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Probation Department recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Amendment I to Agreement for Services 6151 with Noble Software Group, LLC, to add services and to increase the amount of the contract by $10,450 for a total not to exceed amount of $260,450 for the term of November 1, 2021, through October 31, 2024; and
2) Authorize the Purchasing Agent, or designee, to execute further documents relating to Agreement for Services 6151, including amendments which do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the Agreement, and contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
FUNDING: General Fund.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On March 15, 2022, with Legistar Item 21-1927, the Board approved Agreement 6151 with Noble Software Group, LLC (Noble) to provide software tools to allow for the creation of custom forms and assessments by the Probation Department (Probation) that are instantly available to users, allowing for custom data capture. The Assessment Platform enables integration with current Probation systems and is designed to save time and avoid data entry errors by allowing for single sign-on to the platform, automatic transfer of subject demographic information, and automatic entry of criminal history information.
Probation wishes to add the following services to Agreement 6151:
1) Inter-Rater Reliability (IRR) Training. This tool targets needed training specific to individual staff members. Probation staff would be assigned to classes in a training environment that all see the same simulated interview and then administer an assessment based on the video. Results can be analyzed for individuals, as well as in aggregate, ensuring the ability to spot trends and guide training within Probation. Future training can then be tailored to improve areas of deficiency specific to individual staff needs. IRR Training is not mandatory but can reduce training costs by focusing training on areas that staff struggle with rather than reiterating training that they have already mastered.
2) Lethality Assessment Tool for domestic violence offenders. When a court grants formal probation and/or orders a person to a batterer’s intervention program, a probation department shall conduct various assessments, including a Lethality Assessment. Noble can automate the assessment into their current platform. It is mandated that probation departments complete Lethality Assessments on domestic violence offenders.
Probation has been contracting with Noble for case plan assessment proprietary software since October 28, 2015. For Probation’s initial contract with Noble, Agreement 92, the Contract Request Packet sent to Procurement & Contracts on February 25, 2015, did not require a Request For Proposals and the Probation Department Contract Request Form included in the Packet indicated that Noble’s product had been compared with other providers and had been found to be the best combination of reliability, performance, and cost.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to approve the Amendment, however, the services that are proposed to be added would provide quality assurance tools and further automate mandated assessments.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
03/15/2022 Legistar Item 21-1927
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel, Procurement & Contracts
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact or change to Net County Cost. Funding for these services is included in Probation’s FY 2023-2024 budget and will be included in future proposed budgets as necessary.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Obtain signature of Chair on two (2) originals of Amendment I to Agreement 6151.
2) Forward one (1) fully executed document to the Probation Department for finalization and distribution to vendor.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety
CONTACT
Jackie S. Cook, Administrative Analyst, 530-621-5588