Planning and Building Agency
www.santa-ana.org/planning-and-building
Item # 16
City of Santa Ana
20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Staff Report
April 2, 2024
TOPIC: Spay and Neutering Services for Low-Income Residents
AGENDA TITLE
Agreement with Healthcare and Emergency Animal Rescue Team to Provide Spay and Neutering Services for Qualifying Low-Income Residents
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Healthcare and Emergency Animal Rescue Team (HEART) to provide veterinarian medical services for a spay and neutering program to low-income Santa Ana residents for a three-year term commencing April 3, 2024 and expiring March 18, 2027, with provisions for two one- year extensions, in an amount not to exceed $75,000 (Agreement No. A-2024-XXX).
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: Yes
DISCUSSION
As part of the Fiscal Year 2023-24 budget, the City Council allocated $75,000 for assistance to low-income Santa Ana pet owners with low-cost spay and neuter services.
These services are intended to reduce the unwanted breeding of dog and cat litters resulting in a variety of residual effects in the community.
The City of Santa Ana, through this proposed program, will help subsidize 50% of the cost of spay and neutering of dogs and cats using the City’s approved vendor. The remaining portion will be the responsibility of the resident. Under the program, a licensed pet owner living in a qualifying low-income area is eligible for this one-time subsidy. The program will be in effect until funding has been depleted.
Background and Selection
The Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 23-180 was issued on December 4, 2023, on the City’s online bid management and publication system, Planet Bids, inviting qualified service providers with relevant experience to submit their proposals to the City. A summary of vendor participation and results from Planet Bids is as follows:
9 Vendors notified
0 Santa Ana vendors notified
4 Vendors downloaded the bid packet
Spay and Neutering Services for Low-Income Residents
April 2, 2024
4 0
8 7
1 Bid received
0 Bids received from Santa Ana vendors
Proposals were solicited, opened on January 9, 2024, and evaluated. One proposal was submitted by the RFP deadline and it was determined to be responsible, responsive to the specification, and met the City’s requirements by a selection committee consisting of staff members from the Animal Services Division. Staff recommends awarding an agreement to the sole proposer, HEART. The proposal submitted by HEART, located in Yorba Linda, has a unique approach to focus its services in low-income, underserved communities, working with thousands of pet owners experiencing homelessness and financial hardships. HEART has been servicing different cities and counties with their mobile clinic for over 10 years, providing a multitude of services including pet wellness, spay and neuter clinics, and veterinarian.
Local Outreach Efforts
In addition to the vendors notified by the City’s online bid management and publication system, PlanetBids, Purchasing staff performed supplemental outreach by personally contacting eight Santa Ana and seven Orange County service providers by telephone and email to notify them of the bidding opportunity, provide registration instructions, and other general information about the bidding process.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for this agreement for $75,000 was approved for expenditure in the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Council approved budget. Future fiscal year funding will be included in the proposed budgets for City Council consideration. The following table summarizes the funds budgeted and available for expenditure. Any remaining balances not expended at the end of the fiscal year will be carried forward for expenditure in the following fiscal year if needed.
Fiscal
Year
Accounting Unit-
Account No.
Fund
Description
Accounting Unit, Account
Description
Amount
FY 23-24 01116570-62300 General Fund Planning & Building, Animal Services, Contract Services –
Professional
$75,000
TOTAL $75,000
EXHIBIT(S)
1. Agreement with Healthcare and Emergency Animal Rescue (HEART) Submitted By: Minh Thai, Executive Director of Planning and Building Agency Approved By: Tom Hatch, Interim City Manager