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CC - CONSENT ITEM: (1) Waiver of Competitive Bidding Procedures Pursuant to Culver City Municipal Code Section 3.07.075.F.3; (2) Approval of an Amendment to an Existing Agreement with the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $821,551 ($468,714 for Years One Through Three and $352,837 for Two One-Year Extension Options), for the Provision of Paramedic Continuing Education, Quality Improvement Activities, and Other Related Paramedic Program Support; and (3) FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE REQUIREMENT: Approval of a Related Budget Amendment Appropriating $5,364 from the General Fund Unassigned Balance.
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Meeting Date: March 18, 2024
Contact Person/Dept: Paul Voorhees / Fire Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-5912
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (03/13/2024)
Department Approval: Kenneth Powell, Fire Chief (02/26/2024)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) waive competitive bidding procedures pursuant to Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Section 3.07.075.F.3; (2) approve an amendment to an existing agreement with the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care in an amount not-to-exceed $821,551 ($468,714 for years one through three and $352,837 for two one-year extension options), for the provision of paramedic continuing education, quality improvement activities, and other related paramedic program support; and (3) approve a related budget amendment appropriating $5,364 from the General Fund Unassigned Balance (requires four-fifths vote).
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The Culver City Fire Department (CCFD) has been providing Advanced Life Support (ALS) through its paramedic program since 1973. Currently, 67% of all 911 calls are medically related. Culver City’s paramedic program delivers high quality patient care and is recognized in Los Angeles County as a progressive Emergency Medical Services (EMS) provider.
On January 28, 2019, City Council approved a three-year agreement, with the option to extend the agreement for two additional one-year periods, with UCLA to provide paramedic continuing education, quality improvement activities, and other related paramedic program support. The CCFD is requesting to extend the agreement for another three years, with two one-year period extension options.
Nurse Educator
Most fire departments that provide paramedic services in California employ or contract with a nurse educator. A nurse educator is a term used to describe an individual with a unique set of knowledge, skills, and abilities. These specialists have extensive experience as an emergency room nurse, are well versed in pre-hospital emergency care, have knowledge of medical quality assurance/quality improvement activities and processes, and have formal training in adult learning.
Services Required
Services the CCFD needs to acquire to sustain the paramedic program include the following activities:
• Provide EMS continuing education to Fire Department personnel.
• Conduct Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Improvement (QI) activities.
• Review all patient care records.
• Ensure documentation is adequate.
• Ensure adherence to established protocols and medical policies.
• Provide feedback to paramedics.
• Submit reports to the fire chief and the Local Emergency Medical Services Agency (LEMSA), Los Angeles County EMS Agency.
• Prepare for audits conducted by the LEMSA.
• Liaise with local hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and urgent care facilities.
Selection Process
In anticipation of the retirement of the CCFD’s previous Nurse Educator in 2019, CCFD staff conducted a search for an individual contractor. Staff administered a survey of 29 area departments. The survey revealed that 96% of nurse educators are on their respective department’s payroll and receive benefits. The CCFD was unsuccessful in its search for a replacement individual and looked to the only emergency and prehospital academic center on the West Coast, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).
As part of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care has a national and international reputation for the quality of their faculty, graduates, and their research work. Currently, they serve 20 fire departments and five law enforcement agencies in the same capacity that the CCFD seeks to continue through the requested agreement. Currently, there is not an institution comparable to UCLA within the area.
Pursuant to CCMC Section 3.07.045, in the event the same vendor has been utilized for a period of five consecutive years, competitive bidding procedures shall apply. CCMC Section 3.07.075.F.3, provides the Council may waive, by a majority vote, bidding requirements if it is deemed to be in the City’s best interest and authorize a negotiated contract. Based on the quality of the service at the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care and the lack of comparable institutions in the area, staff recommends Council waive the competitive bidding procedures and authorize an amendment to the existing contract.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Funds in the amount of $132,588 for these services are included in the Adopted Budget for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 in Account No. 10145300.610400 (Fire Department Emergency Medical Services - Consulting Services). The UCLA Professional Services Agreement has a cost of $148,680 for the first year of the amendment which will begin on March 1, 2024. An additional $5,364 is needed to cover the difference for the remainder of the fiscal year. Funding for the remainder of the first year of the agreement and all subsequent years will be included in future fiscal year budgets. A budget amendment appropriating the $5,364 from the General Fund Unassigned Balance is necessary (requires a four-fifths vote). As of February 26, 2024, the General Fund Unassigned Balance is $4.1 million.
Estimated annual costs, based on 5% not-to-exceed annual increases, are as follows:
Year 1 - $148,680
Year 2 - $156,114
Year 3 - $163,920
Year 4 (optional) - $172,116
Year 5 (optional) - $180,721
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Waive competitive bidding procedures pursuant to CCMC Section 3.07.075.F.3;
2. Approve a three-year professional services agreement with the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care in an amount not-to-exceed $821,551 ($468,714 for years one through three and $352,837 for two one-year extension options), for the provision of paramedic continuing education, quality improvement activities, and other related paramedic program support;
3. Authorize the City Manager to exercise each of the two one-year options;
4. Approve a budget amendment appropriating $5,364 from the General Fund Unassigned Balance to Account No. 101045300.610400 (requires four-fifths vote);
5. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
6. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.