REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
October 6, 2020
FROM
PHALOS HAIRE, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with Easter Seals Southern California, Inc. for Head Start and Early Head Start Programs
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 1, effective July 1, 2020, to Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals Southern California, Inc., to provide Head Start and Early Head Start programs, increasing the total contract amount by $619,813, from $13,730,472 to $14,350,285, with no change to the total contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
(Presenter: Phalos Haire, Director, 383-2005)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The recommended amendment will not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The increase of $619,813 for these services includes a 2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) that is 100% federally funded through the Administration for Children and Families, and CARES Act funding for COVID-19 related expenses. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Preschool Services Department (PSD) 2020-21 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets. PSD will submit any necessary budget adjustment requests in the First Quarterly Budget Adjustment Report.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Under the terms of the recommended amendment, PSD will continue to provide services in part through contract agencies for Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool programs. The amendment provides for a 2% COLA, as well as CARES Act funding for COVID-19 related costs, such as distance learning equipment and safety supplies, that must be expended by December 31, 2020. PSD will use a portion of the Head Start Program supplemental funding and the entire Early Head Start Program and EHS-CCP Program supplemental funding to provide a 2.0% salary scale COLA for Head Start (HS), Early Head Start (EHS), and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) program contract staff, a 2.0% increase to the contractors currently providing developmental HS, EHS, and EHS-CCP services, and to pay additional operating costs, such as those that have resulted from an increase in retirement costs for contract staff. The overall goal of Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool programs is to increase the health and school readiness of disadvantaged children and increase the self-sufficiency of low-income families.
Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool programs provide comprehensive child development and family services that include education, health, nutrition, parent involvement, and psychological services for children age 0 to 5 and their families. Head Start and State Preschool programs have been operating in San Bernardino County since 1965. Since 1999, PSD has provided these programs through a combination of direct and contracted services. PSD currently contracts with six agencies to serve approximately 856 eligible children and their families annually. PSD provides direct services to approximately 4,200 eligible children and their families in areas not served by contracted agencies.
Contractor performance will continue to be measured by reviewing the required monthly reports and annual visits by County staff to monitor compliance with the administrative, fiscal, and program requirements of the contract. This contract may be terminated without cause by the County with a 30-day written notice.
The recommended amendment is being presented at this time as PSD received supplemental funding awards in September 2020 for a 2% Cost of Living Adjustment, as well as supplemental CARES Act funding to contracted agencies providing Head Start and Early Head Start programs. The supplemental funding is effective July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, however, the funding increases need to be made available to Easter Seals Southern California, Inc. right away as the CARES Act funds must be used by the end of December 2020. This is the first date available for presentation of this amendment following the required operational, fiscal, and legal reviews. Approval by the Board of Supervisors (Board) at this time will have no impact on PSD’s Head Start and Early Head Start Programs services and activities.
PROCUREMENT
On June 23, 2020 (Item No. 56), as the result of a competitive procurement, the Board approved Contract No. 20-495 with Easter Seals Southern California, Inc. to provide Head Start and Early Head Start programs, in the total amount of $13,730,472 for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Jennifer Mulhall-Daudel, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on September 28, 2020; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on September 28, 2020; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on September 28, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on September 28, 2020.