TITLE
Recommendation to receive and file the Fourth Amendment to Contract No. 35972 with Choura Venue Services dba Grand Food Beverage, The Grand, Grand F&B, of Long Beach, CA, to increase the contract amount by $325,238, for a total contract amount of $854,367, made pursuant to Chapters 2.69 and 2.85 of the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) and in response to the proclaimed emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
On March 10, 2020, the City Council recognized that an emergency existed and unanimously passed a Resolution ratifying the City Manager’s Proclamation of a Local Emergency and the Public Health Officer’s Declaration of Local Health Emergency due the COVID-19 pandemic. Pursuant to LBMC Chapters 2.69 and 2.85, the City Manager has the authority to approve purchases up to $1,000,000 for goods or services related to a proclaimed emergency.
The scope and magnitude of the response was necessary to slow the spread of and combat COVID-19, including the Omicron variant, in Long Beach and was beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of the City of Long Beach (City).
On August 6, 2021, the City awarded Contract No. 35972 to Choura Venue Services as part of its adoption of Request for Proposal No. HE20-086 to provide meal preparation and delivery services to the City’s non-congregate shelter sites that were activated in response to COVID-19. On January 21, 2022, the City executed a Second Amendment to Contract No. 35972 and a Third Amendment on March 14, 2022 to provide food services to people sheltering in place at the Homeless Services Bureau’s (Bureau) Isolation and Quarantine site in response to the surge in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant, as well as to provide food services to individuals sheltered at the Bureau’s Project Roomkey site. On July 8, 2022, the City executed the Fourth Amendment to add $325,238 in funds to the contract to continue to provide food services to individuals sheltering in place at the Bureau’s Roomkey site until September 30, 2022.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Anita Lakhani on September 26, 2022, Business Services Manager Tara Mortensen on September 15, 2022, and by Budget Management Officer Greg Sorensen on September 21, 2022.
EQUITY LENS
The City has incorporated the Equity Toolkit in this recommendation as requested by the City Council on April 21, 2020. The services derived from this contract amendment were completed in accordance with procurement procedures. Additionally, the services provided under this contract assist residents in Long Beach who have been the most disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, promoting health and wellness among Long Beach homeless residents to reduce COVID-19 impact, risk factors, and mortality among Long Beach homeless residents.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action to receive and file the Fourth Amendment to Contract No. 35972 is requested on October 11, 2022, to ensure there is no interruption to services.
FISCAL IMPACT
The requested action increases the award to Choura Venue Services by $325,238. Expenses for this service are offset by grant funding from the Emergency Solutions Grant, to address the spread of the Coronavirus (ESG-CV). This funding is made available through the CARES Act and Federal Emergency Management Authority (FEMA). As lead agency to administer homeless services grants across the Long Beach Continuum of Care (CoC), ESG program expenses incurred by the Health and Human Services Department are being transferred to the Development Services Department on a quarterly basis where the ESG program funding is currently appropriated. Sufficient funds are appropriated in the Health Fund Group in the Health and Human Services Department and the Community Development Grant Funds Group in the Development Services Department. This recommendation has minimal staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with City Council Priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
KELLY COLOPY
DIRECTOR
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER