On May 12, 2015, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #26-473-21 (as amended by Amendment Agreement #26-473-22) with SHC Services, Inc. (dba Supplemental Health Care), for the period from April 1, 2015 through March 31, 2017, for the provision of temporary nursing and therapy services at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, Health Centers and Detention Facility. Despite significant efforts to permanently fill vacant positions, the County continues to face a shortage of permanent personnel and per diems to cover necessary shifts in the Health Services Department. On March 12, 2016, the County notified the appropriate unions regarding the need to increase the payment limit of this contract. Teamsters, Local 856 responded with a request to meet and confer over this amendment. While the County has been meeting with Teamsters, the contract term expired before the County was able to amend the then existing contract.
The Contractor is entitled to payment for the reasonable value of its services under the equitable relief theory of quantum meruit. That theory provides that where a contractor has been asked to provide services without a valid contract, and the contractor does so to the benefit of the County, the Contractor is entitled to recover the reasonable value of those services. SHC Services, Inc. provided services at the request of the County after the original contract payment limit had been reached. Therefore, the Department is requesting the amount due to the Contractor be paid in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 for services rendered through March 31, 2017.
If the requested action is not approved, the Contractor will not be paid for services provided through March 31, 2017.