Life Enrichment Committee
March 24, 2026
6 AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Dr. Jason H. Lester
City Administrator HSD Director
SUBJECT: Citywide Cooperative Agreements DATE: February 23, 2026
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Approving, In Accordance With City Council Budget Appropriations And Allocations As Adopted By The Fiscal Year 2025-27 Budget, Ongoing Cooperative Purchase Agreements Exceeding $250,000 For Citywide Commodities And Services Contracts As Set Forth In Table 1 In An Amount Not To Exceed Two Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,900,000.00).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Human Services Department (HSD) and Oakland Parks, Recreation & Youth Development (OPRYD) provide direct services to Oaklanders including a large number of Oakland youth through programs such as Early Childhood and Family Services Summer Camps, and After School Programs. Youth programs often provide food and activity supplies. Children in early childhood education programs receive two meals and a snack daily.
The Finance Department’s Purchasing Unit is responsible for procuring commodity goods and services that support the operation of City departments. These commodity goods and services are commonly procured through cooperative agreements, as provided for under Oakland Municipal Code (OMC) 2.04.080. OMC 2.04.080 provides broad authority for the City Administrator to efficiently procure goods and services through cooperative agreements. These agreements are sometimes referred to as “piggyback contracts” as they allow the City to take advantage of other governmental entities’ competitive procurements. This contracting approach is intended to provide cost-effective pricing while reducing procurement timelines and administrative requirements.
OMC 2.04.080 sets no limit on the dollar threshold of cooperative agreements that may be entered into by the City Administrator. The proposed recommendation would align practices for existing cooperative agreements with OMC 2.04.020, which authorizes the City Administrator to enter into contracts up to $250,000. Existing cooperative agreements in excess of this amount are presented for City Council approval, along with proposed increases.
Jestin Johnson (Mar 10, 2026 19:35:04 PDT)
Mar 10, 2026
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Citywide Cooperative Agreement
Date: February 23, 2026 Page 2
Life Enrichment Committee
March 24, 2026
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
City Council adopted Resolution 90212 C.M.S on May 7, 2024, Resolution 90007 C.M.S. on December 5, 2023 and Resolution 89845 C.M.S. on July 18, 2023, approving ongoing cooperative agreements exceeding $250,000 for commodities and services contracts. Oakland Parks, Recreation & Youth Development (OPRYD) and Human Services Department (HSD) provide programs and services for Oakland’s youth including Early Childhood and Family Services, Summer Camps, and Afterschool Programs. OPRYD and HSD share contracts for purchasing supplies such as food and learning supplies. The costs of these supplies will exceed $250,000 over multiple years of purchasing.
Historically, cooperative agreements have not been presented for City Council approval with the understanding that they are authorized under OMC 2.04.080. Approval of these agreements by City Council would confirm their authorization and increase transparency for this contracting mechanism.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
HSD and OPRYD provide direct services to Oaklanders including a large number of Oakland youth through programs such as Headstart, Summer Camps, and After School Programs.
Youth programs often provide food and activity supplies. It is efficient for HSD and OPRYD to work together to procure vendors to provide goods and services to meet the program needs.
The Finance Department’s Purchasing Unit utilizes cooperative agreements as a cost-effective and efficient means to acquire commodity goods and services. Cooperative agreements, by nature, offer volume discounts because the vendor has agreed to offer their bid price to multiple public agencies. Accordingly, the use of cooperative agreements allows the City to access commodities and services at lower prices, which results in significant cost savings for the City.
The US Foods, Inc. and School Specialty, LLC cooperative agreement contracts serve multiple City departments. The requested actions include both approval of these contracts and additional contract funding.
Staff recommends approval of the proposed resolution to allow for uninterrupted operations citywide. If the proposed resolution is not approved, the Finance Department’s Purchasing Unit would have to conduct a series of individual solicitations for similar commodities, which would likely delay business operations for departments across the city. Approval of the proposed resolution would support HSD and OPRYD’s program needs for participant food and program supplies and the contracts would be available for other City departments to utilize as needed.
