Title
Department of Human Services requesting authorization to issue a Request for Information (RFI) to identify interested providers in the community and their potential capacity to provide Senior Nutrition Program services at a level equivalent to the current services being provided by the Department. (Est. Time: 15 Min.)
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost:
None. There is no funding related to this agenda item. Possible future costs are dependent upon Board direction.
Background:
The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors was officially designated as the governing body of Planning and Service Area (PSA) 29 of El Dorado County by the California Department of Aging in December 1979. The El Dorado County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) is the office designated by the Board of Supervisors to carry out the daily functions and activities required under the Older Americans Act within PSA 29 and as a unit of local County government the AAA operates within the Department of Human Services (DHS). The Senior Nutrition Program provides Congregate Nutrition Services and Home Delivered Nutrition Services as described in the Older Americans Act within El Dorado County.
Reason for Recommendation:
The El Dorado County Area Agency on Aging has been a direct provider of Senior Nutrition Program services since 1980. Some PSAs throughout the State are not direct providers of Senior Nutrition Program services, opting instead to contract a few or all of the services to one or more sub-contractors. DHS currently provides congregate meals five days per week at seven meal sites and warm home delivered meals five days per week countywide. Frozen home delivered meals are delivered on Thursday and Friday for weekends.
The total FY 2010-11 budget for Senior Nutrition Program services is $1,367,841 with a net County cost of $615,001, of which $121,269 is required matching funds. The following is a comparison of average meal donations and cost per meal information provided by the California Department of Aging and various PSAs:
Average per Meal Contribution
FY 2008-09
Statewide* County of El Dorado
Congregate $1.49 $1.61
Home-Delivered $0.83 $1.63
*Contribution rates per California Department of Aging
Entity Average Meal cost Provider of Sr. Nutrition Services
Statewide $8.79 Varies
El Dorado $8.03 County
Yolo $8.61 County/Private Collaboration
Sacramento $8.00 Contractor
Humboldt $8.19 Contractors (3)
Auburn (Placer Co.) $9.50 Contractor
Merced $9.00 Contractor
In an effort to ensure that the Senior Nutrition Program is being provided in the most cost effective manner, DHS has prepared a Request for Information (RFI) to explore the possibility of contracting out meal services. At this time it is unknown if there are interested providers with the capacity to provide Senior Nutrition Program services at a lesser cost than the current service, minus the administrative costs of contract monitoring. Administrative oversight of the program would continue to be provided by DHS.
Action to be taken following Board approval
1. DHS will work with Procurement and Contracts to issue the RFI and receive and evaluate responses.
2. DHS will return to the Board with the results of the RFI and any additional information sought by the Board for direction regarding the issuance of a Request for Proposal.
Contact: Daniel Nielson, 642-7275
Concurrences: N/A