DATE: June 18, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Amendment to Agreement with America Works of California, Inc.
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment No. 1 to Agreement with America Works of California, Inc. for Job Ready Services for California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids Welfare-to-Work participants, extending the term by two years from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026, which includes one optional one-year extension, and increasing the maximum by $2,070,849 to a total of $5,075,300.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended action will enable the Department of Social Services to continue providing Job Ready Services to California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Welfare-to-Work (WTW) participants with soft skills, employability training, removal of barriers to employment, and assistance with job search leading to employment. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative. If your Board should decide not to approve the recommended action, the Department will be out of compliance with Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC), section 11320 et seq., which mandates employment services for WTW participants.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The maximum amount of the agreement ($5,075,300) will be funded with the CalWORKs Single Allocation. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2024-25 Recommended Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests.
The County has a required Maintenance of Effort (MOE) of $4,022,882 for FY 2023-24 for the CalWORKs program. Once the MOE has been met, all expenses over that amount will be 100% funded with State and Federal Dollars up to the amount of the annual CalWORKs Single Allocation. Social Services Realignment funds will be used to meet the CalWORKs MOE.
DISCUSSION:
Job Ready Services are State-mandated employment services that the Department provides to recipients of CalWORKs WTW assistance. Services must be in accordance with the WIC Division 9, Part 3, Chapter 2, Section 11320 et seq., which requires the County to deliver a structural sequence of employment-related activities to WTW recipients.
On May 25, 2021, following a Request for Proposal procurement process in which America Works of California, Inc. (AWCA) was selected to provide Job Ready Services, your Board approved Agreement No. 21-183 allowing AWCA to provide Job Ready Services through the JobWISE Program, to eligible clients. The agreement was approved with an initial term of two years, with one optional one-year extension through June 30, 2024.
Approval of the recommended action will extend AWCA’s services by one (1) year with one (1) 12-month optional extension and will include an augmentation to the maximum amount by $2,070,849, totaling $5,075,300 for the entire agreement. The amendment will allow the AWCA to continue providing job-readiness training and employment opportunities through the JobWISE program to CalWORKs WTW eligible participants in the County without interruption to services. Either party may terminate the agreement without cause.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #60, May 25, 2021
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment No. 1 to Agreement with AWCA
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander