Agenda Item   11

AGENDA STAFF REPORT

 

                                                                                                                        ASR Control  25-000830

 

MEETING DATE:

12/16/25

legal entity taking action:

Board of Supervisors

board of supervisors district(s):

All Districts

SUBMITTING Agency/Department:

Sheriff-Coroner   (Approved)

Department contact person(s):

Cory Martino (714) 647-1817 

 

 

Brad Olsen  (714) 647-7440

 

 

Subject:  Approve Amendment Number Six to the Juguilon Medical Corporation Contract

 

     ceo CONCUR

County Counsel Review

Clerk of the Board

          Concur

Approved Agreement to Form

Discussion

 

 

3 Votes Board Majority

 

 

 

    Budgeted: Yes

Current Year Cost:  $1,632,727

Annual Cost: FY 2026-27 $2,340,242

 

 

 

    Staffing Impact:

No

# of Positions:           

Sole Source:   No

    Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A

   Funding Source:    GF: 54%, State: 38% (Proposition 172), Other: 8% (Charges for Services)

County Audit in last 3 years: No

   Levine Act Review Completed: Yes

 

    Prior Board Action:         12/17/2024 #12, 12/19/2023 #14, 11/29/2022 #23, 8/24/2021 #13

 

RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):

 

Authorize the County Procurement Officer or Deputized designee to execute Amendment Number Six to the Juguilon Medical Corporation contract for Forensic Pathology/Autopsy Services, for the term of February 1, 2026, through January 31, 2027, increasing the contract amount by $189,189 for a not to exceed amount of $3,972,969 and a new cumulative contract not to exceed amount of $25,979,349 renewable for two additional one-year terms.

 

 

 

 

SUMMARY:

 

Approval of Amendment Number Six to the Juguilon Medical Corporation Contract will allow the Sheriff-Coroner Department to continue to provide forensic pathology and autopsy services to be conducted by a licensed forensic pathologist as required under Government Code Section 27491.

 

 

 

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

 

Government Code Section 27491 places the duty of medicolegal death investigation under the Coroner’s jurisdiction and authority. The Coroner is charged with determining the circumstances, cause and manner of all deaths described in this statute. Coroner forensic autopsy examinations are an integral part of the death investigation. Medicolegal autopsies must be conducted by forensic pathologists. Forensic pathology is a highly specialized field of medicine requiring extensive training and experience. Forensic pathologists are licensed medical doctors with a specialty in pathology who have continued their education and training to include a further subspecialty in forensic medicine. The requirement for Coroner autopsies to be conducted by forensic pathologists is a nationally recognized standard in the industry and has been practiced by the County of Orange for over 40 years.

 

The Sheriff-Coroner Department's (Sheriff) Coroner Division is responsible for conducting, on average, nearly 2,700 autopsies per year to establish the circumstances, cause and manner of death. These deaths range from homicides to natural conditions where the decedent did not have a pre-existing medical condition, or the physician was unable to state the cause of death.  Autopsies provide evidence of criminal activity and assist in safeguarding public health through identification of deaths related to contagious disease. 

 

Following a competitive bid process for forensic pathology/autopsy services, Juguilon Medical Corporation (Juguilon) was selected. Recent contract history with Juguilon is noted in the table below:

 

Board of Supervisors (Board) Approved

 

Amendment

 Number or

Contract

 

 

 

Contract Term

 

 

Contract

Amount

 

 

 

Comments

12/18/18

Contract

2/1/19 - 1/31/21

$5.3 million

Board approved new contract.

1/12/21

One

2/1/21 - 1/31/22

$2.9 million

Board approved renewal.

8/24/21

Two

2/1/22 - 1/31/23

$2.987 million

Board approved contract renewal and increase of $87,000 needed for additional staff as well as the rise in cost of living.

11/29/22

Three

2/1/23 - 1/31/24

$3.432 million

Board approved contract renewal and increase of $445,000 needed for additional staff as well as the rise in cost of living.

12/19/23

Four

2/1/24 - 1/31/25

$3,603,600

Board approved contract renewal and increase of $180,180 needed for additional staff as well as the rise in cost of living.

12/17/24

Five

2/1/25 - 1/31/26

$3,783,780

Board approved contract renewal and increase of $180,180 needed for the rise in cost of living.

 

Sheriff now requests the Board approve Amendment Number Six to renew the contract with Juguilon for the one-year term of February 1, 2026, through January 31, 2027, as noted in the Recommended Action.  

 

Note that Juguilon's justification for the increase is to maintain market-competitive compensation for six staff physicians, with an increase of $189,189 from the previous contract amount of $3,783,780, to $3,972,969.

 

The Contractor's performance has been confirmed as satisfactory. Sheriff has verified there are no concerns that must be addressed with respect to Contractor's ownership/name, litigation status or conflicts with County interests. The Orange County Preference Policy is not applicable to this contract amendment. 

 

This contract does not currently include subcontractors or pass through to other providers. See Attachment C for the Contract Summary.

 

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

 

Appropriations for this contract are included in Budget Control 060 FY 2025-26 Budget and will be included in the budgeting process for future years. The contract is contingent upon funding availability. In the event funding is reduced or terminated, the County may renegotiate the level of services and/or terminate the contract, as necessary.

 

 

 

 

STAFFING IMPACT:

 

N/A

 

 

ATTACHMENT(S):

 

Attachment A - Amendment Number Six to Contract MA-060-19010442
Attachment B - Government Code Section 27491
Attachment C - Contract Summary Form