TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute all documents with the County of Los Angeles and its pass-through agency, the City of Hawthorne on behalf of the South Bay Workforce Investment Board, to receive $3,610,500 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to operate a Summer Youth Program that will assist approximately 1,500 youth ages 14-24; execute all documents with various partners and vendors in an amount totaling $247,500; increase appropriations in the Community Development Grants Fund (SR 150) in the Department of Community Development (CD) by $3,610,500; and execute any needed subsequent amendments. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
On April 6, 2010, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the utilization of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Emergency Contingency Funds awarded to the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) to provide summer youth employment opportunities for qualifying youth. The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) is designed to provide paid work experience opportunities and work readiness skills to qualified youth. Eligible youth may work an average of 180 hours during the summer months, while earning skills, experience, and wages.
To maximize opportunities for SYEP participants, DPSS will utilize the infrastructure of the seven L.A. County Workforce Investment Boards. In March, the Workforce Investment Network (Network) responded to a request from the County to provide program and administrative capacity information to implement a local Program. DPSS recently notified the Network that it is to receive a contract for $3,610,500 to serve approximately 1,500 eligible youth for the 2010 SYEP. Eligible populations will include youth ages 14-19 in CalWORKs or Food Stamp households; eligible foster youth ages 14-19; former foster youth ages 18-24 (transition-aged), living with a relative whose income is below the poverty level; and youth ages 18-24 receiving General Relief.
The County WIB and DPSS will work together to facilitate youth outreach, deploying an automated database solution for the Network to utilize for enrollments. The Network will lead work site development efforts across its four cities, and will be responsible for work readiness training, quality assurance oversight, payroll, and case management of the trainees. To support that short-term need for capacity, the Network will request the addition of five full-time equivalents of seasonal/temporary Administrative Intern-Non-Career H42-45 positions for the SYEP Program. The South Bay WIB will serve as a pass-through agency for the County and DPSS, processing the Network's contract(s) and invoices for reimbursement.
In anticipation of program incentives and supportive services that will be issued to participants, the Network requests approval to establish relevant agreements with the following vendors:
Vendor Product/Service Current Requested New
Contract or Amendment Contract
BPO Terms Terms
Long Beach Transportation Services, $156,510 Add: $157,500 $314,010
Transit such as bus passes 10/1/08- Add: 1 month 10/1/08-
and bus tokens 9/30/10 10131/10
Giftcards.com Supportive Services, N/A N/A $90,000
such as work clothing 5/1/10-
12/31/10
Program and performance
incentives for SYEP participants
This letter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Gary J. Anderson on April 20, 2010 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell, on April 23,2010.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on May 11, 2010 in order to facilitate processing of required documents.
FISCAL IMPACT
The receipt of grant funds is not currently appropriated. Therefore, an appropriation increase of $3,610,500 in the Community Development Grants Fund (SR 150) in the Department of Community Development (CD) is requested as part of the recommended action. There is no impact to the General Fund. An estimated 520 full-time employment jobs will have been generated by completion of the program.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
DENNIS J. THYS |
APPROVED: |
DIRECTOR |
|
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT |
|
|
PATRICK H. WEST |
|
CITY MANAGER |