Legislation Details

File #: 26-2896    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Grant Status: Passed
File created: 4/30/2026 In control: Commissioners Court
On agenda: 5/14/2026 Final action: 5/14/2026
Title: Request by the Office of County Administration for approval of an amendment to the subrecipient agreement with Houston Zoo, Inc. to pass through additional grant funds in the amount of $1,490,763 and update Budget Period start and end dates for the ZEEBRA: Zoos Education on Electronics and Battery Recycling Awareness program.

Primary Department: County Administration

Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Erica Lee Carter, County Administrator

Secondary Department: Choose an item.

Secondary Department Head/Elected Official:

 

Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA

Type of Request: Contract - Amendment

 

Project ID (if applicable): ZEEBRA_GY25

Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable):

 

MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable):

MWBE Current Participation (if applicable):

Justification for 0% MWBE Participation Goal:  N/A - Goal not applicable to request

 

Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): 10%

Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Rate is not 0% and is listed above.

 

Request Summary (Agenda Caption):

title

Request by the Office of County Administration for approval of an amendment to the subrecipient agreement with Houston Zoo, Inc. to pass through additional grant funds in the amount of $1,490,763 and update Budget Period start and end dates for the ZEEBRA: Zoos Education on Electronics and Battery Recycling Awareness program.

end

 

Background and Discussion:

Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the purpose of the DOE’s Consumer Electronics Battery Recycling, Reprocessing, and Battery Collection funding opportunity is to support the recycling of consumer electronics and battery-containing devices to help support a robust domestic supply chain for critical minerals in the United States.

 

Harris County previously executed a subrecipient agreement with Houston Zoo, Inc. for the implementation of the ZEEBRA program. This amendment is necessary to update the budget allocation and revise the Budget Period start and end dates to align with current project timelines.

The increase of $1,490,763 in Houston Zoo’s subaward primarily originates from subaward funds previously allocated to another subrecipient who has withdrawn from the project. No additional funds from Harris County or the grantor (DOE) are being requested.

 

Expected Impact:

Approval of this amendment will ensure continued implementation of the ZEEBRA program and alignment of subrecipient activities with updated project timelines and budget requirements.

 

Alternative Options:

To not approve this amendment and risk delays or misalignment in program implementation and grant compliance.

 

County Strategic Plan Goal:  5. Minimize the impact of climate change and disasters.

County Strategic Plan Objective: Q: Encourage residents, businesses, and public entities to significantly reduce their environmental footprint for the health of our region.

Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1):   N/A

Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2):  N/A

Economy Initiative (Goal 3): N/A

Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A

Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): N/A

Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A

 

Additional notes related to the Strategic Plan:

 

Prior Court Action (if any):

Date

Agenda Item #

Action Taken

11/14/23

158

Request by the Office of County Administration for approval to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Energy for grant funds in an amount up to $5,000,000, with no required match, for the ZEEBRA: Zoos Educating on Electronics and Battery Recycling Awareness Program

9/19/24

424

Request by the Office of County Administration for approval to accept from the U.S. Department of Energy grant funds in the amount of $4,860,332, with no required match, for the ZEEBRA: Zoos Educating on Electronics and Battery Recycling Awareness program.

11/7/24

7

Request by the Office of County Administration for approval of a subrecipient agreement with Houston Zoo, Inc. in the amount of $1,191,154 for the ZEEBRA: Zoos Educating on Electronics and Battery Recycling Awareness Program.

 

Location:

Address (if applicable):

Precinct(s): Countywide

 

 

Fiscal and Personnel Summary

Service Name

 

 

 

Current Fiscal Year Cost

Annual Fiscal Cost

 

Labor

Non-Labor

Total

Recurring Expenses

Funding Sources

 

Existing Budget

 

 

 

 

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Total Existing Budget

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Additional Budget Request (Requires Fiscal Review Request Form)

 

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Total Additional Budget Request

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Total Funding Sources

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Grants - Proposed Budget (For Grants Items only)

 

Labor

Non-Labor

Total

No. of Grant Years

Local Match Source - Existing Budget: Choose an item.

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Local Match Source - Additional Budget Request: Choose an item.

$

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Grant Funds Applied for/Awarded (Total)

$

$

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Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new Position Control Numbers (PCN)s)

 

Current Position Count for Service

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Additional Positions Request

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Total Personnel

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County Attorney’s Office Legal Review (for Harris County Code Items only)

CAO Reviewer Name and Title

 

CAO Review Completion Date

Click or tap to enter a date.

 

Anticipated Court Date: 5/14/2026

Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.

 

Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item

 

Contact(s) name, title, department: Lisa Lin, Director, Office of Sustainability, Office of County Administration; Carlos Hernandez, Sustainability Manager, Office of Sustainability, Office of County Administration

 

Attachments (if applicable): First Amendment to Subrecipient Agreement (Houston Zoo, Inc.)