TITLE:title
Contract Renewal - Community Meals Program
body
INFORMATION CONTACT:
Stephanie Starr, Human Services Agency - Community Support and Outreach, Division Director, 704-296-4302
ACTION REQUESTED:
Authorize the County Manager to 1) negotiate and execute an agreement substantially consistent with this agenda item, 2) exercise any renewal or extension term options set forth in the Agreement, and 3) terminate the Agreement if deemed in the best interest of the County, each in the County Manager's discretion.
PRIOR BOARD ACTIONS:
1) March 2, 2020, Regular Meeting, Agenda Item # 7 - Contract approved.
2) March 1, 2022, Regular Meeting, Agenda Item # 22-175 - Contract renewal approved.
BACKGROUND:
Established in 1972, Union County Human Service Agency's Senior Nutrition Program (UCSN) is available for residents over age 60. UCSN’s goal is to provide nutritious meals, social interaction, and referrals to other safety-net services to at-risk seniors in Union County. Traditionally, this was done through hot meals at one of our congregate meal sites or home-delivery of a hot meal by volunteers. Hot meal delivery has many limitations including dependence on volunteers and food safety requirements that mandate meal delivery within 60 minutes of leaving a nutrition site. This makes hot meal delivery to rural seniors very difficult, and along with other limitations had led to a pre-COVID waiting list of 170 seniors. To meet service demand, we developed a plan to add frozen meal delivery to supplement warm meals. This method of meal provision removes the limitations of hot holding requirements and can minimize staff and volunteer time. UCSN completed an RFP process (RFP#2020-040) and on April 1, 2020, entered into a 2-year contract (#6320) with Bateman Community Living, LLC dba TRIO Community Meals (TRIO) to provide nutritious and tasteful frozen meals to seniors. Using a combination of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, COVID-relief funds, various grants, and County general funds, TRIO has been providing delivery of 10 frozen meals every two weeks to approximately 60 Union County seniors living in rural areas who are unable to access our hot meal sites. Priority for the frozen meal program is given to seniors who report that they are food insecure during the screening process. The current contract is set to expire March 31, 2024. UCSN requests authorization for the County Manager to execute the renewal of this agreement for an additional two years as allowed by the original contract terms. The proposed agreement will run from April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2026, with a total expenditure of $290,000 ($145,000 per year). Home and Community Care Block Grant - HCCBG and local County general funds in FY24 and FY25 will fund the meals. The Senior Nutrition Program has utilized the contractual services of TRIO Community Meals for frozen meal provision since April 2020. TRIO Community Meals has been effective and efficient in meeting our frozen meal needs, and we are requesting to continue this service for an additional two years.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The anticipated annual cost for this service is $145,000. Since this contract contains a two-year term, a total of $290,000 is estimated to be spent. Funding is available in the adopted FY24 budget with future expenditures subject to annual BOCC budget appropriation.