Agenda Item AGENDA STAFF REPORT ASR Control 23-001091
MEETING DATE:	12/19/23
legal entity taking action:	Board of Supervisors
board of supervisors district(s):	All Districts
SUBMITTING Agency/Department:	County Executive Office (Approved)
Department contact person(s):	Lilly Simmering (714) 834-6234
	Frank Kim (714) 834-6266

Subject: Approval of Contract for Public Administration Services

ceo CONCUR

County Counsel Review

Clerk of the Board

Concur

Approved Agreement to Form

Discussion

3 Votes Board Majority

Budgeted: Yes

Current Year Cost: $192,000

Annual Cost: N/A

Staffing Impact:

No

# of Positions:

Sole Source: Yes

Current Fiscal Year Revenue: N/A

Funding Source: See Financial Impact Section	County Audit in last 3 years: No
Levine Act Review Completed: Yes

Prior Board Action: N/A

RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):

Authorize the County Procurement Officer or Deputized designee to execute the sole source Contract with Baetz Strategic Consulting, to provide Public Administration Services, for up to a six-month period commencing on January 1, 2024, through June 30, 2024, for a total contract value of $192,000.

SUMMARY:

Approval of the Contract with Baetz Strategic Consulting for Public Administration Services will support Health Care Agency operations while the County of Orange completes its search for a permanent replacement.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

This Agenda Staff Report (ASR) requests the Board of Supervisors (Board) to approve sole source Contract MA-017-2410706 (Contract) with Baetz Strategic Consulting (Ms. Baetz) to provide Health Care Agency (HCA) Public Administration Services (Services) for a term of January 1, 2024, up to June 30, 2024. This six-month period will allow Ms. Baetz to continue overseeing the operations of the HCA and management of its one-billion-dollar budget while the County of Orange (County) identifies a permanent HCA Director.

Ms. Baetz has been acting as the Interim HCA Director since July 2023, following the departure of the former HCA Director. In that time, the County launched and closed an unsuccessful recruitment for the HCA Director position; a new recruitment will be relaunched in January 2024. The County anticipates it will hire and transition a permanent HCA Director within the six-month term of the Contract.

Ms. Baetz is uniquely positioned to provide these services as she was formerly the Director of the County’s largest department, the Social Services Agency (SSA). Ms. Baetz brings over 30 plus years of experience in human services programs and administrative management to the role; all of which were in the County. In addition, while Ms. Baetz was the SSA Director, she was at the forefront of many existing and new health initiatives involving HCA, such as California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM). This institutional knowledge further supports Ms. Baetz’s qualifications for a sole source contract to provide HCA with Public Administration Services for the proposed term.

The Orange County Preference Policy is not applicable to this Contract award. County Procurement Office staff conducted due diligence and reference checks were completed and found to be satisfactory. CPO staff have verified there are no concerns that must be addressed with respect to the Contractor’s ownership/name, litigation status or conflicts with County interests. The Contract does not include subcontractors, see Attachment B for Contract Summary Form.

The County Executive Office requests the Board approve the Contract and authorize the County Procurement Officer or Deputized designee to execute the Contract for Services as referenced in the Recommended Action.

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

Appropriations for this Contract are included in Budget Control 042 FY 2023-24 Budget.

Funding Sources: State 66%, Federal 10%, Fees/Other 16%, GF 8%

The funding percentages are an aggregate of all funding sources which support the Health Care Agency.

STAFFING IMPACT:

N/A

ATTACHMENT(S):

Attachment A - Contract MA-017-2410706 with Baetz Strategic Consulting
Attachment B - Contract Summary Form