Single Source Procurement: Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children

Pursuant to New York State Finance Law § 163.10(b), The New York State Department of Health is presenting the following summary of relevant circumstances, and material and substantial reasons why a competitive procurement was not feasible.

This is a single source assignment of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) contract C30392GG with Cornell Cooperative Extension Association of Schenectady County (CCE) to the Schenectady County Public Health Services (SCPHS). The current 5-year contract with CCE will expire on September 30, 2020.

Cornell Cooperative Extension recently completed an organizational evaluation, and one recommendation of the evaluation is to refocus CCE resources to core initiatives. Thus, CCE has made the decision to not continue providing WIC services related to contract C30392GG. CCE proposed to not renew their FFY 2018 contract effective October 1, 2017 but has subsequently agreed to provide services until another service provider is under contract. Schenectady County Public Health Services and CCE have been working together to develop a transition plan and a FFY 2018 WIC budget that will meet the needs of both agencies.

The WIC Program was established as the result of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. The Program provides nutrition assessment, health education, referral to medical services and nutritious foods to pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children until five years of age. WIC benefits are currently provided through 92 local agencies operating approximately 410 service sites throughout the state. The program currently serves 435,000 participants monthly and employs more than 1,700 staff at the local agency level. The current annual funding is $607 million (food benefits and program administration). The goal of the WIC Program is to improve the nutrition and health status of eligible pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants and children in New York State through the provision of nutritious foods, nutrition-health education and counseling and linkages with other health and human service programs.

The purpose of this contract assignment is to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of WIC services to 3,200 participants located in Schenectady County as Cornell Cooperative Extension discontinues contracting with the New York State WIC Program. There is no other provider in this area.

This is a 21 month extension of the contract(s) under the same terms, conditions, and pricing authorized under the existing contract(s). The single source extension period will allow for the continuation of critical services pending outcome of a new competitive procurement to obtain these services.

Procurement / Program Name	Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children
Contractor Name(s)	Schenectady County Public Health Services
Contract Period	1/1/2018 – 9/30/2020
Contract Number(s)	C33253GG