DATE: February 22, 2022
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: David Luchini, RN, PHN, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT: Retroactive Agreement with The Regents of the University of California
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Make a finding that it is in the best interest of the County to waive the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34 for unusual or extraordinary circumstances for the solicitation of services as The Regents of the University of California is uniquely qualified to facilitate development of a Voices Fresno public awareness campaign.
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Agreement with The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of the San Francisco campus, to facilitate development of a public awareness campaign, effective September 1, 2021 through February 28, 2023, total not to exceed $248,400.
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the recommended actions will allow the Department of Public Health to contract with The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco campus (UCSF), to facilitate development of the Voices Fresno public awareness campaign, focused on African American maternal and infant health disparities and interventions. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There are no viable alternative actions. Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, the Department would be unable to implement on a timely manner the Voices Fresno public awareness campaign, required under the Perinatal Equity Initiative (PEI) and would be unable to fulfill on a timely basis the requirements of the funding agreement with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for implementation of the PEI.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended agreement is retroactive to September 1, 2021, as the Department determined that a couple of months would be required to plan for a kickoff event to be held during World Prematurity Day on November 17, 2021. However, following delays in finalizing the agreement within internal departments and additional delays resulting from the recent surge in COVID-19, the kickoff timeline was delayed a few months. The Department worked closely with UCSF to finalize the recommended agreement that was signed by UCSF on November 22, 2021.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
The Department requests to waive the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34, as UCSF was selected as uniquely qualified with the required expertise and knowledge to develop and implement the desired public awareness campaign. UCSF California Preterm Birth Initiative (PTBi) has demonstrated immense experience with perinatal equity issues facing women of color and capabilities to implement a successful public awareness campaign in Fresno County. The Internal Services Department - Purchasing concurs with the Department’s request to suspend the competitive bidding process.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The maximum amount of the recommended agreement ($248,400) will be fully offset by the PEI grant. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5620 FY 2021-22 Adopted Budget and will be included in future budget requests for the duration of the contract. There are no pending invoices for services associated with the recommended agreement.
DISCUSSION:
Fresno’s PEI began in December 2018 when CDPH awarded funding to 13 local county health departments to support local perinatal equity efforts to fill gaps in current services and develop a collective impact blueprint to reduce African American infant mortality. The Department has been able to utilize the CDPH funding to facilitate local Perinatal Health Equity Community Advisory Board efforts to discuss strategies to reduce African American infant mortality and partner with local community-based organizations to implement several legislated PEI interventions. One of these PEI interventions is implementing a local public awareness campaign. On May 26, 2020, your Board approved the agreement with CDPH to accept PEI funds to launch this campaign that would inform the community about African American birth
outcome inequities and drivers of these inequities.
Approval of the recommended actions would allow the Department to partner with UCSF to develop a Voices Fresno public awareness campaign focused on Black maternal and infant health disparities and interventions. PTBi has immense experience with perinatal equity issues facing women of color. Their Voices for Birth Justice campaign has demonstrated their capabilities to implement a successful public awareness campaign in Fresno County and has provided PTBi with a deeper understanding of inequities experienced by Black women, babies, and their families.
With your Board’s approval, UCSF will assist with culturally relevant and reflective messaging, visuals and local voices regarding health disparities in pregnancy care, support and birth outcomes related to Black women and families residing in Fresno County. Some tasks will include creating the Voices Fresno campaign infrastructure in partnership with Fresno community champions, launching Voices Fresno with a virtual open mic event, developing a digital storytelling campaign and webinar, and evaluation of the campaign impact.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with The Regents of the University of California
Suspension of Competition Acquisition Request Form
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #48, May 26, 2020
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander