Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Ken Cole, Director, Human Services Agency
Subject: Agreement with Exemplar Human Services, LLC for Analytic Subscription Services
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing an agreement with Exemplar Human Services, LLC for analytic reporting subscription services and online training subscription services for a total amount not to exceed $250,000 for the term of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.
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BACKGROUND:
Exemplar Human Services, LLC (Exemplar) has extensive experience working with county government agencies and CalWIN; and is the current provider of benefits analysis software used by San Mateo County Human Services Agency (HSA). Pursuant to Resolution No. 075195 from your Board, on May 16, 2017 HSA entered into an agreement with Exemplar for the custom design of benefits analysis software and analytic reporting subscription services and online training subscription services for a total amount not to exceed $522,000 and for a term of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2020.
These services provide HSA with a customized method of tracking the status of client cases and their level of engagement or participation in the CalWORKs Welfare-to-Work (WtW) program. WtW is a comprehensive employment and training program designed to promote self-sufficiency. Unless determined exempt, per State and Federal regulation, recipients must participate in an education or work-related activity for a minimum number of hours per week. In addition to CalWORKs WtW engagement/participation data and reporting, the Economic Self-Sufficiency Division receives a package of dashboards, alert/trigger reports and caseload data on aid programs.
These services also provide enrollment and access to the online/distance Educational and Vocational skills training (ULearn) program to a minimum of 87 CalFresh Employment and Training (CFET) participants. CFET is a free training program provided to CalFresh recipients, who are not eligible for CalWORKS assistance, and helps participants gain skills, tools, and training to find living wage employment
With the expiration of HSA’s agreement with Exemplar approaching, HSA had planned to conduct an RFP for these services this Spring but was unable to conduct the RFP due to COVID-19 and the government response to the pandemic. A new agreement with Exemplar for a one-year term would prevent a disruption of these services while HSA conducts RFP. Without the daily reports and dashboard, the ability to accurately monitor the status of cases in programs (i.e. CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, GA and WTW) would be extremely limited. These reports are custom built for each of HSA’s program areas to meet very specific needs in relation to ensuring benefits and services are issued timely and accurately and are not readily available through any of our existing systems. Without these reports there would be a significant delay in obtaining data to evaluate efficiencies/deficiencies in process and pivot as necessary in order to meet the needs of the individuals and families HSA serves.
DISCUSSION:
Through the proposed short-term agreement, Exemplar will continue to receive, extract, and process data from county welfare systems to generate key performance reports useful to HSA for managing client engagement, work participation activities, and daily caseload activities.
HSA will continue to provide CalFresh recipients with the opportunity to increase their employability via online Education and Vocational skills training. CFET curriculum will be identified by HSA and will be relevant to the local labor market. Furthermore, Exemplar is uniquely qualified to provide the online training services for CFET participants because it can provide customized reporting services using data from the online training environment and CalWIN. The CFET distance learning reporting services will continue to be delivered daily to HSA and is critical for the effectiveness of participant monitoring and engagement.
The proposed agreement is for a one-year term to allow for an RFP to be conducted for these services.
The resolution contains the County's standard provisions allowing amendments of the County's fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
The agreement and resolution have been reviewed and approved by County Counsel as to form.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2019-2020 Projected |
FY 2020-2021 Projected |
|
Percentage of mandatory WTW individuals participating in work related activities |
60% |
63% |
|
Percentage of CFET participants contacted by Exemplar within 24 hours of being referred to schedule their training orientation |
90% |
90% |
|
Percentage of Medi-Cal applications processed timely |
89% |
90% |
FISCAL IMPACT:
Of the total obligation amount of $250,000: $174,000 is estimated to be 100% funded by federal CalWORKs Employment Services Single Allocation; $42,000 is estimated to be funded with 82% blended state/federal Eligibility funding and 18% Net County Cost; and $34,000 is estimated to be funded with 50% federal CFET funding and 50% Net County Cost. Appropriation was included in the FY 2020-21 Recommended Budget.