The Office of the Sheriff conducted a solicitation process to obtain a provider for an Inmate Communications Services in the adult detention facilities in 2015. The Office of the Sheriff negotiated with GTL to provide a jail management system, inmate telephones, video visitation, and inmate tablets for a turn-key Inmate Communications Services package. On July 23, 2019, the board of supervisors approved a contract with GTL to install and operate Inmate Communications Services including a jail management system, inmate telephones, video visitation, and inmate tablets in the adult facilities for a total of $1,400,000 GTL has paid the County $200,000 at contract start to defer the Office of the Sheriff's expenses related to facility technology and program expenses, and will pay the County $12,000 a month for cost reimbursement which will be deposited into the inmate welfare program used to provide inmate programs. The GTL Inmate Communications Services package will update and provide new hardware and software across all of the adult facilities for inmate communications. The contract provides for below industry average calling rates for inmates and no additional fees to the general public utilizing the inmate communications services. Revenue generated from this contract will be allocated to providing inmate programs through the Inmate Welfare Fund. This amendment retroactively adjusts the telephone calling rates according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order and California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Rulemaking. The retroactive amendment date is necessary to comply with the effective date of the FCC and CPUC orders regarding maximum inmate calling rates. The amendment lowers the amount the vendor pays the County monthly from $20,000 to $12,000 due to the reduction in calling rates.

If the board does not vote in favor, it will hender the Office of the Sheriff from providing access to certain communication services and would reduce revenue for the Inmate Welfare Fund.  

Speaker:  YWFZ.