Committee approves retroactive Global Tel contract that cuts average local inmate call cost by 34%

The Government Audit and Oversight Committee on Feb. 16 advanced a resolution authorizing the Sheriff’s Department to memorialize rates in a contract with Global Tel Inc. for inmate telephone services. The department said the contract reflects rates adopted in June 2016 that reduced the average local call cost from $2.35 to $1.54 and that the contract runs for three years with two one‑year extension options.

Crispin Hollings, chief financial officer for the Sheriff’s Department, told the committee that Global Tel Link (the vendor) has provided phone services in San Francisco since 2010 and that when the department reduced rates last June, call volume and duration rose roughly 25–30 percent. Hollings said the contract rates are lower than proposed FCC caps on inmate call rates, though he noted the FCC rules have been challenged and not yet implemented.

Members questioned why the resolution is retroactive to a Dec. 1 signing; Deputy City Attorney John Givner replied that contracts subject to Board approval only become binding when approved by the Board under the city’s charter and offered to check boilerplate language in the agreement. The committee also pressed for detail on how revenue from phone‑service commissions is used. Hollings estimated the contract will bring about $500,000 to the inmate welfare fund; he said the fund supports prisoner legal services, jail program staff and community organizations such as Community Works. For fiscal 2015–16 he reported total fund expenditures of roughly $1.2 million, a beginning fund balance of about $2.0 million, and an ending balance of $2.1 million; the department said any significant further revenue reduction would require general‑fund backfill for programs.

Supervisor Hussain moved Item 2 with a recommendation to the full Board and the committee carried the motion without opposition.