DATE: August 11, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Joe Prado, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Agreement with Kings County Department of Public Health for Public Health Laboratory Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve and authorize the Chairman of the Board to execute a Revenue Agreement between Fresno County Department of Public Health and Kings County Department of Public Health to provide public health laboratory testing services, effective upon execution through June 30, 2028, total not to exceed $45,000; and
2. Authorize the Director of Public Health, or designee, to negotiate pricing for additional laboratory services not explicitly listed in the Agreement, consistent with the terms for how pricing is set within Exhibit A and the pricing list within Exhibit C.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the first recommended action will authorize the Chairman to enter into an agreement with Kings County Department of Public Health (KCDPH), which will allow the Fresno County Department of Public Health (FCDPH) to provide laboratory testing services to the KCDPH’s Laboratory. KCDPH is currently in the process of constructing a new public health laboratory and requires external laboratory support to fulfill its obligations for clinical, surveillance, and reference specimen testing, including compliance with all requirements outlined under Title 17 Reportable Diseases and Conditions. Approval of the second recommended action will enable the Director of Public Health or designee to negotiate pricing for additional laboratory services not explicitly listed consistent with the terms for how pricing is set within Exhibit A and the pricing list within Exhibit C of the agreement. FCDPH will return to the Board should further negotiations require an increase to the maximum compensation.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There are no viable alternative actions. Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, KCDPH’s Laboratory will need to find another County for laboratory testing services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The recommended revenue agreement will provide a maximum of $45,000 for the term of this agreement, which will be used to offset the costs of providing laboratory testing services for KCDPH. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the FY 2026-27 Org 5620 Recommended Budget and will be included in future budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
KCDPH is in the process of constructing a new public health laboratory. During this transition, the department requires external laboratory support to fulfill its obligations for clinical, surveillance, and reference specimen testing, including compliance with all requirements outlined under Title 17 Reportable Diseases and Conditions.
FCDPH operates a certified public health laboratory with the necessary capacity, equipment, and qualified personnel to provide these services. Under this agreement, KCDPH will submit specimens to FCDPH for testing, and FCDPH will conduct all analyses in accordance with Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) standards, Title 17 reporting requirements, and all applicable confidentiality regulations. KCDPH will have limited access to FCDPH’s Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for viewing results and monitoring progress.
The proposed agreement would be effective upon execution and will remain in effect through June 30, 2028. Under the proposed agreement, FCDPH will bill KCDPH monthly based on test rates detailed in Exhibit A. The agreement provides for mutual indemnification, and no insurance requirements are included. The Department believes that the benefits of the recommended agreement outweigh any potential risks and recommends approval of the agreement.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with KCDPH
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander