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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07151997 - SD3 SD. 3 TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: Costa Phil Batchelor, County Administrator CQUrIt y DATE: July 15, 1997 SUBJECT: PROPOSED PRODUCTIVITY INVESTMENT FUND PROJECTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1996-1997 SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: 1. AUTHORIZE the County Administrator to approve the expenditure of $253,675 for three projects: Animal Services Department- "Computer Automation", $112,000 Office of Revenue Collection - "Predictive Dialer", $121,675 Library- "Self Check-out System Expansion", $20,000 BACKGROUND: The Productivity Investment Fund (PIF) is a highly successful revolving loan program designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of departments. Departments may apply for funding of one-time investments which will have hard dollar savings or generate revenue for on-going operations. Loans must be paid back within two years. The program was established in 1986 and a total of 33 projects have received loans from the Fund for a total allocation of$1,450,293 (see Attachment A). CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON July 15, 1997 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS(ABSENT - - - - - ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: Revenue Collection ATTESTED July 15, 1997 Library PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Animal Services SUPERVISORS AN COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR M382 (10/88) BY DEPUTY Page 2 In April, the County Administrator's Office solicited requests for proposals from Departments. Three proposals were received and reviewed by a five member Board with representatives from the County Administrator, Social Services, Health Services and Sheriff. The Board evaluated the three proposals using the requirements and procedures included as Attachment B, and unanimously recommended that the three proposals be approved. The recommendation was approved by the County Administrator and is now before the Board for final approval. A description of these projects is presented below. 1. Animal Services - "Computer Automation". $112.000 The project involves the purchase of a software package, a client server and 13 personal computers and associated hardware, license and maintenance fees which will automate all major administrative functions in the Department. The new system will eliminate many redundant operations, improve accuracy, increase responsiveness to citizen request for services and reduce administrative costs. Automated functions include licensing and license renewal, kennel management involving intake, daily tracking and outcome, spay and neuter processing, finances involving fee payments, debt status and receipt printing, forms and data required for veterinary and clinic services and tracking field activities of animal control officers. Savings will result from eliminating current mainframe computer costs and reducing temporary salaries. 2. Office of Revenue Collection - "Predictive Dialer". $121.675 The project involves the purchase of a computerized telephone dialing system which utilizes the current ORC computerized data base system. The Dialer consists of software, client server and 16 computer workstations and associated hardware, and system license and training. The Dialer is designed to increase the number of debtor contacts made by a collector by eliminating the unproductive time spent in dialing, dialing errors, connect time, ring time, busy signals, no answers, disconnects and answering machines. By reducing the unproductive time spent locating debtors, collectors can increase the amount of contacts and time with debtors and collect more money for County Departments. The use of the Dialer system would place the ORC on a technological par with private collection agencies as well as with many public agencies. 3. Library - "Self Check-out System Expansion". $20.000 The project involves the purchase of four Self Check machines designed for use with video tapes which are checked-out by library patrons. These machines will compliment the already successful book Self Check machines. The machines will be placed in the high video use libraries of Concord, Lafayette, Moraga and Walnut Creek. Saving will result from staffing efficiencies with circulation transactions and the project will serve to avoid future staff additions because of increased workload. • RESOLUTION FOR SUPPORT OF TOBACCO FREE YOUTH POLICIES WHEREAS the recognizes that tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and kills more than 434,000 persons every year; WHEREAS the Federal Drug Administration of the United States government has classified the nicotine in tobacco products as a drug; WHEREAS every day more than 3,000 young persons start using tobacco products and the majority of these (over 90%) are well below the legal buying age of 18; WHEREAS the rate of youth smoking is on the increase, with smoking rates in California youth aged 12-17 having increased 30.8% between 1993 and 1995; WHEREAS a 1993 study shows that nearly 40% of Contra Costa youth are susceptible to using tobacco in the future; WHEREAS the tobacco industry in the United States spends over $6.3 billion every year, the equivalent of over $600,000 per hour, on advertising and promotions to make tobacco products and their use a cultural norm; WHEREAS studies have shown repeatedly that the main target of tobacco advertising is young people; WHEREAS 30% of non-smoking youth own at least one piece of tobacco promotional gear, such as hats, T-shirts, lighters, back packs, etc.; WHEREAS youth are still readily able to access tobacco products either through over the counter sales or displays that make shoplifting of these products easy; WHEREAS tobacco advertising in Contra Costa County reached "near saturation" level, according to a 1993 study; WHEREAS the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and