In March 2014 the Public Protection Committee accepted and the Board of Supervisors adopted the “Proposed Plan for an East & Central Networked System of Services for Returning Citizens” (Network Plan). Consistent with the Network Plan, an RFQ process (#1403-078) was initiated for the procurement of Network Manager and Field Operations Coordinator services for the Network Management Team. This process identified three independent contractors to perform Field Operations Coordinator services and a fourth independent contractor to provide Network Manger services. These contractors began providing services in May 2014. Also consistent with the Network Plan, the County Administrator (CAO) developed and managed the contracts, while the Chief Probation Officer (Probation) was tasked with providing oversight of the services provided by the four contractors. This contractual structure with the decentralization of management and oversight functions has proven to be ineffective and unwieldy.  
  
Because contract law prohibits one independent contractor from providing direct supervision and direction of the work being done by another independent contractor, the Network Manager function has not had the latitude to give instructions or implement processes and policies that are integral during the implementation phase of a new project. In addition, it has been difficult to implement the Network Plan in a consistent and coordinated manner across the East and Central regions of the County with three different independent contractors with different abilities and methods of providing the services outlined in each their contracts. Challenges with the current contracting configuration seem to be impeding the ability of the Network Plan to be fully and consistently implemented.  
  
Moving into the third full year of implementation of the Network Plan, the issues created by this contractual arrangement have made it difficult to negotiate contracts for FY 2016-17 that meet the needs and expectations each have expressed, while simultaneously allowing for effective contract management and project oversight. Because of this, no contracts for Field Operations Coordinator or Network Manger services have been entered into for the current FY 2016-17 fiscal year.  
  
The CAO is recommending that contract extensions be offered to two Field Operations Coordinators and the Network Manager for a period of time sufficient to initiate and conclude an RFP process to procure an organization to provide Network Team functions. Mr. Mims was notified on July 8, 2016 that he would not be offered a contract amendment/extension. Today's action provides Mr. Mims with compensation for the services he rendered through July 8, 2016.

Without authorization to pay the Demand, the contractor cannot be remunerated for services rendered.