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Commissioner Brown - DHHS (Social Services Division) - To Authorize Bid Award for Temporary Staffing Services to Career Match Solutions and Vanguard Professional Staffing
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STAFF CONTACT
Angela Karchmer - Social Services Director - 704-862-7930
BUDGET IMPACT
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Funds are budgeted in the FY23-24 budget for payments.
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BUDGET ORDINANCE IMPACT
N/A
BACKGROUND
This sealed bid procedure was conducted for Temporary Staffing Services (Bid #2023-001). Due to large turnover and vacancies, temporary staffing services are used to assist with caseload balancing until permanent staff are hired and trained.
• Purchase and Service Contracts containing federal funds of any source, type or amount, must follow Uniform Guidance (UG) as codified in 2 C.F.R. Part 200. Per 2 C.F.R. § 200.320(b), Section 1: Sealed bids. "A procurement method in which bids are publicly solicited and a firm-fixed price contract (lump sum or unit price) is awarded to the responsible bidder who bid, conforming with all the material terms and conditions of the invitation for bids, is the lowest in price" (eCFR, 2022).
• Bid was publicized on the County’s website and on the NC DOA Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUB) site to meet the UG affirmative steps to solicit from M/WBE. Specifications were also broken up and awarded to two (2) different M/WBE businesses to allow maximum M/WBE participation. This Temporary Services bid was also advertised in the Gaston Gazette. All were advertised as a "Public Bid Opening" that referenced the date, time and location of bid opening.
• Four (4) sealed bids were received by the bid deadline of April 28, 2023 @ 11:00 AM. The bid requirements were divided into two specifications to allow maximum M/WBE participation (suggested in pg. 12, point H of Uniform Guidance Attachment to Gaston County Purchasing Policies & Procedures). Career Match Solutions was the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder for Spec #1 “Legal Secretary” and is recommended for award of this position. Vanguard Professional Staffing was the second lowest cost bidder for Spec #2 “Social Worker III (Foster Care/Adoptions) and is recommended for award of this position. Although Vanguard was not the lowest cost bidder for Spec #2, their emphasis and experience in providing social workers makes them the most responsive and responsible temporary staff provider for DSS’ high demand of social workers. Both vendors are HUB certified. Mark up percentages and bill rates of bids received are as follows:
• Contract award approval is recommended to Career Match Solutions for Spec #1, and Vanguard Professional Staffing for Spec #2, as these firms are deemed to have the most advantageous bids for Bid #2023-001. The contract approval for both agencies is recommended due to the Uniform Guidance statute § 200.321(b) "Dividing total requirements, when economically feasible, into smaller tasks or quantities to permit maximum participation by small and minority businesses, and women's business enterprises"; Specifications recommended for approval are:
Spec #1: Legal Secretary - Career Match Solutions
Spec #2: Social Worker III (Foster Care/Adoptions) - Vanguard Professional Staffing
• Budget estimates for each specification are as follows:
Legal Secretary: $50,000
Social Worker III (Foster Care/Adoptions): $40,000
Total: $90,000
POLICY IMPACT
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ATTACHMENTS
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