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CC - (1) Approval of a Three-Year Professional Services Agreement, with Two Additional One-Year Options, with the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $588,708 ($344,470 for Years One Through Three and $244,239 for Two One-Year Options), for the Provision of Paramedic Continuing Education, Quality Improvement Activities, and Other Related Paramedic Program Support; and (2) FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE REQUIREMENT: Approval of a Related Budget Amendment.
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Meeting Date: January 28, 2019
Contact Person/Dept: Daniel Dobbs/Fire Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-5912
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (01/23/2019);
Department Approval: David White/Fire Department (January 15, 2019)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) approve a three-year professional services agreement, with two additional one-year options, with the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care in an amount not-to-exceed $588,708 ($344,470 for years one through three and $244,239 for two one-year options), for the provision of paramedic continuing education, quality improvement activities, and other related paramedic program support; and (2) approve a related budget amendment (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, 71% 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.
At the June 8, 2015 Council meeting, City Council approved a five-year professional services agreement renewal with Monica Bradley, R.N., M.I.C.N. for the provision of paramedic continuing education, quality improvement activities, and other related paramedic program support. Ms. Bradley has filled this key position in the department for the last nine years to ensure that Culver City firefighters deliver the best quality pre-hospital care. Ms. Bradley is slated to retire within the current fiscal year, at which point her contract will terminate.
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 Fire Department needs to acquire in order 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 (Los Angeles County Department of Health Services).
• Prepare for audits conducted by the local Emergency Medical Services Agency.
• Liaise with local hospitals.
Selection Process
In anticipation of the retirement of Ms. Bradley, CCFD staff conducted a search for an individual contractor. Staff administered a survey of 29 area departments several months ago. The survey revealed that 96% of the nurse educators are on their respective department’s payroll and receive benefits. The department 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 17 fire departments and five law enforcement agencies in the same capacity that the department is seeking. The Fire Department & Law Enforcement Division has 15 nurse and paramedic educators on staff with over 15 years of program experience in delivering quality improvement programs and continuing education to fire departments. Currently, there is not an institution comparable to UCLA within the area
The Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) § 3.07.065.A exempts professional services from the formal competitive bid process, provided competitive quotes are obtained whenever practical, as determined by the City Manager. Based on the foregoing, the City Manager determined competitive quotations are not needed in this case.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Funds in the amount of $100,620 per year for the previous contract are included in the Fiscal Year 2018-19 Adopted Budget from the Fire Department’s account 10145300.619800. The UCLA Professional Services Agreement has a starting cost of $112,000 per year. An additional $4,741.67 from the general fund will need to be appropriated to 10145300.619800 to cover the difference for the remainder of the fiscal year. Subsequent funding in future years will be appropriated during the budget process.
Estimated annual costs, based on 2.5% CPI, are as follows:
Year 1 - $112,000
Year 2 - $114,800
Year 3 - $117,670
Year 4 (optional) - $120,612
Year 5 (optional) - $123,627
ATTACHMENTS
None.
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Approve a three-year professional services agreement with the UCLA Center for Prehospital Care in an amount not-to-exceed $588,708 ($344,470 for years one through three and $244,239 for two one-year options), for the provision of paramedic continuing education, quality improvement activities, and other related paramedic program support; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to exercise each of the two one-year options; and
3. Approve a budget amendment to appropriate $4,741.67 from the general fund to (10145300.619800) (requires four-fifths vote); and
4. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
3) Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.