Approval of the proposed resolution would support holistic community safety by supporting operations of HSD and OPRYD programs for Oaklanders including Oakland youth.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Citywide Cooperative Agreement
Date: February 23, 2026 Page 3
Life Enrichment Committee
March 24, 2026
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding is available in the FY 2025-27 Budget in OPRYD and HSD departmental accounts across multiple funds. Departments may only access these contracts subject to the availability of Council-authorized appropriations. The contract increase will be absorbed within existing funding budgeted in the following funding codes:
• Measure HH (SSBDT) Fund (1030); Area Two: Administration Organization (503110); Recreation, Cultural Civic Program (NB03); and DP5000 Administrative Project (1000012)
• OPRCA Self Sustaining Revolving Fund (1820); Area Two: Administration Organization (503110); Recreation, Cultural Civic Program (NB03); and DP5000 Administrative Project (1000012)
• Department of Health and Human Services Fund (2128); HS Classroom and Seasonal Organization (78231); Strengthening Children, Youth and Families Program (YS13); and FY 2025-27 Head Start/Early Head Start Basic Projects (1007666, 1007667, 1007674, 1007675)
• Department of Agriculture Fund (2102); HS Classroom and Seasonal Organization (78231); Strengthening Children, Youth and Families Program (YS13); and Head Start FY 2025-27 CCFP Projects (1007670, 1007678)
• California Department of Education Fund (2138); HS Classroom and Seasonal Organization (78231); Youth and Families Program (YS13); and Head Start FY 2025-27 CSPP Projects (1007672, 1007680)
• State of California Other Fund (2159); HS Classroom and Seasonal Organization (78231); Youth and Families Program (YS13); and Early Head Start FY 2025-27 CCTR Projects (1007673, 1007681)
• Measure AA - First 5 Fund (2264); HS Classroom and Seasonal Organization (78231); Youth and Families Program (YS13); and Head Start/Early Head Start Measure AA FY 2025-27 Projects (1007682, 1007683, 1007684, 1007685)
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No outreach was deemed necessary for the proposed policy action other than what was already conducted during the FY 2025-27 Budget process.
COORDINATION
HSD and OPRYD prepared the requested action. This report and resolution were reviewed by the Office of the City Attorney and Budget Bureau.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: The Finance Department’s Purchasing Unit utilizes cooperative agreements as a cost-effective and efficient means to acquire commodity goods and services. Cooperative Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Citywide Cooperative Agreement
Date: February 23, 2026 Page 4
Life Enrichment Committee
March 24, 2026
agreements, by nature, offer volume discounts because the vendor has agreed to offer their bid price to multiple public agencies.
Environmental: There are no significant environmental opportunities associated with this report.
Race & Equity: Resources gained from cooperative agreements will support HSD and OPRYD programs that serve Oaklanders with an emphasis on Oakland children and youth. As the City’s budgeted activities increasingly prioritize race and equity, these agreements for goods and services support that mission.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Approving, In Accordance With City Council Budget Appropriations And Allocations As Adopted By The Fiscal Year 2025-27 Budget, Ongoing Cooperative Purchase Agreements Exceeding $250,000 For Citywide Commodities And Services Contracts As Set Forth In Table 1 In An Amount Not To Exceed Two Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars ($2,900,000.00).
For questions regarding this report, please contact SARAH TRIST, PROGRAM OPERATIONS MANAGER at 510-604-5866 or SARAH HERBELIN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR at 510-238-3095.
Respectfully submitted,
Dr. Jason H. Lester
Director, Human Services Department
Reviewed by:
Sarah Trist
Program Operations Manager, HSD
Prepared by:
Sarah Herbelin
Assistant Director, OPRYD
Attachments (1):
Attachment A -Table 1: Citywide Ongoing Cooperative Purchase Agreements
Jason Lester (Mar 4, 2026 12:11:40 PST)