DATE: December 17, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Luchini, RN, PHN, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Amendment I to Master Agreement No. 24-335 for Occupational and Physical Therapy Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Under Administrative Policy No. 34 for competitive bids or requests for proposals, determine that an exception to the competitive bidding requirement 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 adding Delta Healthcare Providers, LLC to the Master Agreement for Occupational and Physical Therapy Services; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment I to Master Agreement to add Delta Healthcare Providers, LLC as a contracted provider with no change to the term of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2029, or maximum compensation of $4,286,875.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the recommended actions will allow the Department of Public Health (Department) to utilize an additional qualified healthcare staffing vendor to provide qualified pediatric occupational and physical therapists under the Master Agreement. The Master Agreement is funded with Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and Health Realignment monies. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, the Department will continue to recruit via County Human Resources and work with existing providers of the Master Agreement to staff occupational therapists (OT) and physical therapists (PT), an immediate need but has been a challenge.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
It is requested that the County find under Administrative Policy No. 34 (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 Department seeks to fill vacant occupational therapist (OT) vacancies. The Department has requested referrals for OT staff from the seven vendors currently contracted under Master Agreement No. 24-335 but has not received any referrals. Delta Healthcare Providers, LLC was a vendor for two years under the previous agreement for these services and was successful in finding a qualified pediatric OT with relevant experience working with children with disabilities and special needs conditions. Since the current agreement has been executed, Delta has reached out to the Department consistently, expressing a desire to be added to the agreement and confirmed immediate availability of an OT. Adding Delta as a vendor at this juncture would allow the Department to place an additional OT at the Medical Therapy Units (MTUs) to address the needs of the 290 children who are on the OT waitlist. 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 addition of Delta Healthcare Providers, LLC to the Master Agreement does not change the maximum compensation of $857,375 per fiscal year; $4,286,875 for the five-year term, funded by DHCS (50%) and Health Realignment (50%). Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5620 FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests for the duration of the term. Actual costs will be based on actual services provided.
DISCUSSION:
The MTP is a specialty program within CCS that provides medically necessary outpatient occupational therapy, physical therapy (PT), and medical therapy conference (MTC) services for children ranging in age from 0 to 21 with disabilities and special needs conditions, generally due to neurological or musculoskeletal disorders. The services are provided on-site at MTUs located at three county public elementary schools: Clovis, Powers-Ginsburg, and Storey. Currently, 691 eligible children receive OT and PT services provided by County employees and contracted staff.
The Board approved the current Master Agreement No. 24-335 on June 18, 2024 with seven vendors to provide OT and PT staffing at the MTUs. County Human Resources and the Department of Public Health have had challenges filling permanent PT and OT positions due to a lack of candidates. Currently, there is an open and continuous recruitment for an OT. Since executing the Master Agreement, the current seven vendors have yet to refer a qualified OT. Adding Delta as a vendor to the Master Agreement would allow the Department an additional resource to possibly find qualified OTs to address the needs of the 290 children on the OT waitlist.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #72, June 18, 2024
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Suspension of Competition Acquisition Request
On file with Clerk - Amendment I to Master Agreement
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald W. Alexander, Jr.