Sponsor: Social Services
Title
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Amendment to the Single Source Agreement with 4Mativ Technologies, Inc. for Foster Care Student Transportation Management Services
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Recommendation
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1. Approve an amendment to the single source agreement with 4MATIV Technologies, Inc. to add additional transportation management, vendor coordination, routing, and technology services and to extend the term of the agreement for the period of July 01, 2023, through August 31, 2026, in the not to exceed amount of $1,746,000.
2. Authorize the Chair and the Chief Clerk to execute the amendment.
3. Authorize the County Manager to execute amendments to the agreement in accordance with the county’s procurement policies and procedures, provided the amounts are within the limits of available funding.
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Background and Rationale
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Ramsey County Social Services, through its Children and Family Services division, is required to ensure educational stability for children and youth in foster care. Under the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act (2008) and Every Student Succeeds Act (2015), child welfare agencies and schools must collaborate to maintain a student’s school of origin when it is in the student’s best interest and ensure immediate and continued transportation to the school of origin when a student enters foster care or changes placement. This work is essential for minimizing school disruption, maintaining peer and staff relationships, supporting cultural and community connection, and promoting overall well-being for youth.
Since 2023, 4MATIV Technologies, Inc. (4MATIV) has supported Ramsey County by coordinating and dispatching transportation services for foster youth. Under the current agreement, the county separately contracted with and paid transportation vendors, while 4MATIV handled routing and communication.
This amendment updates the service model. Under the amended agreement, 4MATIV will continue to provide routing, scheduling, communication, and customer service, but will also subcontract directly with transportation vendors and consolidate vendor billing. The county will receive one monthly invoice from 4MATIV, which will include the audited and verified pass-through vendor costs. The county will pay a fixed management and technology fee, as well as a flat, per-route rate. This creates predictability, supports cost containment, and incentivizes the contractor to use the most efficient routing and vendor assignment possible.
The increased not-to-exceed amount of $1,746,000 reflects:
• Consolidation of vendor billing under one contract.
• Anticipated transportation volume through August 2026.
• The inclusion of technology management, data reporting, and customer service functions previously managed separately.
Transitioning to this model reduces administrative burden for county staff, strengthens accountability in billing and oversight, and supports consistent school access for children in foster care. This structure positions the county to better meet its statutory school stability obligations while controlling cost variability and improving reliability of transportation services.
It is the Social Services Department’s intention to utilize the additional services offered by 4Mative to save money through the end of the 2025/2026 school year. The Social Services Department intends to utilize this time to post a Request for Proposals for the same or similar services to ensure continued competition for county business.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☐ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Children and youth in foster care are disproportionately children of color, particularly African American and American Indian youth. These disparities reflect broader, systemic inequities in child welfare involvement, housing stability, and access to culturally responsive supports.
Educational stability is a critical factor in reducing disproportionality and inequities. When children experience school disruptions due to placement changes or transportation barriers, they face compounded academic setbacks and emotional stress. Consistent and reliable transportation helps sustain school connections, peer relationships, and access to culturally affirming environments - factors that promote belonging, resilience, and long-term wellbeing.
This amendment strengthens the county’s ability to meet its statutory education stability obligations. By consolidating vendor management and integrating real-time routing and communication systems, the county can reduce gaps in service delivery that disproportionately impact youth of color and ensure equitable, timely access to education for all foster youth.
The new model also allows for improved data tracking, enabling the county to identify and address racial inequities in transportation access, delays, or service quality. In this way, the agreement advances the county’s broader racial equity and wellbeing goals by ensuring operational systems actively support equitable outcomes rather than perpetuate administrative barriers.
Community Participation Level and Impact
The county has engaged internal teams, caregivers, and school partners to identify transportation needs and barriers. Engagement will continue throughout implementation.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Funds for this agreement are included in the Ramsey County Social Services budget for 2026-2027. The not-to-exceed amount for the amended agreement is $1,746,000 through June 30, 2026.
Under the previous model, the county paid 4MATIV an administrative fee and contracted separately with multiple transportation vendors. Under this amendment, vendor management and payment will be consolidated under 4MATIV, reducing the administrative workload and improving cost tracking. Based on efficiencies gained through centralized routing, technology integration, and vendor oversight, the county anticipates greater cost stability and the potential for overall savings compared to managing multiple individual vendor contracts.
Last Previous Action
On June 27, 2023, the Ramsey County Board approved the agreement with 4MATIV for transportation coordination and dispatching services (Resolution B2023-094).
Attachments
1. Amendment to Agreement