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Approve a $140,000 contract with iWebVisit.com for a video visitation system to provide or enhance inmate visitation services at the Solano County jail facilities for the period April 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027; Delegate authority to the County Administrator, with County Counsel concurrence, to execute this contract and any subsequent amendments to this contract up to an annual aggregate of $74,999; and Authorize the Sheriff, Undersheriff, or Director of Administrative Services to execute any amendments which are technical or administrative in nature
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Sheriff recommends that the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve a $140,000 contract with iWebVisit.com for a video visitation system to provide or enhance inmate visitation services at the Solano County jail facilities for the period April 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027;
2. Delegate authority to the County Administrator, with County Counsel concurrence, to execute this contract and any subsequent amendments to this contract up to an annual aggregate of $74,999; and
3. Authorize the Sheriff, Undersheriff, or Director of Administrative Services to execute any amendments which are technical or administrative in nature.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
California Code of Regulations, title 15, section 1062, Minimum Standards for Local Detention Facilities, requires counties to provide sentenced incarcerated persons in Type I facilities and all incarcerated persons in Type II, III, and IV facilities with no fewer than two visits totaling at least one hour per person each week. While the Justice Center Detention Facility (JCDF), a Type II facility, offers in-person visitation, the Stanton Correctional Facility (SCF) and the Claybank Detention Facility (CDF), both Type II facilities, offer remote visitation only. Section 1062 also establishes requirements applicable to facilities offering remote visitation, including requirements regarding the availability of video visitation at no charge.
iWebvisit.com (“iWebVisit”) provides a video visitation system that allows inmates in JCDF, SCF, and CDF to participate in visitor-initiated and scheduled video conferences while visitors are at remote locations or in a designated non-contact visiting area at the jail facilities. The video visitation system enhances visitation opportunities, maximizes visitation hours, and improves use of staffing resources. The new 15-month agreement provides for continued services and reflects recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations governing rates for incarcerated people’s communications services. Effective April 6, 2026, the applicable FCC rate cap for video visitation is $0.17 per minute, with an additional $0.02 per minute permitted to recover costs incurred by the correctional facility in making the service available. Under the new agreement, a standard 30-minute video visit will cost $5.70 ($5.10 to iWebVisit and $0.60 to Solano County).
The Sheriff’s Office intends to issue an RFP for inmate communications later this year for a service provider and services that would become effective July 1, 2027. These services would include phone visitation and video visitation supported by the use of tablets. The tablets may also support educational and entertainment use.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
With the new rate cap, iWebVisit is now unable to absorb the county-obligated “free” minutes extended to those inmates at SCF and CDF and will pass those costs on to Solano County. The total cost of the contract is $140,000. The anticipated FY2026/27 cost is $120,000, of which $4,000 is for annual video data storage costs to be funded by the Inmate Welfare Fund (IWF). The remaining $116,000 is for county-obligated visitation minutes. The Sheriff’s Office FY2026/27 Working Budget includes sufficient appropriations to cover the contract costs; therefore, there is no additional impact to the County General Fund.
The County will receive $0.02 for every minute of each video visit, estimated at $18,000 annually. These funds will help offset County costs associated with providing inmate communications services.
The FCC regulations no longer permit the prior commission structure. Through March 31, 2026, Solano County received a 35% commission from iWebVisit on gross receipts from video visits. These funds were deposited in Solano County’s IWF. The loss of this commission revenue was considered by the Sheriff and the IWF Committee when developing the IWF FY2026/27 budget.
The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the department ’s FY2026/27 Working Budget.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board of Supervisors could choose not to approve the contract; however, this alternative is not recommended as inmate video visitation services are needed for Solano County to meet its inmate visitation requirements.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has reviewed and approved this contract as to form.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION