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AGR-6969 - COUNTY OF ORANGE - SUBRECIPIENT AGREEMENT FOR CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUNDS FOR FOOD DELIVERY EXPENSES INCURRED BY THE CITYSUSRECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ORANGE AND THE CITY OF ORANGE FOR CORONAVIgi,US RELIEF FUNDS FOR FOOD DELIVERI.'EXPENSES INCURRED BY THE CITY This Subrecipient Agreement (the "Agreement") is made and entered into by and between the County of Orange, a political subdivision of the State of California, hereinafter referred to as "County," and the City of Orange, a municipal corporation, hereafter referred to as "Subrecipient," with the County and Subrecipient referred to as "Party," or collectively as "Parties." WHEREAS, on February 26, 2020, the County Health Off"icer declared a local health emergency based on an imminent and proximate threat to public health from the introduction of a novel coronavirus (named "COVID-19") in Orange County (the COVID-19 Emergency"); and WHEREAS, on March 2, 2020, the Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 2020-11 ratifying the local health emergency declared by the County's Health Of icer; and WHEREAS, on March 4, 2020, the Governor of the State of California declared a State of Emergency to exist in California as a result of the threat of COVID-19; and WHEREAS, on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States issued a Proclamation on Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the COVID-19 Outbreak; and WHEREAS, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President of the United States on March 27th, 2020; and WHEREAS, the CAR,ES Act established the Coronavirus Relief Fund and the County received an allocation of funds from the Coronavirus Relief Fund under section 601(a) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001 of the CARES Act; and WHERAS, the CARES Act provides that payments from the Coronavirus Relief Fund may only be used to cover costs that (1) are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the COVID-19; (2) were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020 (the date of enactment of the CARES Act) for the State or local government; and (3) were Page 1 of 9 incurred during the period that begins on March l, 2020, and ends on December 30, 2020; and WHEREAS, the Department of Treasury has issued guidance that eligible expenses that can be paid from Coronavirus Relief Fund monies include expenses to facilitate compliance with COVID-19-related public health measures, such expenses for food delivery to residents, including, for example, senior citizens and other vulnerable populations, to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions; and WHEREAS, the Department of Treasury has issued guidance that the County may transfer funds to a unit of government within its borders provided that the transfer qualifies as a necessary expenditure incurred due to the public health emergency and meets the other criteria of section 601(d) of the Social Security Act; and WHEREAS, on June 2, 2020, the Orange County Board of Supervisors authorized the distribution of one million ($1,000,000) dollars in funds it received from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to be used for meal gap programs in each Supervisorial District to aid seniors, persons with disabilities, and other individuals experience food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and WHEREAS, in order to provide funds for the Subrecipient to pay necessary expenditures it has or will incur due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Parties have agreed that the County shall transfer the grant amount described herein to Subrecipient. NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties mutually agree as follows: 1. TERM OF AGREEMENT. The term of this Agreement begins on the date when fully executed by the Parties, and terminates on June 30, 2021, or when all of the Parties' obligations under this Agreement are fully satisfied, whichever occurs earlier. 2.USE OF GRANT AMOUNT. a. Subrecipient shall use the grant amount provided under this Agreement to pay for Eligible Expenses that: (1) are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to COVID-19; (2) were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved by Subrecipient as of March 27, 2020; and (3) were incurred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 30, 2020. Page 2 of 9 b. The term "Eligible Expenses," as used in this Agreement, shall mean expenses for food delivery to residents, including, for example, senior citizens and other vulnerable populations, to enable compliance with COVID- 19 public health precautions. c. The following is a nonexclusive list of expenditures that shall not constitute Eligible Expenses payable from the grant amount: 1) Damages covered by insurance. 2) Payroll or benefits expenses for employees whose work duties are not substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. 3) Expenses that have been or will be reimbursed under any federal program, such as the reimbursement by the federal government pursuant to the CARES Act of contributions by States to State unemployment funds. 4) Reimbursement to donors for donated items or services. 5) Workforce bonuses other than hazard pay or overtime. 6) Severance pay. 7) Legal settlements. d. Subrecipient must utilize the grant amount in accordance with all Federal and State laws, including but not limited to 42 U.S.C. § 801, subsection (d), and all applicable regulations and guidelines, including guidance issued by the Department of Treasury regarding costs that are payable from Coronavirus Relief Funds, which includes but is not limited to Guidance for State, Territorial, Local, and Tribal Governments dated April 22, 2020 (Exhibit A) and Coronavirus Relief Fund Frequently Asked Questions Updated as of May 28, 2020 (Exhibit B). Page 3 of 9 3. PAYMENT OF GRANT AMOUNT a. The County shall pay Subrecipient a grant amount of 229,825.42 within 10 business days of the full execution of this Agreement. All of Subrecipient's expenditures of the grant amount must be for Eligible Expense as described in Paragraph 2 of this Agreement. The grant amount represents the amount allocated to Subrecipient based on population pursuant to the authority delegated by the Board of Supervisors to the County Executive Officer on June 2, 2020. b. It is understood that the County makes no commitment to fund this Agreement beyond the terms set forth herein. c.If Subrecipient has not spent any portion of the grant amount it has received under this Agreement to cover Eligible Expenses by December 30, 2020, Subrecipient shall return to the County by February 1, 2021 the amount remaining unspent as of December 30, 2020. 4. STATUTES AND REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO GRANT. Subrecipient must comply with all applicable requirements of State, Federal, and County of Orange laws, executive orders, regulations, program and administrative requirements, policies and any other requirements governing this Agreement. Subrecipient must comply with applicable State and Federal laws and regulations pertaining to labor, wages, hours, and other conditions of employment. Subrecipient must comply with new, amended, or revised laws, regulations, and/or procedures that apply to the performance of this Agreement. These requirements include, but are not limited to: a. Office of Management and Bud et (OMB) Circulars. Subrecipient must comply with OMB Circulars, as applicable: OMB Circular A-21 (Cost Principles for Educational Institutions); OMB Circular A-87 (Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments); OMB Circular A-102 (Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments); Common Rule, Subpart C for public agencies or OMB Circular A-110 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Non- Profit Organizations); OMB Circular A-122 (Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations); OMB Circular A-133 (Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations. b. Sing,le Audit Act. Since Federal funds are used in the performance of this Agreement, Subrecipient must, as applicable, adhere to Page 4 of 9 the rules and regulations of the Single Audit Act (31 USC Sec. 7501 et seq.), OMB Circular A-133 and any administrative regulation or field memoranda implementing the Act. c. Political Activity Prohibited. None of the funds, materials, property or services provided directly or indirectly under this Agreement may be used for any partisan political activity, or to further the election or defeat of any candidate for public office. Funds provided under this Agreement may not be used for any purpose designed to support or defeat any pending legislation or administrative regulation. 5. COMPLIANCE WITH GRANT REQUIREMENTS. To obtain the grant funds, the Department of the Treasury required an authorized representative of the County to agree to certain promises regarding the way the grant funds would be spent. This certification is attached hereto as Exhibit C. By signing this certification, the County made material representations to the Department of Treasury in order to receive payments from the Department of Treasury pursuant to section 601(b) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, Pub. L. No. 116-136, div. A, Title V (Mar. 27, 2020). In accordance with Paragraph 11, Subrecipient agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the County of Orange for any sums the State or Federal government contends or determines Subrecipient used in violation of the certification. Subrecipient shall immediately return to the County any funds the County or any responsible State or Federal agency, including the Department of Treasury, determines the Subrecipient has used in a manner that is inconsistent with Paragraph 2 of this Agreement. The provisions of this paragraph shall survive termination of this Agreement. 6. REPORTS. a. Progress Report. On October 1, 2020, Subrecipient shall provide a report to the County that shall: (1) identify the Eligible Expenses paid from the grant amount as of September 15, 2020; (2) demonstrate how Subrecipient used the grant amount consistent with the use requirements of Paragraph 2; and (3) identify the balance of the grant amount that Subrecipient has not spent. b. Final Report. Upon the earlier of Subrecipient's expenditure of the balance of the grant amount or January 15, 2021, Subrecipient shall provide a report to the County that shall: (1) identify the Eligible Expenses paid from the grant amount as of December 30, 2020; (2) demonstrate how Subrecipient used the grant amount consistent with the use requirements of Page 5 of 9 Paragraph 2; and (3) identify the balance of the grant amount that Subrecipient has not spent, if any. c.The Subrecipient shall provide a certification signed by its chief executive officer with each report required under this Paragraph 6 that the statements contained in the report are true and that the expenditures described in the report comply with the uses permitted under Paragraph 2. d. The Subrecipient shall maintain supporting documentation for the reports required by this Paragraph 6 consistent with the requirements of Paragraph 7. 7. RECORDS MAINTENANCE. Records, in their original form, must be maintained in accordance with requirements prescribed by the County with respect to all matters specified in this Agreement. Original forms are.to be maintained on file for all documents specified in this Agreement. Such records must be retained for a period four (4) years after termination of this Agreement and after inal disposition of all pending matters. "Pending matters" include, but are not limited to, an audit, litigation or other actions involving records. Records, in their original form pertaining to matters covered by this Agreement, ,must at all times be retained within the County of Orange unless authorization to remove them is granted in writing by the County. 8. RECORDS INSPECTION. At any time during normal business hours and as often as either the County, Inspector General acting pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, or the Auditor General of the State of California may deem necessary, Subrecipient must make available for examination all of its records with respect to all matters covered by this Agreement. The County, Inspector General, and the Auditor General of the State of California each have the authority to audit, examine and make excerpts or transcripts from records, including all Subrecipient's invoices, materials, payrolls, records of personnel, conditions of employment and other data relating to all matters covered by this Agreement. Subrecipient agrees to provide any reports requested by the County regarding performance of this Agreement. With respect to inspection of Subrecipient's records, the County may require that Subrecipient provide supporting documentation to substantiate Subrecipient's expenses with respect to the Subrecipient's use or expenditure of the grant amount. 9. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. The Subrecipient shall be considered an independent contractor and neither the Subrecipient, its employees, nor anyone working under the Subrecipient shall be considered an agent or an employee of County. Neither the Subrecipient, its employees nor anyone working under the Page 6 of 9 Subrecipient shall qualify for workers' compensation or other fringe benefits of any kind through County. 10. PERMITS, LICENSES, APPROVALS, AND LEGAL OBLIGATIONS. Subrecipient shall be responsible for obtaining any and all permits, licenses, and approvals required for performing any work under this Agreement. Subrecipient shall be responsible for observing and complying with any applicable Federal, State, or local laws, or rules or regulations affecting any such work. Subrecipient shall provide copies of permits and approvals to the County upon request. 11. INDEMNITY. The Subrecipient agrees to indemnify, defend with counsel approved in writing by County, and hold County, its elected and appointed officials, officers, employees and agents and those special districts and agencies which County's Board of Supervisors acts as the governing Board harmless from any claims, demands or liability of any kind or nature, including but not limited to personal injury or property damage, arising from or related to the Subrecipient's receipt of the grant amount under this Agreement, including any claims that the grant amount paid by the County under this Agreement were not used consistent with the restrictions on the use of Coronavirus Relief Funds (42 U.S.C. § 801) and the regulations and guidance issued by the Department of Treasury regarding the use of such funds. The provisions of this paragraph shall survive the termination of this Agreement. 12. NOTICES. Any and all notices, requests demands and other communications contemplated, called for, permitted, or required to be given hereunder shall be in writing. Any written communications shall be deemed to have been duly given upon actual in-person delivery, if delivery is by direct hand, or upon delivery on the actual day of receipt or no greater than four (4) calendar days after being mailed by US certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, whichever occurs first. The date of mailing shall count as the first day. All communications shall be addressed to the appropriate party at the address stated herein or such other address as the parties hereto may designate by written notice from time to time in the manner aforesaid. Page 7 of 9 Subrecipient: Rick Otto, City Manager City of Orange 300 E. Chapman Avenue Orange, CA 92866 County: Tara Campbell, Chief of Staff Office of Orange County Supervisor ponald P. Wagner Hall of Administration 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Fifth Floor Santa Ana, CA 92701 13. DEFAULTS. Should either Party fail for any reason to comply with the contractual obligations of this Agreement within the time specified by this Agreement, the non-breaching Party reserves the right to terminate the Agreement, reserving all rights under State and Federal law. 14. ATTORNEY FEES. In any action or proceeding to enforce or interpret any provision of this Agreement, each Party shall bear its own attorney's fees, costs, and expenses. 15. ENTIRE CONTRACT: This Agreement contains the entire contract between the Parties with respect to the matters herein, and there are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings other than those set forth herein or referred to herein. No exceptions, alternatives, substitutes or revisions are valid or binding on the parties unless authorized by the Parties in writing. 16. AMENDMENTS. No alteration or variation of the terms of this Agreement shall be valid unless made in writing and signed by the parties; no oral understanding or agreement not incorporated herein shall be binding on either of the Parties; and no exceptions, alternatives, substitutes or revisions are valid or binding on County unless authorized by County in writing. 17. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in counterpart originals, each of which shall be deemed to constitute an original agreement, and all of which shall constitute one agreement. The execution of one counterpart by any Party shall have the same force and effect as if that Party had signed all other counterparts. Page S of 9 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the day and year dated below. CITY OF ORANGE COUNTY OF ORANGE A California Municipal Corporation A political subdivision of the State of California BBy: y. i/d rt//t,, ichelle Steel, C ai oman Title] Date: 'r.J ' ZC Date:o `3 --2b ATTEST o By:1 a - a Robin Stieler Clerk of the Board of Supervisors County of Orange, California APPROVED AS TO FORM: By: y: G 1i`' -i Mark Servino City Attorney Supervising Deputy County Counsel Date: ( ` Date: Z 2 Z J Page 9 of 9 Exl ibit A Coronavirus Relief Fund Guidance for State,Territorial,Local,and Tribal Governments April 22,2020 The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to recipients of the funding available under section 601(a) of the Social Securiry Act,as added by section 5001 of the Coronavirus Aid,Relief, and Economic Securiry Act("CAR.ES Act"). The CARES Act established the Coronavinis Relief Fund(the"Fund") and appropriated$150 billion to the Fund. Under the CARES Act, the Fund is to be used to make payments for specified uses to States and certain local governments; the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories(consisting of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico,the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa,and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands); and Tribal governments. The CARES Act provides that payments from the Fund may only be used to cover costs that— 1. are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public health emergency with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19); 2. were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020 (the date of enactment of the CARES Act)for the State or government; and 3. were incurred during the period that begins on March 1,2020,and ends on December 30, 2020. The guidance that follows sets forth the Department of the Treasury's interpretation of these limitations on the permissible use of Fund payments. Necessary expendittcres i ccc«red dcie to the pc blic health emergency The requirement that expenditures be incurred"due to"the public health emergency means that expendihues mizst be used for actions taken to respond to the public health emergency. These may include expendihires incurred to allow the State, territorial, local,or Tribal government to respond directly to the emergency, such as by addressing medical or public health needs, as well as expenditures incurred to respond to second-order effects of the emergency, such as by providing economic support to those suffering from employment or business interruptions due to COVID-19-related business closures. Funds may not be used to fill shortfalls in government revenue to cover expendihires that would not otherwise qualify under the statute. Although a broad range of uses is allowed,revenue replacement is not a permissible use of Fund payments. The statute also specifies that expenditures using Fund payments must be"necessary." The Department of the Treasury understands this term broadly to mean that the expenditure is reasonably necessary for its intended use in the reasonable judgment of the government officials responsible for spending Fund payments. Costs not accoccnted for in the budget ytxost recently approved as of Ma ch 27, 2020 The CARES Act also requires that payments be used only to cover costs that were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27, 2020. A cost meets this requirement if either(a)the cost cannot lawfully be funded using a line item, allotment,or allocation within that budget or(b)the cost See Section 601(d)of the Social Security Act,as added by section 5001 of the CARES Act. 1 is for a substantially different use from any expected use of funds in such a line item,allotment,or allocation. The"most recently approved"budget refers to the enacted budget for the relevant fiscal period for the particular government,without taking into account subsequent supplemental appropriations enacted or other budgetary adjustments made by that government in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. A cost is not considered to have been accounted for in a budget merely because it could be met using a budgetary stabilization fund,rainy day fund, or similar reserve account. Costs incurYed du iieg the period that begins on March 1, 2020, a a l encls on Decenaber 30, 2020 A cost is"incurred"when the responsible unit of government has expended funds to cover the cost. Nonexclusive exc rnples of eligible expenditc res Eligible expenditures inchide,but are not limited to,payment for: 1. Medical expenses such as: COVID-19-related expenses of public hospitals, clinics,and sunilar facilities. Expenses of establishing temporary public medical facilities and other measures to increase COVID-19 treatment capaciry,inchiding related construction costs. Costs ofproviding COVID-19 testing, including serological testing. Emergency medical response expenses, including emergency medical transportation,related to COVID-19. Expenses for establishing and operating public telemedicine capabilities for COVID-19- related treatment. 2. Public health expenses such as: Expenses for communication and enforcement by State,territorial, local, and Tribal governments of public health orders related to COVID-19. Expenses for acquisition and distribution of inedical and protective supplies, including sanitizing products and personal protective equipment, for medical personnel,police officers, social workers,child protection services,and child welfare officers, direct service providers for older adults and individuals with disabilities in community settings, and other public health or safety workers in connection with the COVID-19 public health emergency. Expenses for disinfection of public areas and other facilities,e.g.,nursing homes, in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Expenses for technical assistance to local authorities or other entities on mitigation of COVID-19-related threats to public health and safety. Expenses for public safety measures undertaken in response to COVID-19. Expenses for quarantining individuals. 3. Payroll expenses for public safety,public health,health care,human services, and sunilar employees whose services are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID- 19 public health emergency. 2 4. Expenses of actions to facilitate compliance with COVID-19-related public health measures,such as: Expenses for food delivery to residents, including, for example, senior citizens and other vulnerable populations,to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions. Expenses to facilitate distance learning, including technological improvements, in connection with school closings to enable compliance with COVID-19 precautions. Expenses to improve telework capabilities for public employees to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions. Expenses of providing paid sick and paid family and medical leave to public employees to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions. COVID-19-related expenses of maintaining state prisons and county jails, including as relates to sanitation and improvement of social distancing measures,to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions. Expenses for care for homeless populations provided to mitigate COVID-19 effects and enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions. 5. Expenses associated with the provision of economic support in connection with the COVID-19 public health emergency,such as: Expenditures related to the provision of grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures. Expendilures related to a State,territorial, local,or Tribal government payroll support program. Unemployment insurance costs related to the COVID-19 public health emergency if such costs will not be reimbursed by the federal government pursuant to the CARES Act or otherwise. 6. Any other COVID-19-related expenses reasonably necessary to the function of government that satisfy the Fund's eligibility criteria. Nonexclusive exarriples of ineligible expenclitures2 The following is a list of examples of,costs that would not be eligible expenditures of payments from the Fund. 1. Expenses for the State share of Medicaid.3 2. Damages covered by insurance. 3. Payroll or benefits expenses for employees whose work duties are not substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. In addition,pursuant to section SOO L(b)of the CARES Act,payments from the Fund may not be expended for an elective abortion or on research in which a human embryo is destroyed,discarded,or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death. The prohibition on payment for abortions does not apply to an abortion if the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest;or in the case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder,physical injury,or physical illness, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself,that would,as certified by a physician,place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed. Furthermore, no government which receives payments from the Fund may discriminate against a health care entity on the basis that the entity does not provide,pay for,provide coverage of,or refer for abortions. 3 See 42 C.F.R.§433.51 and 45 C.F.R. § 75.306. 3 4. Expenses that have been or will be reimbursed under any federal program,such as the reimbursement by the federal government pursuant to the CARES Act of contributions by States to State unemployment funds. 5. Reimbursement to donors for donated items or services. 6. Workforce bonuses other than hazard pay or overtime. 7. Severance pay. 8. Legal settlements. 4 Exhibit Coronavirus Relief Fund Frequently Asked Questions Updated as of May 4,2020 The following answers to frequently asked questions supplement Treasury's Coronavirus Relief Fund Fund") Guidance for State,Territorial,Local, and Tribal Governments,dated Apri122,2020, Guidance").' Amounts paid from the Fund are subject to the restrictions outlined in the Guidance and set forth in section 601(d)of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act("CARES Act"). Eligible Expenditures Are governments required to submit proposed expendituYes to Treast«y for approvr l? No. Govemments are responsible for making determinations as to what expenditures are necessary due to the public health emergency with respect to COVID-19 and do not need to submit any proposed expenditures to Treasury. The Guidance says that funding can be used to meet payYoll expenses fo pccblic safety,pu6lic health, health care, hunaan services, and sin ilaY enaployees whose services r Ye substantially ledic ted ta ynitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public hea[th einergency. Hvw does a governntent determine whether payvoll ezpenses foN a given employee satisfy the "scibstantially dedicated" condition? The Fund is designed to provide ready funding to address unforeseen financial needs and risks created by the COVID-19 public health emergency. For this reason,and as a matter of administrative convenience in light of the emergency nahire of this program,a State,territorial,local,or Tribal government may presume that payroll costs for public health and public safety employees are payments for services substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency,unless the chief executive(or equivalent) of the relevant government detercnines that specific circumstances indicate otherwise. The Guirlance says that a cost was not accounted fo in the most rece tly approved budget if the cost is for a substantially diffeYent use from tcny expected use offun ls in such a line item,allot nent, or allocation. What woicld qualify as a "substantially different use"for pc Yposes of the Fund eligibi/ity? Costs incurred for a"sttbstantially different use"include,but are not necessarily limited to,costs of personnel and services that were budgeted for in the most recently approved budget but which, due entirely to the COVID-19 public health emergency,have been diverted to substantially different fiinctions. This would include, for example,the costs of redeploying corrections facility staff to enable compliance with COVID-19 public health precautions through work such as enhanced sanitation or enforcing social distancing measures;the costs of redeploying police to support management and enforcement of stay-at-home orders; or the costs of diverting educational support staff or faculty to develop online learning capabilities,such as through providing information technology support that is not part of the staff or faculty's ordinary responsibilities. Note that a public function does not become a"substantially different use"merely because it is provided from a different location or through a different manner. For example,although developing online The Guidance is available at https•//home treasurv.aov/system/tiles/L36/Coronavinis-Relief-Fund-Guidance-for- S tate-Territo rial-Local-and-TriU al-Govenunents.pdf. 1 instniction capabilities may be a substantially different use of funds, online instruction itself is not a substantially different use of public funds than classroom instruction. May a State receiving a paynaent transfeY funds to a loctc[government? Yes, provided that the transfer qualifies as a necessary expenditure incurred due to the public health emergency and meets the other criteria of section 601(d)of the Social Security Act. Such funds would be subject to recoupment by the Treasury Department if they have not been used in a manner consistent with section 601(d)of the Social Security Act. May a utait of local goveY intent eceiving a Ftcnd payfnetat transfeN ftcncts to a tother ttnit of goveYnment? Yes. For example,a county may transfer fimds to a city,town, or school district within the county and a county or city may transfer funds to its State,provided that the transfer qualifies as a necessary expenditure incurred due to the public health emergency and meets the other criteria of section 601(d) of the Social Security Act outlined in the Guidance. For example, a transfer from a county to a constituent city would not be permissible if the funds were intended to be used simply to fi(1 shortfalls in government revenue to cover expenditures that would not otherwise qualify as an eligible expenditure. Is a Fund payment recipient requiYed to trc nsfeN funds to a smaller, constituent unit of goveriinsent within its borders? No. For example, a county recipient is not required to transfer funds to smaller cities within the county's borders. Are recipients Yequired to use otheY federal funds o seek reirrebac sement c nder other federal programs before using Fund payrraents to satisfy eligib/e expenses? No. Recipients may use Fund payments for any expenses eligible under section 601(d) of the Social Security Act outlined in the Guidance. Fund payments are not required to be used as the source of funding of last resort. However,as noted below,recipients may not use payments from the Fund to cover expenditures for which they will receive reimbursement. A e there pNohibitions on combining a transaction supported with F nd pay rzents with other CARES Act fiinding oY COVID-19 relief Federal funding? Recipients wi11 need to consider the applicable restrictions and limitations of such other sources of funding. In addition,expenses that have been or will be reimbursed under any federal program, such as the reimbursement by the federal government pursuant to the CARES Act of contributions by States to State unemployment funds,are not eligible uses of Fund p yments. AYe States permitted to acse Fund pay`rzents to sicpport str te unemployment iresurnnce fiinds gener^czlly? To the extent that the costs incurred by a state unemployment insurance fund are incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, a State may use Fund payments to make payments to its respective state unemployment insurance fund, separate and apart from such State's obligation to the unemployment insurance fund as an employer. This will permit States to use Fund payments to prevent expenses related to the public health emergency from causing their state unemployment insurance funds to become insolvent. 2 Are recipients pernaitted to c se Fccnd payyrtents to pay for unemploynaeyit inscrNance costs incc rred by the Yecipient as an e nployeY? Yes, Fund payments may be used for unemployment insurance costs incurred by the recipient as an employer(for example, as a reimbursing employer)related to the COVID-19 public health emergency if such costs will not be reimbursed by the federal government pursuant to the CARES Act or otherwise. The Guidance states that the Ftcnd may suppoNt a "broacl range of uses"inciciding payroll expenses for several clnsses of employees whose seYvices ccre "substantially dedicated to mitigating oY responding to the COVID-19 public health emeYgency." What are some examples of types of covered e nployees? The Guidance provides examples of broad classes of employees whose payroll expenses would be eligible expenses under the Fund. These classes of employees include public safety,public health,health care, human services,and similar employees whose services are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Payroll and benefit costs associated with public employees who could have been furloughed or otherwise laid off but who were instead repurposed to perform previously unbudgeted fiinctions substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency are also covered. Other eligible expenditures include payroll and benefit costs of educational support staff or faculty responsible for developing online learning capabilities necessary to continue educational instruction in response to COVID-19-related school closures. Please see the Guidance for a discussion of what is meant by an expense that was not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as of March 27,2020. Irz some cases,first responders and cyitical health care worke s that contract COT ID-19 are eligible foY woYkers'cotnpensation coveYage. Is the cost of this expanded worke s compensation cove age eligible? Increased workers compensation cost to the government due to the COVID-19 public health emergency incurred during the period beginning March l,2020,and ending December 30,2020,is an eligible expense. If a recipie t would have decommissioned equipment oN not renewed a lease on particulaY office space or equipment but decicles to continue to use the eqicipinent or to renew the lease in oYder to respond to the public health emergency, r e the costs associc ted with continuing to operate the eqcciptnent or the ongoing lease payments eligible expenses? Yes. To the extent the expenses were previously unbudgeted and are otherwise consistent with section 601(d)of the Social Security Act outlined in the Guidance,such expenses would be eligible. May recipients provide stipends to employees foY eligible expenses(for exa nple,a stipend to ernployees to i`reprove telework capabilities) ather than reqccire enzployses to incur the eligible cost and sub nit foY reirnbuYsement? Expenditures paid for with payments from the Fund must be limited to those that are necessary due to the public health emergency. As such,unless the government were to determine that providing assistance in the form of a stipend is an administrative necessity,the government should provide such assistance on a reimbursement basis to ensure as much as possible that funds are used to cover only eligible expenses. 3 May Fund paynients be used foY COTJID-19 ptcblic health enaergency recoveYy planning? Yes. Expenses associated with conducting a recovery planning project or operating a recovery coordination office would be eligible,if the expenses otherwise meet the criteria set forth in section 601(d)of the Social Security Act outlined in the Guidance. ANe expenses associated with contact tYaci ag eligible? Yes,expenses associated with contract tracing are eligible. To what extent may c gove^nment use Fund paynaents to suppoNt the ope ntions of pYivate hospitals? Governments may use Fund payments to support public or private hospitals to the extent that the costs are necessary expendittires incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency,but the form such assistance would take may differ. [n particular, financial assistance to private hospitals could take the form of a grant or a short-term loan. May pay rcents f om the Fund be ccsed to assist inrlivicluals with enrolling in a governhzent benefit progYa rc for those who have been lc id off due to COT ID-19 and thereby lost he lth insu ance? Yes. To the extent that the relevant government official determines that these expenses are necessary and they meet the other requirements set forth in section 601(d)of the Social Security Act outlined in the Guidance,these expenses are eligible. May recipients use Fu cl payments to facilitate livestock depopulation ifcccc red by pYoducers due to supply chain disruptiohs? Yes,to the.extent these efforts are deemed necessary for public health reasons or as a form of economic support as a result of the COVID-19 health emergency. Would p oviding a consumer grant progra re to prevent eviction and assist in preventing homelessness be consideNed an eligible expense? Yes, assuming that the recipient considers the grants ta be a necessary expense incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and the grants meet the other requirements for the use of Fund payments under section 601(d) of the Social Security Act outlined in the Guidance. As a general matter, providing assistance to recipients to enable them to meet property tax requirements would not be an eligible use of funds, but exceptions may be made in the case of assistance designed to prevent foreclosures. May recipients cYeate a "payroll suppo^t p ogYarrc"for public employees? Use of payments from the Fund to cover payroll or benefits expenses of public employees are limited to those employees whose work duties are substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. May recipients use Func payments to cover eynployment and training pr ogYayns foN employees that have been fu loughed due to the public health emergency? Yes, this would be an eligible expense if the government determined that the costs of such employment and training programs would be necessary due to the public health emergency. 4 May Yecipients ztse Fcinrl prtyfnents to pYovide e neYgency financial assistatcce to individuals and faniilies directly impactecl by a loss of income dzce to the COVID-19 public health emergerzcy? Yes, if a government determines such assistance to be a necessary expenditure. Such assistance could include,for example, a program to assist individuals with payment of overdue rent or mortgage payments to avoid eviction or foreclosure or unforeseen financial costs for fimerals and other emergency individual needs. Such assistance should be structured in a manner to ensure as much as possible,within the realm of what is administratively feasible,that such assistance is necessary. The Guidance provides that eligible expenditures naay include expenditures elated to the pYovision of grants to small bccsinesses to Yei`nb cNse the costs of bc siness intevracption caused by reqcciYed closu es. What is nieant by a "s nall business,"and is the Guiclance intended to refer only to expenditures to coveY ad riinistYative expenses of such a grant pYograrn? Governments have discretion to determine what payments are necessary. A program that is aimed at assisting small businesses with the costs of business interruption caused by required closures should be tailored to assist those businesses in need of such assistance. The amount of a grant to a small business to reimburse the costs of business interruption caused by required closures would also be an eligible expenditure under section 601(d)of the Social Security Act, as outlined in the Guidance. The Guidance provides that expenses associated with the provisron of economic sccpport in connection with the pccblic health emeYgency,such as expenrlituYes related to the provision of grants to small businesses to reimburse the costs of business ircterYuption cccused by required closures, would constitute eligible expercditu es of Funcl payments. Woacld such expendituNes be eligible in the absence of a stay-at-home oYder? Fund payments may be used for economic support in the absence of a stay-at-home order if such expendiriires are determined by the government to be necessary. This may include,for example,a grant program to benefit sma11 businesses that ciose voluntarily to promote social distancing measures or that are affected by decreased customer demand as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency. May Fun l payments be used to assist impacted property owners with the payneent of their propeNty taxes? Fund payments may not be used for government revenue replacement,including the provision of assistance to meet tax obligations. May Fund payfnents be used to replace foregone utility fees? If not,can Fund pc yments be ccsed as a ctiYect sccbsidy payment to all cctility account holders? Fund payments may not be used for government revenue replacement,including the replacement of unpaid utility fees. Fund payments may be used for subsidy payments to electriciry account holders to the extent that the subsidy payments are deemed by the recipient to be necessary expenditures incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and meet the other criteria of section 601(d)of the Social Security Act outlined in the Guidance. For example,if deternuned to be a necessary expendiiure, a government could provide grants to individuals facing economic hardship to allow them to pay their utility fees and thereby continue to receive essential services. Could Fi nd payments be crsed for capitc l impYovement projects that bYoadly pr^ovide potential economic developncent in a com rcunity? 5 In general,no. If capital improvement projects are not necessary expenditures incurred due to the COVID-19 public health emergency,then Fund payments may not be used for such projects. However,Fund payments may be used for the expenses of, for example, establishing temporaty public medical facilities and other measures to increase COVID-19 treattnent capacity or improve mitigation measures,including related construction costs. The Gz idance inclacdes woYkfo•ce bonccses as an example of ineligi6le expenses bc t provi les that hazard pay wotild be eligible if otheYwise determined to be a necessary expense. Is there a specific definition of"hazard pay"? Hazard pay means additional pay for performing hazardous duty or work involving physical hardship, in each case that is related to COVID-19. The Guidance pNovides that ineligible expenditures incliide "[pJayroll ov benefits expenses for employees rvhose woYk di ties aYe not substantially dedicated to mitigati zg or responding to the COVID-19 pc blic health emeygency." Is this intended to relate only to public e`nployees? Yes. This particular nonexclusive example of an ineligible expenditure relates to public employees. A recipient would not be pernutted to pay for payroll or benefit expenses of private employees and any financial assistance(such as grants or short-term loans) to private employers are not subject to the restriction that the private employers' employees must be substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency. May coacnties pre pay with CARES Act fi nds foY expenses such as a one or trvo yea fucility lease, such as to house staff hired in •esponse to COVID-19? A government should not make prepayments on contracts using payments from the Fund to the extent that doing so would not be consistent with its ordinary course policies and procedures. Questions Related to Administration of Fund Payments Do governments have to r eturn unspent funrls to Treast ry? Yes. Section 601(fl(2) of the Social Securiry Act,as added by section 5001(a)of the CARES Act, provides for recoupment by the Department of the Treasury of amounts received from the Fund that have not been used in a manner consistent with section 601(d) of the Social Securiry Act. If a government has not used fitnds it has received to cover costs that were incurred by December 30,2020, as required by the statute,those funds must be returned to the Department of the Treasury. What ecoNds mt st be kept by goveYn`rcents receiving payment? A government should keep records sufficient to demonstrate that the amount of Fund payments to the government has been used in accordance with section 601(d) of the Social Security Act May recipients deposit Fund pccyments into inteYest be cring accounts? Yes,provided that if recipients separately invest amounts received from the Fund,they must use the interest earned or other proceeds of these investments only to cover expenditures incurred in accordance with section 601(d)of the Social Security Act and the Guidance on eligible expenses. If a government deposits Fund payments in a government's general account,it may use those funds to meet immediate cash management needs provided that the full amount of the payment is used to cover necessary 6 expenditures. Fund payments are not subject to the Cash Management Improvement Act of 1990, as amended. Ylay governfnents Yetain assets purchased with payments from the Fund? Yes, if the purchase of the asset was consistent with the limitations on the eligible use of funds provided by section 601(d)of the Social Security Act. lVhc t racles apply to the p oceeds of disposition or sale of assets acquired using payncents from the Fund? If such assets are disposed of prior to December 30,2020,the proceeds would be subject to the restrictions on the eligible use of payments from the Fund provided by section 601(d)of the Social Security Act. 7 6 Exhibit C 0 ( T }. i_! . JL ti A. 1 ", i. :'• r County Executive Office April 13,2020 I, Frank Kim,am the chief executive of the County of Orange,and I certify that: 1. I ha,•e the authority on behalf of the County of Orange to reguest direct payment from the Department of the Treasury ('Treasury') pursuant to section 601(b) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 5001 of the Coronavirus Aid,RelieE,and Economic Security Act, PuU.L. No. 116- 136,div. A,Title V (Ntar.27,2020). 2. I understand that Treasury ce ill rely on this certitication as a material representation in making a direct payment to the County of Orange. The County of Orange's proposed uses of the funds provided as direct payment under section 601(b)of the Social Security Act will be used only to cover those costs that- a. are necessary expenditures incurred due to the public healEh emergency vith respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19); b. were not accounted for in the budget most recently approved as ot"Viarch 27,2020, Eor [insert name of local government entity];and c. were incterred during the period that begins on March 1, 2020, and ends on December 0,2D20. Bv: Frank Kim G- Signature: Title: Countv Executive Of.ficer Da te: 4/13/20 PAPER4VORK REDUCTION ACT NOTICE The information collected will b used for Ehe U.S. Government to process requests for support. The estimated burden associated with this collecNon oE information is two hour per response. Comments concerning the accuracy of this burden estimate and suggestions for reducing this burden shottld be directed to the OfEice of Privacy, Transpar ncy and Records, Department oE the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave.,N.W.,6vashington,D.C.20220.DO NOT send the form to this address.Ai agency may not conduct or spunsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of inEormation unless it dis lays a valid control rnimber assigned by OvtB. 33 tib'.Santa Ana Blvd.,3,'Floor,Santa?,na,CA 9'_701-4062 • Phone(il)33-n201 • Fax(7141 63-1•;U18 • +vrr a.cir•c,v.<<m