DATE: April 8, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Agreement with the County of Madera
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Make a finding that it is in the best interest of the County to suspend the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 for a local governmental agency as the County of Madera is uniquely qualified to serve as a subgrantee for Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention funding to provide Rapid Rehousing and Street Outreach services in Madera County; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with the County of Madera for Rapid Rehousing and Street Outreach services, effective April 8, 2025 through April 30, 2028, total not to exceed $840,000.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions, which will allow the Department of Social Services (Department), serving as the Administrative Entity on behalf of the Fresno Madera Continuum of Care (FMCoC), to award the County of Madera Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Round 5 (HHAP-5) grant funds. The funds will be used to provide Rapid Rehousing and Street Outreach for individuals and families who are homeless in Madera County. This item pertains to Madera County.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board elect not to approve the recommended actions, the County of Madera will be unable to utilize FMCoC HHAP-5 funds to provide Rapid Rehousing and Street Outreach services. Additionally, the County of Fresno will be out of compliance with the HHAP-5 service plans developed in coordination with the regional HHAP recipient jurisdictions and submitted to the State as part of the HHAP-5 application.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
The Department’s request to waive the competitive bidding process is consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 as the County of Madera is in a unique position to administer HHAP funding on behalf of the FMCoC to immediately provide Rapid Rehousing and Street Outreach services in Madera County. The County of Madera has a greater understanding of their community’s needs, as well as the ability to leverage existing contracts to ensure Rapid Rehousing and Street Outreach services begin timely. Additionally, the County of Madera is a recipient of HHAP funding directly from the California Department of Business, Consumer Services and Housing and as such, is qualified to administer the funding according to State regulation. The Internal Services Department - Purchasing Division concurs with the Department’s request to waive the competitive bidding process.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The maximum cost of the recommended agreement ($840,000) will be fully offset with HHAP-5 funding awarded to the FMCoC and administered by the Department. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2024-2025 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On March 19, 2024, the Board approved the Local Homelessness Action Plan, including the use of HHAP-5 grant funding allocated to the County and the FMCoC, and authorized the County to submit a joint application for HHAP-5 funding on behalf of the County and the FMCoC. In the ongoing cross-jurisdictional planning to address the needs of those experiencing a housing crisis in Fresno and Madera Counties, the FMCoC identified a need for Rapid Rehousing and Street Outreach in Madera County. Although Madera receives its own allocation of HHAP funding, it is incumbent upon the FMCoC to ensure that the service area, including Madera is provided with funding to address the needs specific to that area. With this additional funding, the County of Madera will provide an estimated 12 months of Rapid Rehousing, serving approximately 42 clients annually and Street Outreach services to engage and provide services to approximately 80 unsheltered individuals and families annually in Madera County. The agreement is for a duration of 3 years, which is the timeframe the County of Madera expects to fully utilize the funding. The County of Madera will determine when to use the HHAP-5 funds awarded, in alignment with the availability and expenditure deadlines of other funding sources.
On March 11, 2025, your Board approved and authorized the Chairman to execute the standard agreement for HHAP-5 funds administered by the Department on behalf of the County and the FMCoC.
As a subgrantee of HHAP funding awarded by the Department, the County of Madera will oversee expenditures, services, and outcomes of the program, and will provide outcomes data through the FMCoC Homeless Management Information System. The recommended agreement deviates from the standard language, as the County of Madera is serving as a subgrantee and will ultimately be responsible for administering the funds on behalf of the FMCoC and the County of Fresno to provide the services. The County of Madera will also be responsible for expending the funds in accordance with HHAP regulations. Any unspent funding at the end of the term will revert to the County of Fresno.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #47, March 11, 2025
BAI #8, March 19, 2024
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Suspension of Competition Acquisition Request
On file with Clerk - Agreement with County of Madera
CAO ANALYST:
Dylan McCully