Office of Contract Management

 MEMORANDUM

The Department of Human Services requests authorization to enter into a new contract with the Urban Institute of San Francisco State University for the provision of a program evaluation of the First Source Hiring Program.  The contract will begin March 1, 2004 and end July 30, 2004 for an amount not to exceed $55,000.

Background

The First Source Hiring Program was established in 1998 as Administrative Code Chapter 83 to address the confluence of federal welfare reform, increased demand on the City’s workforce by the economic upturn, and the significant loss of well-paying blue collar jobs during the early 1990’s.  The Program is intended to identify new entry level employment opportunities created through public investment or public action and match those opportunities with economically disadvantaged persons, especially those who are participating in training programs funded through the City’s workforce development system.  One unique aspect of the program, which underscores one of its key policy goals, is that the program operates under the aegis of the First Source Hiring Administration (“FSHA”) which is made up of the directors of the six agencies with significant responsibility for the City’s workforce development system: Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, Department of Human Services, Redevelopment Agency, Mayor’s Office of Community Development, the Private Industry Council, and the Community College District.  There is also an advisory group, the Workforce Development Advisory Committee, made up of representatives from business, labor, community-based training providers and appropriate government agencies.

The First Source Hiring legislation contained a sunset provision terminating the program at the end of the fifth year, in September 2003.  However, the Board of Supervisors has authorized an extension of the program for one year.  The legislation requires an extensive evaluation and assessment of the program to be undertaken to improve the program before it can be reauthorized for a longer term.

Services to be Provided

The Contractor will conduct a comprehensive program evaluation.  This includes both an outcome evaluation component and a process evaluation component.  The outcome evaluation component will look at how well the program has achieved the formal goals and mission, as defined by the authorizing legislation and taking into account interpretation by the First Source Hiring Administration.  The process evaluation component will examine implementation of the program and will identify strengths and weaknesses in processes, making recommendations for program improvements.

Contractor Selection

Contractor was selected through a competitive bid process (Request For Proposals #265, issued in December 2003) that included a written submission and interviews.  Contractor was the highest rated of the six respondents and the only one to score in the exceptional range in both the written and oral portions.  Contractor has extensive knowledge of San Francisco’s workforce development system, having performed the evaluation that informed the legislation for the Community Jobs Program.

Funding

This contract will be funded through County General Funds.

Attachments

Request for Authorization

Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C

Office of Contract Management

MEMORANDUM

The Department of Human Services requests authorization to enter into a contract with the San Francisco In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority for the provision of training for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) homecare workers.  The contract is for the period from March 1, 2004 to February 28, 2006, for an amount not to exceed $800,000.

Background

For fiscal year 2003-2004, the Mayor’s office allocated $1.5 million to the Department’s budget for increasing the wage rate of the IHSS homecare workers.  Due to a delay in the implementation of the new wage rate, $400,000 of the $1.5 million will not be spent.  The Mayor’s office agreed to use this unspent money to fund one-time training for the workers instead of a further wage increase.  This $400,000 of general fund money will be matched by $400,000 of federal funds to provide a total budget of $800,000 for the two years of training.  The IHSS Public Authority, the IHSS Consortium, and SEIU 250 have agreed to collectively develop, coordinate, and offer a series of training opportunities for the IHSS workers. 

Services to be Provided

For the first year, three training tracks have been developed.

Homecare Skills Development Training:  These classes will be offered by Shirley Ware Education Center and Arriba Juntos for any interested home care provider.  The following four modules have been developed: Health and Safety, CPR, First Aid, and Personal Care Skills.  Each class will be offered ten times per contract year. Two hundred homecare workers will complete this training each year.

Intensive Homecare Training:  Arriba Juntos will provide this 40 hour training over two weeks.  This training will be coordinated by the IHSS Consortium and will be provided fifteen times per contract year.  One hundred fifty contract providers and seventy-five independent providers will complete this training each year.

