Agenda Item Name:
Title
Advance Approval (contract not received) of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) 2020-21 Grant Contract, Waiver of Board Resolution 2014-33 Relating to Contractual Indemnification, and agree to the State owning any Intellectual Property (IP) developed under the contract and thereby waive County IP policy
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Presenter:
Claudia Tuck, 352-231-0058
Description:
The VOCA grant is administered by the State of Florida, Office of Attorney General (OAG). The OAG has indicated a contract for FY 20-21 funding is forthcoming but has not yet been received. In prior years, the contract is effective upon full execution and does not permit retroactive reimbursements. Therefore, we recommend advance approval of the contract subject to staff and County Attorney review. Last year’s contract (attached for reference), Article 23 (page 11) transfers ownership of any Intellectual Property (IP) developed under the agreement to the State of Florida. Additionally, Article 24 (pages 11 and 12) of the grant contract contains language regarding indemnification which if agreed to requires Alachua County to waive its sovereign immunity contrary to Florida State Statute 768.28 (19) and in conflict with Board Resolution 2014-33. Last year, the OAG agreed to modify the agreement. The OAG has also indicated grant amounts will be increased due to changes in the processing of victim relocation expenses. The FY 2019-20 grant totaled $458,976. Although details have not been announced, the OAG expects awardee’s to process these payments and then seek reimbursement through the grant.
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Request advance approval of (1) the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) 2020-21 grant contract in an amount to be determined subject to staff and County Attorney review, (2) approve an inter-fund loan in the amount of $100,000, (3) waive the County IP policy, and (4) as necessary waive Board Resolution 2014-33.
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Prior Board Motions:
n/a
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
FY21 has $454,222 budgeted in VOCA Grant Fund 018, various accounts. After October 1, Staff will submit a budget amendment to the board in order to increase or decrease amount between the budget and award amount.
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Background:
The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners Victim Services & Rape Crisis Center's Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant award was renewed for FY2020-21. The program has been the recipient of the VOCA grant since 1986. The VOCA grant provides funding for 6.75 FTE's (Victim Advocate Counselors) to support and assist victims of violent and traumatic crime in Alachua, Bradford and Union Counties with the following services; 24/7 response to sexual assault victims at the hospital or law enforcement agency, crisis counseling, information on victims’ rights, information on local medical, legal and therapeutic remedies, and criminal justice advocacy. The FY2020-21 VOCA grant includes 2.0 FTE’s who are bilingual in English and Spanish to better reach victims of crime whose primary language is Spanish. The VOCA grant also allows the division to contract with therapy services in Bradford and Union Counties to allow crime victims to receive mental health counseling. The VOCA grant covers the expenses of advanced training for staff and operating. The division has been providing certified rape crisis response services to Bradford and Union Counties since 2006.