Title
Sheriff's Office recommending the Board:
1) Make findings in accordance with Chapter 3.13, Section 3.13.030(b) County Ordinance, that the work requires specialty skills and qualifications not expressly identified in County classifications, in order to continue contracting out forensic toxicology testing services with National Medical Services, Inc;
2) Make findings in accordance with Procurement Policy C-17 3.4.2. (f), exempting the competitive bidding process, with Purchasing Agent concurrence, because “the procurement is for goods where the continuity of providers will provide efficiency or critical knowledge, and other providers of the goods cannot provide similar efficiencies or critical knowledge”;
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Amendment I to Agreement 6850 with National Medical Services, Inc., for forensic analysis and toxicology services increasing compensation by $150,000, for an amount not to exceed $340,000, with no change to the term; and
4) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to approve amendments and increase the Agreement 6850 on an “as-needed” basis during the Agreement term as long as funding is available within the requesting department’s budget
FUNDING: General Fund.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
National Medical Services, Inc., provides advanced forensic toxicology, endocrinology and criminalist laboratory services that are paramount to verifying the cause of death in Coroner cases. Currently, El Dorado County does not have the equipment, tools, or qualified staff to provide these services. It is more economical and feasible to continue to contract out these services.
There are currently no plans for the Sheriff’s Office to take on laboratory testing in the near future even with a morgue being house in the Public Safety Facility due to the amount of equipment and training required for laboratory testing.
National Medical Services, Inc. has been providing selected forensic analyses and toxicology services for the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, Coroner's Division for over 10 years. While there are other vendors that provide forensic toxicology services in the market, we have found National Medical Services, Inc. to be efficient, secure, and thorough with the services they provide. The pricing we receive in this contract is competitive compared to what other counties in the state are paying for similar services.
On September 27, 2022, with Legistar file 22-1558, the Board approved Agreement 6850 with an amount not to exceed $190,000 for a term of November 1, 2022, to October 31, 2025.
This request is to amend Agreement 6850 to increase compensation by $150,000 to meet an increase in the demand for advanced forensic toxicology, endocrinology, and criminalists laboratory services.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to approve this Amendment, however, the Sheriff’s Office would not be able to obtain services under this agreement.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
04/07/2015 Legistar file 11-1191
10/25/2016 Legistar file 15-0394
10/24/2017 Legistar file 16-0981
10/30/2018 Legistar file 18-1630
02/23/2021 Legistar file 20-1177
09/27/2022 Legistar file 22-1558
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel has reviewed and approved this agreement.
Human Resources has been contacted to confirm that there is not a bargaining unit concern with these services.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No change to Net County Cost. This expense is budgeted in the Sheriff’s annual operating budget and will continue to be requested in following years’ budgets.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Please return one fully executed Amendment I to the Sheriff’s Office for distribution.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Undersheriff Bryan Golmitz