the Conference of Mayors have declared that creating a generation of tobacco-free youth is a public health priority in Contra Costa; be it RESOLVED that endorses the findings and recommendations in the Tobacco Prevention Coalition's report Tobacco Free Youth: Assessing Policy Options Which Reduce Demand for and Supply of Tobacco to Young People in Contra Costa County paper; and be it further RESOLVED to encourage and support local efforts to reduce tobacco advertising and promotions to young people by moving policies forward that would achieve these recommendations. Please return to: Tobacco Prevention Coalition, 597 Center Avenue, Suite 115, Martinez, CA 94553. Fax 313-6864 Attachment A SUMMARY OF PRODUCTIVITY LOANS TO DATE Title Department Amount 1. Microfilming Sheriff-Coroner $42,345 2. Jury Summonsing Superior-Municipal Court 66,000 3. New Payroll System Auditor-Controller 35,000 4. *New Printing Press General Services --- 5. Camera/Platemaker General Services 17,864 6. Automation Clerk-Recorder 25,000 7. Inmate Baking Program Sheriff-Coroner 32,000 8. Boiler Modifications General Services 20,000 9. Water Recycling System General Services 25,000 10. Computerization CCHP Health Services 20,270 11. Freon Recycling System General Services 5,500 12. Case/Mgt. Automation Probation-Municipal Court 27,960 13. Billing Automation Health Services 51,090 14. Desktop Publishing Sheriff-Coroner 5,912 15. Automation"Collection" CAO-Revenue Collection 12,964 16. Desktop Publishing CAO-Data Processing 20,000 17. Voice Response System Municipal Courts 70,000 18. *Computer Graphic Health Services --- 19. Parcel Manifest System General Services 11,584 20. Jet Wash Station General Services 9,576 21. Video Recording System Superior Court 75,000 22. Automation"Collection" Probation-Municipal Court 27,960 23. Audio Video Recording Superior Court 113,000 24. Centralized Jury Svcs Municipal/Superior 140,000 * PTF projects absorbed by the department. ($29,000) and($32,300)respectively. Title Department Amount 25. Library Coordinator Library $50,000 26. Lighting Retro Library 9,400 27. PBX Switch General Services 135,000 28. Lift Program General Services 5,500 29. On-line Budget System County Administrator/Auditor 230,000 30. Electronic Reports Probation 89,000 31. Tape System Clerk of the Board 2,500 32. Homeless Feeding Program Sheriff 14,080 33. Self Check-out System and Library 60,788 Other Automation $1,450,293 Attachment B Eligibility Requirements 1. Organizations ■ Only County Departments 2. Limitation of Funds ■ Not to exceed total amount available in the PIF 3. One-Time Funding • Projects must not require on-going funding 4. Written Proposals ■ Proposals shall be submitted in prescribed format ■ Proposals shall be submitted within prescribed deadline 5. Agreement with Requirements ■ Reporting requirements ■ Payback of Funds ■ Institute the project within 3 months of approval (unless a later date is agreed to by the PIF Board) Criteria for Evaluation 1. Short payback projects have priority over long payback projects. a) Allows for fast turnover of funds which generate monies for additional projects. b) Maximum of two years for payback. c) Priority for those projects which exceed payback amount. 2. Projects which are innovative or significantly improve current operations are encouraged. a) Projects which request funds for an expansion of current operations without introducing changes or innovations in policies and practices or systems and procedures are not appropriate. 3. Projects with a larger payback ratio will receive higher ranking for funding. a) The payback ratio is defined as net revenue increases and/or net savings as compared to investment. b) Gross revenue increases will be reduced by factors not related to the project such as rate increases and increased costs to obtain revenue. c) Gross savings attributed to cost reductions will be reduced by factors not attributable to the project such as service level reductions and budget cuts. 4. Projects with applicability to other departments will receive higher ranking. a) Project with broad applications and transferability to other departments will receive higher priority. S. Projects which are partially financed with departments funds will receive additional consideration. a) Partial financing by departments indicates a greater commitment toward project and frees up funds for other projects. 6. Projects which will have a positive impact on the General Fund will have priority. 7. Projects which have positive impacts on other departments will have priority over projects which have negative impacts on other departments. Negative impacts associated with a project will be considered in determining the net benefit to the County. 8. Interdepartmental proposals resulting in a combined hard dollar savings are encouraged. Procedure for Applying to the Productivity Investment Fund Application Period For 1996-97, application period is April 18 through May 30. Administration of Funds Productivity investment funds are allocated to departments as a no-interest loan. The only- condition nlycondition is that the funds are used as described in the approved productivity investment proposal and are paid back according to a mutually agreeable payback schedule. Funds are transferred from the productivity investment fund to the department once the project has received approval from the Productivity Investment Board and the Board of Supervisors. Prescribed Application Format Investment proposals are competing for a limited amount of funds under strict eligibility requirements and criteria. Therefore, it is of particular importance that proposals demonstrate that projects meet the eligibility requirements and address criteria that the Productivity Investment Board will use to evaluate the proposal. Proposals lacking in these areas will be at a disadvantage in the competitive process. A standard format for proposals has been developed and is prescribed by the Productivity Investment Board. The format