01-04-2000 - Mandatory Grant-Funded EvaluationTO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
•
City Manager and City Council
Frank J Wills Chief of Police
• City of West Covina
Memorandum
AGENDA
' ITEM NO. B-8-m
DATE JANUARY 4, 2000
MANDATORY GRANT -FUNDED EVALUATION ® PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
SUMMARY: One of the mandatory activities under the Police Department's COPS
Domestic Violence Test Site. Grant is the evaluation of the grant activities
in a proper social science evaluation. The inclusion of the prestigious Cal
State : Los Angeles' Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs as the grant
evaluator helped us get this grant. Given the ' unique nature of these
evaluation services, a waiving of the bid process would expedite the
implementation of this grant activity.
BACKGROUND:
In August of 1998, the, Police Department applied for the COPS Community Policing
Domestic Violence Test Site grant. Shortly thereafter, we were notified by the COPS
Office that our application was .one of the 15 approved across the nation. This grant.
complements and builds upon our other domestic violence grant (from the State Office of
Criminal Justice Planning) and completes the design of our Domestic Violence
Intervention Program. The City Council appropriated this grant (which has no match
requirement) on August 17, 1999, in City Council Agenda Item B-4-e. The City Council
appropriated the grant in its entirety, with the understanding that the $300,000 grant
would be reimbursed by the Federal government over the 18-month grant funding period.
DISCUSSION:
An important part of this grant program (and other grants) is the mandatory evaluation of
the grant activities. Specifically, the Federal government dictates that we spend $35,000
of this Domestic Violence grant on a professional evaluation. The grant rules forbid us
from spending less than the $35,000 for evaluation, making a bid process unnecessary.
Furthermore, a low bid for these evaluation services does NOT constitute the best service
provider —it is the professional reputation of the evaluators that is the most important.
In its application to the COPS Office, the Police Department included the Cal State Los
Angeles' Pat Brown Institute. for Public Affairs as the grant evaluator. The Pat Brown
Institute has a stellar reputation in the field of Criminal Justice research, and worked with
us as the evaluator under another, smaller COPS grant, and the COPS Office was pleased
With the results. The inclusion of the Pat Brown Institute in our Domestic Violence grant
application undoubtedly contributed to its approval by the Federal government.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no local match. requirement for these funds and no impact on the General Fund.
The grant funds have already been appropriated. It is a mandatory grant condition that
we spend this amount on a professional evaluation, or forfeit the grant funds.
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that the Federal grant requirements make a bid process infeasible for the
mandatory evaluation, and a waiver of the bid process is in order.
2. Authorize the Police Department to utilize Cal State LA's Pat Brown Institute for
Public Affairs to meet the mandatory evaluation requirement of the COPS grants,
paid for completely with grant funds.
Reviewed and Approved by: Gtrtyy--�.C^
Margie F. Vucker, Finance Director