Title
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Make findings pursuant to Section 3.13.030 (B) of the El Dorado County Ordinance, Contracting Out, that the customized daily production and case management reports provided by Exemplar Analytics Corp, (Exemplar) requires specialty skills and qualifications not expressly identified in County classifications are involved in the performance of the work;
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Agreement for Services 9712 with Exemplar in the amount of $576,000 and effective upon execution through September 30, 2028;
3) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute amendments relating to Agreement 9712, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, which do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the Agreement; and
4) Authorize the HHSA Director, or the Chief Assistant Director, to execute programmatic, administrative, and fiscal documents relating to Agreement 9712.
FUNDING: 56% California Providing Access and Transforming Health, Justice Involved (PATH-JI) Planning and Capacity Building Program; 44% Federal/State Medi-Cal.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The HHSA Self Sufficiency program is responsible for administering the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), hereinafter referred to as “CW,” Welfare to Work (WtW), CalFresh (CF) and Medi-Cal (MC) programs using the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWs). Staff are able to track their caseloads using the integrated reports in CalSAWs; however, most reports are updated on a monthly basis with case data that can be thirty days or more in arrears and overdue. With the strict processing time frames of CW, WtW, CF and MC, Self Sufficiency requires a reliable system to effectively monitor mandated program requirements, including timely processing of status reports, redetermination of eligibility, and various caseload tasks related to the administration of the programs.
Self Sufficiency staff began reviewing Exemplar’s products and services in October 2023, after receiving positive feedback on Exemplar reports from other counties at the 2023 County Welfare Directors Association Conference. HHSA engaged County’s Information Technologies (IT) Department to perform a technical and security review of the Exemplar reporting service software and IT provided their approval in May 2025.
Under the terms of the recommended agreement, Exemplar will provide the Self Sufficiency Division with customized reporting tools and services through their proprietary software. Exemplar’s proprietary reporting tools directly interfaces with CalSAWs and will provide HHSA with a customizable solution for tracking the production workflow and overall casework management infrastructure. As a single-point solution for multiple data points, Exemplar’s near real-time data analytics will allow management to identify inefficiencies in production, delayed reactions to production issues, and incorrect allocation of staff resources, while also minimizing audit and regulatory compliance exposure eliminating data visibility issues and strengthening capabilities to track state and federal mandates for delivery of services and benefits. Exemplar reports will also provide Self Sufficiency staff real-time case status information that can be used to prioritize case processing and avoid future sanctions by ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations related to processing time frames for CW, WtW, CF, and MC.
HHSA recommends the Board approve this reporting tool system based on its overall benefits and due to anticipated improved outcomes for Self Sufficiency’s entitlement population. In accordance with Board of Supervisors Procurement Policy C-17, this Agreement is exempt from competitive bidding, per Section 3.5, Specific Exemptions and Written Findings of Fact, as it is for the provision of Exemplar’s proprietary reporting software. Exemplar is currently contracted with 16 other counties to provide performance management design and analytical services and will be compatible with the CalSAWs system used by HHSA staff, ensuring consistency of the performance outcome data that HHSA must track and report to the state.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, HHSA will be unable to contract with Exemplar for use of this proprietary tool. HHSA management would continue to monitor production workflow using the existing CalSAWS data reporting which may result in incorrect allocation of staff resources, inefficiencies, data quality control errors, and compliance failures resulting in potential audit findings and Corrective Action Plans.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel, Human Resources, Information Technologies, and Risk Management. The Auditor Controller was notified of this Agreement in accordance with Policy B-12.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this agenda item. Appropriations for this project were included in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget and will be included in future budgets for the terms of the Agreement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS:
Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on one original Agreement for Services 9712.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT:
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency