To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Grant Colfax, Health Services Director
Report Title: Payment for Services Provided by United Language Group, Inc.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Auditor-Controller, or designee, to pay $150,000 to United Language Group, Inc., for translation services of written documents provided to the County’s Health Services Department (HSD), for the months of September 2025 through November 30, 2025, as recommended by the Health Services Director.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this payment will result in a one-time expenditure of up to $150,000 and will be funded 100% by Hospital Enterprise Fund I revenues.
BACKGROUND:
This Contract meets the social needs of County’s population by providing translation services of written documentation for County’s Health Services Department including but not limited to Contra Costa Health Plan notifications, description of benefits, patient information and medical records. The Health Services Department is mandated to provide written documents in threshold languages for County’s patients. Contractor has been providing these services since December 1, 2019.
This Contract was entered into under and subject to the following legal authorities: California Government Code §§ 26227 and 31000; Health and Safety Code § 1451. The HSD Quality Management, Utilization Management and Contract Monitor Staff meet on a regular basis to ensure monitoring and performance. This Contract was approved by Health Services Personnel to ensure there is no conflict with labor relations.
On November 29, 2022, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract #23-668-1 with United Language Group, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $705,000, for the provision of translating written documents for County’s HSD for the period December 1, 2022 through November 30, 2025.
On April 15, 2025, the Board of Supervisors approved Contract Amendment #23-668-2 with United language Group, Inc., effective January 1, 2025, to increase the payment limit by $350,000 to a new payment limit of $1,055,000, for additional translation services of written documents for County’s HSD with no change in the term ending November 30, 2025.
Due to an increase in translation services of written documents needed by HSD, additional services were requested by the County without sufficient time to amend the Contract. Contractor provided these services in good faith, which exceeded the original payment limit by $150,000.
Therefore, the County has determined that United Language Group, Inc., is entitled to payment for the reasonable value of their services under the equitable relief theory of quantum meruit. That theory provides that where a person has been asked to provide services without a valid contract, and the provider does so to the benefit of the recipient, the provider is entitled to recover the reasonable value of those services. As such, the Department recommends that the Board authorize the Auditor-Controller to issue a one-time payment not to exceed $150,000 to United Language Group, Inc.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this payment is not approved, the Contractor will not be paid for services requested by HSD and provided by Contractor provided in good faith.