 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 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 program year 2020-21 to program year 2021-22, with no change to 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, and Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. 20-498 with OMSD, 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. 20-249), FUSD (Contract No. 20-496), and NUSD (Contract No. 20-497), to provide Early Head Start and Head Start Program services, increasing the total contract amount of these contracts 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.
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 contractors will cooperate with the County in the monitoring and evaluation of these contracts and comply with all established reporting requirements. 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 May 4, 2023; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 11, 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.