In 2020, I was privileged with the opportunity to serve as the new Director of the Internal Services Department (ISD). I am extremely grateful to the Board of Supervisors for placing their trust and confidence in me to lead this organization. I am also honored to serve alongside the women and men of the department’s workforce who are Internal Services Department
committed to their profession and work tirelessly to support the mission of Los Angeles County. Over the course of the year, the County faced enormous and unprecedented challenges that tested the boundaries of delivering public service. Many of these challenges impacted our region as well as the entire nation, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a historic presidential election, matters of racial equity and inclusion, and evolving cybersecurity threats. Every day, people experienced uncertainties, extreme hardships and concerns that called upon the County to adapt and expand efforts in providing vital services. ISD stepped up our level of responsiveness with a clear understanding that the well-being and survival of thousands of residents and businesses depend on the effectiveness of County government. As presented in this year’s Annual Highlights, we took proactive measures to ensure the timely delivery of critical resources and continuity of operations. We also launched new initiatives to enhance services and relations with client agencies and business partners. Most notably, we offered endless support and recognition of our employees for their dedication, hard work and personal sacrifices during a tremendously difficult year. ISD remains steadfast in our commitment to public service.
Selwyn Hollins, Director Internal Services Department
2
MISSION To Provide Essential Services to Support the County's Mission
STRATEGIC GOALS •
VISION To be the Trusted Partner and Provider of Choice
•
GOAL II: Foster an organization of passionate and empowered public servants to make a meaningful difference. GOAL III: Deliver responsive services and innovative business solutions.
2020 Annual Highlights
•
GOAL I: Partner with our customers to enable their success.
The Internal Services Department (ISD) provides critical support to the operations of other departments, commissions and committees that represent the County of Los Angeles. With an annual operating budget of more than $718 million and 2,151 budgeted positions, ISD delivers a comprehensive offering of services in facilities management, information technology, energy and environmental, purchasing and contracting, and administration.
3
JANUARY 2020 NOVEL CORONAVIRUS REACHES THE U.S. Los Angeles County Responds to COVID-19
Internal Services Department
The County of Los Angeles took decisive actions to address growing public concerns about exposures to COVID-19. The County’s Department of Public Health assisted the Center for Disease Control and Prevention with screenings of incoming travelers at Los Angeles International Airport. In support of this effort, Internal Services Department: Procured emergency housing for incoming travelers impacted by the federal travel restrictions.
Worked with and assisted County Departments with mass dissemination of COVID-19 related emails and text messages. Throughout the year, the County sent out more than 2,800 bulletins, reaching nearly 80 million email addresses and cell phone numbers.
UTILITY COST REDUCTIONS ISD Energy and Environmental Service worked in partnership with the Department of Parks and Recreation to review utility accounts – water, sewer and electricity. The assessment resulted in new cost savings of $70,000 per year. 6
FEBRUARY 2020 ANTICIPATING PANDEMIC NEEDS Continuity of Operations for Hospitals ISD Power Plants are a 24/7 operation that ensures the consistent delivery of power systems to numerous facilities in Los Angeles County, including the County’s four main hospitals—Harbor-UCLA, LAC+USC, Olive View, and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. In direct response to increasing virus concerns, ISD reviewed and modified its continuity of operation plans to ensure the safety of staff for the continuous delivery of service in critical facilities.
Staff Discussed COOP Plan
Modified Work Schedules
Acquired PPE for Staff Safety
2020 Annual Highlights
Management and operation of the power plants are essential to ensuring that hospital facilities are able to provide vital care to those fighting COVID-19 and other medical emergencies.
Power Plants Hospitals Continued Patients Received Provided Power to Operate Medical Attention
Emergency Isolation and Quarantine Units ISD partnered with the County’s Department of Public Health and the Office of Emergency Management to develop isolation and quarantine housing options, including short-term housing and recreational vehicles for those impacted by COVID-19. 7
MARCH 2020 RESPONSE TO AN EMERGING CRISIS Logistic Mobilization
Internal Services Department
On March 4, the County’s Board of Supervisors declared a public health emergency regarding the Coronavirus, and the County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) activated to a Level 1-Full Scale Activation. As part of the EOC Incident Command, ISD Logistics Management provided field support and procured:
700 units of isolation & quarantine housing, including 110 recreational vehicles for residents impacted by COVID-19; Clinical, security, program services, cleaning, laundry, and other ancillary services to support the isolation and quarantine housing program;
1,498 infrared thermometers for use by the County and critical partners to support the identification of symptoms.
8
This has been an unprecedented event for the County, but the personnel from ISD have consistently shown adaptability, enthusiasm, and can-do attitude throughout it all and their work is much appreciated and has been critical to the County’s response. Bennett Cummings, Supervisor Office of Emergency Management
Click here to watch press conference
REIMAGINING THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS Safer At Home
Safer At Home Transition for the County ISD Information Technology Service rapidly deployed remote access capabilities to accommodate the teleworking needs of County departments. In a matter of days, work teams successfully:
2020 Annual Highlights
On March 15, ISD authorized all its employees who were able to work remotely to telework at home. The organization utilized all resources available, updated processes and guidelines, and maximized the ISD Telework Program. These decisive actions enabled: • Approximately 85% of employees to telework at home, including those with underlying medical conditions. • Approximately 50% of employees with non-traditional office jobs to telework at home on a rotating basis with special assignments, including staff who work in custodial, maintenance, mail services, and parking operations.
Built, configured and deployed a software system that provided telework availability for 40,000 virtual desktops; Set up locations for the setup and encryption of 539 purchased laptops for departments; Enabled capacity for more than 90,000 users across departments to collaborate via virtual project teams; Provided first-line support for all IT related issues, fielding over 2,000 incidents/week remotely. 9
MARCH 2020 ON THE FRONT LINES COVID-19 Custodial Specialized Cleanings
Internal Services Department
ISD is responsible for the routine daily cleaning of 122 facilities and approximately 6 million square feet of property. As a result of new COVID-19 safety mandates, additional specialized cleaning was required for more complete disinfections. ISD Custodial Services quickly established deep cleaning protocols for surface areas that could be exposed to the virus. The priority was to protect constituents and employees of Los Angeles County, while also protecting custodial staff. Cleaning protocols for handling high touch surface areas included: •
Door handles & knobs
•
Light switches
•
Front desk & lobby surfaces
•
Telephones
•
Bathrooms & other fixtures
•
Desks
•
Chair arms
•
Counter tops
•
Elevator buttons
•
Handrails
I just wanted to thank you and your team for helping us with our HOA situation. [Custodial management] was great with everything and we appreciate it. Dara Smith, Administrative Deputy Office of the Assessor Click here to watch Custodial video 10
LEADING THE WAY WITH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS Wireless Network for DHS Pop Up Clinics ISD Information Technology Service (ITS) provided wireless networking equipment for the County’s Department of Health Services (DHS) to rapidly create pop up clinics across Los Angeles County. The wireless equipment made it possible for DHS to rapidly establish remote sites for patient isolation and screening.
Election Support for the March 3rd Primary Election 2020 Annual Highlights
ISD ITS assisted the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s election operations with quick response teams to respond to voting locations in the event of a power outage.
Geographic Information System (GIS) Mapping Tools & Dashboards ISD enterprise GIS supported numerous County initiatives related to emergency response. Through the power of GIS and location-based information, determining the areas impacted, service areas, access and other key factors impacting service delivery, made these efforts easier to achieve. Geospatial technology has allowed ISD to assist departments in aiding
Click here to visit COVID-19 GIS Dashboard Website
the public to access a wide-range of services such as COVID-19 testing sites, food distribution locations, Wi-Fi locations, fire activity, and so much more. 11
APRIL 2020 MAKING A DIFFERENCE TOGETHER Fighting Food Insecurity
Internal Services Department
On April 24, ISD Special Services provided infrastructure set-up for food banks throughout the County. There were more than 60 food banks distributions that served more than 440,700 households throughout the year.
Providing Personal Protective Equipment ISD Special Services provided infrastructure set-up for personal protective equipment distribution at 41 sites throughout the County, keeping essential workers safe to serve our constituents.
Expanding Testing Sites ISD Special Services provided the infrastructure set-up of drive-through testing clinics including tents, tables, chairs and other equipment to assist thousands of people with the opportunity to get tested for free. ISD
Purchasing
and
Contract
Services
finalized
agreements with laboratories to support the County’s testing program. 12
Delivering Prescriptions ISD
Services
supported
the
County’s
Department of Health Services with the delivery of
6,665 medical prescriptions to pre-established hospital mail stops and patient homes at no cost. These deliveries helped reduce the risk of COVID19 exposure, providing convenience to the public.
Locating Food Resources Development, Aging and Community Services Department,
Chief
Sustainability
Office,
and
Department of Regional Planning, assisting in the development of a Food Resources Hub website. This site assisted County residents in locating food resources from a variety of sources. Since April
Click here to visit Food Resource Website
2020 Annual Highlights
ISD collaborated with the County’s Workforce
2020, the website was visited over 98,000 times.
Providing Safety and Jobs ISD Purchasing and Contract Services sourced a local
supplier
for
250,000 face coverings,
providing essential personal protective equipment for County employees while providing jobs to local businesses. 13
M AY 2 0 2 0 DELIVERING CRITICAL CUSTOMER SERVICES
Internal Services Department
Personal Protective Equipment In the midst of a global supply shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), ISD negotiated an agreement of 35 Million N95 respirators over the next 2 years. PPE was continuously distributed to essential workers throughout the County, providing safety while they continued to provide critical services to constituents. The deal allowed the County to focus on other urgent PPE needs, such as gloves, gowns, etc., and provided a steady supply to the County throughout the year and beyond.
Teleconference Support for the Board of Supervisors ISD coordinated the ordering of audio teleconferencing services that were used by the Board of Supervisors (BOS) for public access to various briefings and meetings. Teleconference support was critical during the pandemic, enabling the continuity of government and virtual access to the public. The BOS media site received on average more than 6,170 daily views.
I just wanted to share that ISD did an amazing job in supporting our County’s virtual Board meeting. Many people may under estimate a simple WebEx, but as you know the complexity is in integrating that WebEx feed into the County’s audio/video infrastructure and broadcasting it live to our cable provider. Jeramy Gray, Chief Deputy Executive Officer Executive Office of the Board 14
JUNE 2020 PROACTIVE RESPONSE TO CYBERSECURITY Cybersecurity Awareness Protests and demonstrations in cities across the nation drew widespread attention. ISD recognized that such events were opportunities for malicious cyberattacks. ISD provided cybersecurity protections, including:
24/7/365
Personal Computers
2 Million
Malicious Emails Blocked Monthly
Countywide Email Security ISD migrated the Countywide email hygiene services to a cloud-based service offering. This service reduced on-premise operating resources, provided flexible capacity to support email traffic surge,
2020 Annual Highlights
Security Monitoring
100,000
improved mail routing efficiency, increased scalability and minimized delays in delivery of emails to customers.
WI-FI LOCATOR Access to the internet became increasingly necessary during the pandemic. With distance learning and teleworking becoming the norm for thousands of constituents, ISD expanded the broadband locator application to identify more public Wi-Fi hotspot locations throughout the County. Major additions included the County’s Workforce Development, Aging & Community Service centers, city libraries, public schools, and approximately 1,400 commercial businesses. 15
J U LY 2 0 2 0 DISASTER SERVICE WORKER PROGRAM Lending a Helping Hand
Internal Services Department
Los Angeles County is committed to serving the public and responding to the most complicated social, health and public safety challenges. Over 360 ISD employees participated in the County’s Disaster Service Worker Program, working over 101,860 hours to provide vital services to the public that were significantly impacted by the pandemic.
Contact Tracers
Call Center Workers Cooling Center Workers
Shelter Workers
Food Distributions Election Workers
EOC Support Shelter Drivers
PPE Distributions
Over a 5 week period the Long Beach PPE Warehouse pushed out well over 13 million individual pieces of PPE to over 5,000 facilities. This was a huge accomplishment and reflects the great work [ISD provided] and the commitment you brought to helping protect the residents of the County of Los Angeles. At some future date when you leave County service, if you find yourself asking, “Did I make a difference?” let me assure you that during this period of the COVID response you helped to save lives, lessen the spread of disease, and showed a great amount of compassion for the residents of the County. I know you made a difference and I hope you feel you did as well. Michael J. Contreras, Disaster Service Specialist Los Angeles County Department of Public Health 16
AUGUST 2020 BATTLING WILDFIRES Emergency Wildfire Support
First Responder Communications
2020 Annual Highlights
In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, a climate crisis ensued as the West Coast was engulfed in flames. ISD provided emergency support and monitored the Burnt Peak Communication Site threatened during the Lake Fire, including refueling and providing backup generator services. Over 4 months, 100 gallons of fuel were delivered each week into a remote hillside area, totaling 1,600 gallons . Similar monitoring efforts were needed for the Bobcat Fire near Mount Wilson.
ISD Interoperable Radio Systems Division supported the Sheriff and Fire Departments in critical upgrade projects to support Federal Communications Commission mandated compliance and interoperable communications with State and Federal agencies. The Sheriff’s narrow banding project involved conversion of 32 radio channels and 76 radio sites to more efficient use of licensed frequencies; and updated and programmed over 3,900 mobile and portable radios for the Fire Department. This enabled radio interoperability with other agencies under Fire Tactical Mutual Aid Communications. 17
SEPTEMBER 2020 DOING OUR PART TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Power Conservation in County Buildings
Internal Services Department
In response to unprecedented heatwaves and the urgent need to conserve energy, ISD teams initiated a remote assessment of hosted computer devices located in facilities across the County and implemented remote shutdowns of 2,950 devices. ISD remotely throttled back 27 out of 69 Air Handling Units (AHUs) in three major buildings downtown (Hall of Administration, Hall of Records, and Archives). This reduced about 100kW of peak energy per AHU, or a total energy reduction of about 2.7 MW , equivalent to 9,014 smartphones being charged. ISD sent out blast email alerts encouraging all County employees and departmental facilities managers to adjust HVAC settings, turn off lights, and shutoff electronic devices wherever operationally feasible and to the maximum extent possible.
Vendor Price Reductions As the County faced fiscal challenges, ISD proposed that the Board of Supervisors consider a motion to ask vendors for voluntary price reductions. In 2009, the Board adopted a similar motion requesting contractors to reduce their rates by 10% due to the recession, which achieved a cost savings of $5.9 million . Upon the Board’s adoption of the new motion, ISD proactively coordinated Countywide efforts to negotiate reductions and 23 departments reported cost savings totaling $31.7 million . 18
See Our Partner List Here
Bridging the Digital Divide Access to technology and the internet became a necessity for many students, especially during the pandemic. In an effort to help bridge the digital divide, ISD facilitated the purchase of: •
26,000 devices and 21,000 hotspots by Los Angeles County Office of Education.
•
700 Chromebooks and hotspots for the County Library.
In October 2020, ISD sourced an additional 19,000 devices and 10,500 hotspots for distribution to families in need.
O C TO B E R 2 0 2 0 OUR ROLE IN A HISTORIC ELECTION Cybersecurity Election Activity In response to intelligence advisories from the Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency and the Federal Bureau Investigation regarding election system attacks observed in the nation, ISD Cyber Governance and Operations (CGO) identified threat feeds from known election attack vectors. CGO proactively responded with the following actions: Blocked 771 websites/URL links
Power and Infrastructure Election Support ISD supported the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s (RR/CC) office by providing the following critical services to ensure a successful election: 24 generators to supply back-up power
2020 Annual Highlights
Blocked 411 IP addresses
Infrastructure set-up for 13 outdoor voting locations
Installation of Touchless Restroom Fixtures ISD assessed the restroom fixtures throughout RR/CC headquarters, installing the following touchless fixtures to help mitigate the risk of COVID-19 prior to the increase in election-related activities.
