DATE: July 10, 2018
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Delfino E. Neira, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Retroactive License Agreement with the Sacramento County Office of Education for use of its School Connect web-based database
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 (contract with a federal, state or local governmental agency) for a web-based database system.
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive license Agreement with the Sacramento County Office of Education for use of School Connect, a web-based database, effective July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019 ($4,300).
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions will allow the Department of Social Services continued use of the Sacramento County Office of Education’s (SCOE) School Connect database to facilitate placement of Fresno County foster youth within the vicinity of their current school. Use of School Connect is consistent with Department efforts to improve educational outcomes for youth in foster care. There is no increase to Net County Cost. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended actions are not approved, child welfare social workers would no longer have access to the School Connect database system, and thereby eliminating a tool that has had a positive impact on the placement of foster youth within the vicinity of their current school.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2018 as it was received from SCOE on May 15, 2018.
SUSPENSION OF COMPETITION/SOLE SOURCE CONTRACT:
The Department requests the Board waive the competitive bidding process consistent with Administrative Policy No. 34, as SCOE is a local governmental agency and the only provider of the software/database system used for placement of foster youth. Based on this information, a letter of interest was not necessary. The Internal Services Department - Purchasing 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 amount of the agreement ($4,300) will be fully offset with Child Welfare Services 2011 Realignment funds in lieu of State funds. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues will be included in the FY 2018-19 Recommended Budget for the Department of Social Services, Org 5610.
DISCUSSION:
Since April 1, 2014, SCOE’s School Connect database has been utilized by the Department’s Child Welfare Services staff to facilitate placement of Fresno County foster youth. SCOE requires agreements to be completed annually and the recommended actions seek to continue Department access to School Connect for an additional year.
School Connect has been an important tool for Child Welfare Services social workers to facilitate and improve the placement and educational outcomes of foster youth. School Connect is a secure web-based database that allows social work staff to expedite the identification and selection of available county foster homes, Foster Family Agency homes, and/or residential care facilities to best meet the needs of foster youth experiencing a change in home. The database helps to match foster youth with foster homes located in an area that will allow the youth to remain in their same school. A decrease in the number of schools attended by foster youth is expected to improve educational outcomes, as school displacement has shown to be a factor in lowering foster youths’ educational performance.
School Connect also provides features not otherwise available to social work staff, including: map-based searches that identify all homes within a school’s vicinity; 24/7 online access; searches by home type; and comprehensive home profiles. Over 100 search filters can be used to optimize a placement for foster children. School Connect’s enhanced search engine helps to find placement matches relating to a child’s likes, interests, as well as, behavioral and medical needs.
The recommended license agreement will be effective July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019. The agreement varies from standard County template as it is drafted by SCOE. The agreement may be terminated without cause by giving thirty (30) days advance written notice by the Contractor, County or the DSS Director or designee. In the event, either party should choose to terminate the agreement early, no amount of the annual license fee of $4,300, paid at the beginning of the contracted term, shall be refunded back to the County. The Department accepts this provision, as the potential risk versus availability of these services, is minimal.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #43, May 2, 2017
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
PD-048 Suspension of Competition Acquisition Request
On file with Clerk - SCOE Agreement
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander