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Contract Amendment - MRL Consulting, LLC
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INFORMATION CONTACT:
Patrick Niland, Deputy County Manager, 704-283-3630
ACTION REQUESTED:
1) Approve the amendment with MRL Consulting, LLC, and 2) authorize the County Manager to terminate the Agreement if deemed in the best interest of the County, each in the County Manager’s discretion.
PRIOR BOARD ACTIONS:
February 5, 2024 - Regular Meeting, Agenda Item #24-094 - The Board approved an extension of the agreement for 11 months, with additional contract terms stating that the County would be MRL Consulting’s primary client, that any additional clients be disclosed to and approved by the County, and that any future contract renewal or extension of term options be approved by the Board, with the County Manager authorized to terminate the agreement if deemed in the best interest of the County.
BACKGROUND:
The County Manager’s Office is requesting an extension of the consulting services Agreement with MRL Consulting, LLC, led by Michelle Lancaster, until December 31, 2025. Since her retirement from employment with Union County, Michelle has been an invaluable asset to the County, providing her expertise in critical ongoing projects to help usher those projects toward successful completion. The consulting services currently listed in the Agreement include: assistance with opioid settlement funding, liaising with the County’s legislative delegation at the General Assembly and with the County’s contract lobbyist, assistance with planning and coordination of provider(s) in the Union County Public Health Department Inmate Health Program due to retirements, facilitation and assistance with coordination efforts regarding the potential Union County Jail expansion project, assisting with the Regional Autopsy Center, and other projects as requested. Some of these listed services have been completed or have been updated over time, as allowed by the Agreement, due to changing County plans or priorities. The consulting services are currently being provided at a cost of $6,000 per month, for a total of $102,000 from the Agreement’s effective date on August 1, 2023, through December 31, 2024. The amendment requested would revise the consulting services provided by MRL Consulting, narrowing the focus of the services to one key project: helping to get the new Regional Autopsy Center up and running. MRL Consulting has been effective and efficient in meeting our service needs, and we believe the County can greatly benefit from her services on this important regional project. Because the consulting services will be narrower in scope, the monthly fee for this service is being revised to $4,500 per month. In order to ensure a successful start to the new Regional Autopsy Center over the coming months, we are requesting to continue contracting with MRL Consulting for an additional 12 months. The Agreement currently ends on December 31, 2024; this amendment would extend the term through December 31, 2025.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The anticipated annual cost for this contract extension is $54,000 and is budgeted accordingly for FY2025.