TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute all documents necessary to amend Contract No. 36515 with Community Partners, as the fiscal agent for the Mayor’s Fund for Education of Long Beach, CA, for the Early Childhood Education Enrollment Hub program, to increase the contract amount by $300,000, for a revised contract amount not to exceed $900,000. (Citywide)
Levine Act: Yes
DISCUSSION
City Council approval is requested to amend Contract No.36515 with Community Partners as the fiscal agent for the Mayor’s Fund for Education, to expand services outlined in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Hub contract and continue supporting the local workforce’s ability to return to work and the stabilization of the childcare industry as both workers and childcare programs recover from COVID-19, through the ECE Hub and tuition assistance.
On July 19, 2022, the City Council adopted Resolution No. RES-22-0121 to execute an 18-month contract with Community Partners to develop and pilot the ECE Hub program in an amount not to exceed $600,000.
The requested action increases the contract authority with Community Partners by $300,000 for a revised contract amount not to exceed $900,000. On September 13, 2022, City Council voted to adopt the City of Long Beach (City) Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, which included the Mayor’s recommendation to allocate $300,000 toward per-K tuition assistance, technology, and administration by partnering with the ECE partnership. Amending Contract No. 36515 is necessary to allocate the funds according to the adopted budget.
The ECE Hub Program was created as a Long Beach Recovery Act program to develop efficiencies for both parents and ECE providers. Childcare assistance has been made available through the Hub system. Both the tuition assistance and the Hub stabilization supports the local workforce’s ability to return to work and the stabilization of the childcare industry as both workers and childcare programs recover from COVID-19. The Hub increases access to essential early childhood electronic enrollment systems. The ECE Hub is capable of utilizing and allocating not only existing childcare funding streams to the benefit of parents and childcare providers but also potentially harnessing new funding as it becomes available to support equitable access to child care and sustainability and with a shared service model is a critical step to creating equitable access to high-quality early education and creating opportunities for child care industry growth to meet growing needs of families with young children.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Marsha Yasuda on June 5, 2023, Purchasing Agent Michelle Wilson on May 26, 2023, and Budget Analysis Officer Greg Sorensen on June 1, 2023.
LEVINE ACT
This item is subject to the Levine Act. The Mayor, Councilmembers, and Commissioners who have received a contribution of more than $250 within 12 months prior from a party, participant, or their representatives involved in this proceeding may do either of the following: (1) disclose the contribution on the record and recuse themselves from this proceeding; OR (2) return the portion of the contribution that exceeds $250 within 30 days from the time the elected official knew or should have known about the contribution and participate in the proceeding.
All parties, participants, and their representatives must disclose on the record of this proceeding any contribution of more than $250 made to the Mayor or any Councilmembers within 12 months prior to the date of the proceeding. The Mayor, Councilmembers, and Commissioners are prohibited from accepting, soliciting, or directing a contribution of more than $250 from a party, participant, or their representatives during a proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is rendered.
EQUITY LENS
The City has incorporated the Equity Toolkit in this recommendation, as requested by the City Council on April 21, 2020. Providing this action will allow for a streamlined process to efficiently implement Long Beach Recovery Act programming intended for community recovery from the effects of the pandemic. Long Beach residents, workers, and business owners are faced with economic and social impacts that require action and assistance from the City, especially for the communities of color that were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Program data will be tracked by the Program Managers/Administrators and be reported as a part of the LB Recovery Act throughout the program's implementation. For more information, please visit the Long Beach Recovery Act Reporting and Data page: <https://longbeach.gov/recovery/reporting-data/>.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to amend Contract No. 36515 is requested on July 11, 2023, to ensure there is no interruption to services.
FISCAL IMPACT
The requested action increases the contract authority with Community Partners by $300,000. The total amount of the contract will not exceed $900,000. Sufficient appropriation is budgeted in the General Fund Group in the Health and Human Services Department. As part of the FY 23 Adopted Budget, one-time funding of $300,000 in the General Fund Group in the Health and Human Services Department was allocated to support this effort. This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
BODY
[Enter Body Here]
Respectfully Submitted,
KELLY COLOPY
DIRECTOR
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER