Sponsor: Financial Assistance Services
Title
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Financial Assistance Services Annual Authority for Procurement Requests
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Recommendation
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Authorize the County Manager, subject to review by the County Attorney’s Office and Finance to do the following:
1. Enter into the following expenditure agreements without solicitation through December 31, 2026, and execute future amendments to the agreements in accordance with the county’s procurement policies and procedures, provided the amounts are within the budget for the services listed below:
A. Contracts in which the county currently provides services and receives payments from external sources, such as health plans, the Courts, other counties, and other parties, including payments for services already provided.
B. Community support programs, culturally specific African American community support programs and culturally specific American Indian / Indigenous community support programs if there is an urgent need for specific services for a target population that was not previously identified through a prior competitive solicitation process.
C. Providers when the Minnesota Department of Human Services or the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth and Families has issued the solicitation for an existing service in the county and selected the contractor or when the Minnesota Department of Human Services has approved the contractor through a certification process.
2. Approve actions deemed necessary for the orderly administration of expenditure agreements through December 31, 2026:
A. Acceptance of supplementary awards or rate adjustments the county may receive from funding sources other than county levy; and execute amendments with funders and contractors.
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Background and Rationale
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The Financial Assistance Services Department provides federally and state-mandated safety net programs and quality services to the county’s most vulnerable residents. It determines eligibility for and distributes benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Minnesota Family Investment Program, Diversionary Work Program, Housing Support Program, Childcare Assistance, Medical Assistance, and Emergency Assistance programs to thousands of county residents. The department is committed to be a resident-centered agency that helps people meet their basic needs so they can live in dignity and achieve their highest potential. It seeks to exceed the expectation of community by increasing accessibility to the critical service the Financial Assistance Services Department provides.
This request for board action includes requests intended to improve and streamline the procurement processes with a centered focus on equity in the delivery of services to individuals. Ramsey County Board approval will continue to be requested for changes in practices, policies, new grant applications or actions affecting complement, revenues or appropriations relating to county levy, while maintaining an open, competitive solicitation process committed to racial equity. This effort increases transparency in how the department collaboratively engages the community during the solicitation and contracting process to meet the needs of racially and culturally diverse individuals, families, and communities.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Residents from communities of color and low-income communities are disproportionately involved with the financial assistance services systems. The Financial Assistance Services Department is dedicated to support community-wide shared goals to strengthen individual, family and community health, safety and well-being through effective safety-net services, innovative programming, prevention and early intervention, while centering equity in the process. The department is committed to incorporating community voice when developing solicitations, evaluation processes and awarding contracts resulting from solicitations. The Financial Assistance Services Department collaborates with community members in identifying needed services, evaluating proposals and communicating the availability of contracted services to isolated communities.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Community members from affected communities will be involved in identifying needed services and in the selection of contracted providers in an advisory role. This helps ensure the department obtains qualified providers to deliver culturally specific services identified and valued by community members that reflect best or promising practices with an equity impact and are reflective of the people the department serves. Financial Assistance Services has an active, formal resident advisory group, Ramsey United, that is often leveraged to ensure department work is responsive to current community needs.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☒ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Funding for these services is included in the 2026 - 2027 proposed biennial Financial Assistance Services Department’s operating budget
Last Previous Action
On November 19, 2024, the Ramsey County Board approved the Financial Assistance Department’s annual authority for procurement requests (Resolution B2024-234).
Attachments
None.