DATE: February 11, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Kirk Haynes, Chief Probation Officer
SUBJECT: Agreement with Noble Software Group, LLC
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with Noble Software Group, LLC for risk-assessment software applications and related services to be used for assessment of juvenile and adult offenders, effective on February 12, 2025, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $450,000.
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The costs associated with the recommended agreement are fully funded with Youthful Offender Block Grant (YOBG) and Community Corrections Performance Incentive (SB 678) revenues. Approval of the recommended actions will replace Agreement No. A-19-167, which is expiring in March of 2025, and which is necessary because the Probation Department’s needs have expanded, and the Department needs to replace its current risk/need assessment tools with a more advanced solution.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended actions are not approved, the Probation Department would continue utilizing the current assessment tools, Static Risk and Offender Needs Guide - Revised (STRONG-R) and Positive Achievement Change Tool (PACT 2020), Commercial Sexual Exploitation Identification Tool (CSE-IT), and the Detention Risk Assessment Instrument (DRAI 2.0) for the duration of Agreement No. A-19-167. If the recommended agreement was not awarded to the recommended vendor, there would be significant costs to extend another year with the incumbent that would negatively affect the Probation Department.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The maximum total cost for the recommended five-year agreement is $450,000, with each yearly compensation amount set at $90,000 and is detailed as follows:
• Year One through Three - $270,000 total ($90,000 yearly).
• Year Four (Optional First Extension) - $90,000 yearly.
• Year Five (Optional Second Extension) - $90,000 yearly.
The costs for the recommended agreement are fully offset with YOBG and SB 678 funding and will be divided evenly between these funding sources. Appropriate funds have been allocated in the Probation Department’s FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget for Org 3430 and will be included in future budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
On April 9, 2019, your Board approved an agreement with our current assessment tool vendor Allvest, which allowed the Department to attempt to utilize the M-PACT and STRONG-R risk assessment applications. This was necessary to advance our assessment tools’ development to serve the Department’s different and unique populations. On June 6, 2023, your Board approved an amendment intended to bolster our Department’s training support with the Allvest solution. This was due to high staff turnover and was necessary to certify new staff to be proficient in assessments.
As the current agreement with Allvest is set to expire March 31, 2025, the recommended agreement with Noble Software Group LLC will replace the current agreement. This will allow the Department to shift its focus from the current STRONG-R, PACT 2020, CSE-IT, DRAI 2.0 assessment tools to the RPACT and SRNA risk assessment applications. These new tools fit with Department’s vision for future assessments that will benefit all involved. Noble is a cutting-edge vendor, and these applications are unique to Noble, in that they are integrated into their case planning module, allowing for comprehensive and individualized case plans. In addition, as Noble has previously worked with other agencies transitioning from the Allvest solution, they have the necessary skill set to make a seamless move to their software application. Noble encompasses the tools to migrate all historical data from Allvest to their software application, which the Department views as necessary for record keeping.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #37, June 6, 2023
BAI #43, April 9, 2019
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Noble Software Group, LLC
CAO ANALYST:
Fine Nai