Continuing Education Workshops:  The IHSS Public Authority, with City College of San Francisco, will provide a series of workshops on the nuts and bolts of IHSS, Alzheimer’s/Dementia Awareness, AIDS/HIV Awareness, and Skills for Homecare Providers.  Two hundred sixty providers will complete this training each year.

The IHSS Public Authority will perform all administrative and logistical duties to implement the classes.  This includes setting up a training database, communicating with both the trainers and the potential trainees, tracking attendance at all the classes, scheduling workers for appropriate classes, administering the payroll, reporting on the progress of the trainings, ensuring all vendors are paid, and providing stipends to home care workers for each class they attend.  Homecare workers will be paid stipends based on the length of the class to compensate for their time.

Funding

This contract utilizes 50% general funds and 50% federal funds.

Attachments

Request for Authorization

Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C

MEMORANDUM

The Department of Human Services requests authorization to modify the contract with East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation (EBALDC) for the provision of Individual Development Accounts and monetary management training to fifty foster care youth, ages 18 to 21 years.  The modification is for the period from March 1, 2004 to February 28, 2005, will increase the contract by $213,056, for a new total contract amount not to exceed $521,951.

Background and Services to be Provided

Individual Development Accounts, or IDAs, are specialized savings accounts that provide matching funds to match participant deposits.  IDA programs have rules on 1) participant eligibility criteria, 2) training requirements, 3) deposit/savings requirements, and 4) limitations on use of account funds.  The ratio of the matching funds and the limits on amounts saved also differ by IDA program.  The current contract with EBALDC contains two different IDA programs.

1) CalWORKs IDA – In April 2000, the Department entered into a contract with EBALDC to provide IDAs to San Francisco CalWORKs and PAES program participants.  Each dollar saved by a participant was matched with two dollars from the matching fund, up to $4,000 of matching funds ($2,000 in personal savings draws down $4,000 in matching funds for a total account value of $6,000).  Participants are required to attend the orientation and three workshops and save a minimum of $20 each month.  Use of the funds from these IDA accounts is restricted to 1) educational opportunities or job training, 2) investment capital to start a business, 3) first time homeownership, 4) children’s educational opportunities, specifically through the Golden State Scholar Share Program, and 5) first and last month rent.  Seventy-five participants were targeted by this program.

2) ILS IDA – In April 2003, the Department added a second type of IDA accounts to this contract – accounts for foster care youth, ages 18 to 21, participating in the Independent Living Skills (ILS) program.  The ILS IDA program matched each dollar contributed by the youth with three match dollars, up to $1,500 of matching funds ($500 in personal savings draws down $1,500 in matching funds for a total account value of $2,000).  The ILS youth are required to participate in the orientation, a series of seven financial education classes, individual meetings, and the Monthly Money Club.  The ILS youth can save for up to twelve months and use the account moneys for educational costs, job training costs, and/or security deposits for apartments or homes.  Thirty participants were targeted by this program.

Modification Description

This modification will fund another fifty ILS IDA accounts.  Based on the experience from the first thirty participants, the rules have been modified slightly.  The dollar limits have been increased.  While the match ratio is still three match dollars for each dollar saved by the youth, the limit has been increased to $3,000 of matching funds.  For these fifty accounts, participants who can save $1,000 of personal savings will be able to draw down $3,000 of matching funds for a total account value of $4,000.  Participants are still required to attend the orientation and participate in a series of seven financial education classes, individual meetings, and the Monthly Money Club.  Allowable uses of these funds remain educational costs, job training costs, and/or security deposits for apartments or homes.

Contractor Performance

The original ILS-IDA program provided thirty accounts, for the period of April 2003 through September 2004.  As of January 2004, Contractor had provided orientations to forty ILS youth; 23 of these youth have opened ILS-IDA accounts; and 6 of these youth have already finished saving to the limit and have started expending the funds for the stated purposes.  It is expected that the Contractor will meet the targeted 30 accounts before September 2004.

Funding

Funding will be a combination of State Welfare to Work Match funds and State Independent Living Skills Program funds.

Attachments

Request for Authorization

Appendix A
Appendix B