DATE: November 5, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Luchini, RN, PHN, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Agreement with RIZE Consultants, Inc.
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 RIZE Consultants, Inc. (RIZE) as RIZE is the only California Department of Public Health approved vendor with firsthand experience and knowledge of Fresno County’s local landscape and community needs with the ability to align training protocols to those of the Department; and
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with RIZE to provide health equity consultation, technical assistance, and training services for the Department and Fresno County’s Community Health Worker Network, effective November 5, 2024 through May 31, 2026, total not to exceed $316,197.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the recommended actions will allow the County to continue partnering with RIZE to develop, expand pre-existing, and provide comprehensive health equity trainings and technical assistance services to contracted partners of Fresno County’s Community Health Worker (CHW) Network and Department staff. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, the Department will not be able to contract with RIZE and no new health equity related consultations or technical assistance will be provided to staff or contracted partners. Additionally, future health equity training opportunities will be impacted since no new or expanded trainings will be developed and existing trainings will not be converted to on-line courses that Department staff can easily access and complete on a self-paced schedule.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION:
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 RIZE has demonstrated they are uniquely qualified and the only suitable vendor to carry out the Department’s needed services because RIZE is the only California Department of Public Health (CDPH) approved vendor with experience in Fresno County’s local landscape, is knowledgeable of the intricacies of Fresno County, and has preexisting relationships with contracted partners as well as the ability to develop or modify resources to fit community needs. RIZE also has extensive experience in developing and facilitating health equity trainings at national, state, and local levels. 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 agreement is fully funded by the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (ELC) grant funds. The total cost for the recommended Agreement is $316,197. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department of Public Health’s Org 5620 FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
Since 2022, the Department has completed an annual assessment for Organizational Equity Infrastructure developed by CDPH. This process allows the Department to assess progress in equity initiatives and competencies designed by CDPH. As a function of building the Department’s approach to creating sustainability for health equity initiatives and embedding health equity within the Department’s framework, the services provided by RIZE will allow the Department to meet criteria and gain alignment with CDPH’s ‘Training, Development, and Support’ Competency for providing opportunities for staff to learn and discuss equity topics and incorporate their learning into practice.
On June 6, 2023, your Board approved Agreement A-23-250 which allowed the County to partner with RIZE to develop and implement health equity trainings and technical assistance to Department staff and contracted partners of Fresno County’s CHW Network. During the one-year term of the agreement, RIZE, in partnership with the Department’s Health Equity staff, facilitated trainings to over 450 Department staff members on topics including social determinants of health, cultural competency, cultural humility, and health equity 101. RIZE also provided technical assistance support to both Department staff and contracted partners.
Approval of the recommended actions will allow the Department to continue its partnership with RIZE through a new agreement to expand on successes of the previous agreement with alternative ELC funding. The recommended actions will allow RIZE to transform pre-existing health equity trainings into online, digital, self-paced versions to be uploaded to the Department’s online training platform, NeoGov, and provide technical assistance to Department staff for ongoing revisions and maintenance of online course materials. RIZE will also develop and facilitate tailored training materials, including training presentations and online course packages for those in management positions including managers, supervisors, and leads for health equity in the workplace. Additionally, RIZE will provide consultation services to Department staff and assist in the development of the Department's Health Equity Plan. These expansions are consistent with the requirements under the State’s Future of Public Health funding Agreement A-22-0875 adopted by your Board on September 6, 2022.
Approval of the recommended actions will also allow for expansion and enhancement of services to contracted partners including the development of an implementation plan for working with contracted community-based organizations (CBO), as it relates to their respective health equity infrastructure. RIZE will also provide direct consultation and technical assistance to CBOs with a focus on the implementation of previously developed health equity plans.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #40, June 6, 2023
BAI #37, September 6, 2022
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Suspension of Competition
On file with Clerk - Agreement with RIZE
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander