Daily Business Report-June 12, 2020
Illustration by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters; elements via iStock
California’s no-bid contracts for pandemic
supplies reveal collapsed deals, untested vendors
By Byrhonda Lyons and Laurel Rosenhall | CalMatters
A medical equipment supplier that was once raided by the FBI. A business executive fined for making false or misleading statements in financial reports. A corporation fined for Medicaid fraud. At least two companies that had existed less than a week.
These are among the hundreds of vendors the state of California has contracted with, or nearly gone into business with, as government officials rushed to prepare for the coronavirus pandemic.
While normal bidding and vetting procedures have been suspended during the state of emergency, California has entered into roughly $3 billion worth of no-bid contracts for masks, ventilators, call-center workers and other supplies and services to respond to the health crisis, the state’s procurement database shows. Some of the vendors are established companies the state has been doing business with for a long time, but others are newcomers that launched amid a chaotic quest for medical supplies. The nationwide scramble kicked off in March when President Donald Trump told governors that states were on their own to secure equipment necessary to manage the pandemic.
Some of the contracts topped out at a half-billion dollars. And in a few instances, readily available public records and some Googling should have raised potential red flags.
“Unfortunately, there was a big rush” for equipment around the world, said Francesco Decarolis, an economist at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, and former Stanford University assistant professor with expertise in U.S. procurement policy.
_________________________________
SDG&E launches recruitment campaign
as part of effort to support economic recovery
As part of its ongoing efforts to support the region’s economic recovery, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has launched a public awareness campaign to publicize job openings and recruit as many local candidates as possible to fill open positions.
SDG&E has continued hiring new employees amid the pandemic, not just to fill positions that have opened up due to natural attrition, but also because the company and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) 465 adopted a joint plan earlier this year for new multi-year hiring, training and apprenticeship programs.
These programs are designed to help develop a highly specialized and skilled workforce to complete critical infrastructure projects needed to enhance wildfire safety, upgrade natural gas pipelines and expand the electrical vehicle charging infrastructure needed for zero emission transportation.
The latest job openings are posted at sdge.com/careers.
Over the next three years, SDG&E plans to hire nearly 150 entry-level positions, while investing in six linemen apprenticeship classes, six line assistant classes, three electrician assistant classes and specialized training for welding and other high-skilled trades. In total, this new plan results in the hiring or significant upskilling of 400 to 500 represented positions.
_________________________________
Lawmakers want to scrap California’s
online-only community college
By Emily Hoeven | CalMatters
Will California’s online-only community college survive in the era of distance learning? As Gov. Gavin Newsom and lawmakers wrap up their budget negotiations this week, they disagree over whether to continue funding Calbright, which has progressed slowly since a rocky launch two years ago.
The governor’s administration wants to preserve $134 million for Calbright, arguing that the pandemic “makes an even more compelling case” for it, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Lawmakers, facing complaints from faculty unions, say Calbright replicates classes at the state’s 114 other community colleges — which will also be online-only in the fall — and the money should be used to save established programs serving more students.
But Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley disagrees.
Oakley: “Asking the California Community Colleges to cannibalize some programs to save others is a choice that I reject. Now is not the time to deny educational opportunities to our black and Latinx learners.”
The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office found in a May report that Calbright “has a very high cost per student, is currently unaccredited and largely duplicates programs at other colleges.”
_________________________________
‘Great Plates’ to continue delivering
free meals to seniors through July 10
More than 1,400 older adults in the “Great Plates Delivered” program will continue to receive three free and healthy meals a day until July 10, the County Health and Human Services Agency Announced today.
Launched in mid-May, the program was set to expire June 10, but the federal government decided to expand it for 30 days.
The initiative is a collaboration between the County and local restaurants to help older adults, who are at a higher risk of developing complications from COVID-19, avoid going out to restaurants or the grocery store to get food.
Currently, 31 local restaurants are delivering meals to enrolled seniors throughout San Diego County. The County is reimbursing restaurants for the cost of food, labor and incidentals, using a combination of funding provided by FEMA, the state and the County.
Those currently receiving assistance from other state or federal nutrition assistance programs, such as CalFresh or Meals on Wheels, are not eligible for the Great Plates Delivered program. Participants must also fall within a specific income range.
For more details on criteria or to sign up, call the County Aging and Independence Services at (800) 339-4661 or visit Great Plates. You can also call 2-1-1 San Diego.
_________________________________
USS Montgomery returns from deployment
Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Montgomery returned to its U.S. 3rd Fleet homeport of Naval Station San Diego on Wednesday following a 12-month rotational deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.
During the deployment, Montgomery operated with navies of six partner nations, participated in five multilateral and bilateral exercises, and made six strategic port visits across the Indo-Asia-Pacific.
