Memorandum
Date: September 10, 2024
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Rachael Dillman Parsons, Social Services Director
Subject: a) Waive the Formal Bidding Process Pursuant to County Ordinance 3109 Section 2-38 due to 38.2 (2) the unique nature of services; and, b) Approve Contract between County of Lake and North Coast Opportunities, Inc. for Emergency Childcare Bridge Program, from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027, and authorize the Chair to sign.
Executive Summary:
The Emergency Child Bare Bridge Program (Bridge Program), through North Coast Opportunities Inc., allows resource families to have access to childcare services while a foster child is placed in their care. This program helps to eliminate one of the largest barriers to retaining families, which is limited access to childcare for foster parents. In addition to the emergency childcare vouchers, funds will go towards providing a childcare navigator to facilitate and assist with placement and allow access to trauma-informed care training for providers. Funding for the Bridge Program provided by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) varies per Fiscal Year. Using flexible language for Compensation terms allows the program to continue uninterrupted. Funding for FY 23/24 totaled $140,230, and future allocations are expected to vary slightly, however, official funding amounts are ultimately unknown until details are released by the State.
Lake County Ordinance 3109 established competitive purchasing requirements for all contracts and purchases. Furthermore, section 2-38.2(3)(B) details that competitive bidding is required every 3 years. Due to CDSS regulation and State Welfare Code, the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program Contract is exempt from this specific bidding requirement because NCO, Inc., as the local Child Care Resource and Referral (R&R) agency, must provide these services. According to WIC 10219(a), the R&R agency that has been authorized to serve our County is required to maintain a partnership and contract with Social Services to provide Child Care Navigation and Trauma-Informed Training and Coaching, unless deemed infeasible by the R&R agency.
In FY 23/24 the Bridge Program successfully assisted 20 individual children by providing childcare assistance. The span of resource utilization varied from a few months to an entire year of assistance. The Bridge Program is most commonly used to assist during the transition of becoming a resource family, and it allows for the proper preparations to be made within the household to ensure a stable environment is available for children.
If not budgeted, fill in the blanks below only:
Estimated Cost: _$140,230 _ Amount Budgeted: _$140,230 __ Additional Requested: _____ Future Annual Cost: ________
Purchasing Considerations (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☐ Fully Article X. <https://library.municode.com/ca/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTXPU_S2-38EXCOBI>- and/or Consultant Selection Policy <http://lcnet.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Intranet/Policy/Policies+$!26+Procedures+Manual/Ch4_2021v2.pdf>-Compliant (describe process undertaken in “Executive Summary”)
☒ Section 2-38 <https://library.municode.com/ca/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTXPU_S2-38EXCOBI> Exemption from Competitive Bidding (rationale in “Executive Summary,” attach documentation, as needed)
☐ For Technology Purchases: Vetted and Supported by the Technology Governance Committee <http://lcnet.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Intranet/Intranet+Forms/Information+Technology/AdvPlan.pdf> (“Yes,” if checked)
☐ Other (Please describe in Executive Summary)
Consistency with Vision 2028 <http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Government/Directory/Administration/Visioning/Vision2028.htm> (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☒ Well-being of Residents ☐ Public Safety ☐ Disaster Prevention, Preparedness, Recovery
☐ Economic Development ☐ Infrastructure ☐ County Workforce
☐ Community Collaboration ☐ Business Process Efficiency ☐ Clear Lake
Recommended Action: a) Waive the Formal Bidding Process Pursuant to County Ordinance 3109 Section 28.2 due to 38.2 (2) the unique nature of services; and, b) Approve Contract between County of Lake and North Coast Opportunities, Inc. for Emergency Childcare Bridge Program, from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027, and authorize the Chair to sign.