54 faucets
81 toilets
34 towel dispensers 19
NOVEMBER 2020 DELIVERY AND RELIABILITY Ultra-Low Temperature Freezers ISD assisted the County’s Department of Public Health and Department of Health Services in securing ultra-low temperature freezers, required to store two of the potential COVID-19 vaccine options. This enabled Internal Services Department
the County to be ready for the management and storage of vaccines that were expected to arrive in December 2020.
General Election Tabulations ISD assisted with the scanning and tabulation of the Presidential General Election ballots received by the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. More than 10 million ballot pages were scanned representing
4.34 million ballots from a pool of 5.7 million registered voters (a 76% turnout).
Outdoor Wi-Fi Expansion at Libraries ISD partnered with the County Library to help bridge the digital divide, installing and activating outdoor Wi-Fi at various library facilities. The goal was to complete installations at 28 libraries by the end of December 2020. ISD exceeded the goal ahead by completing 34 libraries ahead of schedule and under budget with cost savings of nearly $100,000. 20
DECEMBER 2020 MANAGING AND PROVIDING PROTECTION COVID-19 Vaccine Management
SolarWinds Sunburst Security Threat In response to notification from multiple trusted sources, including Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center about an exploit of SolarWinds Orion software affecting multiple organizations and federal agencies, ISD Cyber Governance and Operations activated Countywide Incident Response management services to investigate and take immediate action, such as: •
Daily Chief Information Security Officer and departmental status briefings.
•
Daily monitoring of cyber intelligence information from leading agencies for new Indicators of Compromise (IOC’s).
•
Hourly updates to the County’s perimeter security defenses.
•
Searched for new IOC’s across all environments using all available tools.
•
Ensured all endpoint security/malware system were updated to detect activities associated with the threat.
2020 Annual Highlights
ISD assisted the County’s Department of Public Health and Department of Health Services with the COVID-19 Vaccination Program, procuring additional ultra-low temperature freezers, facilitating the purchase of necessary personal protective equipment and supplies, and finalizing a contractual agreement with a third-party logistics firm to support the vaccine mission. Additionally, ISD met with technology companies to review different types of vaccine management software solutions.
21
Internal Services Department
35 MILLION
470,000
12.7 MILLION
353,005
GLOVES
DISPOSABLE MASKS
590,848
270,180
N 9 5 R E S P I R ATO R S
UNITS OF HAND SANITIZER 22
GOWNS, COVERALLS, SHOE COVERS
UNITS OF DISINFECTANT WIPES AND SPRAY
255,000
690,000
250,000
1,750
16,498
68,232
FACE SHIELDS AND GOGGLES
INFRARED AND DIGITAL THERMOMETERS
2020 Annual Highlights
FABRIC FACE COVERINGS
COVID-19 TEST KITS
COVID-19 SPECIALIZED CLEANINGS PERFORMED
MEDICAL PRESCRIPTIONS DELIVERED 23
E N V I R O N M E N TA L I N I T I AT I V E S ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Internal Services Department
As administrators and leaders in environmental sustainability, the Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) Annual Report was filed with the California Public Utilities Commission, showing SoCalREN outperformed the next closest Regional Energy Network in the state by about 250% . Highlighted below are some of SoCalREN's other major achievements: ATTAINED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF COST-EFFECTIVENESS SINCE THE PROGRAM’S INCEPTION
0.43
62%
Total Resource Cost (TRC) Index
Improvement from the previous year
Kilowatts per Hour (kWh)
=
624,021,155 Cell phones charged
REDUCED CO2 EMISSIONS BY
4,893 Metric Tons
=
ASSISTED Contractors to become
11
24
prequalified with Los Angeles County to compete for energy and environmental projects
1,057
Passenger cars removed from the road for 1 year
WORKSHOP SERIES PREPARED
137
4.5 MEGAWATTS estimated to save the County
ENERGY SAVINGS OF
6,920,467
In support of the Sustainability Plan and reducing the County’s carbon footprint, ISD completed four solar energy systems totaling
Contractors to compete for energy efficiency projects and increase their capacity
$14 MILLION over the lifetime of the system.
EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITIES HEALTHY STORES REFRIGERATION PROGRAM ISD Energy and Environmental Service (EES) received a $1.4 million grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Healthy Stores Refrigeration Program. The program provides free refrigeration equipment to small commercial corner stores located in food deserts and low-access areas to promote the storage and availability of healthy food options for customers while reducing energy consumption. 2020 Annual Highlights
What we’ve been doing for the last 25 weeks [throughout the pandemic] is giving away food to 150 families every week. [After we received the refrigerators] we gave out 1,200 bags of food. If we didn’t have [the refrigerators], I’m telling you, it wouldn’t have been possible. We filled them to the brim with bags of food. Owner of South LA Market
GREEN PATH CAREER PROGRAM ISD EES, through SoCalREN, launched the Green Path Career (GPC) Program providing Transition Age Youth (TAY) access to the growing energy efficiency sector by offering education, training, and work experience in the field. GPC is designed to address the barriers TAY face when transitioning out of the foster care system, while addressing workforce expansion needs. The program provides certification training, supportive services, and coaching needed to help launch their career. 25
D E PA R T M E N TA L I N I T I AT I V E S ISD WOMEN’S NETWORK
Internal Services Department
ISD established the Women’s Network as a department-wide program to advance professional opportunities for women within the department. Major initiatives include:
26
Support for Gender Equality
Mentoring
Networking
Leadership Development
Access to Information
Several virtual workshops, designed to help break the stigma that construction is only for men, were held throughout the year.
EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION
CAREER, PASSION, COMMUNITY
ISD launched a new peer-to-peer recognition program, that empowers staff to recognize any employee or work team who demonstrated excellence in upholding the values and goals of the organization.
ISD began a new video series celebrating employees by recognizing their careers, focusing on their passions, and how they give back to the community. Stories featured community support activities through music, astronomy, car restorations, robotics, and non-profit work.
PROFESSIONAL APPRECIATION
ADOPT-A-FAMILY PROGRAM
ISD recognized its workforce for their delivery and exceptional performance in support of critical operations throughout the County. Appreciation events included National Automotive Service Professional Day, National Information Technology Professional Day, and National Custodial Worker Appreciation Day.
ISD supported the County’s Department of Public Social Services in their annual holiday Adopt-a-Family Program. ISD joined this long-standing tradition, bringing smiles to 7 families within the community. Families received their wish list items of housewares, clothing, toys, and groceries during a safe gift-giving drive.
THANK YOU COUNTY FAMILY FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE Hilda Solis
Sheila Kuehl
Holly Mitchell
Janice Hahn
Mark Ridley-Thomas
Kathryn Barger
District Attorney
Parks & Recreation
Employees Retirement Association Executive Office, Board of Supervisors
Probation
Fire Department
Public Social Services
Health Services
Public Works
Human Resources
Regional Planning
Library Medical Examiner-Coroner
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk
Mental Health
Sanitation Districts
Military & Veterans Affairs
Sheriff
Museum of Art
Superior Court
Natural History Museum
Treasurer & Tax Collector
Office of Education
Workforce Development, Aging & Community Services
First District Supervisor Second District Supervisor Former Second District Supervisor
Animal Care & Control Arts and Culture Assessor Auditor-Controller Beaches & Harbor Chief Executive Office Child Support Services Children & Family Services Consumer & Business Affairs
County Counsel Development Authority
Fourth District Supervisor Fifth District Supervisor
Public Defender Public Health
2020 Annual Highlights
Agricultural Commissioner/ Weights & Measures Alternate Public Defender
Third District Supervisor
27