Title
District Attorney recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Make a finding in accordance with Procurement Policy C-17, Section 3.4.3, in which competitive bidding would produce no economic benefit to the County for the procurement and purchase of a department vehicle;
2) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to sign a purchase order to a preferred vendor in the estimated amount of $45,000 for a one-time vehicle purchase following Board approval, under an exemption to competitive bidding;
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 budget transfer moving $45,000 in anticipated Salaries and Benefits savings to Fixed Assets within the District Attorney’s budget; and
4) Add one Chevy Traverse or comparable mid-size to full-size sport utility vehicle to the District Attorney’s FY 2024-25 Fixed Asset List, with an estimated cost of $45,000.
FUNDING: California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Victims of Crime Act Fund.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The District Attorney’s Office currently receives funding from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) in support of their Unserved/Underserved Victim Advocacy and Outreach (UV) Program. On December 12, 2023, the Board approved the acceptance of the UV program grant for the period January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024, providing the office with a total of $196,906 in Federal funds.
It was anticipated that the funding would support 2.0 FTE (Bilingual) Victim Witness Program Specialist positions, along with 0.05 FTE Program Manger position and as-needed operating costs to support program objectives. However, the program has experienced one long-term Victim Witness Program Specialist vacancy during the current grant cycle, which has resulted in accumulated savings. The department is requesting to utilize the savings to offset the one-time purchase of an all-wheel drive mid-size to full-size SUV (Chevy Traverse or similar) to support and increase services provided by the program. In order for the vehicle to be eligible under program funding, the vehicle must be received no later than the end of the grant’s liquidation period, which is defined as 60 days following the end of the grant cycle.
Due to the layout and terrain of El Dorado County, public transportation options are limited, and victims within the community are often asked to drive long distances in order to get to interviews or court. As a result, victims and their families are often unable to attend important appointments and receive necessary advocacy and support services from the District Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Unit (VWU). A dedicated vehicle would enable, specifically, the UV Program victim advocate to utilize a trauma-informed approach to transport crime victims and witnesses from the airport or surrounding counties to their court proceedings with confidence and care. The vehicle would also support providing field-based crime victim advocacy services. Field-based services promote direct and personalized support to crime victims who have experienced trauma and victimization. By delivering services directly within the community, the UV program can provide tailored services to victims and address their immediate needs and concerns where they are located.
A designated UV Program vehicle will further increase opportunities to conduct effective outreach activities. This is especially important in El Dorado County where resource access is limited. Having a vehicle will enable UV advocates to reach individuals and communities in diverse and rural areas and deliver impactful information about the variety of services available to victims and witnesses of crime. Currently, the UV program only has one dedicated Spanish-speaking advocate to meet program objectives. Since the department has two locations (Placerville and South Lake Tahoe), the advocate serves both locations and would benefit from access to a dedicated vehicle for the purposes of commuting between both locations.
On July 25, 2023, the Board of Supervisors approved the District Attorney to direct purchase a vehicle using identified grant fund savings under the CalOES Victim Witness Assistance (VW) Program. This request would add a second vehicle to the department’s VWU fleet inventory. The unit consists of a total 11 staff, not including the Special Victims Unit attorneys and investigators. The unit services victims across five different grant programs and is large enough to benefit from an additional vehicle under the UV program, which, as previously mentioned, would be primarily dedicated to the UV advocate to commute between the two DA offices, would allow for additional outreach activities, and provide field-based and transportation services for victims and their families.
Although County Fleet has an existing contract for vehicle with Downtown Ford, lead times for procuring vehicles can range from one to one and a half years at minimum if utilizing the awarded vendor. In researching local dealerships, it was determined that Future Chevrolet is the preferred vendor. Out of three dealerships researched, Future Chevrolet is the only vendor who has the desired vehicle in stock at the most competitive sales price at a quoted amount of $43,881.40. A non-competitive purchase request has been approved by the Purchasing Agent justifying why the process of competitively bidding this particular purchase request would produce no economic benefit to the County.
ALTERNATIVES
Should the Board opt not to approve the District Attorney’s request to purchase a vehicle with grant funds and add the vehicle to the department’s fixed asset list, the County would lose the opportunity to utilize available grant funding that would enhance services provided to victims and witnesses within the community.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
12/12/2023 Legistar file 23-1982 - Board approved the District Attorney to accept the CalOES UV Program in the total project cost of $246,133 for the period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.
07/25/2023 Legistar file 23-1373 - Board approved the District Attorney to direct purchase a vehicle utilizing grant fund savings under the CalOES VW Program.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Procurement & Contracts
Auditor Controller’s Office
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost as the vehicle requested will be purchased via CalOES UV grant program funds. The enclosed FY 2024-25 budget transfer will move appropriations from salary/benefits to fixed assets for vehicle procurement purposes.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Upon approval, Clerk of the Board to forward executed budget transfer to the Chief Administrative Office.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
N/A
CONTACT
Vern Pierson, District Attorney