To: Board of Supervisors
From: Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Report Title: Payment for Services Provided by Trio Community Meals
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Auditor Controller, or designee, to make a payment of $37,395.48 to Trio Community Meals, for the preparation and packaging of meals for older adults, from June 1, 2025, through June 30, 2025, which exceeded the contract payment limit and were provided in good faith.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this action will result in a one-time expenditure in an amount not to exceed $37,395.48 and will be funded by 100% County Measure X funds and is budgeted in FY25/26.
BACKGROUND:
Trio Community Meals has been preparing and packaging nutritious meals for seniors for more than 15 years. For fiscal year 24-25, these services were provided by a contract agreement with EHSD, which the Board approved on July 23, 2024 (C.31.) for the period of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, with a total payment limit of $3,132,067. Subsequently, the Board approved an amendment on 6/24/2025 (C.51.) for the period of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, to increase the payment in the amount of $286,377 for a total payment of $3,418,444.
On August 8, 2025, EHSD received an invoice in the amount of $37,395.48, which exceeded the contract limit by $20,047.92. The overage was a result of miscommunication regarding the remaining dollars available in the contract. The contractor purchased food and provided service.
The contractor is entitled to payment for the reasonable value of its services under the equitable theory of quantum merit. The theory provides that where a Contractor has been asked to provide services without a valid Contract, and the Contractor does so to the benefit of the County, the Contractor is entitled to recover the reasonable value of those services. The Contractor has provided services at the request of the County after the original payment limit had been reached. The Department cannot pay Contractor for services rendered that exceed the contract limits. As such, the Department recommends that the Board authorize the Auditor-Controller to issue a one-time payment not to exceed $37,395.48 payable to Trio Community Meals.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If payment is not approved, the Contractor will not be paid for services requested by County staff and provided by Contractor in good faith.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
This contract supports four of Contra Costa County’s community outcomes of the Children’s Report Card: (1) “Children and Youth Health and Preparing for Productive Adulthood”; (2) “Families that are Economically Self-Sufficient”; (3) “Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing”; and (4) “Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families.”