Montgomery contributed to maritime security through numerous presence operations in the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Strait of Malacca, and waters near Singapore.
_________________________________
Jose Angel Cruz appointed CEO
of Barrio Logan College Institute
Jose Angel Cruz has been named the new chief executive officer of the Barrio Logan College Institute (BLCI).
Born in Mexico City and raised in Santa Ana, Cruz served as national director of the Latino Outreach and the Family Strengthening Initiatives and director of international support for Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
In those positions, Cruz oversaw unprecedented growth and impact through his innovative approach to engage partners and replicate models.
Most recently, he served as director of mission advancement for the World Federation of Youth Clubs, a nonprofit organization that supports youth service organizations, dedicated to youth development, family engagement, and community strengthening in 26 countries.
He has prior private sector experience as vice president of AllPlayers.com, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from California State University, San Bernardino. Cruz has served on the board of directors of GoDoMore Inc., the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hungary and others.
_________________________________
Laurie South joins Jamul Casino
as VP of human resources
Laurie South has joined Jamul Casino as its new vice president of human resources. She brings more than two decades of experience leading human resources divisions, primarily for tribal casinos throughout the West Coast.
South has worked in senior human resources leadership roles since 1998. Much of her experience has been gained with tribal gaming organizations, including: the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok’s Red Hawk Casino in Placerville, Calif.; the Grand Ronde Tribe’s Spirit Mountain Casino and Lodge in Grand Ronde, Ore.; the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe’s Muckleshoot Casino in Auburn, Wash.; and the Yakama Nation’s Legends Casino in Toppenish, Wash.
Past roles have included human resources director, human Rresources manager, owner of her own HR consulting firm, and adjunct professor at Tacoma Community College. She earned her MBA from California State University, Sacramento, and her BS in Economics from Arizona State University.
_________________________________
Matthew Steitz named principal
of The Preuss School UC San Diego
After a nationwide search, Matthew Steitz has been appointed principal of The Preuss School UC San Diego, effective July 1. Most recently, Steitz served as assistant superintendent of educational excellence for the Vista Unified School District.
The Preuss School is a unique charter middle and high school for low-income students who strive to become the first in their families to graduate from college. Located on the University of California San Diego campus, the school was recently recognized as the #1 high school in San Diego County by U.S. News & World Report.
As principal, Steitz will work closely with Helen V. Griffith, executive director of The Preuss School, to build the capacity of scholars, faculty, staff, parents and community partners.
Prior to joining The Preuss School, Steitz served as executive director of secondary curriculum and instruction as well as interim chief academic officer at the Vista Unified School District. His leadership experience also includes assistant principal of San Marcos High School as well as principal of Carlsbad High School.
_________________________________
Girl Scouts celebrate
20 years of honoring Cool Women
Girl Scouts San Diego is hosting its 20th annual Cool Women event online today from noon to 1 p.m. Everyone is invited to celebrate two decades of honoring the women whose personal and professional achievements make them consummate role models for girls.
Register now at sdgirlscouts.org/coolwomen to attend this free virtual gathering and/or donate to Girl Scouts San Diego. Cool Women proceeds will support innovative Girl Scout programs in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), outdoors, life skills, and entrepreneurship that help girls use their voices, develop a strong sense of self, and build resilience
The event is co-chaired by Cool Women alums Bink Cook, Dea Hurston, Lidia S. Martinez, and Patti Roscoe. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the team transformed what is traditionally an in-person event into a digital experience.
During an inspirational program, attendees will learn about the event’s history and hear from Cool Women alums who are taking action address COVID-19 and life during the pandemic. Guest will also meet the Emerging Leader Girl Scouts of 2020—40 teens whose courage, confidence, and character embody the mission of Girl Scouting.
Guest speakers include former Girl Scouts San Diego CEO Jo Dee Jacob (a Cool Woman of 2016), Girl Scouts San Diego CEO Carol Dedrich, and 2019 National Gold Award Girl Scout Ana De Almeida Amaral of Chula Vista.
Girl Scouts San Diego has postponed officially honoring this year’s Cool Women in order to spotlight them in person next spring as the Cool Women of 2021. The future honorees are Denise Pirrotti Hummel (founder and CEO of Lead Inclusively, Inc.), Rachel Teresa Ivanovich (chief leadership officer for Easy Life Management, Inc.), Marcella Lee (News 8 anchor/reporter), Summer Stephan (San Diego County District Attorney), and The Honorable Randa Trapp (San Diego County Superior Court Judge.
SDG&E—Girl Scouts San Diego’s “Champion STEM Supporter”—is the event’s top sponsor. The Leader Sponsors are Southwest Airlines and U.S. Bank; Blankinship & Foster, Cox, DYNA, Mission Federal Credit Union, and Northrop Grumman are Mentor Sponsors.