includes an action plan, a control plan, an implementation schedule, a proposed payback schedule, a statement addressing the project's impact on other departments and completion of the Productivity Investment Fund Proposal Form attached. I. Action Plan Action Plans are the managers' blueprints for increasing productivity. There will be as many action plans as there are ideas for improvement, however, the plans should include the following elements. a. Objectives - Plans should include a precise statement of expected accomplishments. The objective will be to achieve quantitative improvements such as to maintain or increase number of units processed per time period at a reduced cost, reduced cost per unit, etc. The objective;may be qualitative such as improved service level at a reduced cost, reduced error rates, improved timeliness, etc. However, as the goal is to reduce net cost, objectives must, for purposes of the productivity improvement program, result in actual hard-dollar savings or additional revenue generation. b. Approach - Plans should include a detailed description of the approach to be used to achieve the objectives. Approaches will include such things as: Staffing • automation of activities (word processing, computers, etc.) •. reduction in number of staff performing the activity • changes in working hours (scheduling) • changes in supervisory ratios • methods to increase the number of productive work hours, reduce absenteeism, etc. • incentive pay Facilities •. reduction of space utilized redesign of office layout to achieve operational efficiencies • utilization of non-productive space Equipment • increased utilization of existing equipment • introduction of labor saving equipment Supplies • reduction in usage • substitution of less costly supplies Other • changes in procedures , • forms redesign/standardization, etc. • reduce outside contracting costs II. Control Plan - Plans should provide for a method(s) to measure performance. Plans should: • identify key factor(s) to be controlled to achieve results i identify Indicator(s) of performance a define the data source to be used to quantify the level of attainment of the indicator. III. Implementatiot: Schedule As part of the proposal, an implementation schedule shall be furnished to the Productivity Investment Board. Performance of the project in relation to this schedule will be monitored and evaluated on a quarterly basis. Departments are required to submit a project status report each quarter to the Productivity Investment Board. The follow-up information will be used to evaluate the performance of the funds and will be used to identify any problems in time to take corrective action. IV. Proposed Payback Schedule A proposed payback schedule shall be provided to the Productivity Investment Board as part of the proposal. The payback schedule should relate directly to the action plan and the implementation schedule. Payback schedule will be negotiated with the Board. It should be noted that Productivity Investment Funds expended must be paid back without regard to the success or failure of a project. V. Impact on Other Departments a) A statement should be provided regarding the projects' impact on other county departments addressing such areas as workload, policies, procedures, costs, etc. Specifically, the following items should be addressed: • What departments will be affected as a result of your productivity project? • How will your project affect the workloads of these departments? If there are negative impacts on other departments, what is proposed to mitigate the impacts? b) joint departmental projects should be accompanied by letters of endorsement from affected departments. Letters of endorsement should provide assurance that all involved departments have participated in the planning of the project and support the project as presented to the Productivity Investment Board. VI. Completion of the Productivity Investment Proposal Form Complete all numbered items on the form. If an item does not apply, or it is not available, please insert NA. Item (1) Identify the umbrella department requesting funds, for example, General Services, Health Services. 4 Item 0a) Identify the lowest organization unit(s) which is responsible for the day-to- day operation of the proposed improvement. Item (2) Identify the individual preparing this proposal. Item (2a) Date of proposal preparation. Item (3) Name the individual who can provide additional information on the technical aspects of the proposal. Item (3a) Phone number. Item (4) Primary Control Measure identified in control plan. Item (5) Project the total cost of the current system or process for the next two (2) years. These estimates must include all those patterns of the current system or operation which will be affected by the proposed changes. Item (5a) Project operating costs for the next two (2) years with the proposed improvement. If the operating costs are volume dependent (that is, related to number of clients, forms processed, inspections made, etc.), be sure to use the same measures of volume as used for projecting Item (5). Be sure to consider the delay between funding and implementation in determining the effect of the improvement. Do not include investment cost. Item (5b) Subtract (5a) and (5). Item (5c) Total funds needed for implementing the proposed improvement. Include all monies, including those provided by the department. Also include the charges or estimates of charges for services of other County agencies. For example, estimates for the cost of developing and implementing computer programs by a County data processing center must be included in projects needing such services. Item (5d) Funds requested from the Productivity Investment Fund. Item (6) Indicate the total number of months from the time that funds are approved until the improvement will be fully operational. Item (7) Indicate the number of months after implementation required to repay Productivity Investment Fund. Item (8) Signature of Department Head.