Title
a. Approve and authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer or the Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to sign a new agreement with Amar Forensics, retroactive to February 27, 2018 (date of incorporation with Amar Forensics), with non-standard insurance coverage, for provision of forensic pathology services and autopsy reports. The agreement is a two (2) year agreement, based on a “per autopsy” fee and the estimated contract cost for two (2) years is $848,000.00.
b. Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing officer or the Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to sign up to three amendments to the agreement which do not significantly change the scope of work and where the amendments do not exceed ten percent (10%) ($84,800.00) of the initial agreement amount for a maximum not to exceed amount of $932,800.00.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer or the Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to sign a new agreement with Amar Forensics, retroactive to February 27, 2018 (date of incorporation with Amar Forensics), with non-standard insurance coverage, for provision of forensic pathology services and autopsy reports. The agreement is a two (2) year agreement, based on a “per autopsy” fee and the estimated contract cost for two (2) years is $848,000.00.
b. Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing officer or the Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to sign up to three amendments to the agreement which do not significantly change the scope of work and where the amendments do not exceed ten percent (10%) ($84,800.00) of the initial agreement amount for a maximum not to exceed amount of $932,800.00.
SUMMARY:
The Sheriff requests retroactivity on a new contract for Dr. Azar under her new business name of AMAR Forensics. Dr. Azar incorporated as of 02/27/2018 as AMAR Forensics, and wishes to continue working for us under her corporation name and corporate tax identification number.
DISCUSSION:
In Monterey County, the Sheriff is a combined Sheriff/Coroner’s Office and the Sheriff is responsible for provision and supervision of the Coroner function. The Sheriff provides the coroner duties by utilizing the services of the independent contractor who performs the forensic pathology function for Monterey County. The Coroner is charged with the investigation and the Forensic Pathologist with the autopsy of any reportable or inexplicable deaths and must determine the cause and manner of the death. The pathologist performs all autopsy and post-mortem examinations, which include external examination, internal dissection and microscopic examination. These findings are then compiled into an autopsy report. A team of detectives and deputies act upon any cases requiring investigation or prosecution. If the death is ruled a homicide, the information gathered will be used in future court proceedings.
A forensic pathologist has a very specific and specialized type of practice. Nationwide, fewer than fifty physicians a year chose to become forensic pathologists, and this limited supply of new providers is not keeping up with the need created by retirements and the increased demand for services.
Dr. Azar has been the independent contractor providing service to our Office since 2012. She recently incorporated and is asking for her new contract, as AMAR Forensics, to be made retroactive to the date of 02/27/2018 to facilitate signing the contract with her new legal entity. We are trying to accommodate a contractor who is providing a service that is very valuable to the Sheriff’s Office.
A copy of this Agreement and its Exhibits is on file with the Clerk of the Board.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The agreement has been approved by County Counsel as to legal form and by the Auditor- Controller as to fiscal terms. The Insurance meets the County’s limits, but is non-standard in that the coverage between $2.0 million to $3.0 million comes out of a shared pool. This type of shared pool coverage has been approved in the past by the Board of Supervisors, and the Sheriff respectfully requests that it continue to be accepted for this contract.
FINANCING:
This agreement was included in the FY 2017-18 approved budget. The contractor has been granted a $60.00 per autopsy increase, which will add an estimated $7,920.00 to FY 2017-18 costs. The FY 2017-18 budget amount for this agreement has enough funding to cover the increase. This is the first rate increase the contractor has been granted in four years. The FY 2018-19 budget request for the agreement includes the increase.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This contract meets the Board’s strategic initiatives by providing Forensic Pathology services on a per autopsy basis, which ties the operational costs of the Office to actual provision of services. This helps reduce overall costs to the County, because the County only pays for the services it needs, versus having a full-time, benefitted position.
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
Economic Development
Administration
Health & Human Services
Infrastructure
X Public Safety
Prepared by: Nina Ryan, Management Analyst II, Extension #3708
Approved by: Steve Bernal, Sheriff/Coroner, Extension #3750
Attachments: AMAR Forensics (Provision of Forensic Pathology Services)