|
Back to Calendar
Return
|
| |
Consent-Health & Human Services # 11.
|
| Board of Supervisors Meeting |
Employment & Social Services |
|
|
|
| Subject |
| Approve Department of Employment and Social Services staff purchases exceeding the $50,000 purchasing limit without the requirement to do a request for proposal for a few select vendors (as required) to facilitate the efficient and economic purchase of household items for clients with the CalWORKs Housing Grant. (No general fund impact) (Planell/Drummond) |
| Recommended Action |
- Approve purchases over $50,000 at select vendors as required, without the requirement to do a request for proposals to facilitate the efficient and economic purchase of household items for CalWORKs clients with the CalWORKs Housing Grant.
- Per request from Howard Newens this exception will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (FY 14-15).
- The Department will closely monitor these purchases and report any overages to the Department of Finance on a monthly basis.
|
| Strategic Plan Goal(s) |
Champion job creation and economic opportunities
Enhance and sustain the safety net
Provide fiscally sound, dynamic and responsive services |
| Reason for Recommended Action/Background |
In September 2014, DESS was awarded a $813,142 CalWORKs Housing Allocation to provide housing assistance for CalWORKs families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. With the Housing Allocation, DESS needs to purchase household items for families who have been re-housed. The families are being rehoused as a step in the process to return the parent(s) to the work force in a sustainable manner.
Due to the need of beds for families, couches and other furniture items, the $50,000 spending threshold for vendors has been reached for one vendor and other vendors are nearing the threshold. After researching the available options in each community, Staff have selected local vendors in the target communities with the right combination of low prices, reasonably durable furniture, and free delivery and assembly. In order to effectively use the Housing Allocation to serve CalWORKs clients these vendors need to be located near client homes. Several of the selected vendors have been used for a number of clients and are at or near the $50,000 threshold. Furnishing a home from scratch can be very time consuming and would be even more so if DESS staff were required travel to another city to purchase furniture because a vendor purchasing limit has been reached
The CalWORKs Housing grant was originally designed to assist 184 Yolo County Families. Through January staff has been able to assist 142 families. Staff is hoping that by continuing working efficiently and using resources prudently there may be an opportunity to serve more families than the original estimate. |
| Collaborations (including Board advisory groups and external partner agencies) |
Department of Financial Services, Purchasing, and County Counsel
|
|
| Fiscal Impact |
|
|
| Source of Funds for this Expenditure |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|