Title
County Counsel recommending the Chairman be authorized to sign Amendment 1 to Agreement with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) extending the term through December 31, 2009, specifically allowing for the subcontracting of rare plant surveys.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost: This amendment has no fiscal impact to the County.
Background: On August 26, 2008, the Board approved a contract with SAIC for biological consulting services to support the County in preliminary negotiations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game regarding modifications to our rare plant mitigation program. The amendments are to extend the termination of said contract from July 31, 2009, to December 31, 2009 and to specifically allow for the subcontracting of rare plant surveys.
Reason for Recommendation: On August 26, 2008, the Board approved a contract with SAIC for biological consulting services to support the County in preliminary negotiations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game regarding modifications to our rare plant mitigation program. We had anticipated this phase of the negotiations to have been completed by now and we would have moved on to the formal process of obtaining the necessary federal and state approvals necessary to guarantee that development may proceed in conformance with the program. We anticipated a new contract with SAIC for that phase of the work. Therefore, we included a contract expiration date of July 31, 2009 in the contract. Unfortunately, we are still in the preliminary discussion phase. Therefore, it is necessary to extend the expiration date of the contract. There is no increase in compensation.
Second, ARTICLE VI of the contract prohibits the subcontracting of work without written authorization of the County. SAIC is performing some rare plant surveys as part of their work under the contract. They routinely subcontract this survey work out to a professor at Sacramento State University. This results in a cost savings for the County. I have authorized one such instance of subcontracting and am about to approve a second. Since they routinely subcontract out this type of work, it seems prudent to include an exception in ARTICLE VI for rare plant surveys rather then rely on a case by case approval.
Action to be taken following Board approval: Continue to monitor the contract.
Contact: Louis B. Green
Concurrences: