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Approve Funds for the Ayuda Sin Fronteras Program <br />December 2, 2025 <br />Page 2 <br />5 <br />4 <br />4 <br />7 <br />The departments listed in the previous table have sufficient savings from vacant <br />employee positions to fund ASF. With the approval of the Fiscal Year 2025-26 First <br />Quarter Budget Update and Proposed Appropriation Adjustments item on this City <br />Council agenda, General Fund appropriation adjustments will authorize the budget <br />transfers to the Community Assistance Fund – Contract Services (01113231-62300). <br />This Community Assistance Fund was established to track ASF Program expenses <br />and will be used to accept the transfer of the amounts listed in the table above for use <br />by City staff while implementing this second round of the ASF Program. <br />During the first round of ASF, 50% of the $100,000 in funds were spent on prepaid <br />Visa cards for utility assistance. Accordingly, City staff believe that in this second <br />round for the ASF Program it is possible that $75,000 (or more) could be disbursed <br />with prepaid Visa cards for utility bills. To ensure the City can meet community <br />demand for utility assistance if it exceeds initial estimates, staff request authorization <br />for up to $150,000 in prepaid Visa cards. The City Council approval of this item will <br />authorize the City Manager to purchase prepaid cards over the City Manager’s <br />$50,000 contracting authority limit not to exceed the $150,000 requested for the <br />second round of ASF. <br />The City Manager will direct City staff to utilize the Exemption Process to forgo the <br />formal solicitation process and work with the vendor Prepaid USA. City staff has <br />conducted an informal bidding process and it has been determined that the vendor, <br />Prepaid USA, best fits the needs of the City. The City benefits from working with <br />Prepaid USA because there are no card fees nor does Prepaid USA charge for <br />shipping. The City pays for the value of the prepaid Visa cards only, which is a <br />significant savings over other prepaid Visa cards. Additionally, conducting a formal <br />solicitation would be an idle act and so is therefore exempt from the competitive <br />bidding process per Sec. 2-807.a of the Santa Ana Municipal Code. <br />FISCAL IMPACT <br />The fiscal impact associated with this item is addressed in the City Council agenda item <br />titled First Quarter Budget Update and Proposed Appropriation Adjustments, which <br />includes the funding actions needed to support the program. Upon approval of that item, <br />the program funding will be budgeted in the Community Assistance Fund – Contract <br />Services (01113231-62300). <br />Submitted By: Michael L. Garcia, Executive Director – Community Development Agency <br />Approved By: Alvaro Nuñez, City Manager