DATE: June 18, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Luchini, RN, PHN, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Agreement with California State University, Fresno Foundation for Staff Training
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Under Administrative Policy No. 34 for competitive bids or requests for proposals (AP 34), determine that an exception to the competitive bidding requirement under AP 34 is satisfied and a suspension of competition is warranted due to unusual or extraordinary circumstances, and that the best interests of the County would be served by entering into an agreement with the California State University, Fresno Foundation (Foundation) as the Foundation has the necessary certified trainers and facilities desired by the County; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with the Foundation to provide training for County staff, effective June 18, 2024, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $200,000.
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions, which will allow the California State University, Fresno Foundation (Foundation) to provide customized Clifton StrengthsFinder and other talent awareness and assessment training to Department of Public Health (Department) staff, as well as enable other County Departments the opportunity to partake in the training services for their staff. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If your Board does not approve the recommended actions, County departments will not have access to talent awareness and assessment training through the Foundation and would have to seek other options to obtain this type of beneficial training. Non-approval of this item would also jeopardize the Department’s funding source for such training, as the deadline to expend this year’s allocation of Future of Public Health (FoPH) funding is June 30, 2024.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
It is requested that the County find under AP 34 that an exception to the competitive bidding requirement is satisfied, and a suspension of competition is warranted due to unusual or extraordinary circumstances, as the Foundation is best suited to host and train on various talent awareness and assessment subjects. Foundation has two certified professors on staff to conduct such trainings as well as the facilities to do so. The Department researched two other local educational institutions and found that they do not offer the Clifton StrengthsFinder training. The Internal Services Department - Purchasing concurs with the Department’s assessment that this satisfies the exception to the competitive bidding process required by AP 34.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The maximum compensation amount of the recommended agreement shall not exceed $200,000 for the total possible five-year term. The Department’s use of the agreement will be funded by the FoPH funding as well as other grant funds and possible Health Realignment. The Department’s current training needs are an estimated $7,150 to be paid by FoPH funding. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5620 FY 2023-24 Adopted Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests. Other departments that utilize this agreement will be required to use their own funding sources and pay Foundation directly.
DISCUSSION:
The Department was awarded FoPH funds through the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Seventy percent of these funds were earmarked for recruitment and retention of staff, which includes training. Training and skill-building of staff is an ongoing goal of the Department. The popular Clifton StrengthsFinder has been identified by the Department as a training to assist with skill-building and strength identification for management and senior management staff. Along with the Clifton StrengthsFinder training, Foundation offers several other training sessions which would help Department and County staff build skills for better job performance.
The Department called three local educational institutions and the Foundation was the only one that offered the Clifton StrengthsFinder training. Foundation’s training will be tailored towards the Department’s needs through two half-day sessions. The cost structure includes in-person instruction sessions, materials, and training facilities. The inclusion of the training facilities is especially advantageous to the Department and County, in that it provides an all-inclusive package, which both simplifies and expedites initiation of the training dates. Two CSU Fresno professors are certified as instructors for the Clifton StrengthsFinder curriculum and would be the leads on training.
The agreement contains language allowing other County departments to utilize the training services, if interested in obtaining for their staff. One other Department has inquired about the curriculum and may be using Foundation in the future. Approval of the recommended actions will also expand the County’s presence on campus in areas that County departments do not typically interface. This presence will assist with the Department and County’s recruitment efforts.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Suspension of Competition
On file with Clerk - Agreement with CSU Fresno Foundation
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander